Discoverer 35

Discoverer 35

Operator	US Air Force/NRO
Major contractors	Lockheed
Bus	KH-3 Corona''' Agena-B
Mission type	Optical reconnaissance
Launch date	15 November 1961 21:23 UTC
Carrier rocket	Thor DM-21 Agena-B 326
Launch site	Vandenberg LC-75-3-4
Mission duration	1 day
Orbital decay	3 December 1961
COSPAR ID	1961 Alpha Zeta 1
Mass	2,100 kilograms (4,600 lb)
Orbital elements
Regime	Low Earth
Inclination	81.6°
Apoapsis	247 kilometres (153 mi)
Periapsis	233 kilometres (145 mi)
Orbital period	89.3 minutes

The launch of Discoverer 35

Discoverer 35, also known as Corona 9028, 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 35 occurred at 21:23 UTC on 15 November 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 Zeta 1.

Discoverer 35 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 233 kilometres (145 mi), an apogee of 247 kilometres (153 mi), 81.6 degrees of inclination, and a period of 89.3 minutes.^[3] The satellite had a mass of 2,100 kilograms (4,600 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 just over a day after launch.^[4] The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 35 was SRV-523.^[2] The SRV was successfully recovered. Apart from the presence of some emulsion on the images it returned, Discoverer 35 completed its mission successfully. It subsequently remained in orbit until it decayed on 3 December 1961.^[3]

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. ^ ^{a b} 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. ^ ^{a b} 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.