Discoverer 31

 1961-026

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CORONA 31 was flown on mission 9024 with the KH-3 camera (in the Itek list; KH-2 in other lists), launched on 1961 Sep 17 by Thor Agena B from Vandenberg. The mission was planned to last two days and orbit mass was 1163 kg. The SRV did not separate due to failure of the Agena power supply on orbit, and remained attached to the Agena through reentry on Oct 26. However, useful results were obtained from the supplementary scientific experiments carried on the Agena, which included instruments to measure energetic particles in the radiation belts and radio noise from the Galaxy.

The USAF test directive describes the payload as an AET-L payload in a Mk IV capsule, with the Agena carrying a Discoverer Research Payload and a Vela Hotel payload.

KH-2 Mission 9024
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1961 Sep 17	2100	Launch by Thor Agena B	V
	2102	Thor MECO (T+2:26)
	2102	Thor VECO (T+2:36)
	2102	Thor sep (T+2:41)
	2103	Agena burn (T+3:31)
	2107	Agena cutoff (T+7:30)
			242 x 411 x ? (VCR)
1961 Sep 18	0704		90.89 233 x 403 x 82.7
1961 Sep 19		Agena power supply failed
1961 Sep 19		SRV failed to sep
1961 Sep 21	0000		90.86 235 x 396 x 82.7 (RAE)
1961 Sep			90.8 231 x 403 x 82.6 (SATCAT)
1961 Sep 25	1009		90.66 233 x 380 x 82.7
1961 Sep 29	0447		90.50 222 x 375 x 82.7
1961 Oct 4	0523		90.27 222 x 353 x 82.7
1961 Oct 10	1200		90.0 220 x 326 x 82.7 (RAE)
1961 Oct 15	0403		89.63 209 x 303 x 82.7
1961 Oct 26	1048?	CORONA/Agena/SRV reentered