Orbiting Vehicle 1–16, was launched 11 July 1968 via Atlas F side-by-side with OV1-15. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, OV1-16 was a small, extremely dense sphere, able to withstand air drag much better than a conventional satellite. Along with OV1-15, it was the first satellite to return long-term information on the density and weather patterns of the Earth's upper atmosphere to better predict satellite orbits as well as the splash-down points of reentering satellites and spacecraft. The satellite reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 19 August 1968 after 39 days in orbit.

Orbiting Vehicle or OV, originally designated SATAR, comprised five disparate series of standardized American satellites operated by the US Air Force, launched between 1965 and 1971. Forty seven satellites were built, of which forty three were launched and thirty seven reached orbit. With the exception of the OV3 series and OV4-3, they were launched as secondary payloads, using excess space on other missions. This resulted in extremely low launch costs and short proposal-to-orbit times. Typically, OV satellites carried scientific and/or technological experiments, 184 being successfully orbited through the lifespan of the program.