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ESSA-3

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ESSA-3
Mission typeWeather satellite
OperatorESSA/NASA
COSPAR ID1966-087A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.2435
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerRCA Astro
Launch mass145 kilograms (320 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 2, 1966, 10:34 (1966-10-02UTC10:34Z) UTC[2]
RocketDelta C
Launch siteVandenberg LC-2E
End of mission
DisposalDecommissioned
DeactivatedDecember 2, 1968 (1968-12-03)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity0.00703
Perigee altitude1,383 kilometers (859 mi)
Apogee altitude1,493 kilometers (928 mi)
Inclination100.9°
Period114.6 minutes
EpochOctober 2, 1966
← 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

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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

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  1. ^ "ESSA 3". National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved June 4, 2018.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from ESSA 3. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved June 4, 2018.