Nimbus B

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Nimbus B
Nimbus B final testing.jpg
Mission type Weather satellite
Operator NASA
COSPAR ID NIMBS-B
Mission durationLaunch failure
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer RCA Astrospace
Launch mass571.5 kilograms (1,260 lb) [1]
Start of mission
Launch dateMay 18, 1968, 08:23:00 (1968-05-18UTC08:23Z) UTC [2]
Rocket Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D
Launch site Vandenberg SLC-2E
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Epoch Planned [1]
  Nimbus 2
Nimbus 3  

Nimbus B was a meteorological satellite launched as part of the Nimbus program. It was released on May 18, 1968 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, California, by means of a Thor-Agena launch vehicle, together with the SECOR 10 satellite. Nimbus B never achieved orbit because a malfunction in the booster guidance system forced the destruction of the spacecraft and its payload during launch.

Contents

The Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator SNAP-19 RTG was salvaged from the water, refurbished and later flown on Nimbus 3. [3]

Instruments

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Nimbus B". National Space Science Data Center Master Catalog. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved June 5, 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan C. "GCAT orbital launch log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  3. "Nimbus B". NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved June 5, 2018.