| Discoverer 16 | |
| Mission Type: | Optical reconnaissance |
| Operator: | US Air Force/NRO |
| Mission Duration: | Failed to orbit |
| Spacecraft Type: | Corona KH-2 |
| Spacecraft Bus: | Agena-B |
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed |
| Launch Date: | UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Thor DM-21 Agena-B 253 |
| Launch Site: | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 |
| Orbit Epoch: | Planned |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Low Earth |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Programme: | Discoverer |
| Previous Mission: | Discoverer 15 |
| Next Mission: | Discoverer 17 |
| Programme2: | Corona KH-2 |
| Next Mission2: | Corona 9012 |
Discoverer 16, also known as Corona 9011, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was lost in a launch failure on 26 October 1960. It was the first of ten Corona KH-2 satellites, based on the Agena-B.[1]
The launch of Discoverer 16 occurred at 20:26 UTC on 26 October 1960. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] The Agena failed to separate from the Thor first stage, and as a result the satellite failed to achieve orbit.[3]
Discoverer 16 was intended to have been operated in a low Earth orbit. It had a mass of,[4] and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length of, which had a maximum resolution of .[5] It was to have recorded images onto 70mm film, which would have been returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle aboard Discoverer 16 was SRV-506.[4]