# Vela 4A

> American reconnaissance satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q83277206](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83277206)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vela_4A)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vela-4a

## Summary
Vela 4A is an American military reconnaissance satellite launched on 1967-04-28. It is identified in catalogs by COSPAR ID 1967-040A, satellite catalog number (SCN) 02765, and the alias OPS 6638.

## Key Facts
- Vela 4A is an American reconnaissance satellite (instance_of: military satellite).  
- Launch date: 1967-04-28.  
- Launch vehicle: Titan IIIC.  
- COSPAR ID: 1967-040A.  
- SCN (satellite catalog number): 02765.  
- Alias: OPS 6638.  
- Wikipedia title: Vela 4A; Wikimedia Commons category: Vela 4A.  
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/11h5mknffq.  
- Language entries available: English (wikipedia), Commons.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Vela 4A?
A: Vela 4A is an American military reconnaissance satellite. It is recorded in public satellite catalogs under COSPAR 1967-040A and SCN 02765.

### Q: When and how was Vela 4A launched?
A: Vela 4A was launched on 1967-04-28. The launch vehicle listed for the flight was the Titan IIIC.

### Q: What other names or identifiers does Vela 4A have?
A: Vela 4A is also known by the alias OPS 6638. Its catalog identifiers include COSPAR ID 1967-040A and SCN 02765.

### Q: Where can I find more public references to Vela 4A?
A: Vela 4A has a Wikipedia entry under the title "Vela 4A" and a Wikimedia Commons category named "Vela 4A." It is also indexed in knowledge graphs (Google KG ID /g/11h5mknffq).

## Why It Matters
Vela 4A represents a documented instance of U.S. military reconnaissance activity conducted from space. As a military satellite launched in 1967, it is part of the broader class of artificial satellites used for defense and intelligence purposes. Such satellites contribute to national security by providing capability for remote observation, monitoring, and other reconnaissance functions from orbit. The concrete identifiers (COSPAR ID 1967-040A, SCN 02765, and alias OPS 6638) ensure the satellite is tracked and referenced in spaceflight and archival records. Its launch aboard a Titan IIIC places it within the historical context of heavy-lift launches of its era. For researchers, historians, and database managers, Vela 4A serves as a verifiable data point in the development and operational deployment of military space assets and in cataloging efforts that document satellites and launches from the 1960s onward.

## Notable For
- Launch date of 1967-04-28, placing it among satellites deployed in the 1960s.  
- Launched on a Titan IIIC launch vehicle.  
- Cataloged under COSPAR ID 1967-040A and SCN 02765.  
- Also identified by the operational alias OPS 6638.  
- Listed in public references with a dedicated Wikipedia title and Commons category.

## Body
### Overview
- Name: Vela 4A.  
- Short description: American reconnaissance satellite.  
- Classification: military satellite (instance_of).

### Identifiers and Aliases
- COSPAR ID: 1967-040A.  
- SCN (satellite catalog number): 02765.  
- Alias: OPS 6638.  
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/11h5mknffq.  
- Wikimedia entries: Wikipedia (title "Vela 4A") and Wikimedia Commons category "Vela 4A".

### Launch Details
- Launch date: 1967-04-28.  
- Launch vehicle: Titan IIIC.

### Classification and Role
- Instance of: military satellite.  
- Described function: reconnaissance (as an American reconnaissance satellite).

### Cataloging and References
- Documented in satellite catalogs and public records by COSPAR and satellite catalog number.  
- Linked in public media repositories (Wikipedia and Commons).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report