The payload included twelve external X-ray detectors and 18 internal neutron and gamma-ray detectors. During launch, 2 satellites were connected by a central cylinder containing an apogee motor. The 20-sided polyhedron had body mounted solar cells generating 90 W. The spacecraft was spin stabilized at 120 rpm.
ATLAS AGENA PAYLOAD SERIES
The Vela series was the first spacecraft procurement to utilize a fixed price incentive contract. Instead, TRW was awarded a further contract in March 1965 for an Advanced Vela spacecraft series. The satellites were so successful, each operating for at least 5 years, that a planned acquisition of a fourth and fifth set of pairs was cancelled. The first pair of satellites was launched in October 1963, the second in July 1964, and the third in July 1965.
Prime Contractor was TRW Systems Group of TRW Inc. The project was directed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense the USAF Space and Missile Systems organization was responsible for the development of the-spacecraft. The Vela Nuclear Detection Satellites were launched in pairs into high altitude orbits to detect possible nuclear explosions in space and on earth. Nuclear Detection satellite built by TRW for USAF, USA. The Vela (meaning "watchman" in Spanish) series of spacecraft were designed to monitor world-wide compliance with the 1963 nuclear test ban treaty. Pad 13 is known today as Landing Zone 1, a landing facility for recovering components- currently the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket booster-of SpaceX's reusable launch vehicles.Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9Ī- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- ZĪmerican nuclear detection surveillance satellite. Old Complex 13 was the launch site of the spy satellite along with 50 other Atlas-type rocket firings from 1958 to 1978. The sample depicted here was one that came from my own stock since it contained transparent tape on the back of the souvenir descriptive card. They were produced as tie tack pins and key ring chains during the 1970's, however, it was never determined what company had produced the unusual souvenirs made from an exploded spy-satellite rocket carrier launched from the Cape in December 1971. My firm was able to acquire a bulk purchase of the exploded Atlas-Agena D rocket fragment pieces many years ago. I knew someone - and probably more than one - on this forum had the answer. Many of them are beat up and yellowed from poor storage and some look like a dog or rodent has chewed on them. I believe the supply has finally been dispersed to the collector market. They were once very common here as someone in a local antique store had bought a number of them at an estate sale. I have seen these fragments as both a tie tac and as just a fragment of the missile. I'm also interested in any information about who produced the cards. The date on the back of the card points to the failed launch of a US spy satellite on December 4, 1971. While the card doesn't specify the mission, Wikipedia lists the mission as an Atlas-Agena D SLV-3A (S/N 5503A) with the AFP-827 (Canyon-4) payload.Īn example of the tie-tac version below.
The rocket veered off course early in flight and was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer. It carried an experimental payload referred to as a "spy-in-the-sky satellite." It was a television carrying spy satellite which could keep track of particularly enemy movement in daylight or dark. This rocket blasted off Pad 13 at Cape Kennedy at approximately 5:30 pm on 4 December 1971.
Both of them have a piece of paper on the back (one stapled, one taped): Your missile piece was taken from the (skin) or outer shell of an Atlas Agena rocket. The history of this particular Atlas Agena is provided on the card attached to your souvenir. This is the true thickness and consistency of the metal.
ATLAS AGENA PAYLOAD SKIN
The souvenirs are made from the skin or shell of an actual fired Atlas Agena missile. The front says: The Perfect Souvenir! Made from an Actual Missile I have two of these souvenirs (one a tie tack and one a lapel pin), both still attached to their cards. Many years ago I believe I read the source of the fragments came from a booster which exploded during launch.ĭoes anyone know with certainty the specific source of the fragments? Was there more than one source? Topic: Flown Atlas-Agena fragment on key chainįrom time to time I find on eBay a flown fragment from an Atlas-Agena attached to a key chain. Profile | register | preferences | faq | search Flown Atlas-Agena fragment on key chain - collectSPACE: Messages
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