1965-004A
Tiros IX was a third type of Tiros, a 'wheel' satellite where the two cameras were in the circumference of the cylinder rather than the base. The satellite spun so that the cameras scanned past the Earth on every revolution. The satellite was based on the Block I DMSP (Program 35) military weather satellite, but was larger in size. The Tiros IX payload was a protoype for the Tiros Operational Satellite system, which would be funded by the US Weather Bureau.
Tiros IX was launched at 0752 on 1965 Jan 22 from Cape Kennedy. The Delta C second stage made two dog-leg maneuvers as it flew up the Atlantic coast to increase the final orbital inclination to 96.4 degrees, the largest reached from Kennedy to that date. A 55 deg first stage yaw was followed by a 74 deg second stage left yaw, flight over Cuba and Panama, and third stage right yaw and pitch down. Intended first equator crossing was at 84W 0N. The final apogee of the orbit was much higher than intended. The planned orbit had been 640 x 640 km, but the actual initial orbit was 705 x 2582 km x 96.4 deg (by 1993 this was 701 x 2564 km). Nevertheless the satellite functioned well and operated until 1968 Jun 12.
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| Tiros 9 |
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| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
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| 1965 Jan 22 | 0752:00 | Launch by Delta | CK LC17A |
| | 0753:30 | Dogleg 1, 55 deg yaw right |
| | 0754:20 | T+2:20 Thor 20009 MECO |
| | 0754:24 | T+2:24 St 1 sep |
| | 0754:24 | SES Delta S/N 20107 burn 2:55 |
| | 0755:44 | M+1:24 Fairing |
| | 0754:30 | Dogleg 2, 74 deg yaw right |
| | 0757:20 | Delta SECO M+179 |
| | | T+10:19 Spinup |
| | 0804:45 | M+10:25 Altair X-258C4 RH-79 burn 22.7s |
| | 0805:08 | M+10:48 Altair burnout |
| | 0815? | Altair sep | 705 x 2582 x 96.4 |
| | 0818? | Yoyo weights reduce spin to 10 rpm |
| | | St 2 impact S Pacific |
| 1968 Jun 12 | | End of ops |
