# Solrad 8

> NASA artificial satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q17082244](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17082244)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOLRAD_8)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/solrad-8

## Summary
Solrad 8 is a NASA artificial satellite (spacecraft) that was launched on 1965-11-19 as part of the Explorers Program. It is also cataloged as COSPAR ID 1965-093A and is known by the aliases Explorer SE-A and Explorer 30.

## Key Facts
- Solrad 8 is an instance of a spacecraft operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- Launch date: 1965-11-19.
- Launch vehicle: Scout X-4.
- Launch site / start point: Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3.
- COSPAR ID / NSSDCA ID: 1965-093A.
- Aliases: Explorer SE-A, Explorer-30, Explorer 30.
- Part of: the Explorers Program.
- Follows (preceded by): GEOS-A.
- Followed by: DME.
- SCN (serialized catalog number): 01738; Freebase ID: /m/0c0392s.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Solrad 8?
A: Solrad 8 is a NASA artificial satellite (spacecraft) launched on 19 November 1965 as part of the Explorers Program. It is also referenced under the names Explorer SE-A and Explorer 30.

### Q: When and where was Solrad 8 launched?
A: Solrad 8 was launched on 1965-11-19 from Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3. The launch vehicle used was a Scout X-4.

### Q: How is Solrad 8 identified in satellite catalogs?
A: Solrad 8 is cataloged with COSPAR ID 1965-093A and NSSDCA ID 1965-093A; it also has SCN 01738 and Freebase ID /m/0c0392s.

## Why It Matters
Solrad 8 occupies a specific place in NASA’s mid-1960s satellite activity as a flown spacecraft within the Explorers Program. As a cataloged NASA satellite launched from Wallops Flight Facility using a Scout X-4 vehicle, it represents both the operational use of small launch vehicles and the continuity of the Explorer/SOLRAD series in that era. Its formal identifiers (COSPAR and NSSDCA) and aliases (Explorer SE-A / Explorer 30) make it trackable in historical mission records and databases, which is important for spaceflight chronology, archival research, and long-term cataloging of artificial objects in Earth orbit. Solrad 8’s placement in sequence—preceded by GEOS-A and followed by DME—helps document programmatic transitions and mission scheduling within the broader Explorers Program. For researchers, historians, and data managers, Solrad 8 is a verifiable data point in NASA’s 1960s satellite operations and launch history.

## Notable For
- Being a NASA-operated spacecraft launched on 1965-11-19 as part of the Explorers Program.
- Launched from Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3 using a Scout X-4 launch vehicle.
- Cataloged under COSPAR/NSSDCA ID 1965-093A and SCN 01738.
- Known by multiple aliases: Explorer SE-A, Explorer-30, and Explorer 30.
- Positioned in program sequence: follows GEOS-A and is followed by DME.

## Body

### Overview
- Name: Solrad 8 (Wikipedia title: SOLRAD 8).
- Instance of: spacecraft.
- Operator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- Part of program: Explorers Program.

### Identifiers and Names
- COSPAR ID: 1965-093A.
- NSSDCA ID: 1965-093A.
- SCN: 01738.
- Freebase ID: /m/0c0392s.
- Aliases: Explorer SE-A; Explorer-30; Explorer 30.
- Wikimedia Commons category: SOLRAD 8.
- Wikipedia languages available (per source): commons, de, en, fr, it, pl.

### Launch Details
- Launch date: 1965-11-19.
- Launch site: Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3 (start point).
- Launch vehicle: Scout X-4.
- Significant event recorded: rocket launch at Wallops Flight Facility Launch Area 3 on 1965-11-19.

### Program Context and Sequence
- Part of the Explorers Program, a series of NASA missions.
- Preceded by: GEOS-A (listed predecessor).
- Followed by: DME (listed successor).

### Media and Reference Links
- Representative image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/SOLRAD_8.jpg
- Wikipedia entry title: SOLRAD 8.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Solrad 8",
  "description": "Solrad 8 is a NASA artificial satellite launched on 1965-11-19 as part of the Explorers Program.",
  "sameAs": ["https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOLRAD_8"],
  "additionalType": "spacecraft"
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report