Thor Agena A | Discoverer 2

Launch information

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Mission description

Discoverer II successfully reached orbit and took photos of Earth. However, when the capsule with the data was ejected in order to re-enter the atmosphere there was a timer malfunction meaning it seperated too early and landed over the North Pole rather than the intended target of Hawaii. The capsule was never recovered.

Launch status

Launch status information for space mission ‘Thor Agena A | Discoverer 2’.

Launch image Thor Agena A | Discoverer 2

Success

Status: Launch Successful

Class: normal

Launch T0: April 13, 1959, 9:18 p.m.

Timezone: America/Los_Angeles

Launch authority

Details about the the rocket, its target orbit and the launch pad location.

Mission

Discoverer 2 (PO)

Launcher

United States Air Force

Rocket

Thor Agena A

Location

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Pad

Space Launch Complex 1W

Type

Government/Top Secret

Orbit

Polar Orbit (PO)

Satellites on-board

Satellites on-board the space mission ‘Thor Agena A | Discoverer 2’ are identified by cross checking database entries for launches and satellites. Results could be inaccurate from time to time.

Number Name Orbit Inclination Country/Organization Status
14 DISCOVERER 2 LEO 89.9 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Decayed

Launch statistics

Tracking key statistics for space mission ‘Thor Agena A | Discoverer 2’, classified in stats relative to the specific mission launch year or to all-time values.

Orbital Launch

#36

To this date

Location Launch

#2

To this date

Pad Launch

#2

To this date

Agency Launch

#2

To this date

Orbital Launch

#5

Year 1959

Location Launch

#2

Year 1959

Pad Launch

#2

Year 1959

Agency Launch

#2

Year 1959

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