Chronology - Quarter 2 1952

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Previous Home Next 1952 April 1 - Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Contractor to build Redstone rocket. Nation: USA. The Office, Chief of Ordnance (OCO) disapproved Redstone Arsenal's proposed development plan for what would become the Redstone missile. The arsenal had intended to implement the manufacturing program for these missiles by creating an assembly line in its own development shops. The OCO, however, required that the development effort be done by a prime contractor. Nonetheless, delays in the acquisition of production facilities for the prime contractor caused Redstone Arsenal to fabricate and assemble the first 12 Redstone missiles along with missiles 18 through 29. 1952 April - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. X-7 tests prototype Navaho ramjet Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. A 20-inch diameter ramjet, a subscale version of the 40-inch engine for the Navaho, first flies on the X-7 rocket. Of the seven launches, only one was completely successful, and two partially successful. References: 221. 1952 April 7 - MY BIRTHDAY Nation: USA. References: 4. 1952 April 8 - Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Redstone rocket named. Nation: USA. The Redstone missile system officially received its popular name. Previously, this missile was known at various times and places as the Hermes C1, Major, Ursa, XSSM-G-14, and XSSM-A-14. 1952 April 10 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Lark. LV Configuration: Lark 602. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1952 April 17 - Bell proposal for Bomi. Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Dynasoar, Bomi. The Bell Aircraft Company offered a proposal to the Wright Air Development Center for a manned bomber-missile, known as Bomi. 1952 April 17 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Lark. LV Configuration: Lark 601. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1952 April 22 - 17:28 GMT - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-A-1. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-A-1 USAF 24. Ionosphere Propagation Ionosphere mission Nation: USA. Agency: ARDC. Apogee: 116 km (72 mi). Ionosphere research. Launched at 1028 local time. Reached 112.7 km. References: 2. 1952 April 24 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 17R. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 April 29 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 18R. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 April 30 - 13:30 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-N-10. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-N-10 NRL 8. Ultraviolet detectors Solar ultraviolet / chemical release mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 128 km (79 mi). Cosmic radiation, solar radiation research. Launched at 0630 local time. Reached 127.8 km. References: 2. 1952 May - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho G-38. Preliminary design of the Navaho G-38 begins. Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. References: 221. 1952 May 1 - 14:59 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-N-10. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-N-10 NRL 9. Ultraviolet detectors Solar x-ray and ultraviolet mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 126 km (78 mi). Solar radiation research. Launched at 0842 local time. Reached 91.8 km. References: 2. 1952 May 5 - 13:44 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-N-10. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-N-10 NRL 10. Ultraviolet detectors Solar x-ray / ultraviolet / chemical release mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 127 km (78 mi). Cosmic radiation, solar radiation research. Launched at 0644 local time. Reached 127 km. References: 2. 1952 May 12 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 19R. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 May 16 - International Geophysical Year Committee established. Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Vanguard 2, Sputnik 3. The Special Committee for the International Polar Year (later designated the International Geophysical Year), was established. References: 483. 1952 May 16 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 20RSC. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 May 16 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: HVAR. D18 model test flight Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 5.00 km (3.10 mi). References: 2. 1952 May 20 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Bechar. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Veronique. LV Configuration: Veronique N1. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 19 km (11 mi). References: 2. 1952 May 20 - 16:06 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-2. LV Configuration: V-2 59/TF2. Test / photography / aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA/SCEL. Apogee: 124 km (77 mi). Launched 09:06 local time. Reached 103.7 km. Carried composition, photography experiments for Signal Corps Engineering Lab, University of Michigan. V-2 number 58 never launched. References: 2. 1952 May 21 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Bechar. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Veronique. LV Configuration: Veronique N2. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 14 km (8 mi). References: 2. 1952 May 22 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Bechar. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Veronique. LV Configuration: Veronique N3. Test mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 60 km (37 mi). References: 2. 1952 May 23 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 21R. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 June 1 - NACA first test of liquid fluorine oxidizer. Nation: USA. NACA Lewis Laboratory completed first rocket combustion tests using the high-energy propellant liquid fluorine as an oxidant. References: 17. 1952 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. R-2 test brigades organised Nation: USSR. The 54th and 56th brigades were formed for test launches at Kapustin Yar. R-2's were deployed in rocket brigades equipped with six launchers (three divisions per brigade, each division with two batteries). 1952 June - Navy human centrifuge began operations. Nation: USA. The Navy's Johnsville, Pennsylvania, human centrifuge began operations. This installation was later designated the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory (AMAL) and was used extensively in the training of the Mercury astronauts. References: 483. 1952 June - Launch Vehicle: R-1. First R-1 delivery from Dnepropetrovsk Nation: USSR. First Dnepropetrovsk production R-1, albeit still containing many parts and assemblies fabricated at NII-88, was finally complete. 1952 June - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho G-26. USAF inspects Navaho G-26 mockup Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. References: 221. 1952 June - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. First static firing of LR71 test engine Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. The 540 kN combustion chamber was the most powerful ever tested, but still used the double-walled combustion chamber design of the LR43 rather than the brazed tubular wall construction planned for the production LR71. Build of the first engine to this design would be completed in October. References: 221. 1952 June 3 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: HVAR. F12 model test flight Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 5.00 km (3.10 mi). References: 2. 1952 June 6 - 17:30 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: NLA. Launch Vehicle: Viking. Model: Viking Type 9. LV Configuration: Viking Type 9 8. FAILURE: Failed on static firing. Accidentally launched during ground test. Viking 8 test Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 6.00 km (3.70 mi). Surge in thrust ripped rocket from the two bolts holding it to the pad and it flew horizontally across the launch site. Reached 6 km. References: 2. 1952 June 18 - Blunt reentry vehicle concept advocated. Nation: USA. Program: Mercury. H. Julian Allen of NACA Ames Laboratory conceived the "blunt nose principle" which submitted that a blunt shape would absorb only one-half of 1 perecent of the heat generated by the reentry of a body into the earth's atmosphere. This principle was later significant to ICBM nose cone and the Mercury capsule development. References: 17. 1952 June 18 - 17:50 GMT - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-A-1. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-A-1 USAF 27. UV / Opt spectrographs Solar ultraviolet mission Nation: USA. Agency: ARDC. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Solar radiation research. Launched at 1050 local time. Reached 99.8 km. References: 2. 1952 June 19 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 22R. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 June 24 - NACA to increase research on flight to 50 miles/Mach 10. Nation: USA. Spacecraft: X-15A. The NACA Committee on Aerodynamics recommended that NACA increase its research efforts on the problem of manned and unmanned flight at altitudes between 12 and 50 miles and at speeds of mach 4 through 10. As a result of this recommendation, the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory began preliminary studies on this project and immediately identified several problem areas. Two of these areas were aerodynamic heating and the achievement of stability and control at very high altitudes and speeds. Of the two, Langley considered aerodynamic heating to be the more serious, and, until this problem was resolved, the design of practical spacecraft impractical. References: 483. 1952 June 27 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Corporal. Model: Corporal. LV Configuration: Corporal 24R. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA?. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1952 June 30 - 14:32 GMT - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-A-1. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-A-1 USAF 28. AF Airglow 1 Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: ARDC. Apogee: 101 km (62 mi). Sky brightness research. Launched at 0732 local time. Reached 101.4 km. 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.