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| KH-4 Recovery - KH-4 Recovery Sequence Credit: CIA. 26,509 bytes. 405 x 277 pixels. |
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Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Early US reconnaisance satellite. Carried two 'Mural' panoramic cameras, with a focal length of 61 cm, and a ground resolution of 7.6 m. Also carried a 1.5 inch index camera, with a focal length of 38 mm, a ground resolution of 162 m, and frame coverage of 308 km x 308 km.
SpecificationTotal Mass: 1,200 kg.
KH-4 Chronology
27 February 1962
Discoverer 38 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 207 km. Apogee: 277 km. Inclination: 82.2 deg. First mission of the KH-4 series. Much of film slightly out of focus.. Capsule recovered 4.1 days later.
18 April 1962
Discoverer 39 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 158 km. Apogee: 540 km. Inclination: 73.5 deg. KH-4. Best mission to date.
29 April 1962
KH-4 9033 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 180 km. Apogee: 475 km. Inclination: 73.1 deg. KH-4. Mission failed. Parachute ejector squibs holding parachute container cover failed to fire. No recovery.
30 May 1962
KH-4 9035 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 192 km. Apogee: 350 km. Inclination: 74.1 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 3.1 days later. Slight corona static on film.
02 June 1962
KH-4 9036 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 211 km. Apogee: 401 km. Inclination: 74.5 deg. KH-4. Mission failed. During air catch, chute tore loose. Capsule sank.
23 June 1962
KH-4 9037 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 199 km. Apogee: 314 km. Inclination: 75.1 deg. KH-4. Corona static occurs on some film.
28 June 1962
KH-4 9038 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 205 km. Apogee: 698 km. Inclination: 76.0 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. Severe corona static.
21 July 1962
KH-4 9039 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 206 km. Apogee: 376 km. Inclination: 70.0 deg.
 | Corona Optics - Corona Satellite Optical Path 19,857 bytes. 747 x 400 pixels. |
KH-4. Aborted after 6 photo passes. Heavy corona and radiation fog.
28 July 1962
KH-4 9040 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 204 km. Apogee: 403 km. Inclination: 71.0 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. No filters on slave horizon cameras. Heavy corona and radiation fog.
02 August 1962
KH-4 9041 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 212 km. Apogee: 423 km. Inclination: 83.0 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. Severe corona and radiation fog.
29 August 1962
KH-4 9044 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 187 km. Apogee: 400 km. Inclination: 65.2 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. Erratic vehicle attitude. Radiation fog minimal.
17 September 1962
KH-4 9043 / TRS 1 (ERS 2) Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 204 km. Apogee: 668 km. Inclination: 81.8 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 1.1 days later; ERS-2 subsatellite failed to deploy. Capping shutter malfunction, slight corona and radiation fog.
29 September 1962
KH-4 9045 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 190 km. Apogee: 388 km. Inclination: 65.4 deg. KH-4. First use of stellar camera, erratic vehicle attitude, numerous light leaks.
05 November 1962
KH-4 9047 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 208 km. Apogee: 403 km. Inclination: 75.0 deg.
KH-4; film capsule; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. Camera door malfunctioned, flare degraded 15% of film.
24 November 1962
KH-4 9048 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 206 km. Apogee: 339 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. KH-4. Some film exposed through base.
04 December 1962
KH-4 9049 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 194 km. Apogee: 273 km. Inclination: 65.1 deg. KH-4. Mission failed. During air catch chute tore, capsule sank.
14 December 1962
KH-4 9050 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 200 km. Apogee: 386 km. Inclination: 70.0 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. Best mission to date.
07 January 1963
KH-4 9051 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 202 km. Apogee: 384 km. Inclination: 82.0 deg. KH-4. Erratic vehicle attitude. Frame ephemeris not created.
28 February 1963
KH-4 9052 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. FAILURE: Destroyed by range safety officer, 100 seconds after launch. One strap-on failed. Mass: 1,500 kg. KH-4. Mission failed.
01 April 1963
KH-4 9053 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 198 km. Apogee: 408 km. Inclination: 74.9 deg. KH-4; film capsule recovered 3.1 days later. Best imagery to date.
12 June 1963
KH-4 9054 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,500 kg. Perigee: 193 km. Apogee: 416 km. Inclination: 81.8 deg. KH-4. Some imagery seriously affected by corona.
27 June 1963
KH-4 9056 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,500 kg. Perigee: 199 km. Apogee: 338 km. Inclination: 81.6 deg. KH-4. Experimental camera carried. Film affected by light leaks.
18 July 1963
KH-4 9057 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 197 km. Apogee: 382 km. Inclination: 82.9 deg. KH-4. Best mission to date.
29 August 1963
KH-4 9033 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,000 kg. Perigee: 292 km. Apogee: 324 km. Inclination: 81.9 deg. KH-5; deployed ELINT subsatellite. Considered to be best mission to date in Argon program.
09 November 1963
SRV 632 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. FAILURE: Failure.
27 November 1963
KH-4 9061 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 182 km. Apogee: 368 km. Inclination: 69.6 deg. KH-4. Mission failed. Return capsule separated from satellite but remained in orbit.
21 December 1963
KH-4 9062 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,500 kg. Perigee: 178 km. Apogee: 337 km. Inclination: 64.8 deg. KH-4; deployed ELINT subsatellite. Corona static fogged much of film.
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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