Discoverer 32

Discoverer 32

Operator	US Air Force/NRO
Major contractors	Lockheed
Bus	KH-3 Corona''' Agena-B
Mission type	Optical reconnaissance
Launch date	13 October 1961 19:22 UTC
Carrier rocket	Thor DM-21 Agena-B 328
Launch site	Vandenberg LC-75-3-4
Mission duration	1 day
Orbital decay	13 November 1961
COSPAR ID	1961 Alpha Gamma 1
Mass	1,150 kilograms (2,500 lb)
Orbital elements
Regime	Low Earth
Inclination	81.6°
Apoapsis	350 kilometres (220 mi)
Periapsis	233 kilometres (145 mi)
Orbital period	90.3 minutes

The launch of Discoverer 32

Discoverer 32, also known as Corona 9025, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona''' satellite, based around an Agena-B.^[1]

The launch of Discoverer 32 occurred at 19:22 UTC on 13 October 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.^[2] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Alpha Gamma 1.

Discoverer 32 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 233 kilometres (145 mi), an apogee of 350 kilometres (220 mi), 81.6 degrees of inclination, and a period of 90.3 minutes.^[3] The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,500 lb),^[4] 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).^[5] Images were recorded onto 70-millimetre (2.8 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle, which was deorbited one day after launch. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 32 was SRV-555. Following the return of its images, Discoverer 32 remained in orbit until it decayed on 13 November 1961.^[3] Most of the images it produced were found to have been out of focus.^[6]

References

1. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "KH-3 Corona". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/kh-3.htm. Retrieved 30 June 2010. 
2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. Retrieved 30 June 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b} McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt. Retrieved 30 June 2010. 
4. ^ Wade, Mark. "KH-3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kh3.htm. Retrieved 30 June 2010. 
5. ^ "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/programs/corona.html. Retrieved 30 June 2010. 
6. ^ Lindborg, Christina; Pike, John (9 September 2000). "KH-3 Corona". Federation of American Scientists. http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/imint/kh-3.htm. Retrieved 30 June 2010.