Johnston Island LE2
Site · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Delta launch complex. Launch Emplacement 2. Johnston Island northwest end (possibly former Vandenberg AFB LE-8).
Related
- Country
- USA
- Launch Vehicles
- Thor DSV-2E, Thor DSV-2J
- Launch Sites
- Johnston Island
Chronology
13 events
1962 October 16
09:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2E. FAILURE: At 86 seconds after launch a booster failure occurred and the missile began tumbling.. Failed Stage: 1.- BLUEGILL DOUBLE PRIME Nuclear test - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF.
Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).
The third attempt to launch a nuclear warhead using a Thor IRBM. At 86 seconds after launch a booster failure occurred and the missile began tumbling. Range safety destroyed the errant booster at 156 seconds after launch. Some radioactive fallout from the warhead was detected on Johnston Atoll.
1962 November 1
11:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2E.- KINGFISH Nuclear test - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF.
Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
A Thor IRBM was used to launch a Mk 4 Reentry Vehicle containing a 186 kg W-50 nuclear warhead of either 200 or 400 kilotons yield. The detonation occurred at an altitude of 98 km, 69 km SSW of Johnston Atoll, and resulted in dramatic aurora-like effects visible as far away as Hawaii. More notably, the explosion had a massive effect on the ionosphere which disrupted radio communications over the entire central Pacific for three hours.
1964 April 21
06:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J.1964 May 28
07:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: 3.1965 April 5
07:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J.1965 December 7
02:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J.1966 January 18
18:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J.1966 March 12
00:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J.1966 July 2
20:53 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J.1970 April 24
Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE2. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2J. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: 4.- SDP test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). ASAT test, Thor collided with satellite.