Discoverer 24, also known as Corona 9018A, was an American area survey optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961 but failed to achieve orbit. It was a KH-5 Argon satellite, based on an Agena-B.[1] It was the third KH-5 to be launched.
Mission type | Optical reconnaissance |
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Operator | US Air Force/NRO |
COSPAR ID | ![]() |
Mission duration | Failed to orbit |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | KH-5 Argon |
Bus | Agena-B |
Manufacturer | Lockheed |
Launch mass | 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 8 June 1961, 21:16 (1961-06-08UTC21:16Z) UTC |
Rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-B 302 |
Launch site | Vandenberg LC-1 launch pad 75-3-4 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Epoch | Planned |
The launch of Discoverer 24 occurred at 21:16 UTC on 8 June 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from launch pad 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] Thor performance was normal and cutoff and staging occurred on time, but the Agena suffered a massive power supply failure during ascent. Since the power failure had caused loss of Agena telemetry data, it was unclear exactly what happened following staging or if engine start ever occurred. Radar tracking indicated that the stage was on a ballistic trajectory and tumbling. It impacted the Pacific Ocean some 400 miles downrange.[3]
Discoverer 24 was to have operated in a low Earth orbit. It had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb),[4] and was equipped with a frame camera with a focal length of 76 millimetres (3.0 in), which had a maximum resolution of 140 metres (460 ft).[5] Images would have been recorded onto 127-millimeter (5.0 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle, before the satellite ceased operations. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle carried aboard Discoverer 24 was SRV-541.[4]
Discoverer satellites | |
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Key Hole satellites | |||||||
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KH-1 Corona | |||||||
KH-2 Corona' | |||||||
KH-3 Corona''' | |||||||
KH-4 Corona-M |
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KH-5 Argon |
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KH-6 Lanyard |
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KH-7 Gambit |
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KH-8 Gambit |
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KH-9 Hexagon |
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KH-10 Dorian |
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KH-11 Crystal | |||||||
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← 1960 · Orbital launches in 1961 · 1962 → | |
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Samos 2 | Tyazhely Sputnik | Venera 1 | Explorer 9 | Discoverer 20 | Discoverer 21 | Transit 3B · LOFTI-1 | S-45 | Korabl-Sputnik 4 | Korabl-Sputnik 5 | Explorer 10 | Discoverer 22 | Discoverer 23 | Vostok 1 | Mercury-Atlas 3 | Explorer 11 | S-45A | Discoverer 24 | Discoverer 25 | Transit 4A · SOLRAD 3 · Injun 1 | S-55 | Discoverer 26 | TIROS-3 | Midas 3 | Discoverer 27 | Discoverer 28 | Vostok 2 | Explorer 12 | Ranger 1 | Explorer 13 | Discoverer 29 | Samos 3 | Discoverer 30 | Mercury-Atlas 4 | Discoverer 31 | Discoverer 32 | Midas 4 · Westford 1 | Discoverer 33 | DS-1 No.1 | Mercury-Scout 1 | Discoverer 34 | Discoverer 35 | Transit 4B · TRAAC | Ranger 2 | Samos 4 | Mercury-Atlas 5 | Zenit-2 No.1 | Discoverer 36 · OSCAR 1 | DS-1 No.2 | FTV-2203 | |
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets. |
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