# Transit 13
**Wikidata**: [Q30916015](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30916015)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/transit-13

## Summary  
Transit 13 is a U.S. Navy navigation satellite launched on May 19, 1966, as part of the pioneering Transit satellite navigation system. It was designed to provide accurate positioning information for naval vessels and submarines. Built on the Scout A rocket platform, it represents an early milestone in space-based global navigation technology.

## Key Facts  
- Launched on **May 19, 1966** using a **Scout A** launch vehicle  
- Official COSPAR ID: **1966-041A**  
- SCN (Spacecraft Number): **02176**  
- Classified as a **spacecraft**, specifically part of the **Transit navigation satellite program**  
- Instance of: **spacecraft**  
- Significant event: **Rocket launch on May 19, 1966**  
- Has a sitelink count of **1**, with Wikipedia content available in **Polish**

## FAQs  

### Q: What was Transit 13 used for?  
A: Transit 13 was part of the U.S. Navy's Transit satellite navigation system, which provided geolocation services primarily for military ships and submarines. It helped improve maritime navigation accuracy during the 1960s.

### Q: When was Transit 13 launched?  
A: Transit 13 was launched on **May 19, 1966**. This date marks its deployment into orbit via a Scout A rocket.

### Q: How does Transit 13 relate to modern GPS systems?  
A: Transit 13 was part of the earlier Transit system, which laid foundational concepts for satellite-based navigation. While less precise than today’s GPS, it demonstrated the feasibility of orbital positioning aids that later evolved into global navigation satellite systems like GPS.

## Why It Matters  
Transit 13 played a critical role in advancing space-based navigation technologies during the mid-20th century. As part of the Transit program—developed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory—it marked one of the earliest operational uses of satellites for real-time positioning data. The system enabled improved navigational capabilities for U.S. Navy operations at a time when accurate oceanic positioning was challenging and strategically vital. Its legacy contributed directly to the development of more advanced global navigation systems such as GPS, making it historically significant in aerospace and defense history.

## Notable For  
- One of the early operational navigation satellites in the **U.S. Navy's Transit system**  
- Launched aboard the relatively small but reliable **Scout A** rocket  
- Represents a key step toward modern satellite navigation infrastructure  
- Provided crucial support for naval operations during the Cold War era  
- Part of a program that pioneered dual-use (civilian/military) satellite applications

## Body  

### Mission Overview  
Transit 13 was developed under the U.S. Navy’s Transit program, initiated in the late 1950s to create a reliable method for determining ship positions through satellite signals. The program aimed to replace traditional celestial and radio-based navigation methods with greater precision and reliability.

The satellite was launched on **May 19, 1966**, from Wallops Flight Facility using a **Scout A** rocket. Scout A was a four-stage solid-fuel launch vehicle commonly used for small payloads during this period.

### Technical Details  
As part of the Transit constellation, Transit 13 carried instrumentation necessary for Doppler shift measurements, allowing ground receivers to calculate position based on signal frequency changes. These satellites orbited Earth approximately every 100 minutes at altitudes ranging between 1,000–1,200 km.

Key identifiers include:
- **COSPAR ID**: 1966-041A  
- **SCN (Spacecraft Number)**: 02176  

These identifiers help track the object within international space catalogs and databases.

### Historical Context  
The Transit system represented the world’s first successful satellite navigation network. Although Transit 13 itself may not have been among the very first launches, its mission occurred during a mature phase of the program, benefiting from prior technological developments and operational experience.

Its inclusion in historical records underscores its contribution to the evolution of autonomous navigation—a capability now taken for granted in both civilian and military contexts.

### Legacy  
While eventually superseded by more sophisticated constellations like GPS, Transit 13 and its sister satellites established fundamental principles still used in satellite navigation today. They also highlighted the strategic importance of independent, all-weather positioning systems—an insight that continues to influence national security planning and commercial innovation.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report