 | |
| Mission type | Optical reconnaissance |
|---|---|
| Operator | US Air Force / NRO |
| Harvard designation | 1959-F02 |
| SATCAT no. | F00060 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | CORONA Test Vehicle |
| Bus | Agena-A |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed |
| Launch mass | 843 kilograms (1,858 lb) after orbit insertion |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 3 June 1959 20:09:20 GMT |
| Rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-A (Thor 174) |
| Launch site | Vandenberg LC 75-3-4 |
Discoverer 3 was an American optical reconnaissance satellite launched on 3 June 1959 at 20:09:20 GMT, the third of three test flights of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series. The first Discoverer mission to carry live animal passengers, Discoverer 3 was lost when its carrying Agena-A booster crashed into the Pacific Ocean.