United States Air ForceThorad SLV-2G Agena DSpace Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Strawman 1
Launched
October 5, 1968
Image: NASA
Summary
Strawman 1 launched on an United States Air Force Thorad SLV-2G Agena D from Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on October 5, 1968. It was United States Air Force's 464th launch, 31st this year and humanity's 885th orbital launch attempt. It was the 16th Thorad SLV-2G Agena D flight and the 8th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). It reached a 491 × 516 km orbit inclined 75.0°. One object from this launch is catalogued.
- 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
- 16th Thorad SLV-2G Agena D flight · 8th this yearUnited States Air Force's 464th launch31st this yearhumanity's 885th orbital launch attempt97th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
OPS 0964 · NORAD 3472 · 1968-086 · Space-Track
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1968-086A
- Epoch
- 1968-10-07 10:05:51 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.23225331 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0018475
- Inclination
- 74.9985°
- Ascending node
- 252.1256°
- Arg. of perigee
- 244.0239°
- Mean anomaly
- 115.8948°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 30
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO.
Catalogued objects
1 catalogued: 1 payload; none still in orbit
- OPS 0964 · NORAD 3472 · re-entered March 26, 1971
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The Strawman series of ELINT/SIGINT satellites, known for decades only as "Heavy Ferrets", are the fourth variation of Agena-based ELINT satellites. These satellites were designed to detect, map and investigate SAM and ABM radars.
Pad

Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
50th launch from Space Launch Complex 1W, 1st this year · 311th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
56 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
300 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Strawman 1 launch?
Strawman 1 launched on October 5, 1968. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Strawman 1?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Strawman 1?
Thorad SLV-2G Agena D, flown by United States Air Force. Thorad SLV-2G Agena D spec sheet
Where did Strawman 1 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did Strawman 1 reach?
It reached a 491 × 516 km orbit inclined 75.0°.
How many satellites did Strawman 1 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer 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)