# Explorer 16

> NASA satellite of the Explorer program

**Wikidata**: [Q1166030](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1166030)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explorer_16)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/explorer-16

## Summary
Explorer 16 was a NASA satellite and part of the Explorer program, launched on December 16, 1962. Designed as a spacecraft to operate in space, it was deployed using a Scout X-3 rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3. It is officially identified by the COSPAR ID 1962-070A and the Satellite Catalog Number 00506.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** Explorer 16 is an instance of a spacecraft and a satellite of the NASA Explorer program.
*   **Launch Date:** December 16, 1962.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** Scout X-3.
*   **Launch Site:** Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3.
*   **COSPAR ID:** 1962-070A.
*   **NSSDCA ID:** 1962-070A.
*   **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 00506.
*   **Preceded By:** EPE-C (former American research satellite).
*   **Succeeded By:** EPE-C (former American research satellite).
*   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/121bw0sj.

## FAQs
### Q: When was Explorer 16 launched?
A: Explorer 16 was launched on December 16, 1962.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Explorer 16?
A: The satellite was launched using a Scout X-3 rocket.

### Q: Where did the launch of Explorer 16 take place?
A: The launch took place at the Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3.

## Why It Matters
Explorer 16 serves as a specific historical data point within the early years of the Space Race and the NASA Explorer program. As a spacecraft launched in 1962, it represents the utilization of the Scout X-3 rocket configuration, a solid-fuel launch vehicle used for smaller orbital missions. Its launch from Wallops Flight Facility highlights the role of this Virginia-based site in supporting early American space exploration alongside larger centers like Cape Canaveral.

The satellite's documentation across multiple languages (including English, French, Italian, Polish, Czech, and Slovak) and its presence in major databases like Wolfram Language and the Google Knowledge Graph indicate its established status in the global record of space objects. By being tracked under specific identifiers like COSPAR 1962-070A, it contributes to the long-term cataloging of artificial objects in Earth's orbit, helping scientists and historians track the history of satellite deployment.

## Notable For
*   **Program Affiliation:** Being a distinct unit within the NASA Explorer program, a long-running series of U.S. scientific spacecraft.
*   **Launch Configuration:** Utilization of the Scout X-3 launch vehicle.
*   **Launch Location:** Deployment from Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3.
*   **Historical Context:** Being active in late 1962, a critical period for early space research.

## Body
### Mission Identity and Classification
Explorer 16 is classified as a spacecraft and functions as a NASA satellite within the broader Explorer program. In structured knowledge bases, it is linked to the concept of "spacecraft"—defined as a vehicle or machine designed to fly in space. It is recorded in the Wolfram Language as `Entity["Satellite", "00506"]`.

### Launch Details
The mission's significant event was a rocket launch that took place on December 16, 1962. The launch was executed from the Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3. The launch vehicle used to propel Explorer 16 into space was the Scout X-3.

### Identifiers and Records
The satellite is tracked and referenced through several standardized identification systems:
*   **COSPAR ID:** 1962-070A
*   **NSSDCA ID:** 1962-070A
*   **Satellite Catalog Number:** 00506

### Sequence and Relations
In the sequence of spacecraft, Explorer 16 is associated with the EPE-C class, which is described as a former American research satellite. Both the preceding and succeeding entities in the provided records are listed as EPE-C.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report