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TIROS-3

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TIROS-3
TIROS-3 satellite
Mission typeWeather satellite
OperatorNASA
Harvard designation1961 Ro 1
COSPAR ID1961-017A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.162
Mission duration6 months
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeTIROS
ManufacturerRCA Astro / GSFC
Launch mass129.3 kilograms (285 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch dateJuly 12, 1961, 10:19 (1961-07-12UTC10:19Z) UTC[2]
RocketThor DM-19 Delta
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-17A
End of mission
Last contactFebruary 28, 1962 (1962-03-01)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity0.00489
Perigee altitude742 kilometers (461 mi)
Apogee altitude812 kilometers (505 mi)
Inclination47.9°
Period100.41 minutes
EpochJuly 12, 1961
Instruments
Low Resolution Omnidirectional Radiometer
Widefield Radiometer
Scanning Radiometer
Television Camera System
← TIROS-2
TIROS-4 →

TIROS-3 (or TIROS-C) was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the third in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.

Launch

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TIROS-3 was launched on July 12, 1961, by a Thor-Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The spacecraft functioned nominally until January 22, 1962. The satellite orbited the Earth once every 98 minutes, at an inclination of 47.9°. Its perigee was 742 kilometers (401 nmi) and apogee was 812 kilometers (438 nmi).

Mission

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The satellite was in the form of an 18-sided right prism, 107 cm in diameter and 56 cm high. The top and sides of the spacecraft were covered with approximately 9000 1- by 2-cm silicon solar cells. TIROS-3 was equipped with two independent television camera subsystems for taking cloud cover pictures, plus a two-channel low-resolution radiometer, an omnidirectional radiometer, and a five-channel infrared scanning radiometer. All three radiometers were used for measuring radiation from the Earth and its atmosphere.[3]

The satellite spin rate was maintained between 8 and 12 rpm by use of five diametrically opposed pairs of small, solid-fuel thrusters. The satellite spin axis could be oriented to within 1- to 2-deg accuracy by use of a magnetic control device consisting of 250 cores of wire wound around the outer surface of the spacecraft. The interaction between the induced magnetic field in the spacecraft and the Earth's magnetic field provided the necessary torque for attitude control. The flight control system also optimized the performance of the solar cells and TV cameras and protected the five-channel infrared radiometer from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

The spacecraft performed normally until August 1961, when the scanning radiometer began to fail. Performance was sporadic until January 23, 1962. It was deactivated on February 28, 1962.[3]

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  • Major components of TIROS-3
    Major components of TIROS-3
  • Launch of TIROS-3
    Launch of TIROS-3
  • Composite of TIROS-3 pictures. The main cloud mass later developed into Hurricane Anna (17th July 1961)
    Composite of TIROS-3 pictures. The main cloud mass later developed into Hurricane Anna (17th July 1961)
  • Hurricane Anna by TIROS-3 (July 1961)
    Hurricane Anna by TIROS-3 (July 1961)
  • Hurricane Esther by TIROS-3 (10th September 1961)
    Hurricane Esther by TIROS-3 (10th September 1961)
  • Images of hurricanes by TIROS-3
    Images of hurricanes by TIROS-3

References

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  1. ^ "TIROS 3". National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "TIROS 3 NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 1961-017A". NASA. Retrieved June 4, 2018. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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