Mission type Technology Harvard designation 1960 Tau 1 Launch site Vandenberg LC-75-3-5 Bus RM-81 Agena Decay date 23 January 1961 | Operator US Air Force/ARPA Rocket Thor DM-21 Agena-B 258 Launch date 20 December 1960 Manufacturer Lockheed Corporation | |
Launch mass 1,060 kilograms (2,340 lb) People also search for Discoverer 18, Discoverer 16 | ||
Discoverer 19, also known as RM-1, was an American satellite which was launched in 1960. It was a technology demonstration spacecraft, based on an Agena-B.
The launch of Discoverer 19 occurred at 20:32 UTC on 20 December 1960. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-5 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1960 Tau 1.
Discoverer 19 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 206 kilometres (128 mi), an apogee of 578 kilometres (359 mi), 83.4 degrees of inclination, and a period of 92.4 minutes. The satellite had a mass of 1,060 kilograms (2,340 lb), and was used to demonstrate technology for the Midas programme, including infrared sensors. It remained in orbit until 23 January 1961, when it decayed and reentered the atmosphere.