Originally, Thor was designed as an intermediate-range nuclear ballistic missile (IRBM) in 1956. Thor was the first vehicle available to carry Agenas. The total vehicle was designed to carry a 5,980-pound payload to low-Earth orbit, an 850-pound payload to Earth-escape trajectory or a 550-pound payload to a. The infrared payload, nevertheless, operated successfully for 96 orbits and detected one American missile launched within its field of view, as well as Soviet missile launch activity, before a power failure terminated the mission. At first, the Agena vehicle was meant to be launched by Atlas boosters, but the 1957 Soviet launch of Sputnik - the first satellite - sped up the U.S. MIDAS 9 achieved the desired 2000 nm orbit, but one of the two Agena solar arrays did not extend. Intended as a rendezvous target vehicle in the Gemini-6 mission, the Agena failed to achieve orbit, and the. Two deployable solar arrays were mounted on the aft equipment rack of the Agena-B to provide power. The Agena is mounted atop its Atlas launch vehicle. The Agena-B upper stage of the Atlas-LV3 Agena-B launch vehicle was used as the spacecraft bus and provided power and attitude control to the MIDAS payload. The basic spacecraft remained unchanged from the Series II, except for reliability upgrades. The 2.7-micron system provided both spectral and spatial background rejection, and emphasized boost phase detection of missiles in the "Atlas class." The telescope rotated on its spin table at 6 rpm, like its Baird-Atomic predecessor. Overview Destination: Low Earth Orbit Mission: Government/Top Secret Low Earth Orbit Space Launch Complex 14 Cape Canaveral, FL, USA The MIDAS Series 1 (Military Defense Alarm System) satellites, MIDAS 1 and 2, were the first development models for the MIDAS early warning system. The detector array on the surface of the focal-plane assembly contained 184 lead sulfide detectors arranged in eight vertical columns of 23 detectors each which provided complete vertical coverage of a 24-degree 58-minute field of view. It featured a Bouwers concentric telescope with an 8-inch aperture. The Series III carried an improved Aerojet-General infrared payload. The mission was over after five orbits.The MIDAS Series 3 (Military Defense Alarm System) satellites, MIDAS 6, 7, 8, and 9, were the third development models for the MIDAS early warning system. Only limited payload data was obtained before a power failure occurred in the Agena. One of the two solar arrays had failed to deploy properly. Ranger V is a 735-pound gold and chrome Plated payload designed to perform a series of complicated tasks, including taking television pictures of the lunar. The 7200-b Agena stage of Atlas/Agena booster vehicle was to be placed in orbit. On 12 July 1961, the Atlas booster carrying MIDAS 3 lifted off from Vandenberg AFB and successfully reached a 3400 km circular polar orbit. The Atlas - Agena payload mass curve of figure 6 goes to zero at an inclination of about 19. Launch Cost Low Earth Orbit 1000 kg Geostationary Transfer Orbit Direct Geostationary 700 kg Sun-Synchronous Capacity Convair. Two deployable solar arrays were mounted on the aft equipment rack of the Agena-B to provide power. Atlas General Agency is proud to serve Texas independent insurance agents and their policyholders. Atlas Agena D Family Atlas Variant Agena D Alias Full Name Atlas LV-3 Agena D Payload Capacity. The Thor-Agena combination was able to put Corona satellites into elliptical orbits that ranged as far as 1,049 miles and as close as 61 miles to the earth. The increased tankage and a new dual-burn rocket engine would permit reaching a planned circular polar orbit at an altitude of 3400 km, the orbit then considered most appropriate for an operational constellation of MIDAS satellites. The Thor first stage launched the Agena and its satellite payload into a low orbit, then the Agena boosted the satellite into its final, higher orbit. The Agena-B was nearly twice the length of its Agena-A predecessor. MIDAS Series 2 carried a new infrared payload built by Baird-Atomic, one that featured 175 detectors capable of sensing ICBM targets at a maximum slant range of 4200 nm, The payload was designed to scan at a rate of 6 rpm, a rate of rotation three times faster than the Series I payloads. The payload projection for low Earth orbit of an Atlas-Agena B exceeded that projected for the two-stage Atlas-Vega, and almost matched that of the. The MIDAS Series 2 (Military Defense Alarm System) satellites, MIDAS 3, 4, and 5, were the second development models for the MIDAS early warning system.
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