Discoverer
Discoverer is a class of artificial terrestrial satellites owned by the US Air Force's Strategic Air Command , launched from 1959 to 1962.
The name Discoverer was a code name for the Corona program, in which spy satellites of the Keyhole type were launched. They served u. a. the photo reconnaissance (IMINT) of the US Department of Defense. The satellites, developed by GE General Electric , were mostly sent into earth orbit with Thor-Agena rockets at the Vandenberg Air Force Base , California.
Satellites with the start date and the date when the orbit ended
| designation | Start date | Starting place | Termination of circulation | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discoverer 1 | February 28, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | March 1959 | Officially reported a success, but may not have reached Earth orbit |
| Discoverer 2 | April 13, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | April 26, 1959 | |
| Discoverer 3 | June 3, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | Orbit not reached | |
| Discoverer 4 | June 25, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | Orbit not reached | |
| Discoverer 5 | August 13, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | September 28, 1959 | |
| Discoverer 6 | 19th August 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | October 20, 1959 | |
| Discoverer 7 | November 7, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | November 26, 1959 | |
| Discoverer 8 | November 20, 1959 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | March 8, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 9 | 4th February 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | Orbit not reached | |
| Discoverer 10 | February 19, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | Destroyed after launch | |
| Discoverer 11 | April 15, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | April 26, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 12 | June 29, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | Orbit not reached | |
| Discoverer 13 | August 10, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | November 11, 1960 | First US missile that could be recovered in the Pacific |
| Discoverer 14 | August 18, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | August 19, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 15 | September 13, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | September 15, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 16 | October 26, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | October 26, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 17 | November 12, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | November 14, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 18 | November 7, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | December 10, 1960 | |
| Discoverer 19 | December 20, 1960 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | January 23, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 20 | 17th February 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | July 28, 1962 | |
| Discoverer 21 | February 18, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | April 20, 1962 | |
| Discoverer 22 | March 30, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | March 30, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 23 | April 8, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | April 16, 1962 | |
| Discoverer 24 | June 8, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | False start | |
| Discoverer 25 | June 16, 1961 | Launch Complex 75-1-1, Vandenberg Air Force Base | June 18, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 26 | July 8, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | July 9, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 27 | July 26, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | July 26, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 28 | 3rd August 1961 | Launch Complex 75-1-1, Vandenberg Air Force Base | False start (2nd stage not started) | |
| Discoverer 29 | August 30, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | 4th September 1961 | Corona-14, reconnaissance flight over the Soviet Union |
| Discoverer 30 | September 12, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | September 15, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 31 | 17th September 1961 | Launch Complex 75-1-1, Vandenberg Air Force Base | October 26, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 32 | October 13, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | October 14, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 33 | October 23, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg Air Force Base | False start | |
| Discoverer 34 | 5th November 1961 | Launch Complex 75-1-1, Vandenberg Air Force Base | 7th December 1962 | |
| Discoverer 35 | November 15, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | November 16, 1961 | |
| Discoverer 36 | December 12, 1961 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | December 16, 1961 | Secondary payload: OSCAR 1 amateur radio satellite |
| Discoverer 37 | January 13, 1962 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | False start | |
| Discoverer 38 | February 27, 1962 | Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg Air Force Base | March 3, 1962 |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Dwayne A. Day: Sharp as a tack. The Space Review, February 6, 2012, accessed February 5, 2013 .