Discoverer 34
Encyclopedia
Discoverer 34, also known as Corona 9027, was an American
optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona
satellite, based around an Agena-B
.
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
. 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. 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 (139.8 mi), an apogee
of 970 kilometres (602.7 mi), 82.5 degrees of inclination
, and a period
of 96.6 minutes. The satellite had a mass of 1150 kilograms (2,535.3 lb), 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 (24.9 ft). Images were to have been recorded onto 70 millimetres (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. Discoverer 34 decayed
from orbit on 7 December 1962.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona
Corona (satellite)
The Corona program was a series of American strategic reconnaissance satellites produced and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency Directorate of Science & Technology with substantial assistance from the U.S. Air Force...
satellite, based around an Agena-B
RM-81 Agena
The RM-81 Agena was an American rocket upper stage and satellite support bus which was developed by Lockheed initially for the canceled WS-117L reconnaissance satellite program...
.
The launch of Discoverer 34 occurred at 20:00 UTC on 5 November 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B
Thor-Agena
Thor-Agena was a series of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets used Thor first stages and Agena second stages. They are thus cousins of the more famous Thor-Deltas, which founded the Delta rocket family. The first attempted launch of a Thor-Agena was in January 1959...
rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-1-1 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
. 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. It was the second consecutive KH-3 launch failure; the previous mission, Discoverer 33
Discoverer 33
Discoverer 33, also known as Corona 9026, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona satellite, based around an Agena-B....
, had failed to achieve orbit due to a separation failure.
Discoverer 34 was launched into a low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
, with a perigee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 225 kilometres (139.8 mi), an apogee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 970 kilometres (602.7 mi), 82.5 degrees of inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
, and a period
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
of 96.6 minutes. The satellite had a mass of 1150 kilograms (2,535.3 lb), and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
of 61 centimetres (24 in), which had a maximum resolution of 7.6 metres (24.9 ft). Images were to have been recorded onto 70 millimetres (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. Discoverer 34 decayed
Orbital decay
Orbital decay is the process of prolonged reduction in the altitude of a satellite's orbit.This can be due to drag produced by an atmosphere due to frequent collisions between the satellite and surrounding air molecules. The drag experienced by the object is larger in the case of increased solar...
from orbit on 7 December 1962.