NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

OPS 0180

Launch Time
Wed Jan 16, 1963 21:59 UTC

Rocket

Thor DM-21 Agena-B
US Air Force
Status: Retired
Stages: 3
Strap-ons: 0

Mission Details

OPS 0180

The ELINT/SIGINT satellites known for decades only as "Heavy Ferrets" are now known to be a program originally associated with the Samos (Satellite and Missile Observation System) project. This first series of Heavy Ferrets was called Program 102 and later Program 698BK. These satellites were designed to detect, map and investigate SAM and ABM radars.

Location

SLC-1E (75-3-5), Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Stats

1963

3rd orbital launch attempt

Thor-Agena

64th mission
2nd mission of 1963
48th successful mission
26th consecutive successful mission