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astronautix.com KH-5
Other Designations: Argon. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Navy. Manufacturer: Lockheed.

US mapping satellite. Carried one frame camera, with a focal length of 76 mm, and a ground resolution of 140 m. Ground swath was 556 km x 556 km. The camera was adapted to a frame-scanning system and used on the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft.

Specification

Total Mass: 1,274 kg.

KH-5 Chronology

17 February 1961 Discoverer 20 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,110 kg. Perigee: 277 km. Apogee: 491 km. Inclination: 80.8 deg.

KH-5; film capsule not ejected. Mission failed. Program malfunctioned and capsule did not reenter. First attempted ARGON mission. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

08 April 1961 Discoverer 23 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 295 km. Apogee: 651 km. Inclination: 82.3 deg.

KH-5; film capsule boosted into higher orbit, decayed 5/23/62. Mission failed. Loss of satellite control gas caused unstable condition. No recovery. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

08 June 1961 Discoverer 24 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Electrical failure occurred in launch sequence guidance system. Agena-B failed to ignite. Mass: 1,150 kg.

KH-5. Mission failed.

21 July 1961 Discoverer 27 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Control lost after 60 sec. Destroyed by range safety officer because of abnormal pitch. Mass: 1,150 kg.

KH-5; destroyed by range safety. Mission failed.

15 May 1962 KH-5 9034A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 283 km. Apogee: 550 km. Inclination: 82.3 deg.

KH-5; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. First successful KH-5 mission. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

01 September 1962 KH-5 9042A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 293 km. Apogee: 639 km. Inclination: 82.8 deg.

KH-5. Mission failed. Parachute shrouds parted during air catch, capsule sank. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

09 October 1962 KH-5 9046A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. Mass: 1,150 kg. Perigee: 213 km. Apogee: 427 km. Inclination: 82.0 deg.

KH-5; film capsule recovered 4.1 days later. 50% of stellar terrain film was blank due to shutter malfunction. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

26 April 1963 SRV 605 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D. FAILURE: Failure.
29 October 1963 KH-5 9059A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,500 kg. Perigee: 283 km. Apogee: 318 km. Inclination: 89.9 deg.

KH-5; deployed ELINT subsatellite. Fourth film payload retrieved in ARGON program. Film comparable to that of 9058A. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

13 June 1964 KH-5 9065A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,500 kg. Perigee: 352 km. Apogee: 362 km. Inclination: 114.9 deg.

KH-5; carried Star Flash experiment. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

21 August 1964 KH-5 9066A Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: TA Thor Agena D. Mass: 1,500 kg. Perigee: 351 km. Apogee: 363 km. Inclination: 114.9 deg.

KH-5. 15% of stellar film degraded by flare. Image smearing on leading edge of main camera film. Final ARGON mission. Officially: Spacecraft Engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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