TIROS 1

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TIROS 1 is classified as:

Weather

NORAD ID: 29

Int'l Code: 1960-002B

Perigee: 636.6 km

Apogee: 670.1 km

Inclination: 48.4 °

Period: 97.6 minutes

Semi major axis: 7024 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 00029U 60002B   22180.04151942  .00000075  00000-0  41941-4 0  9993
2 00029  48.3808  48.3032 0023872 166.5744 193.5808 14.74664180327972

Source of the keplerian elements: AFSPC