Date
.
Late 1965
GSFC awarded RCA Astro-Electronics
Division a study contract for a second-generation
TOS.
June 1966
Tiros J was cancelled and replaced by
Tiros M, a new-generation satellite.
Nov. 5, 1966
NASA announced that it would
negotiate with RCA for a design of an improved Tiros (Tiros
M); it would be larger and stabilized so that it always
faced Earth.
Feb. 1967
The Tiros M design study was
completed.
Apr. 25, 1967
NASA awarded RCA a contract for Tiros
M and three follow-on operational spacecraft.
May 11, 1967
GSFC issued an RFP for the VHRR;
proposals were due in June. Rather than procure Nimbus-type
instruments at a higher cost from IT&T, NASA chose a
proposal submitted by Santa Barbara Research Center.
Nov. 4, 1967
A Tiros M design review was concluded
at RCA with no major topics left unsatisfactory.
Oct. 1968
Fabrication of Tiros M was
completed.
Feb. 26, 1969
ESSA 9 was launched
successfully.
Jan. 23, 1970
Pros M was launched successfully;
operations were turned over to NOAA in June.
Dec. 11, 1970
NOAA I was launched
successfully.
May 8, 1971
A Tiros N project approval document
was signed at NASA Headquarters.
Oct. 21, 1971
The launch of ITOS B failed because
of a launch vehicle failure.
Oct. 15. 1972
NOAA 2 was launched
successfully.
July 16, 1973
The launch of ITOS E failed because
of a launch vehicle failure.
Nov. 6, 1973
NOAA 3 was launched
successfully.
Feb. 1974
The Office of Management and Budget
approved Tiros N.
June 7, 1974
GSFC initiated a Tiros N design
study.
Aug. 9, 1974
NASA awarded a contract to RCA for
two more ITOS spacecraft and parts for a third to be used by
NOAA.
Nov. 15, 1974
NOAA 4 was launched
successfully.
Dec. 10, 1974
France's Centre National d Etudes
Spatiales agreed to design and build a data collection
system for Tiros N.
Feb. 1975
A request for proposals was issued
for a Tiros N spacecraft.
Oct. 21, 1975
NASA awarded a contract to RCA for
eight Tiros N-type spacecraft (long lead-time contracts had
been let in April).
Oct. 27, 1975
The Department of Commerce awarded a
contract to Aeronutronic Ford to build a space environment
monitoring system for Tiros N.
July 7, 1976
GSFC awarded a contract to IT&T
Aerospace Optical Division to modify the HIRS carried on
Nimbus G for Tiros N.
July 29, 1976
NOAA 5 was launched
successfully.
Oct. 19, 1976
GSFC awarded a contract to RCA for
Tiros N spacecraft integration.
Oct. 13, 1978
Tiros N was launched successfully;
operations were turned over to NOAA in November. The
satellite was turned off on February 21, 1981.