Chronology - Quarter 2 1951

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Previous Home Next 1951 April 1 - Launch Site: Vernon. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Veronique. Model: Veronique P2. LV Configuration: Veronique P2 P2. Test mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1951 April 6 - XS-1 Flight 143 Nation: USA. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 62. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Yeager. NACA flight 42. Flight for RKO film Jet Pilot. Slight engine fire but no damage. References: 49, 97. 1951 April 11 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Lark. LV Configuration: Lark 231. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1951 April 16 - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: SLED. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Snark. Model: MX-775. Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First successful sled-launched Snark airframe. References: 2. 1951 April 20 - XS-1 Flight 144 Nation: USA. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 63. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Crossfield. NACA flight 43. Pilot familiarization. Reached mach 1.07. References: 49, 97. 1951 April 26 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-1. LV Configuration: Hermes A-1 6. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 24 km (14 mi). References: 2. 1951 April 27 - XS-1 Flight 145 Nation: USA. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 64. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Crossfield. NACA flight 44. Plane and instrument check. References: 49, 97. 1951 May 8 - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: SLED. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Snark. Model: MX-775. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1951 May 9 - Launch Vehicle: R-1. Plant 586 in Dnepropetrovsk to convert to missile production (future NPO Yuzhnoye). Nation: USSR. Decree 'On the Transfer of the Dnepropetrovsk Automobile Plant From the Ministry of Automobile and SM Tractor Industry to the Ministry of Armaments--transfer of Dnepropetrovsk Plant No. 586 into the Ministry of Armaments for missile production' was issued References: 474. 1951 May 15 - XS-1 Flight 146 Nation: USA. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 65. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Crossfield. NACA flight 45. Wing loads and aileron effectiveness. Aileron rolls at mach 0.90. References: 49, 97. 1951 May 24 - Chelomei OKB-23 founded. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On formation of OKB-23 at Fili' was issued. References: 474. 1951 May 24 - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: SLED. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Snark. Model: MX-775. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1951 May 29 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Lark. LV Configuration: Lark 242. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1951 June 1 - Delta wing confirmed in rocket tests. Nation: USA. NACA Langley's Pilotless Aircraft Research Division demonstrated low drag of thin delta wing (which led to F-102, F-106, B-58) with rocket-powered model flights. References: 17. 1951 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-1. R-1 production moved to Dnepropetrovsk Nation: USSR. Ministry of Armaments Decree 'On starting of series production of the R-1 at Dnepropetrovsk Plant No. 586' was issued. Factory 66 at Zlatoust was originally selected to produce the R-1 in 1949, with SKB-385 to assume production design responsibility and to develop variations of the R-1 with greater range. But the work dragged on without results, and on 1 June 1951 Beria switched R-1 production to Factory 586 at Dnepropetrovsk. He ordered engine production to begin in two months. References: 474. 1951 June - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LR43 run at 430 kN thrust Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. In preparation for development of the 540 kN LR71, the LR43 engine is run for six seconds at 430 kN thrust, compared to its 333 kN rated thrust. Preliminary design of the LR71's new lightweight tubular combustion chamber was begun. These brazed tubes would carry fuel to cool the chamber more evenly than the simpler double-walled German design of the LR43. References: 221. 1951 June - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho X-10. USAF inspects X-10 mockup. Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. The highly classified Mach-3 design, with cropped delta wing and canards, was far in advance of contemporary manned aircraft. References: 221. 1951 June 7 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Lark. LV Configuration: Lark 238. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1951 June 11 - Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. D-558 test flight. Nation: USA. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: D-558-2. Crew: Bridgeman. Navy D-558-II Douglas Sky-rocket, flown by test pilot William Bridgeman, set a new unofficial airplane speed and altitude record at Edwards AFB, Muroc Dry Lake, Calif.; speed estimated at more than 1,200 mph; altitude estimated 70,000 feet. References: 17. 1951 June 13 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-11. Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). First launch in quality assurance test series of operational missiles. References: 2. 1951 June 14 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-10. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 14 - 13:48 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-2. LV Configuration: V-2 55. FAILURE: Failure. Solar ultraviolet / x-ray / chemical release mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA/NRL. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). Carried solar and cosmic radiation experiments for Naval Research Lab. References: 2. 1951 June 18 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-1. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 19 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-2. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 20 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-3. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 22 - Launch Vehicle: Loki. LV Configuration: Loki rocket first flight. Nation: USA. JPL fired first of a series of 3,544 Loki solid-propellant antiaircraft missiles at WSPG, the Army program ending after September 1955. Loki rocket was later used in ONR Rockoon upper atmosphere balloon-launched rocket research soundings. References: 17. 1951 June 22 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-7. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 23 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-9. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 24 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-8. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 25 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-4. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 26 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-5. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 26 - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: SLED. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Snark. Model: MX-775. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1951 June 27 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-14. Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Last launch in quality assurance test series of operational missiles. References: 2. 1951 June 28 - 21:43 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-2. LV Configuration: V-2 52. FAILURE: Failure. Blossom IVF Solar/Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA/ARDC. Apogee: 6.00 km (3.70 mi). Launched 14:43 local time. Reached 5.8 km. Carried solar radiation, air glow, sky brightness experiments for Air Research and Development Command. References: 2. 1951 June 29 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Honest John. LV Configuration: Honest John 1. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. Previous Home Next Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments. Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site.. To contact astronauts or cosmonauts. © Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.