KH-2
Spacecraft · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: Manufacturer Image
American military surveillance satellite. Early US reconnaissance satellite. Carried one 'C-Prime' panoramic camera, with a focal length of 61 cm and a ground resolution of 9 m. Reconnaissance, photo (film return type) satellite built by Lockheed for USAF, USA. Launched 1960 - 1961.
More at: KH-2.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Engines
- Star 12
- Launch Vehicles
- Thor, Delta, Thor Agena B
- Launch Sites
- Vandenberg, Vandenberg SLC2E, Vandenberg SLC1W, Vandenberg SLC1E
Chronology
7 events
1960 October 26
20:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: U.- Discoverer 16 - . Payload: KH-2 9011. Mass: 1,091 kg (2,405 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2. Decay Date: 1960-10-26 . KH-1; mission failed..
- SRV 506 - . Mass: 1,146 kg (2,526 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2.
1960 November 12
20:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B.- Discoverer 17 - .
Payload: KH-2 9012 / Agena B 1062. Mass: 1,091 kg (2,405 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF.
Class: Surveillance.
Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117.
Spacecraft: KH-2.
Decay Date: 1960-12-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 61 . COSPAR: 1960-Omicron-1. Apogee: 984 km (611 mi). Perigee: 190 km (110 mi). Inclination: 81.70 deg. Period: 96.40 min.
The second Thor/Agena B to be launched from Vandenberg AFB was the first successful flight of the more advanced Lockheed Agena B upper stage. KH-1; film capsule recovered 2.1 days later. Mission failed. Obtained orbit successfully. Film separated before any camera operation leaving only 1.7 ft of film in capsule. On December 2, the Air Force revealed that exceedingly valuable information had been obtained from human tissues carried by Discoverer 17 (the cover story for the mission). The tissues had been exposed to an unexpectedly heavy dose of radiation for more than 50 hours in flight.
1960 December 7
20:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B.- Discoverer 18 - . Payload: KH-2 9013 / Agena B 1103. Mass: 1,240 kg (2,730 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2. Decay Date: 1961-04-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 67 . COSPAR: 1960-Sigma-1. Apogee: 510 km (310 mi). Perigee: 233 km (144 mi). Inclination: 81.50 deg. Period: 92.00 min. KH-2; film capsule recovered 3.1 days later. First successful mission employing KH-2 camera system..
1961 March 30
20:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: U.- Discoverer 22 - . Payload: KH-2 9015. Mass: 1,150 kg (2,530 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2. Decay Date: 1961-03-30 . KH-2; Mission failed..
- SRV 509 - . Mass: 1,146 kg (2,526 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2.
1961 June 16
23:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC2E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B.- Discoverer 25 - . Payload: KH-2 9017 / Agena B 1107. Mass: 1,150 kg (2,530 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2. Decay Date: 1961-07-12 . USAF Sat Cat: 108 . COSPAR: 1961-Xi-1. Apogee: 404 km (251 mi). Perigee: 222 km (137 mi). Inclination: 82.10 deg. Period: 90.80 min. KH-2; film capsule recovered 2.1 days later. Capsule recovered from water on orbit 32. Streaks throughout film..
1961 July 7
23:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B.- Discoverer 26 - . Payload: KH-2 9019 / Agena B 1109. Mass: 1,150 kg (2,530 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2. Decay Date: 1961-12-05 . USAF Sat Cat: 160 . COSPAR: 1961-Pi-1. Apogee: 803 km (498 mi). Perigee: 228 km (141 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 94.90 min. KH-2; film capsule recovered 2.1 days later. Main camera malfunctioned on pass 22..
1961 August 4
00:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC2E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: U.- Discoverer 28 - . Payload: KH-2 9021. Mass: 1,150 kg (2,530 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-2. Decay Date: 1961-08-03 . KH-2; Mission failed..