| Discoverer 29 | |
| Mission Type: | Optical reconnaissance |
| Operator: | US Air Force/NRO |
| Harvard Designation: | 1961 Psi 1 |
| Mission Duration: | 2 days |
| Spacecraft Type: | KH-3 Corona| spacecraft_bus = Agena-B| manufacturer = Lockheed| launch_mass = | launch_date = UTC| launch_rocket = Thor DM-21 Agena-B 323| launch_site = Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 | decay_date = | landing_date = | landing_site = | orbit_epoch = | orbit_reference = Geocentric| orbit_regime = Low Earth| orbit_periapsis = 138km (86miles)| orbit_apoapsis = 511km (318miles)| orbit_inclination = 82 degrees| orbit_period = 91 minutes| apsis = gee}}Discoverer 29, also known as Corona 9023, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was the first KH-3 Corona satellite, which was based on an Agena-B rocket.[1] The launch of Discoverer 29 occurred at 20:00 UTC on 30 August 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[2] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Psi 1. Discoverer 29 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of, an apogee of, 82 degrees of inclination, and a period of 91 minutes.[3] The satellite had a mass of,[4] and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length of, which had a maximum resolution of .[5] Images were recorded onto 70mm film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle two days after launch, but all of the images returned were found to be out of focus. The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 29 was SRV-554. Once its images had been returned, Discoverer 29 remained in orbit until it decayed on 9 September 1961. References} |