United States Air ForceThorad SLV-2G Agena DSpace Launch Complex 3W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
KH-4A 49
Launched
December 12, 1968
Image: NASA
Summary
KH-4A 49 launched on an United States Air Force Thorad SLV-2G Agena D from Space Launch Complex 3W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on December 12, 1968. It was United States Air Force's 472nd launch, 39th this year and humanity's 912th orbital launch attempt. It was the 18th Thorad SLV-2G Agena D flight and the 10th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). OPS 4740, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 166 × 256 km orbit inclined 81.1°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Thorad SLV-2G Agena D · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 18th Thorad SLV-2G Agena D flight · 10th this yearUnited States Air Force's 472nd launch39th this yearhumanity's 912th orbital launch attempt124th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
OPS 4740 · NORAD 3604 · 1968-112 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1968-112A
- Epoch
- 1968-12-13 02:16:52 UTC
- Mean motion
- 16.25716906 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0068358
- Inclination
- 81.071°
- Ascending node
- 123.8216°
- Arg. of perigee
- 192.2718°
- Mean anomaly
- 167.6785°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 3
- 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
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 2 components; 3 still in orbit
- OPS 4740 · NORAD 3604 · re-entered December 28, 1968
- OPS 7684 · NORAD 3605 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The KH-4A (Keyhole-4A) was the fifth optical reconnaissance satellite version in the Corona-program.
Pad

Space Launch Complex 3W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
32nd launch from Space Launch Complex 3W, 4th this year · 316th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
81 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
39 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did KH-4A 49 launch?
KH-4A 49 launched on December 12, 1968. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch KH-4A 49?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched KH-4A 49?
Thorad SLV-2G Agena D, flown by United States Air Force. Thorad SLV-2G Agena D spec sheet
Where did KH-4A 49 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 3W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did KH-4A 49 reach?
OPS 4740, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 166 × 256 km orbit inclined 81.1°.
How many satellites did KH-4A 49 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
![Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D (Nimbus 3) [NASA]](/media?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthespacedevs-prod.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2Fthorad-slv2g_ag_image_20251102061406.jpg&w=1600)