January 27

See also Born on this Day
On this day in:

1902 -

  • Goddard multistage guns Nation: USA.

    In an article rejected by Popular Science News, Goddard proposes staged nested cannons to achieve high velocities.

1908 -
  • Melotte's Discovery of Jupiter Moon Pasiphae

1944 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: P7. Launch Vehicle: V-2. Model: V-2. LV Configuration: A-4 17003. FAILURE: Failure.
  • V-2 Mittelwerk Eval Test mission Nation: Germany. Agency: Wehrmacht.

    The first lot of missiles delivered from Mittelwerk had many manufacturing defects and were for the most part had to be reworked. S/N 17003 was the only one judged suitable for flight.

1945 - Launch Vehicle: Schmetterling, Wasserfall, X4.
  • First meeting of Arbeitstab Dornberger in Berlin Nation: Germany.

    The group's first priority was to evalute the prospects for rapid development of an effective surface-to-air missile to combat the incessant Allied bombing raids. It had to be beam-riding instead of optically guided, in order to be effective at night and in bad weather. The group found there was no single 'wonder weapon' that would end the war in a few months. But Kammler still believed the Reich still could hold out for six months, enough time to develop and deploy a new weapon. Dornberger's team disagreed, but they had to try nevertheless. Therefore the Schmetterling, Wasserfall, and X4 missiles went into simultaneous final development and production. But realistically none of them could be mature enough to be sent to the front until early 1946. If the Reich could hold out that long, then it was possible it could slowly win back territory.

1948 -
  • XS-1 Flight 69 Nation: USA. Payload: XS-1 # 2 flight 29. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Hoover.

    NACA flight 9. High-speed run to mach 0.925 at 11590 m. Cylinders 2 and 3 failed to fire.

1954 - 15:20 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC4. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. LV Configuration: Redstone RS-2.
  • Redstone Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi).

    Successful missile test. Missed aimpoint by 8,400 m.

1958 - 06:04 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Nike-Cajun. Model: Nike Cajun. LV Configuration: Nike Cajun AM6.36.
  • Nike-Cajun Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 129 km (80 mi).

1958 - 18:49 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. LV Configuration: Aerobee SM2.10.
  • Aerobee Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 143 km (88 mi).

1959 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas Vega, Atlas Centaur LV-3C, Saturn I, Nova 4L.
  • NASA National Space Vehicle Program Nation: USA. Program: Apollo.

    After consultation and discussion with DOD, NASA formulated a national space vehicle program. The central idea of the program was that a single launch vehicle should be developed for use in each series of future space missions. The launch vehicle would thus achieve a high degree of reliability, while the guidance and payload could be varied according to purpose of the mission. Four general-purpose launch vehicles were described: Vega, Centaur, Saturn, and Nova. The Nova booster stage would be powered by a cluster of four F-1 engines, the second stage by a single F-1, and the third stage would be the size of an intercontinental ballistic missile but would use liquid hydrogen as a fuel. This launch vehicle would be the first in a series that could transport a man to the lunar surface and return him safely to earth in a direct ascent mission. Four additional stages would be required in such a mission.

1959 - Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Vehicle: Daniel. LV Configuration: Daniel 01.
  • Daniel Test/Aeronomy mission Nation: France. Agency: ONERA. Apogee: 130 km (80 mi).

1959 - 23:34 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC12. Launch Vehicle: Atlas C. LV Configuration: Atlas C 4C. FAILURE: Ground Guidance Failure.
  • Atlas C Mod II re-entry vehicle research and development mission Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi).

1960 - Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: TL1. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1A. FAILURE: Failure.
  • Minuteman 1 Silo test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF.

1960 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC29. Launch Pad: LC29A. Launch Vehicle: Polaris A1. LV Configuration: Polaris A1 A1X-10.
  • Polaris A1 Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1960 - 01:31 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC13. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. LV Configuration: Atlas D 44D.
  • Atlas D Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).

1962 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.
  • Mercury MA-6 postponed at T-minus 29 minutes Nation: USA. Program: Mercury.

    The Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) manned orbital flight was postponed at T-minus 29 minutes due to weather conditions.

