# Orbiting Carbon Observatory

> NASA climate satellite destroyed during a 2009 launch failure

**Wikidata**: [Q1086610](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1086610)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbiting_Carbon_Observatory)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/orbiting-carbon-observatory

## Summary
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) was a NASA Earth observation satellite designed to monitor Earth's climate that was destroyed during a launch failure in 2009. It was intended to serve as a dedicated climate satellite but failed to reach orbit after launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

## Key Facts
- **Status:** Destroyed during a launch failure on February 24, 2009.
- **Operator:** National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- **Classification:** Earth observation satellite.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Minotaur-C 3110 (T8).
- **Manufacturer:** Orbital Sciences Corporation.
- **Launch Weight:** 407 kilograms.
- **Scientific Payload:** Three optical spectrometers.
- **Spacecraft Bus:** Star Bus.
- **Launch Site:** Vandenberg Launch Complex 576 E.
- **Successor:** Replaced by Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2).

## FAQs
### Q: What happened to the Orbiting Carbon Observatory?
A: The satellite was destroyed during its launch on February 24, 2009. It failed to reach orbit after being launched on a Minotaur-C 3110 rocket from Vandenberg Launch Complex 576 E.

### Q: Who was responsible for the OCO mission?
A: The mission was operated by NASA and the spacecraft was manufactured by the Orbital Sciences Corporation. It was part of the United States' Earth observation and climate research efforts.

### Q: What scientific instruments did the OCO carry?
A: The spacecraft was equipped with three optical spectrometers. These instruments were designed to perform climate observations from orbit before the mission was lost.

### Q: Is there a replacement for the original OCO satellite?
A: Yes, following the 2009 launch failure, the mission was replaced by the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2).

## Why It Matters
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory represented a critical step in NASA's efforts to understand Earth's climate through dedicated orbital observation. As part of the Earth System Science Pathfinder program (designated as ESSP 5), the satellite was designed to provide high-precision data on atmospheric carbon dioxide. Its loss was a significant setback for climate science, as the 407 kg spacecraft was equipped with three specialized optical spectrometers intended to quantify carbon sources and sinks.

The importance of the mission is reflected in its inclusion on the focus list of the WikiProject Climate change. Despite the failure of the Minotaur-C 3110 launch vehicle to deliver the satellite to orbit, the scientific objectives remained a high priority for NASA. This led to the authorization and eventual launch of a successor mission, OCO-2, to fulfill the original research goals of the destroyed observatory.

## Notable For
- **Launch Failure:** The mission is primarily known for its destruction during its initial launch attempt on February 24, 2009.
- **Specialized Instrumentation:** It carried a unique payload of three optical spectrometers specifically for climate monitoring.
- **Mission Designation:** It was officially designated as ESSP 5 within NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder program.
- **Direct Succession:** The loss of the spacecraft directly necessitated the development of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2.

## Body

### Mission Overview
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) was a United States space mission developed by NASA to observe Earth's atmosphere. Classified as an Earth observation satellite, its primary role was to serve as a climate satellite. In addition to its formal name, the project was known by the aliases OCO and ESSP 5.

### Technical Specifications
The spacecraft was built by the Orbital Sciences Corporation using the Star Bus spacecraft bus platform. At the time of launch, the satellite had a total mass of 407 kilograms. Its scientific capabilities were centered on three optical spectrometers designed to measure atmospheric components from space.

### Launch History
The OCO launch took place on February 24, 2009, with a recorded launch time of 09:55:30 UTC. The mission utilized Vandenberg Launch Complex 576 E as its starting point. The launch vehicle assigned to the mission was the Minotaur-C 3110, specifically the T8 configuration.

### Mission Failure and Legacy
The mission was terminated prematurely when the launch vehicle failed to place the satellite into orbit, resulting in the destruction of the spacecraft. Because the mission's climate observation goals remained vital to NASA's scientific objectives, the agency proceeded with a replacement mission, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2. The OCO remains a notable entity in the history of Earth observation as a former entity of the NASA fleet.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/oco.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013