Name: Vela 1A & 1B — Atlas LV-3 Agena D
Start: 1963-10-17T02:37:00Z
End: 1963-10-17T02:37:00Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 13

Question 1

What rocket is launching Vela 1A & 1B?

Accepted Answer

Vela 1A & 1B is launching on the Atlas LV-3 Agena D.

Question 2

Who is launching Vela 1A & 1B?

Accepted Answer

Vela 1A & 1B is being launched by United States Air Force, a government launch provider founded in 1947.

Question 3

Where is Vela 1A & 1B launching from?

Accepted Answer

Vela 1A & 1B is launching from Space Launch Complex 13 at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Vela 1A & 1B heading to?

Accepted Answer

Vela 1A & 1B is heading to Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical).

Question 5

Is the Atlas LV-3 Agena D reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Atlas LV-3 Agena D is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Atlas LV-3 Agena D flown?

Accepted Answer

The Atlas LV-3 Agena D has launched 15 times to date, with 15 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Vela 1A & 1B mission?

Accepted Answer

The Vela (meaning "watchman" in Spanish) series of spacecraft were designed to monitor worldwide compliance with the 1963 nuclear test ban treaty.

Question 8

Where is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station?

Accepted Answer

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sits on Florida's Atlantic coast, on the Eastern Range run by the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45. It is the United States' busiest launch site and has been America's gateway to orbit since the 1950s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, and United Launch Alliance flies the Vulcan Centaur (and the retiring Atlas V) from Space Launch Complex 41.

Question 10

Is Cape Canaveral the same as the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

No. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are separate, neighbouring sites — Kennedy is on Merritt Island just to the north. Together they make up Florida's 'Space Coast'.

Question 11

Why do rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Its pads sit on the Eastern Range, letting rockets fly east out over the Atlantic toward the equatorial and geostationary orbits most commercial and national-security payloads need, away from populated land.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Space Coast is one of the easiest places in the world to watch a launch from public land. Popular free spots include Playalinda Beach, Space View Park in Titusville, and Jetty Park at Port Canaveral.

Vela 1A & 1B

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 13

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions