Discoverer 23

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Discoverer 23

| image =

| image_caption =

| mission_type = Photographic reconnaissance

| operator = US Air Force / NRO

| Harvard_designation = 1961 Lambda 1

| SATCAT =

| mission_duration =

| spacecraft =

| spacecraft_type = KH-5 ARGON

| spacecraft_bus = Agena-B

| manufacturer = Lockheed Corporation

| launch_mass = 1150 kg

| launch_date = {{start-date|8 April 1961, 19:21:08|timezone=yes}} GMT

| launch_rocket = Thor DM-21 Agena-B
(Thor 307)

| launch_site = Vandenberg, SLC-1E
Launch pad 75-3-5

| decay_date = {{end-date|16 April 1962}}

| landing_date =

| landing_site =

| orbit_epoch =

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Low Earth

| orbit_periapsis = 294 km

| orbit_apoapsis = 624 km

| orbit_inclination = 82.3°

| orbit_period = 93.77 minutes

| apsis = gee

}}

File:Thor Agena B with Discoverer 23 (Apr. 8, 1961).gif

Discoverer 23, also known as KH-5 9016A, was a USAF photographic reconnaissance satellite under the supervision of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-5 ARGON satellite, based on an Agena-B.https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/query - 24 January 2020 It was the second KH-5 mission to be launched, and the second to end in failure.https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1961-011A - 24 January 2020

Launch

The launch of Discoverer 23 occurred at 19:21:08 GMT on 8 April 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from launch pad 75-3-5 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=22 June 2010}} Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Lambda 1.

Mission

Discoverer 23 was operated in an Earth orbit, with a perigee of {{convert|294|km}}, an apogee of {{convert|624|km}}, 82.3° of inclination, and a period of 93.77 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=22 June 2010}} The satellite had a mass of {{convert|1150|kg}},{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kh5.htm|title=KH-5|first=Mark|last=Wade|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|accessdate=22 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113050812/http://astronautix.com/craft/kh5.htm|archivedate=13 January 2010}} and was equipped with a frame camera with a focal length of {{convert|76|mm}}, which had a maximum resolution of {{convert|140|m}}.{{cite web|url=http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/programs/corona.html|title=Corona|publisher=NASA|work=Mission and Spacecraft Library|accessdate=22 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071003082210/http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/corona.html|archivedate=3 October 2007}} Images were recorded onto {{convert|127|mm}} film, and ejected aboard a Satellite Return Vehicle, SRV-521. Due to a problem with Discoverer 23's attitude control system, the SRV ended up boosting itself into a higher orbit rather than deorbiting. Discoverer 23 decayed from orbit on 16 April 1962, followed by the SRV on 23 May 1962.·

References

Category:Spacecraft launched in 1961

Category:Spacecraft which reentered in 1962