Discoverer 32

Discoverer 32
Mission type Optical reconnaissance
Operator US Air Force/NRO
Harvard designation 1961 Alpha Gamma 1
Mission duration 1 day
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type KH-3 Corona'''
Bus Agena-B
Manufacturer Lockheed
Launch mass 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 13 October 1961, 19:22 (1961-10-13UTC19:22Z) UTC
Rocket Thor DM-21 Agena-B 328
Launch site Vandenberg LC-75-3-4
End of mission
Decay date 13 November 1961 (1961-11-14)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 233 kilometers (145 mi)
Apogee 350 kilometers (220 mi)
Inclination 81.6 degrees
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 on 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 (2,540 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-millimeter (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. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  2. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  3. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  4. ↑ Wade, Mark. "KH-3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  5. ↑ "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  6. ↑ Lindborg, Christina; Pike, John (9 September 2000). "KH-3 Corona". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 30 June 2010.


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