The first weather satellite, the Television and Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS I), was launched by NASA on April 1, 1960. Although the images were not of the same resolution as we have now, they were able to reveal the organization and structure of clouds and storms. One of its accomplishments was to see a previously undetected tropical storm near Australia. The information was conveyed to the people so they could prepare for the approaching storm. It operated for 77 days until mid-June 1960 when an electrical fire caused it to cease operating.