SATELLITE DESCRIPTION:
The spacecraft was designed and configured exactly the same as
NIMBUS I. The total weight of the spacecraft was 912 pounds.
The craft contained three cameras with direct readout and delayed
readout capabilities. A high resolution infrared radiometer
operated in the 3.4 to 4.2 micron region. A five channel medium
resolution infrared radiometer measured the earth's heat budget
balance on a daily basis. Two horizon scanners, sun sensors and
freon gas jets provided the attitude control.
The craft was placed in sun synchronous orbit and returned more
than 150,000 photos. Approximately 150 APT ground stations
(including 44 in 26 foreign countries) received NIMBUS II pictures.
Infrared imagery was used extensively to observe the surface
heating characteristics of the hurricane breeding grounds over the
tropical oceans. NIMBUS II remained operational until January 18,
1969.
PARTICIPANTS:
NASA, General Electric, ITT, Hughes, RCA, US Weather
Bureau.