TIROS-1
| File:Tiros satellite navitar.jpg
Tiros I prototype on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
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| Mission type | Weather satellite |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA[1] |
| SATCAT № | 29 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | TIROS |
| Manufacturer | RCA Astro |
| Launch mass | 122.5 kilograms (270 lb)[2] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 1 April 1960, 11:40:09 UTC[3] |
| Rocket | Thor DM-18 Able II |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-17A |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 15 June 1960 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Semi-major axis | 7,029.96 kilometers (4,368.21 mi) |
| Eccentricity | 0.002427 |
| Perigee | 641 kilometers (398 mi) |
| Apogee | 676 kilometers (420 mi) |
| Inclination | 48.38 degrees |
| Period | 97.76 minutes |
| Epoch | 7 December 2013, 13:02:03 UTC[4] |
TIROS I (or TIROS-1) was the first successful low-Earth orbital weather satellite, and the first of a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
Contents
Launch
The TIROS-1 spacecraft was launched by NASA and partners at 6:40 AM EST[5] on April 1, 1960, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the United States. Mission partners were NASA, the US Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory, RCA, the US Weather Bureau, and the US Naval Photographic Interpretation Center.[1]
Program
The TIROS Program (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) was NASA's first experimental step to determine if satellites could be useful in the study of the Earth. At that time, the effectiveness of satellite observations was still unproven. Since satellites were a new technology, the TIROS Program also tested various design issues for spacecraft: instruments, data and operational parameters. The goal was to improve satellite applications for Earth-bound decisions, such as "should we evacuate the coast because of the hurricane?".[1]
The TIROS Program's first priority was the development of a meteorological satellite information system. Weather forecasting was deemed the most promising application of space-based observations.[1]
TIROS proved extremely successful, providing the first accurate weather forecasts based on data gathered from space. TIROS began continuous coverage of the Earth's weather in 1962, and was used by meteorologists worldwide. The program's success with many instrument types and orbital configurations lead to the development of more sophisticated meteorological observation satellites.[1]
References
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External links
- TIROS – NASA Science
- The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum Exhibition List
- TIROS 1 & 2 Ground Control Canter at Camp Evans - preserved by InfoAge Scieence History Center
- Published story of how the first TIROS photo was flown by helicopter, then a jet from the Camp Evans Ground Control Center to NASA
- TIROS I is Launched - NOAASIS
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TIROS satellites
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| TIROS |
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| TOS | ||
| ITOS | ||
| TIROS-N | ||
| Adv. TIROS-N | ||
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