ESSA-3
| Names | TOS-A |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Weather satellite |
| Operator | ESSA/NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1966-087A |
| SATCAT no. | 2435 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | RCA Astro |
| Launch mass | 145 kilograms (320 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | October 2, 1966, 10:34 UTC |
| Rocket | Delta C |
| Launch site | Vandenberg LC-2E |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Deactivated | December 2, 1968 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Eccentricity | 0.00703 |
| Perigee altitude | 1,383 kilometers (859 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 1,493 kilometers (928 mi) |
| Inclination | 100.9° |
| Period | 114.6 minutes |
| Epoch | October 2, 1966 |
TOS | |
ESSA 3 (or TOS-A) was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. Its name was derived from that of its oversight agency, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).