NOAA-5
Weather satellite operated by NOAA
NOAA-5, also known as ITOS-H, was a weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was part of a series of satellites called ITOS, or improved TIROS, being the last of the series. NOAA-5 was launched on a Delta rocket on July 29, 1976.
Mission
NOAA-5 was one in a series of improved TIROS-M type satellites launched with new meteorological sensors on board to expand the operational capacity of the ITOS (NOAA) system. The primary objectives of the NOAA-5 meteorological satellite were to provide global daytime and nighttime direct readout cloud cover data on a daily basis. The Sun-synchronous spacecraft was capable of supplying global atmospheric temperature soundings and very high resolution infrared cloudcover data of selected areas in either a direct readout or a tape recorder mode. A secondary objective was to obtain global solar proton density data on a routine daily basis. The primary sensors consisted of a very high resolution radiometer (VHRR), a vertical temperature profile radiometer (VTPR), and a scanning radiometer (SR). The VHRR, VTPR, and SR were mounted on the satellite baseplate with their optical axes directed vertically earthward. The nearly cubical spacecraft measured 1 by 1 by 1.2 meters (3.3 ft × 3.3 ft × 3.9 ft).
The public source identifies “NOAA-5” as weather satellite operated by NOAA. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around NOAA-5, Weather and satellite.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “NOAA-5”, the useful work is to connect “weather satellite operated by NOAA” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q54933347. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1976.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “NOAA-5”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow NOAA-5 primary sources, NOAA-5 archive and NOAA-5 research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “NOAA-5”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “NOAA-5” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.