TIROS-8

TIROS-8
Mission typeWeather satellite
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1963-054A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.716
Mission duration3 years, 6 months, 9 days (achieved)
60 years, 11 months, 6 days
(in orbit)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeTIROS
ManufacturerRCA / GSFC
Launch mass265 kilograms (584 lb)[1]
Dimensions1.07 m × 0.56 m (3.5 ft × 1.8 ft)
Start of mission
Launch dateDecember 21, 1963, 09:30 (1963-12-21UTC09:30Z) UTC[2]
RocketThor-Delta B 371/D-22
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-17B
End of mission
Last contactJuly 1, 1967 (1967-08)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity0.005203[1]
Perigee altitude691 kilometers (429 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude765 kilometers (475 mi)[1]
Inclination58.48°[1]
Period99.3 minutes[1]
EpochDecember 21, 1963[1]
Instruments
Automatic Camera System
Television Camera System
← TIROS-7
TIROS-9 →

TIROS-8 (also called TIROS-H or A-53) was a spin-stabilized meteorological satellite. It was the eighth in a series of Television Infrared Observation Satellites.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "TIROS 8". National Space Science Data Center Master Catalog. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved June 4, 2018.