SATELLITE DESCRIPTION:
The spacecraft was designed and configured the same as all previous
NIMBUS satellites. The total weight of the spacecraft was the
largest ever for a meteorological satellite-1580 pounds. The excess
weight of NIMBUS V was due to the addition of four new experiments
to the nine flown on NIMBUS IV.
The new experiments included an electrically scanning microwave
radiometer, an infrared temperature profile radiometer, a microwave
spectrometer, and a surface composition mapping radiometer.
Improved versions of the chopper radiometer and the temperature,
humidity and infrared radiometer were also flown. The craft was
powered by 10,500 solar cells and two SNAP-19 nuclear powered
generators.
The craft was placed in sun synchronous orbit and transmission of
data from all of the experiments was completed as scheduled. NIMBUS
V remained operational over 10 years until it was deactivated on
March 29, 1983.
PARTICIPANTS:
NASA, General Electric, NOAA, US Weather Bureau, MIT, Jet
Propulsion Lab, Oxford University, Heriot Watts University.