TIROS
Television Infrared Observation Satellite

TIROS spacecraft were the beginning of a long series of polar-orbiting meteorological satellites. TIROS was followed by the TOS (TIROS Operational System) series, and then the ITOS (Improved TIROS) series, and later the NOAA series. TIROS spacecraft were developed by GSFC and managed by ESSA (Environmental Science Services Administration). The objective was to establish a global weather satellite system.

Spacecraft
Body mounted solar cells.

Payload
TIROS spacecraft carried low resolution television and infrared cameras.

Country of Origin	United States
Customer/User	ESSA, NASA, GSFC, NOAA
Manufacturer(s)	RCA
Size	Cylinder: 42 inch diameter, 19 inch height
Orbit	approx. 600 km, polar, circular

Launch Facts

Name	Int'l Desig.	Date	Site	Vehicle	Orbit	Mass(kg)
Notes
Tiros 1	1960-[Beta]2	4/1/60	ESMC	Thor Able	LEO	120
TV and Infrared Observation Satellite; returned 22952 cloud cover photos
Tiros 2	1960-[Pi]1	11/23/60	ESMC	Delta	LEO	130
Tiros 3	1961-[Rho]1	7/12/61	ESMC	Delta	LEO	129
Tiros 4	1962-[Beta]1	2/8/62	ESMC	Delta	LEO	129
Returned 32593 cloud cover photos
Tiros 5	1962-A[Alpha]1	6/19/62	ESMC	Delta	LEO	129
Returned 58226 cloud cover images
Tiros 6	1962-A[Psi]1	9/18/62	ESMC	Delta	LEO	127
Returned 66674 cloud cover images
Tiros 7	1963-024A	6/19/63	ESMC	Delta B	LEO	135
Returned over 150000 cloud cover images
Tiros 8	1963-054A	12/21/63	ESMC	Delta B	LEO	119
Returned more than 100000 cloud cover images
Tiros 9	1965-004A	1/22/65	ESMC	Delta C	LEO	138
Tiros 10	1965-051A	7/2/65	ESMC	Delta C	LEO	127