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Weather Satellites

By TheArctech

  • TIROS-1

    TIROS-1
    Objectives: To test experimental television techniques designed to develop a worldwide meteorological satellite information system. To test Sun angle and horizon sensor systems for spacecraft orientation. This satellite is 42 inches by 19 inches. It was equipped with two cameras and lasted 78 days

  • TIROS-2

    TIROS-2
    Tiros 2 was sent to continue Tiros 1 work and also to to evaluate a new attitude control system for spacecraft orientation which utilizes the Earth's magnetic field. It weighed 10 more pounds and equipped with basically the same stuff. It was operational for 376 days.

  • TIROS-3

    TIROS-3
    Objectives: Continued development of the experimental television techniques and infrared equipment leading to a worldwide meteorological information system. To obtain infrared measurements of the solar energy absorbed, reflected and emitted by the Earth. It was operational for 236 days.

  • TIROS-4

    TIROS-4
    Objectives: Continued research into and development of the meteorological satellite information system. This mission was designed to maintain an operational TIROS in orbit for an extended period of time and to obtain improved data for operational use in weather forecasting during the northern hemisphere hurricane season. It was also operational for 161 days. this satellite.

  • TIROS-5

    TIROS-5
    Objectives: Continued research into and development of the meteorological satellite information system. This mission was designed to maintain an operational TIROS in orbit for an extended period of time and to obtain improved data for operational use in weather forecasting during the northern hemisphere hurricane season. TIROS-5 was also launched at a higher inclination (58 degrees vs. 48 degrees on all previous flights) to provide better observations at higher latitudes.

  • TIROS-6

    TIROS-6
    Objectives: Continue research and development of the meteorological satellite information system; prove TIROS could stay in orbit for an extended period of time; obtain improved data for use in weather forecasting during hurricane season; provide operational support for the Mercury-Atlas 8 launch on October 3, 1962. The craft contained the same instrumentation as TIROS-5. TIROS-6's launch date was moved up 2 months in order to work with TIROS-5 in helping form an accurate forecast during hurrica

  • TIROS-7

    TIROS-7
    TIROS-7 was also designed to make infrared measurements of reflected solar and terrestrial radiation over selected spectrum ranges and gather data on electron density and temperature in space. To accomplish this new expanded mission, TIROS-7 carried two wide-angle camera systems, a magnetic tape recorder, and infrared experimentation equipment. The electron density and temperature probes were the same as the ones flown on board Explorer 17. TIROS-7 was deactivated after lasting 1809 days.

  • TIROS-8

    TIROS-8
    Objectives: Continued research and development of the meteorological satellite information system; flight test the Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) camera system and ground stations. TIROS-8's APT system exceeded its 90-day expected lifetime and was a great success. Forty-seven ground stations around the world were able to ingest satellite images, forming the first body of wide-angle imagery ever assembled. True space-based study of the Earth had begun.

  • TIROS-9

    TIROS-9
    Objectives: Test the "cartwheel" configuration; perform a polar orbit in preparation for the Weather Bureau's completely operational TOS (TIROS Operational Satellites) system. First complete view of the world's weather. The satellite spin axis was rotated using the magnetic attitude control system into an alignment perpendicular to the orbital plane, and tangent to, the Earth's surface. Thus the "cartwheel" configuration was achieved.

  • TIROS-10

    TIROS-10
    Objectives: Further the testing of the TIROS system in preparation of the weather Bureau's completely operational TOS (TIROS Operational Satellite) system, and to privde maximum satellite coverage during the 1965 hurricane season. TIROS-10 was the last of the experimental TIROS series and provided more than 400 images daily, each of a 640,000-square mile area with 2-mile resolution at the center.