In the early XNUMXs, NASA launched dozens of small spacecraft designed to test how later it would be possible to safely land humans back on Earth
One of the basic problems that accompanied space exploration as the subject developed was returning spacecraft to Earth after being in orbit around it and carrying out missions to explore the moon. The problem is most acute when it comes to manned flights. This problem was studied in the United States using the Discoverer spacecraft. Out of 36 spacecraft of this model, 28 were dedicated to this. This operation began with the launch of Discoverer on November 7, 1959 and ended with the landing of Discoverer on December 16, 1961.
The Discoverer satellites are spy satellites launched into polar orbit by the US Air Force from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Their flight speed is less than that of other satellites because the orbit of the Earth from west to east gives the satellite a greater speed, which the Discoverer spacecraft does not have. These satellites are short-lived. Instead of burning up in the atmosphere, it was decided to return them to Earth. 14 satellites were returned to Israel and were caught in the sea and in the air, and one drowned in the ocean.
Two important and necessary attempts to return spacecraft preceded the Discoverer launches. The first attempt was made on July 9, 1958. On this day, the Thor Vanguard Abel launcher was launched to solve the problem of the nose of the cabin returning. 30 minutes after launch. The cell traveled 8,000 km and sank in the South Atlantic Ocean. The second attempt was made on July 23. On this day, the launcher launched a turn to see how the nose of the launcher, which carries a starboard arrowhead to the intercontinental range, would be able to withstand the enormous friction caused by the atmosphere.
Discoverer 7
Discoverer 7 was launched on November 7, 1959 by the US Air Force from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The spacecraft circled the Earth in a polar orbit whose distance from the ground is 165-885 km, the angle of inclination is 82 degrees and the duration of the entire lap is 84 minutes. The weight of the spacecraft was 767 kg. The goals of the flight were:
1. Check the necessary conditions for a manned launch.
2 Return the spacecraft to Earth 24 hours after launch.
24 hours after launch, the spacecraft was supposed to receive a signal to activate the ejection mechanism. This mechanism would fire the instrument compartment to Earth while the spacecraft remained in orbit. At a height of several kilometers above sea level, a parachute would be deployed and the cabin would descend very slowly towards the sea near Hawaii. The cell had to be absorbed while in the air so as not to be damaged by the water. An attempt was made to capture the cell using a special capture net carried between several heavy transport aircraft. A malfunction in the electrical system prevented the disconnection and the attempt ended in failure. The malfunction did not damage the wireless mechanisms that continued to transmit. The spacecraft continued to circle the earth at an altitude of 500 km. Two weeks after launch it burned up in the atmosphere.
Discoverer 8
Discoverer 8 was launched on November 20, 1959 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The spacecraft circled the Earth in a polar orbit whose distance from the ground is 195 - 1610 km, the angle of inclination is 81 degrees and the duration of the orbit is 103 minutes. The weight of the instrument compartment was 136 kg. On November 22, on the 17th lap, the spacecraft received a signal from the ground. The instrument compartment was detached from the spacecraft and upon reaching the lower layers of the atmosphere, a huge parachute with a diameter of nine meters was deployed above it. Eight transport planes tried to capture the cell in the air but failed. The cabin fell and was lost in the depths of the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. Several attempts were made to soak the cell from the ocean but they failed. On March 8, 1960, the spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere.
Discoverer 9
On February 4, 1960, Discoverer 9 was launched by Thor Abel of Vandenberg. According to the plan, the spacecraft had to circle the Earth 17 times in a polar orbit. On the 17th lap, an automatic mechanism would eject the instrument compartment weighing 126 kg. Air Force planes were supposed to pick up the instrument cluster while it was in the air near Hawaii. The inability of the researchers to put the spacecraft into orbit resulted in the failure of the experiment.
Discoverer 10
On February 19, 1960, Discoverer 10 was launched by the Thor Agena A launcher from Vandenberg. The spacecraft was supposed to move in a polar orbit and be caught in the air near Hawaii. The spacecraft deviated from its course and the security officer had to be destroyed 56 seconds after launch.
