Discoverer 26

{{short description|Reconnaissance satellite}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Discoverer 26

| image = KH-2_CORONA.jpg

| image_caption =

| mission_type = Optical reconnaissance

| operator = US Air Force/NRO

| Harvard_designation = 1961 Pi 1

| SATCAT =

| mission_duration = 2 days

| spacecraft =

| spacecraft_type = Corona KH-2

| spacecraft_bus = Agena-B

| manufacturer = Lockheed

| launch_mass = {{convert|1150|kg}}

| launch_date = {{start-date|7 July 1961, 23:29:48|timezone=yes}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Thor DM-21 Agena-B 308

| launch_site = Vandenberg LC-75-3-5

| decay_date = {{end-date|5 December 1961}}

| landing_date =

| landing_site =

| orbit_epoch =

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Low Earth

| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|229|km|mi|sp=us}}

| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|713|km|mi|sp=us}}

| orbit_inclination = 82.9 degrees

| orbit_period = 94 minutes

| apsis = gee

| programme = Discoverer

| previous_mission = Discoverer 25

| next_mission = Discoverer 27

| programme2 = Corona KH-2

| previous_mission2 = Corona 9017

| next_mission2 = Corona 9021

}}

File:Thor Agena B with Discoverer 26 (Jul. 7 1961).gif

Discoverer 26, also known as Corona 9019, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the sixth 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 26 occurred at 23:29:48 UTC on 7 July 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 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=26 June 2010}} Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Pi 1.

Discoverer 26 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of {{convert|229|km}}, an apogee of {{convert|713|km}}, 82.9 degrees of inclination, and a period of 94 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=26 June 2010}} The satellite had a mass of {{convert|1150|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}} Images were recorded onto {{convert|70|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle, which was deorbited two days after launch. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 26 was SRV-511. Once its images had been returned, Discoverer 26's mission was complete, and it remained in orbit until it decayed on 5 December 1961.

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