When was TIROS-1 launched and from where?
TIROS-1 launched on the 1st of April 1960 at 11:40:09 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17A. It was carried into low Earth orbit by a Thor Able II rocket.
Questions about TIROS-1
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many photos did TIROS-1 take and how many were usable?
TIROS-1 returned 23,000 photographs of the Earth over its operational lifespan. Of those, 19,000 were clear enough to be used for weather analysis.
What was TIROS-1 used for and why was weather forecasting chosen as its mission?
TIROS-1 was NASA's first experimental weather satellite, designed to test whether satellites could improve Earth observation. Weather forecasting was selected as the primary focus because it was considered the most promising application of space-based observations, with decisions such as hurricane evacuations depending on better data.
When did TIROS-1 stop working?
TIROS-1 ceased useful operations on the 15th of June 1960, when an electrical power failure prevented further television transmission. It remains in orbit today.
What storm did TIROS-1 track from orbit?
TIROS-1 tracked the disintegration of a large cyclonic mass off the coast of Bermuda over four days. This was the first time a developing storm had been observed from orbit over a sustained period.
How was TIROS-1 powered and how did it transmit data?
TIROS-1 was powered by approximately 9,000 silicon solar cells mounted on its exterior and 21 nickel-cadmium batteries. It transmitted images directly to ground stations when in range, and stored pictures on a magnetic tape recorder for later playback when out of range.