Nimbus 3A

Also called Nimbus B

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General

Designation	n/a
Launch date	18 May 1968
Country of origin	United States
Mission	Meteorology
Launch vehicle	Thor Agena D
Launch site	Vandenberg

Two minutes after launch, a booster malfunction forced a command destruct. The booster and spacecraft fell into the Pacific Ocean between Vandenberg Air Force Base and San Miguel Island off the coast of California.

The radioactive fuel for the two generators (plutonium 238) was contained in two high-strength alloy and graphite capsules, which had been designed and tested to withstand ocean impact and seawater corrosion in case of such an abort.

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End of life

Out of service	18 May 1968
Cause	Launcher failure

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