Discoverer 28, also known as Corona 9021, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. It was the seventh of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.[1]
![]() | |
Mission type | Optical reconnaissance |
---|---|
Operator | US Air Force/NRO |
COSPAR ID | ![]() |
Mission duration | Failed to orbit |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Corona KH-2 |
Bus | Agena-B |
Manufacturer | Lockheed |
Launch mass | 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 4 August 1961, 00:01 (1961-08-04UTC00:01Z) UTC |
Rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-B 309 |
Launch site | Vandenberg LC-75-1-1 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Epoch | Planned |
Discoverer Corona KH-2 |
The launch of Discoverer 28 occurred at 00:01 UTC on 4 August 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-1-1 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] It failed to achieve orbit after the Agena's guidance and control system malfunctioned.[3][4]
Discoverer 28 was to have operated in a low Earth orbit. The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb),[5] and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length of 61 centimetres (24 in), which had a maximum resolution of 7.6 metres (25 ft).[4] Images were to have been recorded onto 70-millimeter (2.8 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle carried by Discoverer 28 was SRV-512.[5]
Discoverer satellites | |
---|---|
|
Key Hole satellites | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KH-1 Corona | |||||||
KH-2 Corona' | |||||||
KH-3 Corona''' | |||||||
KH-4 Corona-M |
| ||||||
KH-5 Argon |
| ||||||
KH-6 Lanyard |
| ||||||
KH-7 Gambit |
| ||||||
KH-8 Gambit |
| ||||||
KH-9 Hexagon |
| ||||||
KH-10 Dorian |
| ||||||
KH-11 Crystal | |||||||
|
← 1960 · Orbital launches in 1961 · 1962 → | |
---|---|
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. |
![]() | This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |