N EWS R E LEASE

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

400 MARYLAND AVENUE, SW, WASHINGTON 25, D.C
TELEPHONES WORTH 2-4155--WORTH 3-1110
FOR RELEASE: Sunday
June 17, 1962
Release No. 62-136

NASA TO LAUNCH FIFTH WEATHER SATELLITE

Following four out of four successful Tiros satellite

launchings, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
will soon attempt, no earlier than June 19, 1962, to launch
che fifth in this series.

The launch will be from Cape Canaveral, Florida and is

timed to provide maximum weather information during the
hurricane season which normally reaches its peak in late
August and September. Tiros III, launched July 12, 1961,
demonstrated the importance of weather satellite data for
immediate weather analysis when it discovered Hurricane
Esther. Based on this information the hurricane was located
two days in advance of the time possible with conventional
procedures.

This newest spacecraft will be placed in orbit by the

reliable three-stage Delta rocket developed by NASA. This
vehicle has been successful in the last eight consecutive
launchings.

Tropical storms will be a chief objective of the new

Tiros. It is estimated that the satellite will view the
northern hemisphere with its TV cameras for the first ten
days, spend the next 38 days over the southern hemisphere
and then head north again. This schedule will put the
satellite over the northern hemisphere's hurricane and ty-
phoon belts during the hurricane season.

This newest Tiros will circle the earth about every

97 minutes at an altitude of approximately 350 nautical
miles.

The TV picture data from the previous Tiros, Tiros IV,

launched into orbit February 8th, became so poor in quality
over the June 9-10 weekend that routine meteorological
operational use is no longer feasible. However, infrared
data are still being obtained on a regular basis.
 Although quite similar to the four 'oevi'.Gus Tiros
satellites, which have taken more than 120,000 usa-fu1l cloud
cover photographs, the new Tiros will be the first to be
launched into an orbit inclined 58 degrees to thie equator.
The others had a 48-degree inclination. At 58 degrees,
the first pictures will include weather conditions as
far north as the 65th parallel--on a line with Fairbanks,
Alaska and similar points in Iceland, Greens and and
Scandinavia.

During its northern orbit, the satellice is expected

to transmit excellent pictures of the pattern of the later
phases of ice breakup in northern latitudes, as well as
storms originating in the same area, Knowledge of the Ice
breakup pattern should provide information on the menace
of icebergs and fog to North Atlantic shippineg lanes.
Analyses of data gathered from Tiros IV, launched February
8, 1962, as well as those from Tiros I and II, suggest
that satellite television photography is a better means
of ice study over extensive areas than coventional aircraft
reconnaissance. When viewing southern latitudes, the satellite
is expected to photograph the edges of the ice fields
surrounding the Antarctic continent.
The Tegea medium angle lens, proved successful
on the Tiros IV, will be used again, as well as the wide
angle Elgeet lens used on <ll previous Tiros spacecraft.
The Tegea lens reduces distortion and gives a somewhat
clearer picture while preserving relatively large area
coverage. When this camera is pointed straight down,
from an altitude of 350 miles, it will transmit pictures
of a square area measuring about 450 miles on each side.
The wide angle lens covers a square area measuring about
750 miles on each side.
As in previous Tiros satellites, the spacecraft
will carry two magnetic tape recorders, each of which
can record as many as 32 successive pictures. When the
Tiros is within the 1500-mile range of one of the two
ground stations, Wallops Station, Va., or Point Mugu,
Calif., the pictures can be transmitted earthward on
command. The tape is then erased and rewound for the
next recording. Also, the recorder can be bypassed and
additional pictures directly transmitted.

Other instrumentation will include remote control

electronic clocks for triggering the cameras when out
of range of the ground stations, beacon transmitters,
horizon scanners, telemetry circuits and a magnetic
orientation control system. In addition, infrared
radiation experiments, essentially the same as those
conducted in previous Tiros orbits, will be included.
-2-
The purpose of these experiments is to learn how much
solar energy is absorbed and reflected, and how much infra-
red radiation is emitted, by the earth and its atmosphere,
and to further develop a means Or determining the nighttime
cloud cover of the earth.
Power for the operation of the electronic
equipment is furnished by nickel-cadmium storage batteries
which are charged by more than 9000 solar cells mounted
on the top and sides of the spacecraft.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt,

Maryland, has responsibility for overall technical direction
of the project including tracking, command, data acquisition,
and the infrared radiation experiments. The Office of
Meteorological Satellite Activities of the U. S. Weather
Bureau is responsible for implementation and coordination
of the operational use of the cloud picture data and for
their research use.
Other U. S. weather services participate in both
operational and research use.

