earth science

Nimbus 2

Nimbus 2 is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Nimbus 2 rather than just read about it. In short: Nimbus 2 (also called Nimbus-C) was a meteorological satellite. It was the second in a series of the Nimbus program.

Key takeaways

Nimbus 2 belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Nimbus 2 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Nimbus 2 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Nimbus 2 (also called Nimbus-C) was a meteorological satellite. It was the second in a series of the Nimbus program.

Launch

Nimbus 2 was launched on May 15, 1966, by a Thor-Agena rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, United States. The spacecraft functioned nominally until January 17, 1969. The satellite orbited the Earth once every 1 hour and 48 minutes, at an inclination of 100°. Its perigee was 1,103 kilometers (685 mi) and its apogee was 1,179 kilometers (733 mi).

Mission The second in a series of second-generation meteorological research and development satellites, Nimbus 2 was designed to serve as a stabilized, Earth-oriented platform for the testing of advanced meteorological sensor systems and the collecting of meteorological data. The polar-orbiting spacecraft consisted of three major elements: (1) a torus-shaped sensory ring, (2) solar paddles, and (3) the control system housing. The solar paddles and control system housing were connected to the sensory ring by a truss structure, giving the satellite the appearance of an ocean buoy. Nimbus 2 was nearly 3.7 metres (12 ft) tall, 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in diameter at the base, and about 3 metres (9.8 ft) across with solar paddles extended. The sensory ring, which formed the satellite base, housed the electronics equipment and battery modules. The lower surface of the sensory ring provided mounting space for sensors and telemetry antennas. An H-frame structure mounted within the center of the torus provided support for the larger experiments and tape recorders. Mounted on the control system housing, which was located on top of the spacecraft, were Sun sensors, horizon scanners, gas nozzles for attitude control, and a command antenna. Use of a stabilization and control system allowed the spacecraft's orientation to be controlled to within plus or minus 1° for all three axes (pitch, roll, yaw). The spacecraft carried:

Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS): instrument for recording and storing remote cloud cover pictures Automatic Picture Transmission (APT): instrument for providing real-time cloud cover pictures High and Medium Resolution Infrared Radiometers (HRIR/MRIR): for measuring the intensity and distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted by and reflected from the Earth and its atmosphere The Nimbus 2 and experiments performed normally after launch until July 26, 1966, when the spacecraft tape recorder failed. Its function was taken over by the HRIR tape recorder until November 15, 1966, when it also failed. Some real-time data were collected until January 17, 1969, when the spacecraft mission was terminated owing to deterioration of the horizon scanner used for Earth reference.

References

Illustrations

Nimbus 2: Launch of Nimbus 2 — Launch of Nimbus 2

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Nimbus 2

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Nimbus 2 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Nimbus 2 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Nimbus 2 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Nimbus 2

In research: Nimbus 2 appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Nimbus 2 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Nimbus 2 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Spacecraft launched in 1966, Spacecraft stubs, Weather satellites of the United States, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Nimbus 2 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Nimbus 2 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Nimbus 2 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Nimbus 2 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nimbus 2 in simple terms?

Nimbus 2 (also called Nimbus-C) was a meteorological satellite. It was the second in a series of the Nimbus program.

Why does Nimbus 2 matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Nimbus 2?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Nimbus 2.