Mission type | Reconnaissance |
---|---|
Operator | US Air Force |
Mission duration | 15-30 days (planned) Failed to orbit |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Samos-E5 |
Bus | Agena-B |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 22 November 1961, 20:45:47 UTC |
Rocket | Atlas LV-3A Agena-B 108D |
Launch site | Point Arguello LC-1-1 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Sun-synchronous low Earth |
Epoch | Planned |
Samos 4 was an American reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. [1] It was a film-return reconnaissance spacecraft, meaning that it returned images in a film capsule at the end of its mission. It was operated as part of the Samos programme. Samos 4 was the first of three Samos-E5 spacecraft to be launched; Samos-E5 satellites were based on an Agena-B, and carried a camera with a focal length of 1.67 metres (5 ft 6 in), and a resolution of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in). [2]
The launch of Samos 4 occurred at 20:45:47 UTC on 22 November 1961. An Atlas LV-3A Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 1-1 at the Point Arguello Naval Air Station. [3] Four minutes and four seconds into the flight, the rocket's first stage attitude control system malfunctioned, and control over the rocket's pitch was lost. The rest of the flight proceeded nominally, but, by the time the second stage ignited, it had pitched up by 160 degrees and was hence facing in the wrong direction. Its three-minute-41-second burn reduced the vehicle's velocity instead of increasing it, and as a result the satellite failed to achieve orbit. [4] Samos 4 was to have operated in a Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit. It was designed to operate for between 15 and 30 days. [2]
Discoverer 30, also known as Corona 9022, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona''' satellite, based on an Agena-B rocket.
Discoverer 25, also known as Corona 9017, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the fifth of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
OPS 3762, also known as FTV-2355, was an American reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1964. It was the first radar imaging satellite to be launched, and the only Quill spacecraft to fly. Its mission was to demonstrate radar imaging techniques for future missions. However, the programme was cancelled before any more satellites were launched.
Samos 2 was an American reconnaissance satellite launched in 1961 as part of the Samos program. It was an early electro-optical reconnaissance spacecraft, meaning that it transmitted images to receiving stations on Earth rather than returning them in a film capsule. Samos 2 was a Samos-E1 spacecraft, based on an Agena-A.
Samos 3 was an American reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was an early electro-optical reconnaissance spacecraft, meaning that it transmitted images to receiving stations on Earth rather than returning them in a film capsule, and was to have been operated as part of the Samos programme. Samos 3 was the only Samos-E2 spacecraft to be launched. Samos-E2 satellites were based on an Agena-B, and carried a camera with a focal length of 91 centimetres (36 in), and a resolution of 6 metres (20 ft).
FTV-2203, also known as Samos 5, was an American reconnaissance satellite launched in 1961 as part of the Samos programme. It was a film return reconnaissance spacecraft, meaning that it returned images in a film capsule at the end of its mission. FTV-2203 was a Samos-E5 spacecraft, based on the Agena-B. It carried a camera with a focal length of 1.67 metres and a resolution of 1.5 metres.
Discoverer 24, also known as Corona 9018A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961 but failed to achieve orbit. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based on an Agena-B. It was the third KH-5 to be launched.
Discoverer 27, also known as Corona 9020A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite launched in 1961, but which failed to achieve orbit. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based on an Agena-B. It was the fourth KH-5 to be launched, the second consecutive KH-5 launch failure, and the fourth consecutive KH-5 mission failure.
FTV-1126, also known as Corona 9034A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite launched in 1962. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based on an Agena-B. It was also unofficially known as Discoverer 41, a continuation of the designation sequence used for previous US reconnaissance satellites, which had officially been discontinued after Discoverer 38. It was the first KH-5 satellite to complete its mission successfully.
FTV-1132, also known as the Corona 9042A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1962. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based on an Agena-B. The satellite operated successfully, but its film capsule was lost during recovery due to a parachute failure.
Discoverer 22, also known as Corona 9015, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was the fourth of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 26, also known as Corona 9019, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the sixth of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 28, also known as Corona 9021, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was the seventh of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 29, also known as Corona 9023, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the first KH-3 Corona''' satellite, which was based on an Agena-B rocket.
Discoverer 31, also known as Corona 9024, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona''' satellite, based on an Agena-B.
Discoverer 32, also known as Corona 9025, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona''' satellite, based on an Agena-B.
Discoverer 33, also known as Corona 9026, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was the eighth of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 35, also known as Corona 9028, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the last of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.
Discoverer 36, also known as Corona 9029, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona satellite, based on an Agena-B rocket. It was the penultimate KH-3 satellite to be launched, the last successful mission, and the most successful of the program.
Discoverer 37, also known as Corona 9030, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1962. It was the last KH-3 Corona‴ satellite, which was based on an Agena-B rocket.