FTV-1126, also known as Corona 9034A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite launched in 1962. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based around an Agena-B.[1] It was also unofficially known as Discoverer 41, a continuation of the designation sequence used for previous US reconnaissance satellites, which had officially been discontinued after Discoverer 38. It was the first KH-5 satellite to complete its mission successfully.[2]
The launch of FTV-1126 occurred at 19:36 UTC on 15 May 1962. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-5 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[3] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1962 Sigma 1.
FTV-1126 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 284 kilometres (176 mi), an apogee of 632 kilometres (393 mi), 82.3 degrees of inclination, and a period of 93.75 minutes.[4] The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,500 lb),[2] and was equipped with a frame camera with a focal length of 76 millimetres (3.0 in), which had a maximum resolution of 140 metres (460 ft).[5] Images were recorded onto 127-millimetre (5.0 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle, before the satellite ceased operations. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by FTV-1126 was 582. Once its images had been returned, the inactive FTV-1126 decayed from orbit on 26 November 1963.[4]
References [edit]
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "KH-5 Argon (Agena-B based)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ a b Wade, Mark. "KH-5". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
|
Key Hole satellites
|
|
| KH-1 Corona |
|
|
| KH-2 Corona' |
|
|
| KH-3 Corona''' |
|
|
| KH-4 Corona-M |
|
|
| KH-5 Argon |
|
|
| KH-6 Lanyard |
|
|
| KH-7 Gambit |
|
|
| KH-8 Gambit |
|
|
| KH-9 Hexagon |
|
|
| KH-10 Dorian |
|
|
| KH-11 Crystal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Manned flights are indicated in bold text. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets.
|
|
.jpg)
