Discoverer 2

Launch Successful

Launch Details

Date: 13 Apr 1959, 09:18 pm UTC

Rocket: Thor Agena A (Thor)

Provider: United States Air Force

Mission

Type: Government/Top Secret

Orbit: Polar Orbit

Pad: Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Mission Description

Discoverer II successfully reached orbit and took photos of Earth. However, when the capsule with the data was ejected in order to re-enter the atmosphere there was a timer malfunction meaning it seperated too early and landed over the North Pole rather than the intended target of Hawaii. The capsule was never recovered.