US launches TIROS 9 weather satellite: wwwhistoryfuture.blogspot.com

On 22nd january 1965 - US launches TIROS 9 

weather satellite:

A long-running arrangement of polar-circling meteorological satellites. It started with 10 trial shuttle, TIROS 1 to 10, propelled somewhere around 1960 and 1965, which spoke to the original of American climate satellites. These conveyed low-determination TV and infrared cams, and were created by the Goddard Space Flight Center and oversaw by ESSA (Environmental Science Services Administration). At that point emulated the TOS (TIROS Operational System) comprising of nine satellites with the ESSA assignment. This offered route to the ITOS (Improved TIROS), starting with TIROS-M and proceeding with five satellites of the same outline with the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) assignment NOAA having by now ingested ESSA and assumed control administration of the TIROS program. Further overhauls have come as the TIROS-N, presented in 1978, and the Advanced TIROS-N, presented in 1984. See likewise Nimbus. 

TIROS 1–10, ESSA 1–2, and ESSA 9 were propelled from Cape Canaveral, while ESSA 3–8, TIROS-M, TIROS-N, and NOAA 1–16 were dispatched from Van

MORE HISTORY:

The Television Infrared Observation Satellite Program (TIROS)

The TIROS Program (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) was NASA's first experimental step to determine if satellites could be useful in the study of the Earth. At that time, the effectiveness of satellite observations was still unproven. Since satellites were a new technology, the TIROS Program also tested various design issues for spacecraft: instruments, data and operational parameters. The goal was to improve satellite applications for Earth-bound decisions, such as "should we evacuate the coast because of the hurricane?".

The TIROS Program's first priority was the development of a meteorological satellite information system. Weather forecasting was deemed the most promising application of space-based observations.

TIROS proved extremely successful, providing the first accurate weather forecasts based on data gathered from space. TIROS began continuous coverage of the Earth's weather in 1962, and was used by meteorologists worldwide. The program's success with many instrument types and orbital configurations lead to the development of more sophisticated meteorological observation satellites.

TIROS-1

Objectives: To test experimental television techniques designed to develop a worldwide meteorological satellite information system. To test Sun angle and horizon sensor systems for spacecraft orientation.

Description: The spacecraft was 42 inches in diameter, 19 inches high and weighed 270 pounds. The craft was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel which was then covered by 9200 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the on-board batteries. Three pairs of solid-propellant spin rockets were mounted on the base plate.

Two television cameras were housed in the craft, one low-resolution and one high-resolution. A magnetic tape recorder for each camera was supplied for storing photographs while the satellite was out of range of the ground station network.

The antennas consisted of four rods from the base plate to serve as transmitters and one vertical rod from the center of the top plate to serve as a receiver.

The craft was spin-stabilized and space-oriented (not Earth-oriented). Therefore, the cameras were only operated while they were pointing at the Earth when that portion of the Earth was in sunlight.

The video systems relayed thousands of pictures containing cloud-cover views of the Earth. Early photographs provided information concerning the structure of large-scale cloud regimes.

TIROS-I was operational for only 78 days, but proved that satellites could be a useful tools for surveying global weather conditions from space.

Participants: NASA, US ARMY Signal Research and Development Lab, RCA, US Weather Bureau, US Naval Photographic Interpretation Center.

   

TRIOS-1 Stats:

Launch Date:    April 1, 1960

Operational Period: 78 days

Launch Vehicle:    Standard Thor-Able

Launch Site:    Cape Canaveral, FL

Type:    Weather Satellite

TIROS-2

Objectives: To test the experimental television techniques and infrared equipment designed to develop a worldwide meteorological satellite information system. To evaluate a new attitude control system for spacecraft orientation which utilizes the Earth's magnetic field.

Description: The spacecraft was 42 inches in diameter, 19 inches high and weighed 280 pounds. The craft was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel which was then covered by 9260 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the nicad batteries. Two television cameras were housed in the craft, one low-resolution and one high-resolution. A magnetic tape recorder for each camera was supplied for storing photographs while the satellite was out of range of the ground station network. In addition, an infrared horizon sensor for attitude control, a direction indicator for picture orientation, two infrared radiation experiments, and a magnetic orientation control experiment were included.

The spacecraft was 42 inches in diameter, 19 inches high and weighed 280 pounds. The craft was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel which was then covered by 9260 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the nicad batteries. Two television cameras were housed in the craft, one low-resolution and one high-resolution. A magnetic tape recorder for each camera was supplied for storing photographs while the satellite was out of range of the ground station network. In addition, an infrared horizon sensor for attitude control, a direction indicator for picture orientation, two infrared radiation experiments, and a magnetic orientation control experiment were included.

