TIROS (Television Infrared Observation System) was a long-running series of polar-orbiting meteorological satellites. It began with 10 experimental spacecraft, TIROS 1 to 10, launched between 1960 and 1965, which represented the first generation of American weather satellites. These carried low-resolution television and infrared cameras, and were developed by the Goddard Space Flight Center and managed by ESSA (Environmental Science Services Administration). Then followed the TOS (TIROS Operational System) consisting of nine satellites with the ESSA designation. This gave way to the ITOS (Improved TIROS), beginning with TIROS-M and continuing with five satellites of the same design with the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) designation-NOAA having by this time absorbed ESSA and taken over management of the TIROS program. Further upgrades have come in the form of the TIROS-N, introduced in 1978, and the Advanced TIROS-N, introduced in 1984. See also Nimbus.

 

TIROS 1–10, ESSA 1–2, and ESSA 9 were launched from Cape Canaveral, while ESSA 3–8, TIROS-M, TIROS-N, and NOAA 1–16 were launched from Vandenberg.

 

series	spacecraft	launch date	launch vehicle	orbit	mass (kg)
TIROS
	TIROS 1	Apr 1, 1960	Thor-Able	656 × 696 km × 48°	120
	TIROS 2	Nov 23, 1960	Delta	547 × 610 km × 49°	130
	TIROS 3	Jul 12, 1961	Delta	723 × 790 km × 48°	129
	TIROS 4	Feb 8, 1962	Delta	693 × 812 km × 48°	129
	TIROS 5	Jun 19, 1962	Delta	580 × 880 km × 58°	129
	TIROS 6	Sep 18, 1962	Delta	631 × 654 km × 58°	127
	TIROS 7	Jun 19, 1963	Delta B	338 × 349 km × 58°	135
	TIROS 8	Dec 21, 1963	Delta B	667 × 705 km × 59°	119
	TIROS 9	Jan 22, 1965	Delta C	701 × 2,564 km × 96°	138
	TIROS 10	Jul 2, 1965	Delta C	722 × 807 km × 99°	127
TOS
	ESSA 1	Feb 3, 1966	Delta C	684 × 806 km × 98°	138
	ESSA 2	Feb 28, 1966	Delta E	1,352 × 1,412 km × 101°	132
	ESSA 3	Oct 2, 1966	Delta E	1,348 × 1,483 km × 101°	145
	ESSA 4	Jan 26, 1967	Delta E	1,323 × 1,437 km × 102°	132
	ESSA 5	Apr 20, 1967	Delta E	1,352 × 1,419 km × 102°	145
	ESSA 6	Nov 10, 1967	Delta E	1,406 × 1,482 km × 102°	132
	ESSA 7	Aug 16, 1968	Delta N	1,428 × 1,471 km × 101°	145
	ESSA 8	Dec 15, 1968	Delta N	1,411 × 1,461 km × 102°	132
	ESSA 9	Feb 26, 1969	Delta E	1,422 × 1,503 km × 101°	145
ITOS
	TIROS M	Jan 23, 1970	Delta N	1,431 × 1,477 km × 101°	309
	NOAA 1	Dec 11, 1970	Delta N	1,421 × 1,470 km × 101°	306
	NOAA 2	Oct 15, 1972	Delta 100	1,446 × 1,453 km × 102°	344
	NOAA 3	Nov 6, 1973	Delta 100	1,499 × 1,508 km × 102°	345
	NOAA 4	Nov 15, 1974	Delta 2914	1,442 × 1,457 km × 102°	340
	NOAA 5	Jul 29, 1976	Delta 2914	1,504 × 1,519 km × 102°	340
TIROS-N
	TIROS N	Oct 13, 1978	Atlas F	829 × 845 km × 99°	734
	NOAA 6	Jun 27, 1979	Atlas F	785 × 800 km × 99°	723
	NOAA 7	Jun 23, 1981	Atlas F	828 × 847 km × 99°	1,405
	NOAA 12*	May 14, 1991	Atlas E	805 × 824 km × 99°	1,416
Advanced TIROS-N
	NOAA 8	Mar 23, 1983	Atlas F	785 × 800 km × 99°	3,775
	NOAA 9	Dec 12, 1984	Atlas E	833 × 855 km × 99°	1,712
	NOAA 10	Sep 17, 1986	Atlas E	795 × 816 km × 99°	1,700
	NOAA 11	Sep 24, 1988	Atlas E	838 × 854 km × 99°	1,712
	NOAA 13	Aug 9, 1993	Atlas E	845 × 861 km × 99°	1,712
	NOAA 14	Dec 30, 1994	Atlas E	847 × 861 km × 99°	1,712
	NOAA 15	May 13, 1998	Titan II	807 × 824 km × 99°	1,476
	NOAA 16	Sep 21, 2000	Titan II	853 × 867 km × 99°	1,476

N.b. NOAA 12 was launched out of sequence.