# Vela  6A

> Vela 6A was one of two spin-stabilized, polyhedral satellites that comprised the sixth launch in the Vela program.

**Wikidata**: [Q111859685](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111859685)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vela-6a

## Summary
Vela 6A is a spacecraft that was one of two spin-stabilized, polyhedral satellites flown as the sixth launch in the Vela program. It was launched on 1970-04-08 aboard a Titan IIIC launch vehicle and is identified by COSPAR ID 1970-027A.

## Key Facts
- Vela 6A is an instance of a spacecraft.  
- It was one of two spin-stabilized, polyhedral satellites comprising the sixth launch in the Vela program.  
- Launch date: 1970-04-08.  
- Launch vehicle: Titan IIIC.  
- COSPAR ID (and NSSDC ID): 1970-027A.  
- SCN (spacecraft number): 04366.  
- Aliases: Vela 11 (TRW), PL-702B, 04366, Vela6A.  
- The sixth Vela launch consisted of two satellites; Vela 6A was one of that pair.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Vela 6A?
A: Vela 6A is a spacecraft that formed one half of the two-satellite payload flown in the sixth launch of the Vela program. It is described as a spin-stabilized, polyhedral satellite.

### Q: When was Vela 6A launched?
A: Vela 6A was launched on 1970-04-08.

### Q: Which rocket launched Vela 6A?
A: The launch vehicle for Vela 6A was a Titan IIIC.

### Q: What identifiers and other names does Vela 6A have?
A: Vela 6A has COSPAR ID 1970-027A, SCN 04366, and aliases including Vela 11 (TRW) and PL-702B.

## Why It Matters
Vela 6A is part of a documented sequence of satellites in the Vela program and represents the design choices and operational practices of that program’s sixth launch. As one of two spin-stabilized, polyhedral satellites launched together, Vela 6A illustrates an engineering approach—spin stabilization combined with a polyhedral form factor—used for that mission. Its launch on 1970-04-08 aboard a Titan IIIC places it within the historical context of early 1970s spacecraft deployments and mid‑generation launch vehicles. The multiple identifiers and aliases (COSPAR ID 1970-027A, SCN 04366, Vela 11 (TRW), PL-702B) make Vela 6A traceable across archival records and technical catalogs. For researchers, historians, or data systems indexing space missions, Vela 6A provides a concrete example of program-level satellite pairs, launch-vehicle selection, and naming/identification practices used in that era.

## Notable For
- Being one of two spin-stabilized, polyhedral satellites in the Vela program’s sixth launch.  
- Launch date of 1970-04-08, placing it in the early 1970s era of space missions.  
- Launch aboard a Titan IIIC launch vehicle.  
- Multiple formal identifiers and aliases: COSPAR ID 1970-027A, SCN 04366, Vela 11 (TRW), PL-702B.

## Body

### Overview
- Name: Vela 6A (also written Vela6A).  
- Type: Spacecraft.  
- Role in program: One of two satellites comprising the sixth launch in the Vela program.  
- Physical/configuration summary: Described as spin-stabilized and polyhedral.

### Launch
- Launch date: 1970-04-08.  
- Launch vehicle: Titan IIIC.  
- The vehicle and date correspond to the sixth launch event of the Vela program.

### Design and configuration
- Stabilization: Spin-stabilized.  
- Shape/configuration: Polyhedral satellite.  
- Pairing: Flown as one of two satellites in the same launch.

### Identifiers and aliases
- COSPAR ID / NSSDC ID: 1970-027A.  
- Spacecraft number (SCN): 04366.  
- Other names/aliases: Vela 11 (TRW), PL-702B, 04366, Vela6A.

### Classification and program context
- Instance of: Spacecraft.  
- Program: Vela program.  
- Launch order: Sixth launch in the Vela program; Vela 6A was one of the two satellites making up that launch.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report