Lunar Orbiter 3

Lunar Orbiter 3
Lunar Orbiter 3 image of the far side of the Moon, enhanced by LOIRP
Mission typeLunar orbiter
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1967-008A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.2666
Websitescience.nasa.gov
Mission duration8 months, 4 days
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerLangley Research Center
Launch mass385.6 kg (850 lb)[1]
Dimensions3.72 × 1.65 × 1.5 m (12.2 × 5.4 × 4.9 ft)[2]
Power375 watts[2]
Start of mission
Launch dateFebruary 5, 1967, 01:17:01 (1967-02-05UTC01:17:01Z) UTC[1]
RocketAtlas SLV-3 Agena-D
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-13
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay dateOctober 9, 1967, 10:27:11 (1967-10-09UTC10:27:12) UTC[2]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemSelenocentric
Semi-major axis2,694 km (1,674 mi)
Eccentricity0.33
Periselene altitude1,791 km (1,113 mi)
Aposelene altitude3,598 km (2,236 mi)
Inclination20.9 degrees
Period208.1 minutes
EpochFebruary 7, 1967, 19:00:00 UTC[2]
Lunar orbiter
Orbital insertionFebruary 8, 1967, 21:54 UTC
Impact site14°18′N 97°42′W / 14.3°N 97.7°W / 14.3; -97.7
Orbits1,702
Transponders
Frequency2295 MHz[2]

The Lunar Orbiter 3 was a spacecraft launched by NASA in 1967 as part of the Lunar Orbiter Program.[7] It was designed primarily to photograph areas of the lunar surface for confirmation of safe landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo missions. It was also equipped to collect selenodetic, radiation intensity, and micrometeoroid impact data.

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