ESSA 3 (TOS-A), a U.S. Environmental Science Services Administration operational TIROS weather satellite launched on a Thor Delta E from Vandenberg into sun-synchronous orbit for Automatic Picture Transmission cloud imaging, including early views of Hurricane Inez.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- SSO
- Sun-synchronous orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 150 kg
- Flight
- 4th
- of 6 Thor Delta E flights
- Date and time
- 2 October 1966, 10:39 UTC
- Rocket
- Thor Delta E
- Builder
- McDonnell Douglas
- Launch site
- Space Launch Complex 2E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
- Payload
- Earth Science
- International designator
- 1966-087
- Launches in 1966
- 98th of 131
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas