SATELLITES-------
ESSA-ESSA IX--------
The two cameras were mounted 180 degrees opposite each other along the side of the cylindrical craft. The "cartwheel" configuration of the TIROS IX was selected as the orbital configuration of the operational series of ESSA satellites. Therefore, a camera could be pointed at some point on Earth every time the satellite rotated along its axis. The spacecraft operating system was the same as on the TIROS IX. The craft was placed in its planned sun-synchronous 102 degree inclination retrograde orbit. The satellite spin axis was rotated using the magnetic attitude control system into an alignment perpendicular to the orbital plane and tangent to the Earth's surface. The ESSA VII system transmitted images covering 2000 mile square areas with 2 mile resolution from every location once per day. Two arrays of radiometer sensors were also mounted 180 degrees apart to measure the global distribution of solar radiation reflected by the earth and the earth's atmosphere, as well as the long wave emissions from the earth (a contribution from the NIMBUS program).

ESSA IX remained operational for 1726 days until deactivated by NASA on November 15, 1972.

PARTICIPANTS:

NASA, ESSA, RCA, US Weather Bureau, NMC.
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