# SOLRAD 11C

> 1970s United States satellite, identical to SOLRAD 11A and 11B, never launched

**Wikidata**: [Q112943312](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112943312)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/solrad-11c

## Summary
SOLRAD 11C was a 1970s United States satellite designed for solar radiation measurement. Crucially, it was identical to SOLRAD 11A and 11B but was never launched.

## Key Facts
- **NSSDCA ID:** SRD-11C
- **Class:** Artificial satellite
- **Series:** Part of the Solrad series (qualifier: followed SOLRAD 11B, P155)
- **Program:** Galactic Radiation and Background (Galactic Radiation and Background program)
- **Country:** United States
- **Design:** Identical to SOLRAD 11A and SOLRAD 11B
- **Status:** Never launched
- **Decade:** 1970s

## FAQs
### Q: Why was SOLRAD 11C never launched?
A: The provided source material does not specify the reason for SOLRAD 11C's cancellation or non-launch. It only states that despite its identical design to launched satellites 11A and 11B, it never reached orbit.

### Q: How was SOLRAD 11C different from SOLRAD 11A and 11B?
A: SOLRAD 11C was not different in design; the source explicitly states it was "identical to SOLRAD 11A and 11B." The only distinction was its status as an unlaunched satellite.

### Q: What was the purpose of SOLRAD 11C?
A: As part of the Solrad series within the Galactic Radiation and Background program, its intended purpose, consistent with its siblings, was solar radiation measurement and monitoring.

### Q: Did SOLRAD 11C collect any data?
A: No, because SOLRAD 11C was never launched, it did not collect any data in space.

## Why It Matters
Although SOLRAD 11C never fulfilled its mission, its existence as part of the planned SOLRAD 11 trio highlights the inherent uncertainties and cancellations inherent in complex space programs. It underscores that not all components of a satellite series achieve operational status. As a designated, albeit unlaunched, member of the Solrad lineage and the Galactic Radiation and Background program, it represents a point in the historical development of US solar radiation monitoring satellites, demonstrating the program's scale and the potential gaps in completed operational capabilities. Studying such unlaunched artifacts provides insight into the planning and execution challenges of Cold War-era space science.

## Notable For
-   Being an unlaunched member of a planned trio (SOLRAD 11A, 11B, 11C) within the Solrad series.
-   Its identical design specification to successfully launched satellites SOLRAD 11A and 11B.
-   Its designation within the Galactic Radiation and Background (GRAB) program lineage.
-   Serving as an example of a US satellite development effort that resulted in a manufactured unit never achieving orbit.

## Body

### Identity
-   **Entity:** SOLRAD 11C
-   **NSSDCA ID:** SRD-11C
-   **Instance Of:** Artificial satellite
-   **Part Of Series:** Solrad series
-   **Series Qualifier (P155):** Followed SOLRAD 11B
-   **Program:** Galactic Radiation and Background (Galactic Radiation and Background program)
-   **Country:** United States
-   **Decade:** 1970s

### Technical Specifications
-   **Design:** Identical to SOLRAD 11A and SOLRAD 11B
-   **Primary Purpose:** Solar radiation measurement (inferred from series and program context)

### Program Context
-   **Parent Program Series:** Solrad
-   **Parent Program:** Galactic Radiation and Background
-   **Program Significance:** First US orbital surveillance program (focusing on solar radiation for national security purposes)

### Fate
-   **Launch Status:** Never launched
-   **Outcome:** Canceled or aborted before launch; no orbital data collected.