Military Defense Alarm System satellite designed to detect ICBMs using 175 infrared detectors. This launch also carried a batch of West Ford needles. April 9, 1962 at 15:04 UTC · Launch Successful Atlas LV-3 Agena B — United States Air Force, to Polar Orbit Space Launch Complex 3E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA The world's 155th orbital launch attempt, and 13th of 1962. Data: Launch Library 2, The Space Devs. Image by NASA (NASA Image and Media Guidelines) via The Space Devs.