# Vela 3B

> U.S. reconnaissance satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q14860842](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14860842)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vela_3B)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vela-3b

## Summary
Vela 3B was a United States reconnaissance satellite launched on July 20, 1965. Designed to covertly collect data for intelligence and military applications, it was deployed using an Atlas-Agena D expendable launch system. The satellite is identified by the international designation 1965-058B.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Reconnaissance satellite designed for covert intelligence and military data collection.
- **Launch Date:** July 20, 1965.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Atlas-Agena D (expendable launch system).
- **Launch Site:** Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 13.
- **COSPAR ID:** 1965-058B.
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1965-058B.
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 01459.
- **Significant Event:** Rocket launch occurring on July 20, 1965, at Cape Canaveral.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary function of Vela 3B?
A: Vela 3B was a reconnaissance satellite, a class of spacecraft designed to covertly collect data for intelligence or military applications.

### Q: When and how was Vela 3B launched?
A: The satellite was launched on July 20, 1965, aboard an Atlas-Agena D rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 13.

### Q: What are the unique identifiers for Vela 3B?
A: The satellite is identified by the COSPAR ID and NSSDCA ID 1965-058B, as well as the Satellite Catalog Number 01459.

## Why It Matters
Vela 3B represents a specific component of United States space-based intelligence efforts during the mid-1960s. As a reconnaissance satellite, its existence underscores the military reliance on orbital technology for covert data collection during the Cold War era. By utilizing the Atlas-Agena D system—a pairing of a refurbished intercontinental ballistic missile with an upper stage—Vela 3B highlights the era's technological transition from weapons delivery systems to specialized space launch vehicles. Launched from Complex 13 at Cape Canaveral, the mission contributed to the broader infrastructure of U.S. defense and surveillance capabilities in space.

## Notable For
- Being a specialized platform for covert intelligence gathering.
- Utilizing the Atlas-Agena D launch configuration.
- Launching from the historically significant Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 13.
- Serving as an identified asset in the U.S. satellite catalog (SCN 01459).

## Body
### Mission and Classification
Vela 3B is classified as a reconnaissance satellite. According to operational definitions, this class of satellite is engineered to covertly collect data for intelligence or military applications. The specific telemetry or data products of Vela 3B were designated for government and defense analysis.

### Launch Operations
The satellite was successfully delivered to orbit on July 20, 1965. The mission utilized the Atlas-Agena D expendable launch system. This system combined an Atlas booster with an Agena D upper stage, a common configuration for military and reconnaissance payloads of that period.

The launch originated from **Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 13** in Florida. This complex was a key site for the U.S. Air Force and NASA launches during the 1960s.

### Technical Identifiers
For the purposes of space tracking and cataloging, Vela 3B is registered under the following designations:
*   **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 01459
*   **COSPAR International Designator:** 1965-058B
*   **NSSDCA ID:** 1965-058B

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report