February 24

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On this day in:

1947 - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Vehicle: WAC. LV Configuration: WAC B 29B.

  • WAC Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA OR. Apogee: 73 km (45 mi).

1948 -
  • XS-1 Flight 71 Nation: USA. Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 42. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Fitzgerald.

    AF flight 20. Engine fire after launch forced jettisoning of propellants, completed as a glide flight. However Fitz-Gerald reached 12.1 km and reached Mach 1.10 before the engine was shut off, in the process becoming the second person to break the sound barrier.

1949 - 22:14 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Vehicle: V-2. Model: Bumper-WAC. LV Configuration: Bumper-WAC Bumper 5.
  • V-2 Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 393 km (244 mi).

    Fully fueled round used and attained highest altitude to that date. In addition to testing equipment the flight was used to measure upper air temperatures. V-2 reached 102 km, 1170 m/s; WAC 400 km, 2300 m/s. Provided information on ion densities in the F-region of the ionosphere.

1956 -
  • Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of U.S.S.R. Communist Party, denounces Stalin's excesses Nation: USSR.

1958 - 05:49 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Nike-Cajun. Model: Nike Cajun. LV Configuration: Nike Cajun II6.27F.
  • Nike-Cajun Chemical release/Plasma mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 129 km (80 mi).

1958 - 07:00 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150. Model: Aerobee Hi. LV Configuration: Aerobee Hi NN3.14F.
  • Aerobee 150 NRL NN3.14F Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 207 km (128 mi).

1958 - 07:35 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Nike-Cajun. Model: Nike Cajun. LV Configuration: Nike Cajun AM6.37.
  • Nike-Cajun Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 145 km (90 mi).

1960 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC15. Launch Vehicle: Titan 1. Model: Titan I. LV Configuration: Titan I G-4.
  • Titan 1 RVX-4 test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

1961 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.
  • Mercury spacecraft No. 9 was delivered to Cape Canaveral Nation: USA. Program: Mercury. Spacecraft: Mercury.

    Spacecraft No. 9 was delivered to Cape Canaveral for the Mercury-Atlas 5 (MA-5) orbital primate (Enos) mission.

1961 - 00:19 GMT - Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Vehicle: Nike-Cajun. Model: Nike Cajun. LV Configuration: Nike Cajun AA6.170.
  • Nike-Cajun Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 133 km (82 mi).

1961 - 18:29 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC13. Launch Vehicle: Atlas E. LV Configuration: Atlas E 9E.
  • Atlas E Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,500 km (900 mi).

    First successful Atlas E flight.

1962 - Launch Vehicle: R-21.
  • R-21 Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1964 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF02. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1B. LV Configuration: Minuteman 1B 813.
  • Minuteman 1 Operational missile test Nation: USA. Agency: SAC 1STRAD. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1964 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF03. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1B. LV Configuration: Minuteman 1B 688.
  • Minuteman 1 Operational missile test Nation: USA. Agency: SAC 1STRAD. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1966 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF04. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1A. LV Configuration: Minuteman 1A 629 (63-112).
  • Minuteman 1 Follow-on operational missile test Nation: USA. Agency: SAC 1STRAD. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1966 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: ETR. Launch Pad: SLBM Launch Area. Launch Vehicle: Polaris A3. LV Configuration: Polaris A3 A3P-380.
  • Polaris A3 Operational Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

1966 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF06. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1A. LV Configuration: Minuteman 1A 529 (63-005).
  • Minuteman 1 Follow-on operational missile test Nation: USA. Agency: SAC 1STRAD. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1967 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Blandine. Launch Vehicle: Veronique 61. LV Configuration: Veronique 61 VA81.
  • Veronique 61 Test mission Nation: France. Agency: FR. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

    FU176 Technology (recovery) mission.

1967 - 19:55 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC4. Launch Pad: SLC4W. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3B. Model: Titan IIIB. LV Configuration: Titan IIIB 3B-4.
  • OPS 4204 Nation: USA. Payload: KH-8 no. 04 / Agena D. Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: KH-8. Agency: NRO/USAF. Perigee: 135 km (83 mi). Apogee: 414 km (257 mi). Inclination: 107.00 deg. Period: 90.00 min. COSPAR: 1967-016A. USAF Sat Cat: 2687. Decay Date: 1967-03-06.

    KH-8 type satellite. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1968 -
  • Discovery of the first Pulsar

1970 -
  • X-24 Flight 9 Nation: USA. Payload: X-24A flight 9. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: X-24A. Crew: Gentry.

    Glide. Maximum Speed - 819 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14326 m. Flight Time - 258 sec.

