Nimbus 1
Nimbus 1 began NASA’s Nimbus meteorological research series on August 28, 1964. Its stabilized, Earth-pointing platform carried vidicon and automatic-picture-transmission cameras for daytime cloud imagery, plus a high-resolution infrared radiometer for nighttime cloud-top and surface temperatures. A short upper-stage burn left the spacecraft in an unintended eccentric orbit. The instruments nevertheless returned useful observations until September 22, 1964, when the solar paddles locked and the spacecraft could no longer generate adequate electrical power. The short science mission demonstrated day-and-night weather observation from orbit.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Nimbus ANimbus-1
- Name
- Nimbus 1
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- Nimbus 1 began NASA’s Nimbus meteorological research series on August 28, 1964. Its stabilized, Earth-pointing platform carried vidicon and automatic-picture-transmission cameras for daytime cloud imagery, plus a high-resolution infrared radiometer for nighttime cloud-top and surface temperatures. A short upper-stage burn left the spacecraft in an unintended eccentric orbit. The instruments nevertheless returned useful observations until September 22, 1964, when the solar paddles locked and the spacecraft could no longer generate adequate electrical power. The short science mission demonstrated day-and-night weather observation from orbit.
- Destination
- Elliptical, Sun-synchronous polar Earth orbit at approximately 423 km perigee and 932 km apogee (98.7° inclination; 98.3-minute period)
- End Date
- 1964-09-23
- Programs
- Start Date
- 1964-08-28
- Vehicle Families
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/nimbus/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 14, 2026 at 22:25:59 UTC
- Updated Time
- October 29, 2026 at 15:43:01 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles