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Payload

TIROS 3

NonoperationalPayloadLEO

Television InfraRed Observation Satellite (TIROS) is a series of early weather satellites launched by the United States, beginning with TIROS-1 in 1960. TIROS was the first satellite that was capable of remote sensing of the Earth, enabling scientists to view the Earth from a new perspective: space. The program, promoted by Harry Wexler, proved the usefulness of satellite weather observation, at a time when military reconnaissance satellites were secretly in development or use. TIROS demonstrated at that time that "the key to genius is often simplicity". TIROS is an acronym of "Television InfraRed Observation Satellite" and is also the plural of "tiro" which means "a young soldier, a beginner".

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Launch

Launch date
July 12, 1961 at 10:25 AM UTC
Launch site
Cape Canaveral SFS, USA
Launched by
Thor-Delta →
Operator
United States Air Force
Launch record
View full launch →

Orbit

Orbit regime
LEO
Apoapsis
772 km
Periapsis
709 km
Inclination
47.9°
Orbital period
99.63 min

Identity

COSPAR (Int'l)
1961-017A
NORAD catalog №
162
Object type
Payload
Owner / operator
United StatesUnited States
Radar cross-section
0.8244 m²
Status
Nonoperational

End of mission

Fate
No longer operational — remains in orbit as inactive.
Final status
Nonoperational