Discoverer 8 (Corona Mission 9005 / KH-1), a U.S. NRO film-return reconnaissance satellite, reached polar orbit on a Thor Agena-A from Vandenberg; Agena overburn made a high eccentric orbit, the camera film broke, and the SRV sank after a heat-shield jam.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 245 kg
- Flight
- 8th
- of 15 Thor Agena A flights
- Date and time
- 20 November 1959, 19:25 UTC
- Rocket
- Thor Agena A
- Builder
- McDonnell Douglas
- Launch site
- Space Launch Complex 1E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
- Payload
- Government/Top Secret
- International designator
- 1959-011
- Launches in 1959
- 22nd of 23
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
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