Mission type | Weather satellite |
---|---|
Operator | ESSA/NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1966-016A |
SATCAT no. | 2091 |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | RCA Astro |
Launch mass | 286 kilograms (631 lb) [1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | February 3, 1966, 13:55 UTC [2] |
Rocket | Delta E |
Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-17B |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Decommissioned |
Deactivated | October 16, 1970 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Semi-major axis | 7,115.60 kilometers (4,421.43 mi) |
Eccentricity | 0.00399 |
Perigee altitude | 1,355 kilometers (842 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 1,415 kilometers (879 mi) |
Inclination | 101.3° |
Period | 113.5 minutes |
Epoch | February 28, 1966 |
ESSA-2 (or OT-2 ) was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA-2 was launched on February 28, 1966, at 13:55 UTC. It was launched atop a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft had a mass of 132 kilograms (291 lb) at the time of launch. ESSA-2 had an inclination of 101.3°, and an orbited the Earth once every 113 minutes. Its perigee was 1,355 kilometers (842 mi) and its apogee was 1,455 kilometers (904 mi).
ESSA-2 was a Sun-synchronous polar-orbiting weather satellite whose mission was to provide real-time pictures of cloud cover using the automatic picture transmission system. These cloud cover pictures were used by meteorologists for use in weather forecasting and analysis. The satellite provided useful cloud pictures for more than four years before the camera systems were placed in standby mode on March 20, 1970. ESSA-2 was fully deactivated on October 16, 1970. [1]
TIROS-1 was the first full-scale weather satellite, the first of a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites (TIROS) placed in low Earth orbit.
Television InfraRed Observation Satellite (TIROS) is a series of early weather satellites launched by the United States, beginning with TIROS-1 in 1960. TIROS was the first satellite that was capable of remote sensing of the Earth, enabling scientists to view the Earth from a new perspective: space. The program, promoted by Harry Wexler, proved the usefulness of satellite weather observation, at a time when military reconnaissance satellites were secretly in development or use. TIROS demonstrated at that time that "the key to genius is often simplicity". TIROS is an acronym of "Television InfraRed Observation Satellite" and is also the plural of "tiro" which means "a young soldier, a beginner".
ESSA-8 was a weather satellite launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on December 15, 1968, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA-1 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA-9, also known as TOS-G, was a meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA). ESSA-9 replaced the ESSA-7 satellite.
Kosmos 144, was launched on 28 February 1967, Meteor No.6L, and was one of eleven weather satellites launched by the Soviet Union between 1964 and 1969. Kosmos 144 was the second announced Russian meteorological satellite and the first interim operational weather satellite in the experimental Kosmos satellite 'Meteor' system. It was also the first launch of the semi-operational weather satellite from the Plesetsk site into a near-polar, near-circular orbit. Unlike U.S. weather satellites, however, the orbit was prograde because, as a result of geographic limitations, a retrograde orbit was not possible. Kosmos 144 was orbited to test, in a semi-operational mode, meteorological instruments designed for obtaining images of cloud cover, snow cover, and ice fields on the day and night sides of the Earth and for measuring fluxes of outgoing radiation reflected and radiated by the Earth-atmosphere system.
TIROS-4 was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the fourth in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
TIROS 5 was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the fifth in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
TIROS 6 was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the sixth in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
TIROS-8 was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the eighth in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
TIROS-10 was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the tenth and last in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
ESSA 3 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA-4 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA-5 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA 6 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
ESSA-7 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
Nimbus 1 was a meteorological satellite. It was the first in a series of the Nimbus program.
Nimbus 2 was a meteorological satellite. It was the second in a series of the Nimbus program.
Nimbus 3 was a meteorological satellite. It was the third in a series of the Nimbus program.
Nimbus 4 was a meteorological satellite. It was the fourth in a series of the Nimbus program.
This article incorporates public domain material from ESSA 2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration . Retrieved June 4, 2018.