Discoverer 32

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Discoverer 32

| image =

| image_caption =

| mission_type = Optical reconnaissance

| operator = US Air Force/NRO

| Harvard_designation = 1961 Alpha Gamma 1

| SATCAT =

| mission_duration = 1 day

| spacecraft =

| spacecraft_type = KH-3 Corona'''

| spacecraft_bus = Agena-B

| manufacturer = Lockheed

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

| launch_date = {{start-date|13 October 1961, 19:22|timezone=yes}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Thor DM-21 Agena-B 328

| launch_site = Vandenberg LC-75-3-4

| decay_date = {{end-date|13 November 1961}}

| landing_date =

| landing_site =

| orbit_epoch =

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Low Earth

| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|233|km|mi|sp=us}}

| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|350|km|mi|sp=us}}

| orbit_inclination = 81.6 degrees

| orbit_period = 90.3 minutes

| apsis = gee

}}

File:Thor Agena B with Discoverer 32 (Oct. 13, 1961).gif

Discoverer 32, also known as Corona 9025, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona''' satellite, based on an Agena-B.{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/kh-3.htm|title=KH-3 Corona|first=Gunter|last=Krebs|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|accessdate=30 June 2010}}

The launch of Discoverer 32 occurred at 19:22 UTC on 13 October 1961. 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|author-link=Jonathan McDowell|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=30 June 2010}} Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Alpha Gamma 1.

Discoverer 32 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of {{convert|233|km}}, an apogee of {{convert|350|km}}, 81.6 degrees of inclination, and a period of 90.3 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=30 June 2010}} The satellite had a mass of {{convert|1150|kg}},{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kh3.htm|title=KH-3|first=Mark|last=Wade|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|accessdate=30 June 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918005311/http://astronautix.com/craft/kh3.htm|archivedate=18 September 2010}} 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=30 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 one day after launch. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 32 was SRV-555. Following the return of its images, Discoverer 32 remained in orbit until it decayed on 13 November 1961. Most of the images it produced were found to have been out of focus.{{cite web|url=http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/imint/kh-3.htm|title=KH-3 Corona|first=Christina|last=Lindborg|first2=John|last2=Pike|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=30 June 2010|publisher=Federation of American Scientists}}

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