Nimbus 7

Nimbus 7 (also called Nimbus G) was a meteorological satellite. It was the seventh and last in a series of the Nimbus program.

Nimbus 7
Nimbus 7 (Nimbus G)
Mission typeWeather satellite
OperatorNASA / NOAA
COSPAR ID1978-098A
SATCAT no.11080
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerRCA Astrospace
Launch mass965 kilograms (2,127 lb)[1][2]
Dry mass832 kilograms (1,834 lb)
Dimensions3.04 m × 1.52 m × 3.96 m (10.0 ft × 5.0 ft × 13.0 ft)
Power300 W
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 24, 1978, 08:14 (1978-10-24UTC08:14Z) UTC[3]
RocketDelta-2910 630/D145
Launch siteVandenberg SLC-2W
End of mission
Last contact1 August 1994 (1994-09)[2]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity0.001[1]
Perigee altitude941 kilometers (585 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude954 kilometers (593 mi)[1]
Inclination99.15°[1]
Period104 minutes[1]
Epoch24 October 1978[1]
 

Launch

Nimbus 7 was launched on October 24, 1978, by a Delta rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, United States. The spacecraft functioned nominally until 1994. The satellite orbited the Earth once every 1 hour and 34 minutes, at an inclination of 99 degrees. Its perigee was 941 kilometers (585 mi) and apogee was 954 kilometers (593 mi).[1]

Mission

Nimbus 7 research and development satellite served as a stabilized, earth-oriented platform for the testing of advanced systems for sensing and collecting data in the pollution, oceanographic and meteorological disciplines. The polar-orbiting spacecraft consisted of three major structures: a hollow torus, shaped sensor mount, solar paddles, and a control housing unit that was connected to the sensor mount by a tripod truss structure.

Configured somewhat like an ocean buoy, Nimbus 7 was nearly 3.04 metres (10.0 ft) tall, 1.52 metres (5.0 ft) in diameter at the base, and about 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) wide with solar paddles extended. The sensor mount that formed the satellite base housed the electronics equipment and battery modules. The lower surface of the torus provided mounting space for sensors and antennas. A box-beam structure mounted within the center of the torus provided support for the larger sensor experiments. Mounted on the control housing unit, which was located on top of the spacecraft, were sun sensors, horizon scanners, and a command antenna. The spacecraft spin axis was pointed at the earth. An advanced attitude-control system permitted the spacecraft's orientation to be controlled to within plus or minus 1 deg in all three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw). 8 experiments were selected:

These sensors were capable of observing several parameters at and below the mesospheric levels.[4]

References
  1. "Nimbus 7". National Space Science Data Center Master Catalog. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved 6 June 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "Nimbus 7". WMO OSCAR. World Meteorological Organization. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  4. "Nimbus 7". NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
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