ITOS
Tiros-OTS
Credit - NASA
Other Designations: Improved TIROS Operational System. Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Destination: Sun Synchronous Orbit. Nation: USA. Agency: ESSA, NASA, GSFC, NOAA. Manufacturer: RCA.

ITOS was the follow-on to the TIROS series of polar-orbiting US weather satellites, and marked the beginning of the use of the NOAA designator.

The program was initially managed by the ESSA (Environmental Science Services Administration). NOAA later became the managing organization. The spacecraft was 3-axis stabilized. Two deployed solar panels recharged NiCd batteries. The payloads included the AVCS (Advanced Vidicon Camera System). APT (Automatic Picture Transmission system), FPR (Flat Plate Radiometer), SPM (Solar Proton Monitor), VTPR (Vertical Temperature Profile Radiometer), and VHRR (Very High Resolution Radiometer). ITOS-1, ITOS-A, and ITOS-B carried AVCS, APT, FPR, SPM. ITOS-D, ITOS-E, ITOS-F, ITOS-G, and ITOS-H carried FPR, SPM, VTPR, VHRR.

Typical orbit: Typically 1450 km x 1450 km, incl. = 101 deg. Length: 1.22 m (4.00 ft). Maximum Diameter: 1.02 m (3.34 ft). Span: 4.30 m (14.10 ft). Mass: 330 kg (720 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Delta 0100, Delta 2000, Delta N.

ITOS Chronology
  • 1970 December 11 - NOAA 1 - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta N. Mass: 306 kg (674 lb). Perigee: 1,423 km (884 mi). Apogee: 1,473 km (915 mi). Inclination: 101.70 deg. Period: 114.80 min.

    Built for NASA; operated by NOAA. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1970 January 23 - ITOS 1 - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta N. Mass: 309 kg (681 lb). Perigee: 1,434 km (891 mi). Apogee: 1,479 km (919 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 115.00 min.

    Improved TIROS Operational Satellite. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1971 October 21 - ITOS B - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta N. FAILURE: Failure. Mass: 308 kg (679 lb). Perigee: 293 km (182 mi). Apogee: 1,483 km (921 mi). Inclination: 102.50 deg. Period: 102.70 min.

    Unusable orbit.

  • 1972 October 15 - NOAA 2 - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta 0100. Mass: 344 kg (758 lb). Perigee: 1,449 km (900 mi). Apogee: 1,455 km (904 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 114.90 min.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1973 July 16 - ITOS E - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta 0100. FAILURE: Second stage failure. Mass: 345 kg (760 lb).

    Improved TIROS Operational System.

  • 1973 November 6 - NOAA 3 - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta 0100. Mass: 345 kg (760 lb). Perigee: 1,501 km (932 mi). Apogee: 1,510 km (930 mi). Inclination: 102.10 deg. Period: 116.10 min.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1974 November 15 - NOAA 4 - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta 2000. Mass: 340 kg (740 lb). Perigee: 1,445 km (897 mi). Apogee: 1,459 km (906 mi). Inclination: 101.80 deg. Period: 114.90 min.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

  • 1976 July 29 - NOAA 5 - Program: Tiros. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Vehicle: Delta 2000. Mass: 340 kg (740 lb). Perigee: 1,507 km (936 mi). Apogee: 1,523 km (946 mi). Inclination: 102.30 deg. Period: 116.30 min.

    Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

Bibliography and Further Reading
  • Bramscher, Robert G, Spaceflight, "A Survey of Launch Vehicle Failures", 1980, Volume 22, page 351.
  • McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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