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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0257.PDF
FLIGHT International, 15 February 1962 SPACECRAFT LOG 8 February 1962 TIROS 4 1962 Beta US National Aeronautics and Space Administration CAPE CANAVERAL Major objectives Develop principles of weather satellite system; obtain cloud and radiation data for use in meteorology. Major results Orbit achieved; all systems transmitting good data. Flight programme LAUNCH TIME 12.43 p.m. GMT. LAUNCH VEHICLE Delta. Stages: (1) modified USAF Thor booster; (2) Aerojet-General Able liquid-propellant rocket with radio guidance; (3) Allegany Ballistics Laboratory X-248 solid- propellant rocket. LIFT-OFF WEIGHT Approximately 112,0001b. DIMENSIONS 90ft high, 8ft base diameter. PROGRAMME Place satellite in circular Earth orbit. PROGRAMME RESULTS Orbit achieved. ORBITAL DATA perigee AA1 miles inclination 48.2 deg apogee 521 miles period 100.4 min velocity 17,000 m.p.h. approximately Payload and instrumentation DIMENSIONS 42in diameter, 19in high. WEIGHT 2851b. SHAPE cylindrical. INSTRUMENTATION TWO television camera systems with clocks and recorders for remote pictures, infra-red sensors, heat-budget sensors, magnetic orientation control, horizon sensor and north indicator. TRANSMITTERS (Five) One two-watt, 235Mc/s for each camera; one two-watt, 237.8Mc/s for infra-red data; two tracking beacons (one 136.23Mc/s and one 136.92Mc/s) used for telemetry. POWER SUPPLY 9,260 solar cells, 63 nickel cadmium batteries. Additional data Fourth in series of seven scheduled Tiros (televison and infra-red observation satellite) launches. In addition to research use, data •from television cameras are being used to prepare cloud analyses for use in current operational weather analysis and forecasting. These analyses are disseminated over domestic and international weather communication circuits. Satellite carries five pairs of small solid-propellant motors used to maintain minimum 9 r.p.m. spin rate. Initial de-spin from 126 r.p.m. after separation accomplished by unwinding weight-carrying cables. Data read-out stations located at Wallops Station, Virginia, and San Nicholas Island, California. Satellite design and construc tion by RCA for NASA; project direction, command programming and radiation-experiment design by Goddard Space Flight Center; weather analysis by US Weather Bureau; launch vehicle contractor, Douglas Aircraft Co. Information source: NASA.
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