TIROS-7 (also called TIROS-G or A-52) was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the seventh in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.
![]() TIROS-7 satellite. | |
Mission type | Weather satellite |
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Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1963-024A ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 604 |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | TIROS |
Manufacturer | RCA / GSFC |
Launch mass | 134.7 kilograms (297 lb)[1] |
Dimensions | 1.07 m × 0.56 m (3.5 ft × 1.8 ft) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | June 19, 1963, 09:50 (1963-06-19UTC09:50Z) UTC[2] |
Rocket | Thor-Delta B 359/D-19 |
Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-17B |
End of mission | |
Last contact | June 3, 1968 (1968-06-04) |
Decay date | June 3, 1994 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Eccentricity | 0.001995[1] |
Perigee altitude | 621 kilometers (386 mi)[1] |
Apogee altitude | 649 kilometers (403 mi)[1] |
Inclination | 58.23°[1] |
Period | 97.40 minutes[1] |
Epoch | June 19, 1963[1] |
Instruments | |
Low Resolution Omnidirectional Radiometer Scanning Radiometer Langmuir probe Television Camera System | |
TIROS |
TIROS-7 was launched on June 19, 1963, by a Thor-Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, United States. The spacecraft functioned nominally until June 3, 1968. It reentered the atmosphere after exactly 26 years on June 3, 1994. The satellite orbited the Earth once every 1 hour and 37 minutes, at an inclination of 58.2°. Its perigee was 621 kilometers (386 mi) and apogee was 649 kilometers (403 mi).[1]
TIROS 7 was a spin-stabilized meteorological spacecraft designed to test experimental television techniques and infrared equipment. The satellite was in the form of an 18-sided right prism, 107 cm in diameter and 56 cm high. The top and sides of the spacecraft were covered with approximately 9000 1-by 2-cm silicon solar cells. It was equipped with 2 independent television camera subsystems for taking cloudcover pictures, plus an omnidirectional radiometer and a five-channel scanning radiometer for measuring radiation from the earth and its atmosphere. The satellite spin rate was maintained between 8 and 12 rpm by use of five diametrically opposed pairs of small, solid-fuel thrusters.
A magnetic attitude control device permitted the satellite spin axis to be oriented to within 1 to 2 deg of a predetermined attitude. The flight control system also optimized the performance of the solar cells and TV cameras and protected the five-channel infrared radiometer from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. The spacecraft performed normally until December 31, 1965, and sporadically until February 3, 1967. TIROS-7 was operated for an additional 1.5 years to collect engineering data. It was deactivated on June 3, 1968.[3]
On June 3, 1994, it was destroyed by being incinerated in the Earth's atmosphere.
TIROS satellites | ||
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TIROS | ||
TOS | ||
ITOS | ||
TIROS-N | ||
Adv. TIROS-N |
← 1962 · Orbital launches in 1963 · 1964 → | |
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Luna E-6 No.2 | OPS 0048 | OPS 0180 | Luna E-6 No.3 | Syncom 1 | OPS 0240 | OPS 0583 | OPS 0627 · P-11 No.1 | Kosmos 13 | OPS 0720 | Luna 4 | Explorer 17 | Transit 5A-2 | DS-P1 No.2 | Kosmos 14 | Kosmos 15 | OPS 1008 | OPS 1298 | Kosmos 16 | Telstar 2 | Midas 7 · DASH 1 · ERS-5 · ERS-6 · Westford 2 | Mercury-Atlas 9 (Balloon Subsatellite 2 · Flashing Light Unit) | OPS 0924 | Kosmos 17 | Kosmos 18 | DS-MT No.1 | OPS 0954 | Midas 8 · ERS-7 · ERS-8 | Vostok 5 | FTV-1292 · Solrad 6 · LOFTI 2A · Surcal 3 · Radose 112 | Transit 5A-3 | Vostok 6 | TIROS-7 | OPS 0999 · Hitchhiker 1 | GRS | OPS 1440 | Zenit-2 No.12 | OPS 1467 | OPS 1266 | Midas 9 · DASH 2 · ERS-9 · ERS-10 | Syncom 2 | OPS 1370 | Kosmos 19 | DS-A1 No.3 | OPS 1419 | OPS 1561 · LAMPO | OPS 1947 | OPS 1353 | OPS 1610 | Transit 5BN-1 · Transit 5E-1 | Vela 1A · Vela 1B · ERS-12 | Kosmos 20 | DS-A1 No.4 | OPS 2196 | OPS 2437 · Hitchhiker 2 | Polyot 1 | OPS 2268 | Kosmos 21 | Kosmos 22 | Explorer 18 | Atlas-Centaur 2 | OPS 2260 | Zenit-2 No.14 | Transit 5BN-2 · Transit 5E-2 | Kosmos 23 | OPS 2372 | Kosmos 24 | Explorer 19 | TIROS-8 | OPS 1388 · Hitchhiker 3 | |
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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