# OV1-7

> U.S. Air Force research satellite, lost when its payload door jammed and rocket motor failed

**Wikidata**: [Q107463392](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107463392)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OV1-7)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ov1-7

## Summary
OV1-7 was a U.S. Air Force research satellite launched in 1966 as part of the Orbiting Vehicle program. It was lost due to a payload door malfunction and rocket motor failure shortly after launch.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** July 14, 1966, at 02:10:02 UTC  
- **Launch Site:** Vandenberg SFB Pad 576 B-3  
- **Launch Vehicle:** SM-65D Atlas (serial number 58D)  
- **Mission Type:** Research satellite (scientific and military purposes)  
- **Program:** Part of the Orbiting Vehicle (OV) satellite family  
- **Outcome:** Failed due to a jammed payload door and rocket motor malfunction  
- **NSSDCA ID:** OV1-7  
- **Associated Satellite:** Launched alongside PasComSat  

## FAQs
### Q: Why did OV1-7 fail?  
A: The satellite failed because its payload door jammed and its rocket motor malfunctioned shortly after launch.  

### Q: What was the purpose of OV1-7?  
A: OV1-7 was designed as a research satellite for scientific and military applications under the U.S. Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program.  

### Q: Where was OV1-7 launched from?  
A: It was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Pad 576 B-3, aboard an SM-65D Atlas rocket.  

## Why It Matters  
OV1-7 was part of the Orbiting Vehicle program, a series of U.S. Air Force satellites aimed at advancing scientific and military research in space. Though it failed, its launch contributed to the understanding of satellite deployment challenges and rocket reliability. The program helped refine future missions, influencing later military and scientific satellite designs. Its loss underscored the technical difficulties of early space exploration and the need for robust engineering solutions.

## Notable For  
- **Early Military Research Satellite:** One of the early U.S. Air Force satellites blending scientific and military objectives.  
- **Orbiting Vehicle Program:** Part of a broader effort to develop standardized satellite platforms for diverse missions.  
- **Failure Analysis:** Provided insights into payload door mechanisms and rocket motor reliability.  

## Body  
### Launch Details  
- **Date:** July 14, 1966  
- **Time:** 02:10:02 UTC  
- **Site:** Vandenberg SFB, Pad 576 B-3  
- **Rocket:** SM-65D Atlas (58D)  

### Mission Failure  
- **Cause:** Payload door jammed, preventing proper satellite deployment.  
- **Secondary Issue:** Rocket motor failure contributed to mission loss.  

### Program Context  
- **Orbiting Vehicle Series:** A family of U.S. satellites designed for modular research applications.  
- **Co-launch:** Shared flight with PasComSat, another experimental satellite.  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Classification:** Research satellite, military satellite  
- **Status:** Former entity (mission concluded unsuccessfully).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report