Mission type | Optical reconnaissance |
---|---|
Operator | US Air Force/NRO |
Harvard designation | 1961 Omega 1 |
COSPAR ID | 1961-024A |
SATCAT no. | 00182![]() |
Mission duration | 2 days |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | KH-3 Corona''' |
Bus | Agena-B |
Manufacturer | Lockheed |
Launch mass | 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 12 September 1961, 19:59 | UTC
Rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-B 310 |
Launch site | Vandenberg LC-75-3-5 |
End of mission | |
Decay date | 11 December 1961 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Perigee altitude | 231 kilometers (144 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 484 kilometers (301 mi) |
Inclination | 82.6 degrees |
Period | 91.7 minutes |
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Thor_Agena_B_with_Discoverer_30_%28Sep._12%2C_1961%29.gif/75px-Thor_Agena_B_with_Discoverer_30_%28Sep._12%2C_1961%29.gif)
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.[1]
The launch of Discoverer 30 occurred at 19:59 UTC on 12 September 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-5 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Omega 1.
Discoverer 30 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 231 kilometres (144 mi), an apogee of 484 kilometres (301 mi), 82.6 degrees of inclination, and a period of 91.7 minutes.[3] The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb),[4] and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length of 61 centimetres (24 in), which had a maximum resolution of 7.6 metres (25 ft).[5] Images were recorded onto 70-millimeter (2.8 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle two days after launch; however, like the previous mission, all of the images returned were found to be out of focus.[4] The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 30 was SRV-551. Once its images had been returned, Discoverer 30's mission was complete, and it remained in orbit until its decay on 11 December 1961.[3]
References
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "KH-3 Corona". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ^ a b Wade, Mark. "KH-3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ^ "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. Archived from the original on 3 October 2007. Retrieved 29 June 2010.