Success
Atlas LV-3A | MIDAS 3
United States Air Force(USAF)Government
Atlas LV-3 Agena B
Wednesday, July 12, 1961 at 3:11 PM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#116
USAF Mission
#51
Pad Launch
#1
Location Launch
#29
Designator
1961-018
Weather GO
0%
Launch Window
NET
Jul 12, 1961, 3:11 PM
Schedule Changes
1 update
Space Launch Complex 3E
SLC-3E is a launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base. It was originally built for the MIDAS program and later used for various other missions. After a period of inactivity, it was refurbished in the early 2000s to launch Atlas V rockets. The pad is now being upgraded to accommodate the new Vulcan Centaur rocket. The last Atlas V launch from SLC-3E happened in November 2022, with the first Vulcan launch expected in 2025.
Total Launches
48
Orbital Attempts
45
Fastest Turnaround
1mo 2d
Atlas LV-3 Agena B Specs
The Atlas LV-3A was a largely unsuccessful configuration until it was given an Agena B upper stage. It was responsible for the launch of Mariner II to Venus and had one of the first engines that could be restarted in orbit.
Length
20.27 m
Diameter
3.05 m
Launch Mass
130 t
Thrust
363 kN
Launch Cost
$14M
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1961
Fastest Turnaround
2d 22h
Total Launches
29
Successful
21
Failed
8
Consecutive Success
6
Maiden flight: Jan 31, 1961
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947.
Founded
1947
Administrator
Commander-in-Chief: President of the US
Total Launches
1,078
Successful
972
Failed
106
Pending
0
Consecutive Success
68
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. The United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host delta for the base, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing. In addition to its military space launch mission, Vandenberg Space Force Base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX.
Timezone
America/Los_Angeles
Local Launch Time
Jul 12, 1961, 8:11 AM
Total Launches
885
Total Landings
34
Coordinates
34.7513, -120.5202