Discoverer 13 was a U.S. reconnaissance satellite launched on August 10, 1960, at 20:37:54 GMT. As the final test flight of the Corona KH-1 spy satellite series, it marked the first fully successful mission in the Discoverer series. After completing 17 orbits, the satellite's reentry capsule was recovered in the Pacific Ocean on August 11 by the Haiti Victory. The payload, which included an American flag, was presented to President Eisenhower four days later.
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| Discoverer 13 launch cover with Goldey cachet, postmarked at Vandenberg AFB on August 10, 1960. |
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| Photo: The Discoverer 13 satellite did not carry cameras or film; its capsule contained only diagnostic instruments. This capsule was the first human-made object recovered from space and marked the first successful ocean recovery of a spacecraft. |
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| Discoverer 13 launch cover with H.Flick cachet, postmarked at Vandenberg AFB on August 10, 1960. |
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| Discoverer 13 recovery cover with Goldey cachet, postmarked at Vandenberg AFB on August 11, 1960. |
(Reference from
Discoverer 13)
