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United States Air ForceAtlas LV-3 Agena DSpace Launch Complex 4W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

KH-7 1

Launched

July 12, 1963

Launch Successful

Image: NASA

Summary

KH-7 1 launched on an United States Air Force Atlas LV-3 Agena D from Space Launch Complex 4W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on July 12, 1963. It was United States Air Force's 151st launch, 25th this year and humanity's 261st orbital launch attempt. It was the 1st Atlas LV-3 Agena D flight. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). OPS 1467, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 180 × 219 km orbit inclined 95.3°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.

Watch
No webcast on record.
Vehicle
Atlas LV-3 Agena D · United States Air Force
Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Government/Top Secret · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
Milestone
1st Atlas LV-3 Agena D flightUnited States Air Force's 151st launch25th this yearhumanity's 261st orbital launch attempt37th orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

95.3°Inclination
180 × 219 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
88.3 minPeriodfrom mean elements
298.3°Ascending node
23106 d agoElement epoch1963-07-13 08:01 UTC · stale

OPS 1467 · NORAD 618 · 1963-028 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
1963-028A
Epoch
1963-07-13 08:01:00 UTC
Mean motion
16.30033341 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0029345
Inclination
95.2869°
Ascending node
298.256°
Arg. of perigee
152.4238°
Mean anomaly
207.7321°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
8
B*
0

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Catalogued objects

3 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; none still in orbit

  • OPS 1467 · NORAD 618 · re-entered July 18, 1963

Agena D 4702 · re-entered July 16, 1963

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

The Program 206 satellite, carrying the KH-7 (Keyhole 7) camera system (codenamed Gambit-1), was the first successful high resolution space reconnaissance program. It was managed by NRO's Program A, the USAF-led segment of the National Reconnaissance Program managed from Los Angeles AFB in El Segundo, California.

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 4W

Space Launch Complex 4W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

1st launch from Space Launch Complex 4W, 1st this year · 100th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

93 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

under an hour after the previous launch from this pad

Questions

When did KH-7 1 launch?

KH-7 1 launched on July 12, 1963. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch KH-7 1?

No webcast is on record for this launch.

What rocket launched KH-7 1?

Atlas LV-3 Agena D, flown by United States Air Force. Atlas LV-3 Agena D spec sheet

Where did KH-7 1 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.

What orbit did KH-7 1 reach?

OPS 1467, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 180 × 219 km orbit inclined 95.3°.

How many satellites did KH-7 1 launch?

1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).