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 (-LTA TI[;33
ORDIT TRACE

31

BOOST TRAJECTORY
ORBIT TRACE
 FACT SHEET
TIROS PROGRAM

The Tiros program has been P very successful one

for the U.S. and its National Aeronauoics and Space
Administration in every aspect. This includes the success-
ful four out of four launches from Cape Canaveral; as well
as the important meteorological information transmitted back
to earth from the Tiros satellites, and its use in weather
analysis and atmospheric research.

The accomplishments of these spacecraft have been

significant in five important areas:
1. They have demonstrated the feasibility of a
meteorological satellite as an engineering system.
2. They have taken important scientific measure-
ments of the atmosphere.
3. Extensive use has been made of the satellite
measurements in day-to-day weather analysis and forecasting
operations.
4. An active international program of cooperation
in meteorological satellite and related data has gotten
underway.
5. A firm groundwork has been laid for the establish-
ment of a Nationa' Operational Meteorological Satellite
System.

- TIROS I -

The Tiros program was established with the launching

into orbit from Cape Canaveral on April 1, 1960 of Tiros I,
using a Thor-Able rocket. Between launch and June 17, 1960
when operations ceased, the satellite transmitted nearly
23,000 photographs of cloud cover. This historic space-
craft proved that equipment necessary for meteorological
observations could be operated for long periods of time
in space and could transmit data of considerable meteor-
ological significance. Meteorologists hailed the Tiros I
experiment as opening a new era in weather observation and
immediately applied the data to an experimental program
of operational use.

-4- (OVER)
 - TIROS I -I

Tiros II was launched November 23, 1960 by the

Delta launch vehicle. It far exceeded its estimated use-
ful lifetime of three months and continued to provide data
through November of 1961. Beyond this achievement, in
January 1961, the satellite photographed the tightly packed
ice in the St. Lawrence and in March took photographs for
several days which showed the breakup of the ice pack.
These and a few Tiros I ice pack photographs were the first
and best indications that weather satellites could be used
to photograph and show ice boundaries and open seas. Tiros
II was also used in aiding forecasters on weather conditions
for the suborbital flight of Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr.
last May and the launch of Ranger I in July. Recently, the
Tiros II IR electronics and tape recorder was found to be
still functioning after more than 18 months in orbit.

- TIROS III -

Tiros III was launched July 12, 1961 and like the
two previous Tiros launches it was a perfect operation.
The satellite further substantiated the feasibility of
operational weather satellites by again proving the data
could be used on a real-time basis for daily weather
analysis. It marked the first time a weather satellite
was relied upon as the sole source of information for the
basis of a tropical storm analysis. By July 20 Tiros III
was providing operational data on Hurricane Anna and it
subsequently photographed Hurricane Esther two days prior
to detection by conventional methods, which resulted in
additional warning time. Operation utilization of the
satellite data was discontinued in late November, 1961
due to loss of adequate contrast in the pictures.

- TIROS IV -

Tiros IV, launched from Cape Canaveral on February

8, 1962, distinguished itself as a vehicle for ice study
and ice reconnaisance. Project TIREC (Tiros Ice Reconnais-
sance),suppgrted jointly by NASA,'.the U. S. Weather Bureau,---
U. S. Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian
Department of Transport, was a project devoted to ice study
during a 10-day period in February and a second period in
late March and April. U. S. and Canadian aircraft took
ice photographs, as they flew the predicted path of Tiros,
which were designed to note the concentrations of ice, its
age, type, distribution, and variations in tone quality.
An analysis of Project TIREC data indicates that satellite
television photography is a better means of ice study over
large areas than is conventional aircraft reconnaissance.

-5- 2
 Another scientific Experiment conducted with Tiros
IV data was Project Bright C'.oud conducted by the Geophysics
Research Directorate of the Air Force Cambridge Research
Laboratory. As a preliminary study leading to a possible
eventual automated cloud identification system, Tiros photos
were examined to determine cloud Identification by shape
and brightness.

- International Meteorological Workshop -

An International Meterological Satellite Workshop,

jointly sponsored by NASA and the U. S. Weather Bureau, was
held in Washington, D. C. November 13-22, 1962. Represent-
atives from over 30 nations participated in the workshop,
the goals of which were:

1. To enable the weather services of other nations

to acquire a working knowledge of meteorological satellite
data for assistance in their future analysis programs both
in research and in daily application and for guidance in
their national observational support efforts.

2. That the world meteorological community

may become more familiar with the Tiros program.

3. That the present activity may be put in proper

perspective relative to future operational programs.

TECHNICL H iM-
- General -
The satellite was designed to obtain television
pictures of cloud formations and patterns and reflected
solar and infrared radiation measurements of the atmosphere
over much of the world. In addition it was designed to
transmit the data from these experiments to ground stations
for analysis and operational and research use.

