SUMMARY
Contrary to common assumptions, early weather satellites did not use film to capture images of Earth. Satellites like TIROS-1, launched in 1960, employed vidicon television cameras that measured light and transmitted electrical signals. Later, geostationary satellites like ATS-3 used spin-scan cameras to create full-disk images, even in color. These signals were received on the ground and reconstructed into images using facsimile recorders, sometimes involving manual assembly of multiple frames into mosaics.
TAKEAWAYS
Early weather satellites used television cameras, not film, to capture Earth images.
Images were transmitted as electrical signals and reconstructed on the ground.
Facsimile recorders and manual assembly were used to create weather maps.
This technology enabled crucial warnings for events like Hurricane Camille.