ESSA-8

ESSA-8

An ESSA satellite
Mission type Weather satellite
Operator ESSA/NASA[1]
COSPAR ID 1968-114A
SATCAT № 3615
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer RCA Astro
Launch mass 297 kilograms (655 lb)[2]
Start of mission
Launch date 15 December 1968, 17:21:04 UTC[3]
Rocket Delta N
Launch site Vandenberg SLC-2E
End of mission
Disposal Decommissioned
Deactivated 12 March 1976
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Semi-major axis 7,816.70 kilometers (4,857.07 mi)
Eccentricity 0.0031481
Perigee 1,421 kilometers (883 mi)
Apogee 1,470 kilometers (910 mi)
Inclination 101.31 degrees
Period 114.63 minutes
Epoch 7 December 2013, 13:01:30 UTC[4]

ESSA-8 was a weather satellite launched by NASA on December 15, 1968. It operated for 2,644 days until it was deactivated on March 12, 1976. ESSA-8 was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA.

ESSA-8 was an 18-sided polygon. It measured 110 centimetres (42 in) in diameter by 22 inches (56 cm) in height, with a mass of 130 kilograms (290 lb). It was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel covered with 10,020 solar cells. The cells charged 63 nickel–cadmium batteries, which served as a power source. The satellite could take 8 to 10 pictures every 24 hours. Each photo covered a 5,200-square-kilometre (2,000 sq mi) area at a resolution of 3.2 kilometres (2 mi) per pixel.

ESSA-8's mission was to replace ESSA-6, and provide detailed cloud pattern photography to ground stations worldwide. Partners in the project included NASA, ESSA, RCA, the U.S. Weather Bureau, and the NMC.

References

  1. "ESSA". NASA Science. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  2. "ESSA 8". National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. "ESSA 8 (TOS-F) Satellite details 1968-114A NORAD 3615". N2YO. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.

External links