United States Air ForceTitan IIICSpace Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Vela 5A & 5B
Launched
May 23, 1969
Image: U.S. DoD
Summary
Vela 5A & 5B launched on an United States Air Force Titan IIIC from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA on May 23, 1969. It was United States Air Force's 492nd launch, 18th this year and humanity's 972nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 13th Titan IIIC flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). The tracked orbit of ERS 29, one of 7 catalogued objects, from June 19, 1969, was 59,663 × 69,122 km inclined 33.1°. 7 objects from this launch are catalogued, 5 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Titan IIIC · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 13th Titan IIIC flight · 2nd this yearUnited States Air Force's 492nd launch18th this yearhumanity's 972nd orbital launch attempt53rd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
ERS 29 · NORAD 3950 · 1969-046 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 7 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- ERS 29 (OV5-5)
- Object ID
- 1969-046A
- Epoch
- 1969-06-19 00:00:13 UTC
- Mean motion
- 0.46119999 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.066835
- Inclination
- 33.062°
- Ascending node
- 157.2469°
- Arg. of perigee
- 184.636°
- Mean anomaly
- 138.0249°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 12
- 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
7 catalogued: 5 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 5 still in orbit
- ERS 29 · NORAD 3950 · in orbit
- ERS 26 · NORAD 3951 · in orbit
- OV5-9 · NORAD 3952 · in orbit
- Vela V-A · NORAD 3954 · left Earth orbit July 1, 1984
- Vela V-B · NORAD 3955 · left Earth orbit September 30, 1983
Transtage 15 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Like its predecessor, the Vela, the Advanced Vela series of spacecraft were designed to monitor worldwide compliance with the 1963 nuclear test ban treaty.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
10th launch from Space Launch Complex 41, 2nd this year · 236th from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
125 launches from this pad · 1,131 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
102 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Vela 5A & 5B launch?
Vela 5A & 5B launched on May 23, 1969. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Vela 5A & 5B?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Vela 5A & 5B?
Titan IIIC, flown by United States Air Force. Titan IIIC spec sheet
Where did Vela 5A & 5B launch from?
Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.
What orbit did Vela 5A & 5B reach?
The tracked orbit of ERS 29, one of 7 catalogued objects, from June 19, 1969, was 59,663 × 69,122 km inclined 33.1°.
How many satellites did Vela 5A & 5B launch?
5 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).