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Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Early US reconnaisance satellite. Carried one 'C-Double Prime' panoramic camera, with a focal length of 61 cm and a ground resolution of 7.6 m.
SpecificationTotal Mass: 1,250 kg.
KH-3 Chronology
30 August 1961
Discoverer 29 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 152 km. Apogee: 542 km. Inclination: 82.1 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovered 2.1 days later. First use of KH-3 camera system. All frames out of focus.
12 September 1961
Discoverer 30 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 219 km. Apogee: 557 km. Inclination: 82.5 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovered 2.1 days later. Best mission to date. Same out-of-focus condition as in 9023.
17 September 1961
Discoverer 31 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 231 km. Apogee: 403 km. Inclination: 82.6 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovery failed. Mission failed. Power failure and loss of control gas on orbit 33.
13 October 1961
Discoverer 32 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 233 km. Apogee: 391 km. Inclination: 81.6 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovered 1.1 days later. Capsule recovered on orbit 18. 96% of film out of focus.
23 October 1961
Discoverer 33 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Agena-B cut off too early; Satellite failed to separate; No orbit achieved. Mass: 1,150 kg. KH-3; Mission failed.
05 November 1961
Discoverer 34 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 231 km. Apogee: 859 km. Inclination: 82.4 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovery not attempted. Mission failed. Improper launch angle resulted in extreme orbit.
15 November 1961
Discoverer 35 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 2,100 kg. Perigee: 238 km. Apogee: 278 km. Inclination: 81.6 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovered 1.1 days later. All cameras operated satisfactorily. Grainy emulsion noted.
12 December 1961
Discoverer 36 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 131 km. Apogee: 173 km. Inclination: 89.5 deg. KH-3; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. Best mission to date.
13 January 1962
Discoverer 37 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Agena-B failed. No orbit. Mass: 1,150 kg. KH-3. Mission failed. Last attempted flight of KH-3 series.
Bibliography:- 126 - Bramscher, Robert G, Spaceflight, "A Survey of Launch Vehicle Failures", 1980, Volume 22, page 351.
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Last update 12 March 2001.
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