1970 - 07:19 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant IVA. LV Configuration: Black Brant IVA AAD-4-23.
  • Black Brant Ionosphere/Plasma mission Nation: Canada. Apogee: 796 km (494 mi).

1970 - 19:10 GMT - Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Complex: S. Launch Vehicle: Skylark. Model: Skylark 2. LV Configuration: Skylark 2 S70/1.
  • Skylark ESRO S70/1 Ionosphere mission Nation: Europe. Agency: ESRO. Apogee: 186 km (115 mi).

1970 - 20:00 GMT - Launch Site: El Arenosillo. Launch Vehicle: Skua. Model: Skua 2. LV Configuration: Skua 2 SM-7007.
  • Skua Ionosphere mission Nation: UK. Apogee: 102 km (63 mi).

1971 -
  • VVS position to limit duration of DOS missions hopeless. Nation: USSR. Program: Salyut.

    Kutakhov calls Smirnov to give the VVS position on DOS-7K flights. He is told that Mishin has not only Ustinov and Smirnov, but even Brezhnev behind him in support of 30, and then 60 day spaceflight durations aboard DOS. The VVS' position of limiting flights to 20 to 24 days has no chance.

1971 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF25. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 2.
  • Minuteman 2 FOT GT102F Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1971 - 14:40 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150. Model: Aerobee 150. LV Configuration: Aerobee 150 NASA 04.249NA.
  • Aerobee 150 Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1973 - 01:20 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant IIIB. LV Configuration: Black Brant IIIB AAD-3B-65.
  • Black Brant Aeronomy mission Nation: Canada. Agency: Canada. Apogee: 190 km (110 mi).

1974 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC101. Launch Vehicle: R-36M. Model: R-36M 15A14.
  • R-36M State trials missile test Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

1974 - 14:10 GMT - Launch Site: Kheysa. Launch Vehicle: MR-12. LV Configuration: MR-12 MR-12.
  • MR-12 Aeronomy/Ionosphere/Chemical release/Plasma mission Nation: USSR. Apogee: 165 km (102 mi).

1975 - 05:25 GMT - Launch Site: Kagoshima. Launch Complex: M. Launch Pad: M. Launch Vehicle: Mu-3. Model: Mu-3C. LV Configuration: Mu-3C M-3C-2.
  • SS-03 Taiyo Nation: Japan. Payload: SRATS. Mass: 86 kg (189 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: SS. Agency: ISAS. Perigee: 254 km (157 mi). Apogee: 3,125 km (1,941 mi). Inclination: 31.50 deg. Period: 120.20 min. COSPAR: 1975-014A. USAF Sat Cat: 7671. Decay Date: 1980-06-29.

    Examined solar radiation, thermospheric structure. SRATS (Solar and Thermospheric Radiation Satellite) is the third Japanese scientific satellite, to study the intereffects of solar radiation and the thermosphere of the earth. National name: Taiyo. Launch time 0525 GMT.

1976 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF04. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 2.
  • Minuteman 2 FOT GT124M Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1976 - 19:20 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 170. Model: Aerobee 170. LV Configuration: Aerobee 170 GL A04.305-1.
  • Aerobee 170 Solar X-ray/Ultraviolet mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 221 km (137 mi).

1976 - 21:30 GMT - Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: LA2. Launch Vehicle: Lorikeet. LV Configuration: Lorikeet 2013.
  • Lorikeet Aeronomy mission? Nation: Australia. Agency: WRE. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1977 - 01:30 GMT - Launch Site: Kheysa. Launch Vehicle: MR-12. LV Configuration: MR-12 MR-12.
  • MR-12 Aeronomy/Fields mission Nation: USSR. Apogee: 170 km (100 mi).

1978 -
  • Body flap on dock, Palmdale, Columbia (OV-102) Nation: USA. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Columbia.

1979 - 08:24 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC3. Launch Pad: SLC3W. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Model: Atlas F/OIS. LV Configuration: Atlas F/OIS 27F.
  • Solwind (P 78-1) Nation: USA. Payload: P 78-1. Mass: 1,331 kg (2,934 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: Solwind. Agency: USN. Perigee: 310 km (190 mi). Apogee: 317 km (196 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. Period: 90.80 min. COSPAR: 1979-017A. USAF Sat Cat: 11278. Decay Date: 1985-09-30.

    Ionosphere and magnetosphere studies; destroyed on 13 September 1985 (while still functioning) as part of an American ASAT test.

1979 - 16:52 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk. LV Configuration: Nike Tomahawk NASA 18.1020UE.
  • Nike Tomahawk Range check mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 130 km (80 mi).

