Discoverer 16

{{short description|Reconnaissance satellite}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Discoverer 16

| image = KH-2_CORONA.jpg

| image_caption =

| mission_type = Optical reconnaissance

| operator = US Air Force/NRO

| mission_duration = Failed to orbit

| spacecraft =

| spacecraft_type = Corona KH-2

| spacecraft_bus = Agena-B

| manufacturer = Lockheed

| launch_mass = {{convert|1091|kg}}

| launch_date = {{start-date|26 October 1960, 20:26|timezone=yes}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Thor DM-21 Agena-B 253

| launch_site = Vandenberg LC-75-3-4

| orbit_epoch = Planned

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Low Earth

| orbit_periapsis =

| orbit_apoapsis =

| orbit_inclination =

| orbit_period =

| apsis = gee

| programme = Discoverer

| previous_mission = Discoverer 15

| next_mission = Discoverer 17

| programme2 = Corona KH-2

| previous_mission2 =

| next_mission2 = Corona 9012

}}

Discoverer 16, also known as Corona 9011, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure on 26 October 1960. It was the first of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.{{cite web|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/kh-2.htm|title=KH-2 Corona|first=Gunter|last=Krebs|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|accessdate=23 October 2020}}

The launch of Discoverer 16 occurred at 20:26 UTC on 26 October 1960. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt|title=Launch Log|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=26 June 2010}}The launch was close to nominal through Thor phase; Thor VECO occurred almost simultaneous with MECO and the planned 16 second vernier solo phase did not occur. Agena staging did not occur and the Agena, still attached to the spent Thor, fell into the Pacific. The cause of the mishap was traced to a momentary power interruption at launch that reset a timer on the Agena, consequently no programmer functions were entered.{{cite web|url=http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/imint/kh-2.htm|title=KH-2 Corona|first=John|last=Pike|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=26 June 2010|publisher=Federation of American Scientists}}

Discoverer 16 was intended to have been operated in a low Earth orbit. It had a mass of {{convert|1091|kg}},{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kh2.htm|title=KH-2|first=Mark|last=Wade|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|accessdate=26 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023094149/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kh2.htm|archivedate=23 October 2012}} and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length of {{convert|61|cm}}, which had a maximum resolution of {{convert|7.6|m}}.{{cite web|url=http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/programs/corona.html|title=Corona|publisher=NASA|work=Mission and Spacecraft Library|accessdate=26 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071003082210/http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/corona.html|archivedate=3 October 2007}} It was to have recorded images onto {{convert|70|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} film, which would have been returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle aboard Discoverer 16 was SRV-506.

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