The antennas consisted of four rods from the base plate to serve as transmitters and one vertical rod from the center of the top plate to serve as a receiver. The video systems relayed thousands of pictures containing cloud-cover views of the Earth. Early photographs provided information concerning the structure of large-scale cloud regimes. In addition, the experiment to partially control the orientation of the satellite spin axis was successful, as was the experiment with infrared sensors.

Participants: NASA, US ARMY Signal Research and Development Lab, RCA, US Weather Bureau, US Naval Photographic Interpretation Center.

   

TIROS-2 Stats:

Launch Date:    November, 23, 1960

Operational Period:    376 dayHISTORYs

Launch Vehicle:    Three-stage Delta

Launch Site:    Cape Canaveral, FL

Type:    Weather Satellite

TIROS-3

Objectives: Continued development of the experimental television techniques and infrared equipment leading to a worldwide meteorological information system. To obtain infrared measurements of the solar energy absorbed, reflected and emitted by the Earth.

Description: The spacecraft was 42 inches in diameter, 19 inches high and weighed 285 pounds. The craft was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel then covered by 9260 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the nickel-cadmium batteries. Three major changes were made from the previous TIROS models. Two wide-angle television cameras were housed in the craft in place of one high-resolution and one low-resolution camera.

A new infrared experiment and improved remote control programmers were also new additions. This craft contained an electronic clock to control the operations of the infrared horizon sensor as well as the magnetic orientation system. A magnetic tape recorder was still provided for each camera to store photographs while the satellite was out of range of the ground station network. One scanning and two non-scanning radiometers were also on board.

The antennas were of the same configuration as both previous TIROS models. Although one of the cameras failed 12 days into the mission, photograph quality from the other camera was excellent and many tropical storms during the 1961 hurricane season were photographed. TIROS-3 was also credited with the discovery of Hurricane Esther.

Participants: NASA, RCA, US Weather Bureau, Barnes Engineering.

TIROS-3 Stats:

Launch Date:   July 12, 1961

Operational Period:    230 days

Launch Vehicle:    Three-stage Delta

Launch Site:   Cape Canaveral, FL

Type:    Weather Satellite

TIROS-4

Objectives: Continued research into and development of the meteorological satellite information system. This mission was designed to maintain an operational TIROS in orbit for an extended period of time and to obtain improved data for operational use in weather forecasting during the northern hemisphere hurricane season.

Description: The spacecraft was 42 inches in diameter, 19 inches high and weighed 285 pounds. The craft was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel and was then covered by 9260 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the 63 on-board batteries.

A new lens system was implemented for this launch. The lens was designed to reduce distortion and improve resolution. This craft also contained an electronic clock to control the operations of the infrared horizon sensor as well as the magnetic orientation control system. A magnetic tape recorder was still provided for each camera to store photographs while the satellite was out of range of the ground station network. One scanning and two non-scanning radiometers were also on board. The transmitting and receiving antennas were of the same configuration as the previous TIROS models.

TIROS-4 pictures were the best to date, allowing the US Weather Bureau to initiate an international facsimile transmission network in order to share the cloud pictures with weather services around the world.

Participants: NASA, RCA, US Weather Bureau, Barnes Engineering

TIROS-4 Stats:

Launch Date:    February 8, 1962

Operational Period:    161 days

Launch Vehicle:    Three-stage Delta

Launch Site:    Cape Canaveral, FL

Type:    Weather Satellite

TIROS-5

Objectives: Continued research into and development of the meteorological satellite information system. This mission was designed to maintain an operational TIROS in orbit for an extended period of time and to obtain improved data for operational use in weather forecasting during the northern hemisphere hurricane season.

Description: The spacecraft was 42 inches in diameter, 22 inches high and weighed 285 pounds. The craft was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel and was then covered by 9260 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the 63 on-board batteries.

This craft contained all of the instrumentation of TIROS-4 as well as a north direction indicator, and despin weights and spinup rockets in an attempt to improve the craft's longevity. TIROS-5 was also launched at a higher inclination (58 degrees vs. 48 degrees on all previous flights) to provide better observations at higher latitudes. The orbitwas elliptical instead of circular due to a Delta ground guidance failure. In addition the three radiation sensors had to be disconnected prior to launch when they failed preflight checks.

TIROS-5 pictures were the best to date, including the observation ofice break-up at northern latitudes

Participants: NASA, RCA, US Weather Bureau

TIROS-5 Stats:

Launch Date:    June 19, 1962

Operational Period:    161 days

Launch Vehicle:    Three-stage Delta

Launch Site:  Cape Canaveral, FL

Type:   Weather Satellite

TIROS-6

Objectives: Continue research and development of the meteorological satellite information system; prove TIROS could stay in orbit for an extended period of time; obtain improved data for use in weather forecasting during hurricane season; provide operational support for the Mercury-Atlas 8 launch on October 3, 1962.

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