Chronology - Quarter 1 1953

home topic index

Previous Home Next 1953 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Deacon. Model: Deacon. F-100 Model Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1953 January - Launch Vehicle: Buran, Burya, EKR. Expert commission examined the EKR design Nation: USSR. Program: Navaho. Spacecraft: M-42. In 1951 to 1953 Korolev's design bureau had prepared an experimental trisonic ramjet design, the EKR.The expert commission ifelt that there were still many technical problems to be solved, most of which were better handled by an aircraft designer rather than Korolev. Further, Korolev had to place the highest priority on development of the R-7 ICBM. Therefore a final government decree on 20 May 1954 authorised the Lavochkin and Myasishchev aircraft design bureaux to proceed in parallel with full-scale development of trisonic intercontinental cruise missiles. 1953 January - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: Atlas A. Millikan Committee Report Nation: USA. Millikan Committee report issued, saying Atlas could be operational by 1963 References: 4460. 1953 January - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. REAP Program Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. North American's rocket group begins the Rocket Engine Advancement Program, to identify improved rocket technology. One early conclusion was that the performance and logistics could be significantly improved by shifting from alcohol to kerosene fuel, using a new specification RP-1. The decision is made to change the propellants for the Navaho G-38 production version booster. The LR71 engine, modified to burn kerosene, would be designated LR83. This in turn was the basic engine that would power the Thor, Jupiter, Atlas, Saturn I, and Delta rockets into the next century. References: 221. 1953 January 14 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Deacon. Model: Quad Deacon. Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1953 January 20 - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower inaugurated president of United States Nation: USA. 1953 February 1 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Camp Cooke again inactivated. (Future Vandenberg) Nation: USA. References: 88. 1953 February 6 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark. Model: MX-775. LV Configuration: MX-775 N-25 GM-974. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1953 February 10 - 21:09 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 12. Mass spectrometer Aeronomy / chemical / chemical release mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 137 km (85 mi). Composition, cosmic radiation research. Launched at 1409 local time. Reached 137 km. References: 2. 1953 February 11 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-2. LV Configuration: RV-A-10 1. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). References: 2. 1953 February 12 - 07:09 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 13. Mass spectrometer Aeronomy / chemical / chemical release mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 137 km (85 mi). Composition, cosmic radiation research. Launched at 0009 local time. Reached 137.3 km. References: 2. 1953 February 13 - Launch Vehicle: EKR, Kosmos 2, R-11, R-5, Soyuz. Authorisation for development of Soviet intermediate and intercontinental range missiles. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On approval of work on themes T1 and T2, on approval of work on the R-5, R-11, and EKR missiles, and on transferring draft project work for the R-12 from NII-88 to SKB-586' was issued. The decree set forth three phases of state trials tests for the R-5 missile. References: 474. 1953 February 14 - X-1A Flight 2 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1A flight 2. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1A. Crew: Ziegler. Bell flight 2. Planned as powered flight, but completed as glide flight following propellant-system difficulties. References: 49, 97. 1953 February 14 - X-1A Flight 1 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1A flight 1. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1A. Crew: Ziegler. Bell flight 1. Pilot familiarization. Fuel jettison test. Glide flight only. References: 49, 97. 1953 February 18 - USSR commission for upper atmosphere research. Nation: USSR. Academy of Sciences Decree 'On formation of AN USSR Commission for Research on the Upper Layers of the Atmosphere' was issued. References: 474. 1953 February 18 - 06:50 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee XASR-SC-2. LV Configuration: Aerobee XASR-SC-2 SC 27. Grenades Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 109 km (67 mi). Temperature, winds research. Launched at 2350 local time. Reached 106.2 km. References: 2. 1953 February 18 - 17:42 GMT - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-A-1a. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-A-1a USAF 34. Heating / beacon test Nation: USA. Agency: ARDC. Apogee: 117 km (72 mi). Rocket performance test. Launched at 1042 local time. Reached 117.5 km. References: 2. 1953 February 19 - Chelomei's cruise missile design bureau dissolved and transferred to MiG. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 533-271 'On dissolution of OKB-51 and its transfer to OKB-155' was issued. References: 474. 1953 February 21 - X-1A Flight 3 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1A flight 3. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1A. Crew: Ziegler. Bell flight 3. First powered flight. False fire warning. References: 49, 97. 1953 March 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1 8A11. LV Configuration: R-1 8A11 No 1020. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1953 March - Launch Vehicle: Saturn V. Research on 1 million lb thrust engine begun. Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Research on 1-million-pound thrust plus engine begun at Rocketdyne, the feasibility of which was established in March 1955. References: 17, 27. 1953 March 4 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-2. LV Configuration: RV-A-10 2. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 5 - Stalin dies Nation: USSR. 1953 March 5 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1 8A11. LV Configuration: R-1 8A11 No 319. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 10 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark. Model: MX-775. LV Configuration: MX-775 N-25 GM-2337. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 13 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-3A. LV Configuration: Hermes A-3A 1. RV-A-8 test Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 15 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. FAILURE: Failure. Phase I state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). Unsuccessful. First Phase I trials launch of the 8 remaining rockets of the first production lot were fired, of which 6 reached the target area. The first launch was on 15 March 1953. The first successful flight was on 2 April 1953. The first full range flight came on 19 April 1953. References: 2. 1953 March 16 - Reorganization of Soviet missile bureaucracy. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On uniting the First and Second Chief Directorates of Council of Ministers' was issued. References: 474. 1953 March 17 - Mach 5 achieved by rocket. Nation: USA. Single-stage, air-launched rocket research vehicle exceeded Mach 5 in NACA Lewis Laboratory flight test. References: 17. 1953 March 18 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. FAILURE: Failure. Phase I state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1953 March 19 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1 8A11. LV Configuration: R-1 8A11 No 820. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 20 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Deacon. Model: Double Deacon. FAILURE: Failure. B-58 Model test flight Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1953 March 25 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-2. LV Configuration: RV-A-10 4. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 25 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-2. LV Configuration: RV-A-10 3. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). References: 2. 1953 March 26 - X-1A Flight 4 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1A flight 4. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1A. Crew: Ziegler. Bell flight 4. Plane demonstrated successful 4-cylinder engine operation. References: 49, 97. 1953 March 27 - Ministry of Defence Industry created. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On renaming the Ministry of Armaments to the Ministry of Defence Industry' was issued. References: 474. 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.