Saturday, December 25, 1971
Friday, December 24, 1971
Wednesday, December 22, 1971
Corona 53
1962-053
ARGON 9 (CORONA 53, KH-5 Mission 9046A), was launched on 1962 Oct 9 by Thor Agena B from Vandenberg. Radio guidance commands couldn’t be sent due to a ground system failure, and the rocket entered an elliptical 228 x 450 km orbit instead of the planned 304 x 309 km circular one. Orbital mass was 1177 kg.
The SRV was recovered after 4 days on rev 64. Half the terrain film was blank due to a shutter malfunction. (The TLE ground track places the satellite much further to the west than normal for a recovery).
Film experiments were included in the SRV to study orbit irradiation and the effectiveness of an experimental Al-Ag irradiation shield. SO-102, S0-130, S0-206 and SO-132 films were included in the radiation pack; results indicate the shield was effective.
| KH-5 Mission 9046A | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 Oct 9 | 1835:39 | Launch by Thor Agena B | V Pad 4 |
| 1837 | Thor MECO (T+2:27) | ||
| 1837 | Thor VECO (T+2:36) | ||
| 1837 | Thor sep (T+2:46) | ||
| 1838 | Agena burn (T+3:26) | ||
| 1842 | Agena cutoff (T+7:32) | 91.02 228 x 450 x 81.99 (VCR) | |
| 1962 Oct 9 | 2237 | Bad elements | 90.91 166 x 472 x 81.50 |
| 1962 Oct 10 | 1820 | 90.88 209 x 426 x 81.99 | |
| 1962 Oct 10 | 1900 | 90.96 213 x 427 x 82.0 (RAE) | |
| 1962 Oct? | 91.0 213 x 427 x 82.0 (SATCAT) | ||
| 1962 Oct 13 | 2108? | SRV recovered after 4.11d, rev 64 | |
| 2150 | SRV landed | ||
| 1962 Oct 14 | end of experiment data | ||
| 1962 Oct 15 | 0127 | 90.83 205 x 425 x 82.0 | |
| 1962 Oct 20 | 1700 | 90.59 209 x 395 x 82.0 (RAE) | |
| 1962 Nov 14 | 1430 | 88.37 170 x 212 x 82.0 (RAE) | |
| 1962 Nov 14 | 1453 | 88.31 191 x 191 x 82.0 | |
| 1962 Nov 16 | 0200? | CORONA/Agena D reentered | |
Monday, December 20, 1971
Sunday, December 19, 1971
Monday, December 6, 1971
Sunday, December 5, 1971
Saturday, December 4, 1971
Discoverer 7
1959-010
The Agena engine was successfully shut down by the mechanical integrator for the first time on flight 7 (mission 9004, Agena 1051). The 920 kg flight 7 satellite lost 3-axis stabilization on Agena 1051 due to a power supply failure and subsequent depletion of nitrogen gas prior to orbit 2 and the capsule wasn’t ejected.
Launch time in the commander's report was quoted as 1229 PDT (1929 UT) but I believe this is a typo for PST. An AFBMD report gives the time as 1226 PST.
| KH-1 Mission 9004 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 Nov 7 | 2029 | Launch by Thor Agena A | V |
| 2031 | Thor MECO (T+2:43) | ||
| 2031 | Thor VECO (T+2:53) | ||
| 2032 | Thor sep (T+2:59) | ||
| 2033 | Agena burn (T+4:11) | ||
| 2035 | Agena cutoff (T+6:13) | ||
| 94.7 159 x 847 x 81.6 (RAE) | |||
| 161 x 845 (VCR) | |||
| 1959 Nov 7 | Power supply failed, rev 1 | ||
| 1959 Nov 8 | SRV ejection not attempted? | ||
| 1959 Nov 8 | 1932 | 94.41 158 x 821 x 81.64 | |
| 1959 Nov 11 | 0229 | 93.82 155 x 767 x 81.64 | |
| 1959 Nov 15 | 1430 | 92.9 157 x 673 x 81.6 (RAE) | |
| 1959 Nov 20 | 1900 | 91.5 152 x 542 x 81.6 (RAE) | |
| 1959 Nov 20 | 1827 | 91.54 161 x 539 x 81.6 | |
| 1959 Nov 26 | 1900? | CORONA 4/Agena/SRV reentered | |