TIROS 1

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TIROS 1 is classified as:

Weather

NORAD ID: 29

Int'l Code: 1960-002B

Perigee: 631.7 km

Apogee: 664.7 km

Inclination: 48.4 °

Period: 97.5 minutes

Semi major axis: 7019 km

RCS: 0.8537 m² (medium)

Launch date: April 1, 1960
Source: United States (US)
Launch site: AIR FORCE EASTERN TEST RANGE (AFETR)

TIROS-1 (or TIROS-A) was the first successful low-Earth orbital weather satellite, and the first of a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites. The TIROS Program was NASA's first experimental step to determine if satellites could be useful in the study of the Earth. At that time, the effectiveness of satellite observations was still unproven. Since satellites were a new technology, the TIROS Program also tested various design issues for spacecraft: instruments, data and operational parameters. The goal was to improve satellite applications for Earth-bound decisions, such as "should we evacuate the coast because of the hurricane?".

1    29U 60002B   24134.14433864  .00002804  00000-0  42818-3 0  9996
2    29  48.3788  54.7689 0023554 218.3271 141.5968 14.76289981429096

Source of the keplerian elements: AFSPC