ESSA 5 was a sun-synchronous operational meteorological satellite designed to provide real-time earth cloudcover TV pictures to properly equipped ground receiving stations for use in weather analysis and forecasting.
The satellite carried two redundant Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS) cameras were mounted on opposite sides of the spacecraft, with their optical axes perpendicular to the spin axis.

The spacecraft performed normally after launch until September 22, 1967, when the radiometer experiment failed. The AVCS functioned until October 8, 1969, when the satellite was placed in a standby mode. ESSA 5 was deactivated on February 20, 1970.