NOAA-6

NOAA-6
NamesNOAA-A
Mission typeWeather
OperatorNOAA
COSPAR ID1979-057A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.11416
Mission duration2 years (planned)
7 years, 9 months and 3 days (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeTIROS
BusTIROS-N[1]
ManufacturerRCA Astro Electronics[2]
Launch mass1,418 kg (3,126 lb) [3]
Dry mass735 kg (1,620 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date27 June 1979, 15:51:59 UTC[4]
RocketAtlas-F-Star-37S-ISS
(Atlas S/N 25F) [2]
Launch siteVandenberg, SLC-3W
ContractorConvair
End of mission
DisposalDecommissioned
Deactivated31 March 1987 [5]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[4]
RegimeSun-synchronous orbit
Perigee altitude833 km (518 mi)
Apogee altitude833 km (518 mi)
Inclination98.70°
Period101.50 minutes
← TIROS-N
NOAA-B →

NOAA-6, known as NOAA-A before launch, was an American operational weather satellite for use in the National Operational Environmental Satellite System (NOESS) and for the support of the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) during 1978–1984. The satellite design provided an economical and stable Sun-synchronous platform for advanced operational instruments to measure the atmosphere of Earth, its surface and cloud cover, and the near-space environment.[6]

  1. ^ "Tiros N". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "TIROS-N, NOAA 6, B, 7". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  3. ^ "NOAA-6". World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 28 July 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Trajectory: NOAA 6 1979-057A". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "NOAA Heritage". Polar Operational Environmental Satellites. NOAA. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2017. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "Display: NOAA-6 1979-057A". NASA GSFC. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.