World's first "meteorological satellite," TIROS-I, is launched 1 April 1960. By using slow-scan television cameras, TIROS is designed to demonstrate the capability and practicality of observing the earth's cloud cover from space. The satellite is low orbiting at an altitude of 400 miles with an orbit inclined 48 degrees to the equator. Despite limited coverage, only 25% for each orbit, TIROS demonstrates that valuable information can be available to assist forecasters in real time.

In November 1960 TIROS-II becomes the first meteorological satellite to generate images in the visible and infrared. In 1963, TIROS-VIII provides the first real-time direct readout of the satellite's observations to ground stations located around the world. In 1965, TIROS-IX is the first satellite to provide complete daytime views of the world's weather from a sun-synchronous orbit.