United States Air ForceThor Agena DSpace Launch Complex 2E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
KH-4 18
Launched
January 7, 1963
Image: USAF
Summary
KH-4 18 launched on an United States Air Force Thor Agena D from Space Launch Complex 2E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on January 7, 1963. It was United States Air Force's 127th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 226th orbital launch attempt. It was the 9th Thor Agena D flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). OPS 0048, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 210 × 392 km orbit inclined 82.0°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Thor Agena D · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 9th Thor Agena D flight · 1st this yearUnited States Air Force's 127th launch1st this yearhumanity's 226th orbital launch attempt2nd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
OPS 0048 · NORAD 525 · 1963-002 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1963-002A
- Epoch
- 1963-01-08 05:41:00 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.93020097 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0136319
- Inclination
- 82°
- Ascending node
- 129.4979°
- Arg. of perigee
- 155.8891°
- Mean anomaly
- 204.8614°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 6
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 debris; none still in orbit
- OPS 0048 · NORAD 525 · re-entered January 24, 1963
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The KH-4 (Keyhole-4) was fourth version in the Corona-program to build an optical reconnaissance satellite.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 2E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
9th launch from Space Launch Complex 2E, 1st this year · 83rd from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
47 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
25 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did KH-4 18 launch?
KH-4 18 launched on January 7, 1963. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch KH-4 18?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched KH-4 18?
Thor Agena D, flown by United States Air Force. Thor Agena D spec sheet
Where did KH-4 18 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 2E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did KH-4 18 reach?
OPS 0048, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 210 × 392 km orbit inclined 82.0°.
How many satellites did KH-4 18 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).