On April 13, 1969, NASA launched a new weather satellite called Nimbus 3. This was the third in a series of second-generation research and development satellites NASA launched to test new technologies for weather forecasting.
Nimbus 3 had an infrared spectrometer that allowed it to record temperatures throughout the Earth's atmosphere. It could also detect electromagnetic radiation in a whole spectrum of wavelengths, which helps scientists determine the structure of the atmosphere.
The satellite also had cameras that provided real-time images of cloud coverage. Nimbus 3 launched on a Thor-Agena rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Station in California and entered a polar orbit.
Two months later, one of its instruments failed. After more of them broke down, NASA terminated the mission in 1972.
On This Day in Space: See our full 365-day video archive!
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
