Chronology - Quarter 1 1957

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Previous Home Next 1957 - Launch Site: Tonopah. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Doorknob. Model: Doorknob 2. LV Configuration: Doorknob-2. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: Sandia. Apogee: 84 km (52 mi). References: 2. 1957 During the Year - Launch Vehicle: N1. USSR starts ion engine development Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: TMK-E. At the urging of S P Korolev, OKB-1 Section 12, led by M V Melnikov, started development of an ion engine. By 1959 it would be proposed that clusters of the 7.5 kgf thrust ion engine could take the TMK-E manned Mars spacecraft on a low acceleration spiralling trajectory away from the Earth until it finally reached escape velocity and headed toward Mars. But to power even such a limited engine solar panels with a total area of 36,000 square meters would be required - clearly beyond 1959 technology. Feoktistov's solution was to turn to the use of a nuclear reactor to power the ion engine. 1957 January 3 - X-1B Flight 16 Nation: USA. Payload: X-1B flight 16. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Crew: McKay. NACA flight 6. Mach 1.94 aerodynamic heating investigation (end of heating program). References: 49, 97. 1957 January 8 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-18 4203-18. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 140 km (80 mi). References: 2. 1957 January 11 - Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: R-7A. First Soviet ICBM base at Plesetsk is authorised. Nation: USSR. Decree 61-39ss 'On creation of launch complex Angara at NIIP-53' was issued. References: 474. 1957 January 11 - Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: R-7. Flight test program for R-7 approved. Nation: USSR. Decree 'On approval of flight-testing program for the R-7 ICBM' was issued. References: 474. 1957 January 14 - US proposed international agreement on peaceful use of outer space. Nation: USA. The United States proposed before the United Nations Assembly that study be initiated toward international agreements assuring the use of outer space for peaceful purposes only. References: 483. 1957 January 15 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-19 4203-19. FAILURE: Failure. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 2. 1957 January 19 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-5. Model: R-5M. Nuclear test Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). References: 2. 1957 January 19 - 01:37 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC6. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Model: Jupiter A. LV Configuration: Jupiter A CC-16. FAILURE: Platform roll control malfunction at 310 sec. Jupiter A Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). Launched at 2037 hours EST from AMR. The flight was successful. Actual range was 61.6 nm; 400 meters left; and 0.21 nm over the intended impact point. The primary objective was to test the accuracy of the guidance system when the missile is fired in a short range trajectory at an extreme attitude to range ratio. The missile closely followed the predicted trajectory for a successful flight which terminated 70 meters beyond and 360 meters to the Left of the expected impact point at 61.553 nm range. The short range trajectory was programmed with an extreme altitude-to-range ratio so the guidance system would be subjected to the most difficult short range expected in future tactical application. Missed aimpoint by 400 m. References: 2. 1957 January 26 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Model: Thor DM-18. LV Configuration: Thor DM-18 101. FAILURE: Lox contamination, led to a valve failure. Thrust decayed, the booster settled back through the thrust ring, causing an oxygen fire, followed by booster explosion. Series I research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555 ATW. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). First attempted test flight of USAF Thor IRBM, only 13 months after first production contracts were signed, failed to launch. References: 2. 1957 January 29 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-20 4203-20. FAILURE: Failure. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). References: 2. 1957 February 1 - Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: CERES. Launch Vehicle: Monica. Model: Monica I. Test mission Nation: France. Agency: ATEF. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). References: 2. 1957 February - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho G-38. Navaho G-38 design released to production. Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. References: 221. Spring 1957 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: Atlas A. First flight Atlas missile, 4A, delivered, and shipped to AMR Nation: USA. References: 4460. 1957 February 2 - 08:05 GMT - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee AJ10-34. LV Configuration: Aerobee AJ10-34 USAF 76. Firefly (Ethelyne) Aeronomy / chemical release mission Nation: USA. Agency: ARDC. Apogee: 143 km (88 mi). Ethylene gas release (Firefly). Launched at 0105 local time. Reached 140.6 km. References: 2. 1957 February 7 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: RM-10. First RM-10 2 stage test. Nation: USA. First of a series of two-stage test vehicles (RM-10) to make heat transfer studies at high speed in free flight, was launched from NACA's Pilotless Aircraft Reserach Station at Wallops Island, Va. Vehicle was developed by PARD of Langley Laboratory. References: 17. 1957 February 7 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-21 4203-21. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 107 km (66 mi). References: 2. 1957 February 13 - 01:51 GMT - Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 SL. Launch Vehicle: Skylark. Model: Skylark 1. LV Configuration: Skylark-1 SL01. Test mission Nation: Australia. Agency: WRE/RAE. Apogee: 12 km (7 mi). References: 2. 1957 February 14 - X-15 follow-on studied. Nation: USA. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Dynasoar. NACA established "Round Three" Steering Committee to study feasiblity of a hypersonic boost-glide research airplane. "Round Three" was considered as the third major flight research program which started with the X-series of rocket-propelled supersonic research airplanes, and which considered the X-15 research airplane as the second major program. The boost-glide program eventually became known as DynaSoar. References: 17. 1957 February 14 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-22 4203-22. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 141 km (87 mi). References: 2. 1957 February 15 - Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: R-7. Decision to build Sputnik 1 due to delays in Sputnik 3 design. Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Sputnik 1. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 171-83ss 'On Measures to Carry Out During the International Geophysical Year.--Launch of simple satellites in mid-1957' was issued. References: 474. 1957 February 27 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Navaho - the beginning of the end. Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. With the Navaho stuck on the pad, and the Atlas ICBM nearing first flight, the Air Force began cutting back funds to the Navaho. Advertising for construction of G-38 production missile support facilities at the Cape was pulled, and the program was rescheduled to accommodate a 32% funding cutback in 1958, with construction limited to 16 G-26 missiles and the first G-38 flight delayed from June 1958 to February 1959. 1957 March 1 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho G-26. Navaho launch scrub Nation: USA. Program: Navaho. There were ten attempts to launch Navaho G-26 vehicle number 4 since the first static firing test on 3 December 1956 had been unsuccessful. The vehicle was plagued with problems with the engines and APU, resulting in engine burn-through, engine non-ignition, as well as other unrelated problems - ramjet engine fires, destruct package failures. The vehicle was pulsed from the launch order. References: 221. 1957 March 1 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-23 4203-23. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 151 km (93 mi). References: 2. 1957 March - Tikhonravov first manned and lunar spacecraft designs. Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Vostok. In the spring of 1957 Korolev organised project section 9, with Tikhonravov at its chief, to design new spacecraft. By April they had completed a research plan to build a piloted spacecraft and an unmanned lunar probe, using the R-7 as the basis for the launch vehicle. 1957 March - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: Atlas A. Atlas 4A erected on AMR LC-14 Nation: USA. References: 4460. 1957 Spring - Soviet reconnaisance system designs continue Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Zenit, Zenit-2. Studies were undertaken for military reconnaissance satellites. Code names for these studies were: Shchit - military reconnaissance systems; Osnova - military reconnaissance equipment; Ediniy KIK - military reconnaissance control systems. 1957 March 1 - 21:51 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC5. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Jupiter. LV Configuration: Jupiter IRBM AM-1A. FAILURE: Missile break-up attributed to overheating in the tail section. Research and development test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF/ABMA. Apogee: 14 km (8 mi). The first Jupiter flight was fired at 1651 hours EST from AMR. The missile achieved a 48,000 foot altitude. Flight terminated at 7.4 seconds because of missile break-up. Failure was attributed to overheating in the tail section. The trajectory to this point was as predicted. References: 2. 1957 March 4 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: R-7. Checkout of first R-7 starts Nation: USSR. References: 78. 1957 March 11 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-24 4203-A3. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 134 km (83 mi). References: 2. 1957 March 12 - Test Pilot Jack Ridley dies at age of 41 -- Killed as passenger aboard C-47 transport that crashed into a mountain in Japan. Nation: USA. 1957 March 13 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC22. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Goose. Model: Bull Goose. LV Configuration: Bull Goose Dummy. Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 20 km (12 mi). References: 2. 1957 March 14 - 08:12 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC6. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Model: Jupiter A. LV Configuration: Jupiter A CC-32. FAILURE: Platform interference caused control malfunction at re-entry. Jupiter A Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). The first missile shipped directly from the Chrysler Factory to the test site to be flight tested was launched at 0312 hours EST from AMR The flight was successful. Actual range was 138.178 nm; 2.2 nm under; and 1250 meters left of the intended impact point. The missile functioned properly until 182 seconds when an unexplainable pitch deviation caused a slow tilting of the missile top section. The cut-off function at 120 seconds and the separation function at 135 seconds, after flight zero time, were both satisfactory. Missed aimpoint by 4,183 m. References: 2. 1957 March 18 - Launch Vehicle: Saturn C-3, Saturn I, Saturn V. NERVA research cut back. Nation: USA. Program: NERVA. As a result of guidance from the Secretary of Defense as to desired level of effort, the Atomic Energy Commission reduced its program on nuclear rocket propulsion to a single laboratory effort, phasing out work at the University of California Radiation Laboratory and concentrating AEC development efforts at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. References: 17. 1957 March 21 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: X-17. LV Configuration: X-17 R-25 4203-A4. Re-entry vehicle test Nation: USA. Agency: USAF 6555ATW. Apogee: 103 km (64 mi). References: 2. 1957 March 22 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC9. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Navaho. Model: Navaho G-26. LV Configuration: Navaho II SM-64 06. FAILURE: Ground pod failed to jettison; booster damaged and did not achieve speed/altitude required for cruise stage ignition. Navaho G-26 Flight 2 Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 9.00 km (5.50 mi). G-26 number two / booster 6 lifted off after a 9 hour 48 minute countdown with nearly five hours of holds, on the first attempt after two successful static firings. However failure of a launch lanyard meant the kerosene start-pod on the booster remained attached. This sheared off at 4500 m, causing extensive booster damage. Thrust decayed. The cruise stage separated at Mach 1.3 at 28,300 feet, but this was below ramjet ignition speed. However the pilot on the ground was able to assume radio control of the vehicle, and flew it in a glide over the ocean, even demonstrating landing gear deployment before it pancaked into the water. References: 2. 1957 March 25 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-11. Model: R-11M. Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). References: 2. 1957 March 28 - 01:22 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC6. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Model: Jupiter A. LV Configuration: Jupiter A CC-30. Jupiter A Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). Launched at 2022 hours EST from AMR. The flight was successful from the standpoint of missions accomplished, with cut-off time 112 seconds and separation time 126 seconds after range zero time. Impact point was 220 meters short and 320 meters to the right, a radial miss distance of 390 meters, primary objective was to test the accuracy of the guidance system when the missile was fired in a short range trajectory at an extreme altitude to range ratio. Missed aimpoint by 390 m. References: 2. 1957 March 29 - 04:51 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee RTV-N-10c. LV Configuration: Aerobee RTV-N-10c NRL 31. NRL NN2.26 Ultraviolet astronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 135 km (83 mi). Night sky research. Launched at 2151 local time. Reached 135 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.