Vela 1B

Vela 1B was the second satellite in the Vela Hotel series, a series of satellites launched by the United States to monitor compliance with the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty. The primary mission of Vela 1B, along with its twin Vela 1A, was to detect nuclear explosions in space and the upper atmosphere. The satellites were equipped with X-ray, gamma-ray, and neutron detectors to identify the characteristic radiation signatures of such events. Vela 1B was launched on July 17, 1963, from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas-Agena B rocket. It operated successfully for several years, contributing significantly to the monitoring of nuclear testing activity and also providing valuable data on cosmic gamma-ray bursts. The Vela satellites are considered important precursors to modern satellite-based arms control verification systems and also made significant contributions to the field of astrophysics. They helped to define the characteristics of gamma-ray bursts, a phenomenon that remains an area of intense astronomical research.