The SSCC used aboard ATS 1 consists of a five-inch telescope, a 

 single photomultipller and a precision latitude-step mechanism. The 

 latitude-step motion, combined with the spinning motion of the satellite 

 permits scanning of the complete earth disc. Ground resolution was 

 approximately k.6 km. (2-5 nm. ) at the subsatellite point. 



ATS 2's AVCS consisted of a tape recorder and two cameras. Camera 1 

 was to have viewed a 927 by 927 km, (500 by 500 nm. ) section of the earth 

 with a 200 mm f l6-f k lens. Ground resolution at zero nadir angle 

 from the planned orbital height of 11,100 km. (5,990 nm. ) was to have 

 been O.9 km. (O.5 nm. ) . Camera 2 was to view the entire earth disc 

 with a 12 mm., f 11-f I.5 lens with a ground resolution of I9 km. 

 (10 nm, ) from the same altitude and nadir angle. 



Because of a failure in the booster rocket, the spacecraft went 

 into a highly elliptical orbit which finally resulted in power failure 

 and loss of television transmission. During the time before transmission 

 failure, Camera 1 produced I9 useful pictures, and Camera 2 produced 33* 



The first satellite picture to delineate clearly the Peru and South 

 Equatorial Currents in a single picture (Figure 10) was taken by Camera 2 

 on 10 April I967 from an altitude of lO,86l km. (5,860 nm. ) . Camera 2 

 obtained the first photograph of the full earth disc from an altitude 

 of 10,739 km. (5,795 nm- ) on 11 May I967. 



The ATS 3 MSSCC is similar to the ATS 1 SSCC and consists of a high 

 resolution telescope, three photomultipliers (for red, green and blue 

 detection) and a precision latitute step-mechanism. The ground resolution 

 at nadir is 3.7 km. (2.0 nm. ) . 



Difficulties occurred in the camera system shortly after the spacecraft 



32 



