OTD In Space – April 13: NASA Launches Nimbus 3 Weather Satellite from aerial events air force Watch Video

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✓ Published: 14-Apr-2024

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On April 13, 1969, NASA launched a new weather satellite called Nimbus 3. <br/><br/>This was the third in a series of second-generation research and development satellites NASA launched to test new technologies for weather forecasting. Nimbus 3 had an infrared spectrometer that allowed it to record temperatures throughout the atmosphere. It could also detect electromagnetic radiation in a whole spectrum of wavelengths, which helps scientists determine the structure of the atmosphere. The satellite also had cameras that provided real-time images of cloud coverage. Nimbus 3 launched on a Thor-Agena rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Station in California and entered a polar orbit. Two months later, one of its instruments failed. After more of them broke down, NASA terminated the mission in 1972.