OTD in Space – April 13: NASA Launches Nimbus 3 Weather Satellite

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 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.