1963 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Vehicle: R-11. Model: R-11A.
  • R-11 Ionosphere mission? Nation: USSR. Agency: AN SSSR. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1963 - 01:00 GMT - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1 (A-1).
  • R-1 Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1964 - Launch Site: Tonopah. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk. LV Configuration: Nike Tomahawk Sandia 152-23.
  • Nike Tomahawk Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: Sandia. Apogee: 302 km (187 mi).

1964 -
  • Cosmonaut plans Nation: USSR. Program: Vostok, Lunar L1. Spacecraft: Vostok. Flight: Vostok 9, Soyuz A-3.

    Marshall Rudenko questions Kamanin's crew assignments. He wants Volynov moved from the lead Vostok group and switched with Kolodin in the Soyuz group.

1964 - 05:30 GMT - Launch Site: Thumba. Launch Vehicle: Nike Apache. LV Configuration: Nike Apache NASA 14.80UE.
  • Nike Apache ISRO 20.02? E'jet Magnetospheric mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 164 km (101 mi).

1965 - Launch Site: Barking Sands. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk. LV Configuration: Nike Tomahawk Sandia 152-23.
  • Nike Tomahawk Test mission? Nation: USA. Agency: Sandia. Apogee: 302 km (187 mi).

1965 - 21:32 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Vehicle: Nike-Cajun. Model: Nike Cajun. LV Configuration: Nike Cajun NASA 10.118GA.
  • Nike-Cajun Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 117 km (72 mi).

1965 - 22:24 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Nike-Cajun. Model: Nike Cajun. LV Configuration: Nike Cajun NASA 10.121GA.
  • Nike-Cajun Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 125 km (77 mi).

1966 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF09. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1B. LV Configuration: Minuteman 1B 1243.
  • Minuteman 1 Follow-on operational missile test Nation: USA. Agency: SAC 1STRAD. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1966 - 01:29 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150. Model: Aerobee 150. LV Configuration: Aerobee 150 NRL NC3.186.
  • Aerobee 150 Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 243 km (150 mi).

1967 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Saturn IB.
  • Apollo 204 Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Payload: CSM-012. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, Apollo Lunar Landing. Location of Spacecraft: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA (Not on public display). Crew: Chaffee, Grissom, White. Flight: Apollo 204.

    The first manned flight of the Apollo CSM, the Apollo C category mission, was planned for the last quarter of 1966. Numerous problems with the Apollo Block I spacecraft resulted in a flight delay to February 1967. The crew of Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee, was killed in a fire while testing their capsule on the pad on 27 January 1967, still weeks away from launch. The designation AS-204 was used by NASA for the flight at the time; the designation Apollo 1 was applied retroactively at the request of Grissom's widow.

1967 -
  • 62 nations signed the Space Law Treaty Nation: USA. Program: Apollo.

    Representatives of 62 nations signed the space law treaty, "Treaty on Principles Covering the Activities of the States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies," at separate ceremonies in Washington, London, and Moscow. The treaty, which limited military activities in space, had been agreed upon by the U.S. and U.S.S.R. December 8, 1966, and unanimously approved by the United Nations General Assembly December 19. It was to become effective when ratified by the U.S., U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, and two other countries.

1967 - 1967 - 1967 - 1967 - Launch Site: Hammaguira. Launch Complex: Brigitte. Launch Vehicle: Saphir. Model: Saphir VE231. LV Configuration: Saphir VE231 G6.
  • Saphir Re-entry Vehicle Test mission Nation: France. Agency: ONERA. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

1968 -
  • Cosmonauts take case against Mishin to VVS high command. Nation: USSR. Program: Lunar L1, Almaz. Spacecraft: Soyuz VI, Almaz OPS.

    Kamanin, Gagarin, Titov, Popovich, Belyayev, and Leonov meet with Marshal Yakabovskiy. They inform him that Mishin is blocking further development of the 7K-VI military manned spacecraft and also trying to kill Chelomei's Almaz military space station. They get nowhere. The Marshal says that while he doesn't understand much about space himself, Ustinov had assured him that Mishin and Afanasyev were taking all measures necessary to correct the necessary material...

