| Mission type | Photographic reconnaissance |
|---|---|
| Operator | US Air Force / NRO |
| Harvard designation | 1961 Lambda 1 |
| COSPAR ID | 1961-011A |
| SATCAT no. | 00100 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | KH-5 ARGON |
| Bus | Agena-B |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Launch mass | 1150 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 8 April 1961, 19:21:08 GMT |
| Rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-B (Thor 307) |
| Launch site | Vandenberg, SLC-1E Launch pad 75-3-5 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 16 April 1962 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 294 km |
| Apogee altitude | 624 km |
| Inclination | 82.3° |
| Period | 93.77 minutes |
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Discoverer 23, also known as KH-5 9016A, was a USAF photographic reconnaissance satellite under the supervision of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-5 ARGON satellite, based on an Agena-B.[1] It was the second KH-5 mission to be launched, and the second to end in failure.[2]
- ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/query - 24 January 2020
- ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1961-011A - 24 January 2020