| Operator | US Air Force/NRO |
|---|---|
| Major contractors | Lockheed |
| Bus | KH-2 Corona' Agena-B |
| Mission type | Optical reconnaissance |
| Launch date | 7 December 1960 20:20:58 UTC |
| Carrier rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-B 296 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 |
| Orbital decay | 2 April 1961 |
| COSPAR ID | 1960 Sigma 1 |
| Mass | 1,240 kilograms (2,700 lb) |
| Orbital elements | |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Inclination | 81.4° |
| Apoapsis | 535 kilometres (332 mi) |
| Periapsis | 272 kilometres (169 mi) |
| Orbital period | 92.6 minutes |
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Discoverer 18, also known as Corona 9013, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1960. It was a KH-2 Corona satellite, based around an Agena-B.[1]
The launch of Discoverer 18 occurred at 20:20:58 UTC on 7 December 1960. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1960 Sigma 1.
Discoverer 18 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 272 kilometres (169 mi), an apogee of 535 kilometres (332 mi), 81.4 degrees of inclination, and a period of 92.6 minutes.[3] The satellite had a mass of 1,240 kilograms (2,700 lb),[4] 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).[5] Images were recorded onto 70-millimetre (2.8 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle, which was recovered three days after the launch. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 18 was SRV-508. Following the return of its images, Discoverer 18 remained in orbit until it decayed on 2 April 1961.[3] It was the first KH-2 satellite to complete its mission successfully.[6]
References [edit]
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "KH-2 Corona". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "KH-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
- ^ "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
- ^ Pike, John (9 September 2000). "KH-2 Corona". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
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