Nimbus 3

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General

Designation	03890 / 69037A
Launch date	14 Apr 1969
Country of origin	United States
Mission	Meteorology
Perigee/Apogee	1069/1128 km
Inclination	100°
Period	107.2 min
Launch vehicle	Thor Agena D
Launch site	Vandenberg

Nimbus 3 was a replacement for Nimbus 3A. Nimbus 3 was the first United States satellite to make night and day global measurements from space of temperatures of the atmosphere, both over extended periods and, for the first time, at varying levels vertically. While meteorological objectives were primary, this mission also gathered vital oceanographic data for scientific purposes other than solely for weather forecasting. Another mission objective was to provide data for the first experiment of the U.S.A. portion of the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP), which was an international program of formulating and coordinating research for achieving long-range global weather forecasting.

Technical data

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Specifications

Prime contractor
Platform
Mass at launch
Mass in orbit	635 kg
Dimension	3 x 3.35 m
Solar array
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power
Design lifetime

Has a SNAP engine

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