Discoverer 11
On April 15, 1960, Discoverer 11 was launched by Thor Abel of Vandenberg. The spacecraft that weighed 462 kg circled the earth in an orbit of 180-610 km, the angle of inclination 80.1 degrees and the duration of the orbit 92.35 minutes. On April 16, an attempt was made to return the instrument compartment near Hawaii, but it was not found at all.
Discoverer 12
On June 29, 1960, the US Air Force launched Discoverer 12. After 16 laps, the instrument compartment detached from the spacecraft and began to descend towards the Pacific Ocean. The Air Force planes were unable to capture him in the air and he was pulled from the water by a helicopter.
Discoverer 13
On August 10, 1960, Discoverer 13 was launched. The purpose of the launch was to check the reasons for the failure of the previous experiments in finding the instrument compartment upon its return to Earth. The spacecraft circled the Earth in a 427-680 km orbit, the inclination angle was 82.51 degrees and the duration of the orbit was 94 minutes. The weight of the cabin is 135 kg. On the 17th lap, the spacecraft ejected the instrument compartment. The cell was pulled from the water by helicopter 500 km northwest of Hawaii after planes failed to capture it in the air.
Discoverer 14
On August 18, 1960, Discoverer 14 was launched. The spacecraft was launched from the Vanderberg base. It circled the Earth in an orbit of 187-807 km, the inclination angle is 79.6 degrees and the duration of the orbit is 94.5 minutes. The weight of the cabin is 150 kg. In addition to the usual telemetry equipment, the cabin also had a tracking system installed by the United States Navy, weighing 6 kg, and it was used to launch the Navy spacecraft later. On the 17th lap, the spacecraft ejected the instrument compartment. At an altitude of 2.6 km, the cell was captured by a Pelican 119-C aircraft. The plane caught the cabin by trapping the parachute cables, in the North Pacific Ocean. The commander of the plane said that he noticed the cabin at an altitude of five kilometers and tried three times to catch it. Only the third time did he manage to grab the cell. The instrument compartment is in good condition and has been moved to the missile base in California.
Discoverer 15
On September 13, 1960, Discoverer 15 was launched by the launcher Agena A. The spacecraft was launched from the Vanderberg base. It circled the Earth in an orbit of 209-758 km, the angle of inclination 80.93 degrees and the duration of the orbit 94.24 minutes. The weight of the cabin is 150 kg. The goal is to return the instrument compartment. On September 14, an attempt was made to return the toilet cubicle, but it failed.
Discoverer 16
On October 26, 1960, Discoverer 16 was launched by the Agena B launcher from the Vanderberg base in order to return the instrument compartment to Earth and pick it up in the air. The failure to put the spacecraft into orbit led to the failure of the operation.
Discoverer 17
On November 17, 1960, Discoverer 17 was launched by the Tor Aegina B launcher from the Vanderberg base in order to return the instrument compartment to Israel. In the second stage, the instrument cabin enters the earth's polar orbit in an orbit of 190 - 988 km, the angle of inclination is 81.8 degrees and the duration of the orbit is 96.45 minutes. The cell contained cells from the human body and they successfully withstood a radiation bombardment of unimaginable power caused by a gas explosion on the surface of the sun. The instrument compartment landed on November 14 not far from the launch base.
Discoverer 18
On December 7, 1960, Discoverer 18 was launched by the Agena B launcher from the Vanderberg base. The spacecraft circled the Earth in a 243-725 km orbit, the inclination angle was 80.9 degrees and the duration of the orbit was 93 minutes. In the cell were human tissues such as bone marrow, conjunctiva and hemoglobin. After 48 laps on December 9, the instrument compartment was ejected from the spacecraft and captured by aircraft near the Hawaiian Islands.
Discoverer 19
On December 21, 1960, Discoverer 19 was launched by the Agena B launcher from the Vanderberg base. The weight of the spacecraft is 882 kg. It circled the Earth in a polar orbit of 645 km, the angle of inclination 83.4 degrees and the duration of the orbit 93 minutes. In the instrument compartment there was a thermometer to distinguish between ballistic missiles that the United States launches.
Discoverer 20 – Discoverer 36
Of these spacecraft the successes were: Discoverer 25, Discoverer 26, Discoverer 29, Discoverer 30, Discoverer 32, Discoverer 35 and Discoverer 36.
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