Weight: 285 pounds

Shape
Dimensions: Cylindrical, resembling a large
hat bcex, 42 inches in diameter,
22 inches high.
Launch: From Atlantic Missile Range, Cape
Canaveral, Florida on a three stage
Thor Delta vehicle.

-6- (OVER)
 ;I

Orbit: Approximately 350 miles altitude

at an inclination of about 53
degrees from the Equator at speeds
approaching 17,000 miles per hour.
;--Operation -

Power: 9,260 solar cells provide electrical

energy to 63 nickel cadmium storage
batteries.
Transmitters: Five transmitters relay data from
the satellite to ground stations.
a. Each of the two television camera
systems has a two-watt transmitter
operating on 235 megacycles.
b. One two-watt 237.8 megacycle
transmitter relays infrared'
experiments data.
c. Two tracking beacons operating
continuously on frequencies of
136.23 me and 136.92 me are
used to relay satellite telemetry
data such as temperature, pressure
and battery charge level.
- Camera System -

The TV cameras use a one-half inch Vidicon tube

especially designed for satellite use. The cameras are
aligned parallel to the satellite's spin axis and extend
through the spacecraft base-plate. Each camera consists
of a Vidicon tube and a focal plane shutter which permits
still pictures to be temporarily stored on tube face plate.
An electron beam converts this store4 picture into a TV
type electronic signal which can be transmitted to ground
stations or stored on a magnetic tape recorder.

In each camera system there is a magnetic tape

recorder and electronic clock or timer. Each recorder can
store up to thirty-two pictures on the magnetic tape for
later relay--this can be done by programming the timer as
much as five hours in advance. When the satellite is within
ground station range the photo-signals are "read out" and
the tape is erased and rewound for the next recording.

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When the satellite is within range of the ground station,
the recorder can be bypassed so that pictures can be
directly transmitted. Read outs are therefore referred
to as being either direct or remote.

The recording tape is 400 feet long and moves

fifty inches per second during playback and recording.
Photographs are transmitted from one camera at a time and
complete read out from both cameras takes about three
minutes.

- Horizon Sensor -

An infrared sensor mounted on the rim of the

satellite can sense when its field of view crosses the
earth's horizon. This Infonaation is relayed to the ground
stations via the tracking beacon and assists in determining
the satellite's attitude in space and re.lative to the earth.

- North Indicator -

Around the sides of the satellite are nine equally

positioned solar cells which generate coded impulses which
are used to measure the position of the satellite with
respect to the sun. These data are transmitted with the
TV transmission to the ground srations where they are
processed by a sun-angle computer to -now which direction
is North in each photograph.

- Magnetic Attitude Control

A wire coil around the exterior lower side of the

satellite generates a controllable magnetic field around
the satellite. When this magnetic field interacts with
that of the earth, the coil provides a means for very
gradually tilting the satellite on command to obtain an
advantageous angle for the sensors and the solar power
supply.

- Controls -

When the payload is separated from the third

stage it will be spinning at about 126 R.P.M. About ten
minutes after separation a timer will release a despin
mechanism to slow the rotational speed to about 12 R.P.M.
This mechanism consists of two weights attached to cables
wound around the satellite. As the weights unwind, they
slow the rate of spin and when completely unwound, drop
off automatically.

-8- (OVER)
 Tiros raust1; maintain a spi.n rate of at least 8 1L.
i<
to remain stable i. orbit. When this minimum is approa(I-hi
a pair of small SC.Lid. fuel rockets is fired on radio comrnarin
which increases the speed by approximately 3 R.P-.M. There
are five pairs of 1.-.ese spin-up rockets and each pair ca.r,
be fired only once.

The satellite has an internal arrangement of sl-din

weights to cancel any wobbling motion.

- Infrared Radiation Experiments -

The satellIte will carry three radiation expe.-ruaait-:

essentially the sam: as those in Tiros !VT. The purpose
of these experiments is to learn how much solar energy is
absorbed and refle-tedi, and how much infrared radiation 1s
emitted, by the earth and its atmosphere and to further
develop a means of determining the nighttime cloud cover
of the earth.

The scanning experiment includes mapping of reflect,

solar radiation, total emitted infrared (or thermal) radiati-
temperature of the earth's surface or of cloud tops, and
temperature of an atmospheric level varying with the amount
of water vapor but at an average altitude of about 25,000
feet.

One non-scanning experiment wll provide gross

heat budget information by measuring reflected solar radiatie..
and emitted long wave radiation from the earth and atmosphere
over an area covering about the field of view of the medrarml
angle TAt camera.

The second non-scanning experiment, designed by

the University of Wisconsin, will also measure the gross
heat budget but the data, although of much lower resolution,
will be more continuous since the sensors can view the earth
essentially all the time.

Data from the infrared experiments are recorded

continuously on magnetic tape for playback on command
from one of the ground stations. Storage capacity limits
the data to that from the last orbit prior to read out.

-Ground Stations -

There are two primary command and data acquisitlor

stations. Both are operated with the support of a service
contract with RCA. One station is located at NASA's
Wallops Station, Wallops Island, Virginian The other is
located at the Pacific Missile Range, Californta. A
backup station is maintained at RCA's Space Center in
Princeton, N. J.
-9--
 At the ground stations, cloud cover pictures will
be displayed in kinescopes and photographed by 35 mm
cameras. In addition, both photo and infrared data will
be recorded on magnetic tapes. Meteorological teams at
both primary stations will analyze the pnotographic data
and relay it to the National Meteorological Center, Suit-
land, Md.,forreal time operational use.

The infrared tapes will be sent to NASA's

Goddard Space Flight Center for processing and analysis.
The time required for reduction and processing of these
data prevents their real time use.

-Launch Vehicle *
The Delta vehicle used to launch this Tiros was
developed for NASA by the Douglas Aircraft Co., and has
the following characteristics:
Height: 90 feet
Max. Diameter: 8 feet
Lift-off Weight: A little less than 112,000 pounds
First Stage (Modified Douglas Thor):
Fuel: Liquid (LOX and Kerosene)
Thrust: About 150,000 pounds
Burning Time; 160 seconds
Second Stage (Aerojet General propulsion system):
Fuel: Liquid
Thrust: About 7,500 pounds
Burning Time: 109 seconds
Third Stage (Allegany Ballistics Laboratory X-248 solid motor):
Fuel: Solid
Thrust: About 3,000 pounds
Burning Time: 40 seconds (After 6 minute coast)

-10- (OVER)
'iltrT Sequence:

--The first stage falls away on burnout.. The second

sta~r ignites immediately. The nose fairing which covers
It1h lro stage and payload is jettisoned during second stage
burning. The second and third stages coast for six minutes
after second stage burnout. Then, the third stage is spin
stabilized, and the second stage falls away, and the third
stage is ignited. The third stage reaches an orbital
velocity of almost 17,000 miles per hour.

TIROS PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

The overall responsibility for the project rests

with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The development and operational phase of the project is
under the direction of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Goddard will prepare the command programming which the
ground stations will relay to the satellite. These programs
will be based on information from NASA's Computing Center
and recommendations of the Meteorological Satellite Activities,
the U. S. Weather Bureau. The radiation experiments were
designed and the data storage and telemetry equipment
associated with them were constructed by Goddard.

With the exception of the infrared experiments,

the satellite was designed and constructed by the Astro-
Electronics Division of RCA, Princeton, New Jersey, under
contract to NASA. In addition, RCA was responsible for
the special ground station equipment. Barnes Engineering
Company, Stamford, Connecticut, under NASA contract,
provided radiation detectors. The University of Wisconsin
designed one of the IR experiments.

Douglas Aircraft Company is prime contractor for

the Delta launch vehicle. In addition, it is responsible
For launching services, supported by the Air Force Missile
Test Center which operates the Atlantic Missile Range.

The Office of Meteorological Satellite Activities,

U. S. Weather Bureau is responsible for meteorological
analysis and interpretation of the TV picture data.
Cooperating in this phase of the project are the U. S.
Navy Photographic Interpretation Center, the Geophysics
Research Directorate of the Air Force Cambridge Research
Laboratories, the Air Force Air Weather Service, the Navy
Weather Service and university research groups.

*-11-
 Officials concerned with the TIROS
include: experiment

Dr. Morris Tepper, Director of

Systems, NASA Headquarters. Meteorological

Dr. William K. Widger, Ch"'f of

Operational
Meteorological Systems, NASA Headquarters.

Mr. William G. Stroud, Chief of

and Meteorology Division at Goddard the Aeronomy
Space Flight Center.
Mr. Herbert I. Butler, Associate
Projects, Aeronomy and Meteorology Chief for
Space Flight Center. Division at Goddard

Mr. Robert M. Rados, Tiros Project

Goddard Space Flight Center. Manager, NASA's

Mr. Abraham Schnapf, Tiros Program

RCA's Astro-Electronics Division. Manager for

Dr. S. Fred Singer, Director of

Bureau's Meteorological Satellite the U. S. Weather
Activities.
Mr. Dave Johnson, Deputy Director
Weather Bureau's Meteorological of the U. S.
Satellite Activities,.

-End-

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