    Range check. Launched from Red Lake, Chukuni Range, Ontario, Canada - Latitude: 50.88 N, Longitude:93.47 W.

1983 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF26. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3.
  • Minuteman 3 FOT GT92GB Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1986 - 11:53 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC36. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant IX. LV Configuration: Black Brant IX NASA 36.10DL.
  • Black Brant Halley's Comet astronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 312 km (193 mi).

1991 - Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.
  • Al Hussein Combat launch - target: Israel Nation: Iraq. Agency: IRAQ. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

    Launched from Mobile launchers in Iraq, western launch area - Latitude: 34.00 N - Longitude: 41.00 E.

1991 - 01:32 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.
  • Al Hussein Combat launch - target: Riyadh. Nation: Iraq. Agency: IRAQ. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

    Launched from Mobile launchers in Iraq, SE of Basra - Latitude: 30.50 N - Longitude: 48.00 E.

1991 - 06:23 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.
  • Al Hussein Combat launch - target: Riyadh. Nation: Iraq. Agency: IRAQ. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

    Launched from Mobile launchers in Iraq, SE of Basra - Latitude: 30.50 N - Longitude: 48.00 E.

1991 - 09:17 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.
  • Al Hussein Combat launch - target: King Khalid Military City Nation: Iraq. Agency: IRAQ. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

    Launched from Mobile launchers in Iraq, SE of Basra - Latitude: 30.50 N - Longitude: 48.00 E.

1995 - 10:21 GMT - Launch Site: Poker Flat. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant XII. LV Configuration: Black Brant XII NASA 40.07UE.
  • Black Brant AMICIST Auroral mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi).

1996 - 11:24 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2. Launch Pad: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7000. Model: Delta 7925-10. LV Configuration: Delta 7925-10 D233.
  • Polar Nation: USA. Mass: 1,300 kg (2,800 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: Polar. Agency: NASA GSF. Perigee: 5,554 km (3,451 mi). Apogee: 50,423 km (31,331 mi). Inclination: 86.30 deg. Period: 1,070.20 min. COSPAR: 1996-013A. USAF Sat Cat: 23802.

    HEO. Fields and particles, auroral studies; part of International Solar Terrestrial Physics program.

1998 -
  • Energia Engineer Cosmonaut Training Group 14 Supplemental selected. Nation: USSR.

1999 -
  • US Blocks Blocks AMPT communictions satellite project with China. Nation: China.

    The United States rejected a $450 million Hughes satellite deal with China over fears it could compromise U.S. national security. The APMT satellite was designed to provide mobile telephone links over much of Asia and was 51 percent owned by Chinese interests. This marked the end of Chinese-US commercial collaboration in space, with China thereafter concentrating on deals with European or other developing world partners.

2003 - Launch Site: Mojave. Launch Vehicle: Tier One.
  • White Knight Flight 17 Nation: USA. Program: X-Prize. Spacecraft: SpaceShipOne.

    Flight Time: 2.8 hours Pilot: Binnie Copilot: Melvill. Objectives: Evaluate performance of updated engines. Measure effect of new canted wingtips. Test new landing gear doors and upgraded INS hardware. Results: New and different engine irregularities at highest altitudes. Further mods are needed for adequate ECS humidity control. Canted wingtips solved the dihedral effect problem. No flying qualities issues remain.

2007 - 04:41 GMT - Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: YLP1. Launch Vehicle: H-2A. Model: H-IIA 2024. LV Configuration: H-IIA 2024 F-12.
  • IGS-2 Nation: Japan. Payload: IGS 4A. Mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Radarsat. Spacecraft: IGS. Manufacturer: Melco. Agency: JAXA/CSICE. COSPAR: 2007-005A. USAF Sat Cat: 30586.

    Information Gathering Satellite Radar-2. Japanese military satellite using a synthetic aperture radar for all-weather, 24-hour, high-resolution surveillance of the earth.

  • IGS-3V Nation: Japan. Payload: IGS 4B. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: IGS. Manufacturer: Melco. Agency: JAXA/CSICE. COSPAR: 2007-005B. USAF Sat Cat: 30587.

    Optical-3 Verification Satellite, an experimental satellite on a six-month mission to test payloads planned for the Optical-3 second-generation Japanese military optical surveillance satellite. The production-type Optical-3 satellite was expected to launch in 2009.


Born on this day in:

Died on this day in:
  • 1968 - Thomas Patrick Gerrity.  American Manager.
  • 1975 - Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bulganin.  Russian Manager.
  • 1994 - Eduard Pavlovich Kugno.  Ukrainian Engineer Cosmonaut.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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