Chronology - Quarter 4 1954

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Previous Home Next 1954 October 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-11. Model: R-11FM. Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 5 - 18:15 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-N-10b. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-N-10b RTV-N-10b. Remote sensing mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 158 km (98 mi). Rocket performance test. Launched at 1115 local time. Reached 158 km. References: 2. 1954 October 6 - X-1B Flight 3 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 2. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Ridley. AF flight 2. Glide flight, aborted power flight because of evidence of high lox-tank pressure. References: 49, 97. 1954 October 8 - X-1B Flight 4 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 3. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Murray. AF flight 3. First powered flight. References: 49, 97. 1954 October 13 - X-1B Flight 5 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 4. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Stephens. AF flight 4. References: 49, 97. 1954 October 14 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. First American four-stage rocket Nation: USA. The first American four-stage rocket was launched by the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division of NACA's Langley Laboratory at Wallops Island. NACA's PARD four-stage, solid-fuel rocket obtained heat transfer data to Mach 10.4. References: 17. 1954 October 14 - 20:24 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Nike HPAG. Stability test Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 14 - 21:20 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Nike T40 T55. Hypersonic Test re-entry vehicle test flight Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 352 km (218 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 14 - 22:12 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Nike T40. F40 Heat Transfer test Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 17 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Bechar. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Veronique. LV Configuration: Veronique NA13. FAILURE: Failure. Test / ionosphere mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 39 km (24 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 18 - Launch Vehicle: Saturn C-3, Saturn I, Saturn V. Nuclear rocket engine proposed. Nation: USA. Program: NERVA. At the suggestion of Theodore von Kármán and following a request of Gen. H. B. Thatcher, an Ad Hoc Committee of the Scientific Advisory Board met in the Pentagon to consider the application of nuclear energy to missile propulsion. In its report, the Committee "noted that there was an almost complete hiatus in the study of the nuclear rocket from 1947 following a report by North American Aviation, until a 1953 report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Because the technical problems appear so severe, and because another 6 years of no progress in this area would seem to be unfortunate," the Committee felt that a continuing study both analytical and experimental, at a modest level of effort, should be carried on. References: 17. 1954 October 19 - X-1B Flight 6 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 5. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Childs. AF flight 5. References: 49, 97. 1954 October 19 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-3B. LV Configuration: Hermes A-3B 5. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: GE. Apogee: 36 km (22 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 20 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-11. Model: R-11FM. Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 2. 1954 October 26 - X-1B Flight 7 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 6. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Hanes. AF flight 6. References: 49, 97. 1954 October 29 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Bechar. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Veronique. LV Configuration: Veronique NA12. Test mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). References: 2. 1954 November 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 November 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 November 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. Late 1954 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: Atlas A. Atlas further reduced in size Nation: USA. Atlas size reduced from 12-foot to 10-foot diameter, with 3 large engines References: 4460. 1954 November 4 - X-1B Flight 8 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 7. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Harer. AF flight 7. References: 49, 97. 1954 November 16 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Hermes. Model: Hermes A-3B. LV Configuration: Hermes A-3B 6. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: GE. Apogee: 34 km (21 mi). References: 2. 1954 November 17 - 18:12 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC4. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Model: Redstone. LV Configuration: Redstone RS-6. FAILURE: Ground programmed yaw maneuver caused missile control loss at 80 sec causing power plant erratic behavior. Human error in selection of yaw maneuver impulse. Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). Missile test failure. Missed aimpoint by 166,300 m. References: 2. 1954 November 18 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Navaho inertial system tested. Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. Inertial guidance system for Navaho X-10 missile tested in first flight at Downey, California aboard North American's T-39 testbed. References: 17. 1954 November 20 - Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: R-7. R-7 draft project approved. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On approval of the R-7 draft project' was issued. References: 474. 1954 November 26 - X-1B Flight 9 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 8. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Holtoner. AF flight 8. References: 49, 97. 1954 November 30 - X-1B Flight 10 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 9. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Everest. AF flight 9. References: 49, 97. 1954 November 30 - Sylacauga Meteorite Fall (Hit Woman) Nation: USA. 1954 November 30 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1 8A11. LV Configuration: R-1 8A11 No 1915. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1954 December 1 - Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho X-10. LV Configuration: X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307. Navaho X-10 flight 11 Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. First successful automated landing system flight. References: 2, 17. 1954 December 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-11. Model: R-11. Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 2. 1954 December 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 620. Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1954 December 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 December 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 December 1 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5. Phase 3 state trials launch Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). References: 2. 1954 December - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: Atlas A. Atlas full-scale development Nation: USA. First major Atlas WS107A1 development and construction contract awarded Convair; CEP 2-3 NM, IOC by 1960-62 References: 4460. 1954 December - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Navaho G-26 booster static testing begins Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. References: 221. 1954 December 2 - X-1B Flight 11 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 10. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: Everest. AF flight 10. Mach 2.3 at 19825 m. References: 49, 97. 1954 December 16 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: Atlas A. Atlas publicly announced. Nation: USA. USAF announced Atlas ICBM under construction by Convair. References: 17, 278. 1954 December 16 - Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho X-10. LV Configuration: X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307. Navaho X-10 flight 12 Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. Second successful automated landing system flight. References: 2, 17. 1954 December 20 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: FFAR. D37 model test flight Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 5.00 km (3.10 mi). References: 2. 1954 December 31 - Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Hermes program terminated. Nation: USA. Army Ordnance terminated the Hermes project, during which development of high-performance liquid-fuel rocket and first stabilized platform inertial guidance equipment had been accomplished. References: 17. 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.