United States Air ForceThor Delta MSpace Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
NATO IIA
Launched
March 20, 1970
Image: NASA
Summary
NATO IIA launched on an United States Air Force Thor Delta M from Space Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA on March 20, 1970. It was United States Air Force's 516th launch, 7th this year and humanity's 1,069th orbital launch attempt. It was the 8th Thor Delta M flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO). NATO IIA, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 289 × 37,059 km orbit inclined 25.8°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Thor Delta M · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO)
- Milestone
- 8th Thor Delta M flight · 2nd this yearUnited States Air Force's 516th launch7th this yearhumanity's 1,069th orbital launch attempt23rd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
NATO IIA · NORAD 4353 · 1970-021 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- NATO 2A
- Object ID
- 1970-021A
- Epoch
- 1970-03-21 00:17:26 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.19044719 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7340899
- Inclination
- 25.806°
- Ascending node
- 354.1734°
- Arg. of perigee
- 178.6429°
- Mean anomaly
- 0.0513°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Direct-GEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
3 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 3 still in orbit
- NATO IIA · NORAD 4353 · in orbit
Delta 77 Stage 3 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
First generation satellite providing communications bezween officials of NATO nations.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
46th launch from Space Launch Complex 17A, 2nd this year · 244th from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
145 launches from this pad · 1,131 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
64 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did NATO IIA launch?
NATO IIA launched on March 20, 1970. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch NATO IIA?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched NATO IIA?
Thor Delta M, flown by United States Air Force. Thor Delta M spec sheet
Where did NATO IIA launch from?
Space Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.
What orbit did NATO IIA reach?
NATO IIA, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 289 × 37,059 km orbit inclined 25.8°.
How many satellites did NATO IIA launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).