FOIA: Photo of Vela satellite(s) at a manufacturing or preflight facility, page

vela2.pdf
Photo of Vela satellite at a manufacturing or preflight facility.
This appears to be a close up photograph of the Vela satellite(s) at a manufacturing or pre-flight facility.
Document date: 1111-11-11
Department: unknown
Author: unknown
Document type: photograph
pages: 1

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Archivist's Notes: Good quality photograph. Unknown source.

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A very nice photo that goes well with some of the other documents to illustrate just what a Vela satellite looks like.

Especially Sandia Laboratories Report on Alert 747 which is very rich with technical information on the Vela satellites and their capabilities.

As I said in the other thread of another Photo of Vela satellite in orbit over Earth this was probably part of another document to provide more information on the capabilities of the US to detect nuclear explosions after the Vela Incident. This satellite had the capability to detect the light flash of an atmospheric nuclear explosion and alert the US government. In the case of the Vela incident, it was the only evidence obtained, which is usually followed up with air samples and seismic readings.

Related FOIA Documents:
FOIA: DCIA memo on the Sep 22, 1979 Vela Satellite event recording a suspected nuclear test
FOIA: Sandia Laboratories report on the Sep 22, 1979 Vela satellite event - Alert 747

Related Links:
Wikipedia article on the Vela Incident

I found a site a website that shows both of the Vela satellite photographs from these documents.

The Vela-5B satellite (Photo credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
The Vela Incident - Nuclear Test or Meteoroid?

NASA on Vela 5


[edit on 11/23/2007 by roadgravel]

[edit on 11/23/2007 by roadgravel]