ESSA-3
 | |
| Mission type | Weather satellite |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESSA/NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1966-087A  |
| SATCAT no. | 2435 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | RCA Astro |
| Launch mass | 145 kilograms (320 lb)[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | October 2, 1966, 10:34 (1966-10-02UTC10:34Z) UTC[2] |
| Rocket | Delta C |
| Launch site | Vandenberg LC-2E |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Deactivated | December 2, 1968 (1968-12-03) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Eccentricity | 0.00703 |
| Perigee altitude | 1,383 kilometers (859 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 1,493 kilometers (928 mi) |
| Inclination | 100.9° |
| Period | 114.6 minutes |
| Epoch | October 2, 1966 |
TOS ← ESSA-2 ESSA-4 → | |
ESSA-3 (or TOS-A) was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).
Launch
ESSA-3 was launched on October 2, 1966, at 10:34 UTC. It was launched atop a Delta rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The spacecraft had a mass of 132 kilograms (291 lb) at the time of launch. ESSA-3 had an inclination of 100.9°, and an orbited the Earth once every 114 minutes. Its perigee was 1,383 kilometers (859 mi) and its apogee was 1,493 kilometers (928 mi).
References
Spaceflight portal
This article incorporates public domain material from ESSA 3. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
