| definition |
- Nimbus-6 was launched in June 1975 and was a research-and-development satellite serving as a stabilized, earth-oriented platform for testing advanced systems for sensing and collecting meteorological data on a global scale. The polar-orbiting spacecraft consisted of three major structures: (1) a hollow torus-shaped sensor mount, (2) solar paddles, and (3) a control housing unit connected to the sensor mount by a tripod truss structure. Configured somewhat like an ocean buoy, Nimbus-6 was nearly 3.7 m tall, 1.5 m in diameter at the base, and about 3 m wide with solar paddles extended. The sensor mount that formed the satellite base housed the electronics equipment and battery modules. The lower surface of the torus provided mounting space for sensors and antennas. A box-beam structure mounted within the center of the torus supported the larger sensor experiments. Mounted on the control housing unit, which was located on top of the spacecraft, were sun sensors, horizon scanners, and a command antenna. The spacecraft spin axis was pointed at the earth. An advanced attitude-control system permitted the spacecraft's orientation to be controlled to within plus or minus 1 degree in all three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw). The experiments selected for Nimbus-6 were the earth radiation budget (ERB), electrically scanning microwave radiometer (ESMR), high-resolution infrared radiation sounder (HIRS), limb radiance inversion radiometer (LRIR), pressure modulated radiometer (PMR), scanning microwave spectrometer (SCAMS), temperature-humidity infrared radiometer (THIR), tracking and data relay experiment (T+DRE), and the tropical wind energy conversion and reference level experiment (TWERLE). This complement of advanced sensors was capable of mapping tropospheric temperature, water vapor abundance, and cloud water content; providing vertical profiles of temperature, ozone, and water vapor; transmitting real-time data to a geostationary spacecraft (ATS 6); and yielding data on the earth's radiation budget. __________ Taken from the NSSDC System for Information Retrieval and Storage (SIRS). For more information contact the NSSDC Coordinated Request and User Support Office, 301-286-6695 (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 933.4, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA). Nimbus-6 User's Guide. Group: Platform_Details Entry_ID: NIMBUS-6 Group: Platform_Identification Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites Platform_Series_or_Entity: NIMBUS Short_Name: NIMBUS-6 End_Group Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names Short_Name: NIMBUS-F End_Group Group: Platform_Associated_Instruments Short_Name: ESMR Short_Name: THIR Short_Name: HIRS End_Group Creation_Date: 2007-10-15 Online_Resource: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1975-052A Online_Resource: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/nimbus Group: Platform_Logistics Launch_Date: 1975-06-12 Launch_Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA Primary_Sponsor: USA/NASA End_Group End_Group
|
