Discoverer 34

Discoverer 34, also known as Corona 9027, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the ninth of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.[1]

Discoverer 34
Mission typeOptical reconnaissance
OperatorUS Air Force/NRO
Harvard designation1961 Alpha Epsilon 1
COSPAR ID1961-029A
SATCAT no.00197
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeCorona KH-2
BusAgena-B
ManufacturerLockheed
Launch mass1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date5 November 1961, 20:00:30 (1961-11-05UTC20:00:30Z) UTC
RocketThor DM-21 Agena-B 330
Launch siteVandenberg LC-75-1-1
End of mission
Decay date7 December 1962 (1962-12-08)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude225 kilometers (140 mi)
Apogee altitude970 kilometers (600 mi)
Inclination82.5 degrees
Period96.6 minutes
 
The launch of Discoverer 34

The launch of Discoverer 34 occurred at 20:00 UTC on 5 November 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-1-1 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] Although the satellite achieved orbit, and was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Alpha Epsilon 1, the launch was unsuccessful. An anomalous angle taken during ascent resulted in the spacecraft being placed into an unusable orbit.[3] It was the second consecutive KH-3 launch failure; the previous mission, Discoverer 33, had failed to achieve orbit due to a separation failure.

Discoverer 34 was launched into a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 225 kilometres (140 mi), an apogee of 970 kilometres (600 mi), 82.5 degrees of inclination, and a period of 96.6 minutes.[4] The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb),[5] 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).[6] Images were to have been recorded onto 70-millimeter (2.8 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle to be used by Discoverer 34 was SRV-553. Due to the launch failure, and a problem with a gas valve on the spacecraft, recovery of the SRV was not attempted.[3] Discoverer 34 decayed from orbit on 7 December 1962.[4]

References

  1. Krebs, Gunter. "KH-2 Corona". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  3. Lindborg, Christina; Pike, John (9 September 2000). "KH-3 Corona". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  5. Wade, Mark. "KH-3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  6. "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. Archived from the original on 3 October 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2010.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.