1969 -
  • Feasibility of space stations as the major post-Apollo manned space flight program considered by NASA. Nation: USA.

    A meeting to discuss the feasibility of space stations as the major post-Apollo manned space flight program was held at NASA Hq. - Additional details.

1969 - Launch Vehicle: N1.
  • Soviet of Chief Designers considers N1 cancellation Nation: USSR. Program: Lunar L3. Spacecraft: LK, Soyuz 7K-LOK, Mars 5NM, Aelita.

    Afanasyev and Keldysh chaired the unusual and extraordinary Soviet of the chief designers. Mishin opened with an emotional plea not to cancel the N1. He justified the delays and failures by saying that he had not been given sufficient budget to conduct necessary experimental and qualification tests of systems before flight. - Additional details.

1969 - 19:53 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Vehicle: Boosted Arcas. Model: Boosted Arcas 2. LV Configuration: Boosted Arcas 2 NASA 15.47GT.
  • Boosted Arcas Res Bay Eval Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 102 km (63 mi).

1969 - 22:00 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Vehicle: Super Loki.
  • Super Loki Meteorological sphere aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 127 km (78 mi).

1970 - 10:20 GMT - Launch Site: Kagoshima. Launch Vehicle: Kappa 9. Model: Kappa 9M. LV Configuration: Kappa 9M K-9M-29.
  • Kappa 9 Ionosphere mission Nation: Japan. Agency: ISAS. Apogee: 357 km (221 mi).

1971 -
  • Kamanin lists Soviet space management failures. Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-LOK, LK.

    It is obvious to Kamanin from the ECS conference that there are many mistakes in the organization of the Soviet space program. There is no single agency directing the program, like the American NASA. There is not only no five year plan for manned spaceflight, there is not even a plan for next year! Decisions on manned space are made erratically by unqualified members of the leadership. There is no single manager of military space projects. Ustinov, Smirnov, Keldysh, and Karas at GUKOS are all pulling in different directions. Ustinov, Smirnov, and Keldysh don't give space more than 10% of their working time.

1971 -
  • DOS training conflicts. Nation: USSR. Program: Salyut. Spacecraft: Salyut 1, Soyuz 7KT-OK.

    Beregovoi, Leonov, and Shatalov go to TsKBEM to review the training plan for the DOS-7K station at the KIS (Experimental Control Station) facility. Mishin wants the crew of Soyuz s/n 32 to be working aboard the 'live' spacecraft on 3-4 February, but they need to be at the cosmodrome on those dates for training on the Svinets ICBM detector experiment. This conflicts with Mishin's schedule for availability of a 'live' Soyuz for training. Mishin still wants, completely unrealistically, to launch on the day of the 24th Party Conference.

1971 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF08. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3.
  • Minuteman 3 OLD FOX 04M demonstration and shakedown operations launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).

1971 - 23:02 GMT - Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Complex: C. Launch Vehicle: Centaure. LV Configuration: Centaure C78/1.
  • Centaure ESRO C78/1 Auroral mission Nation: Europe. Agency: ESRO. Apogee: 140 km (80 mi).

1972 - 18:16 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant VC. LV Configuration: Black Brant VC NASA 21.06GT.
  • Black Brant MSFC RR-1 Microgravity mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 232 km (144 mi).

1973 - 18:31 GMT - Launch Site: Andoya. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk. LV Configuration: Nike Tomahawk NASA 18.138IE.
  • Nike Tomahawk Ferdinand 32/Proton 2 Plasma mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 222 km (137 mi).

1974 - 19:08 GMT - Launch Site: Andoya. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk. LV Configuration: Nike Tomahawk NASA 18.139IE.
  • Nike Tomahawk Ferdinand 35/Polar 3 Auroral mission Nation: Norway. Agency: NASA/NDRE. Apogee: 238 km (147 mi).

1975 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC142. Launch Pad: LC142/34. Launch Vehicle: R-36. Model: R-36 8K67.
  • R-36 Svilets Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

1976 - 06:00 GMT - Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: T. Launch Vehicle: TT-200. Model: TT-210. LV Configuration: TT-210 TT-210-2F.
  • TT-200 Test mission Nation: Japan. Agency: NASDA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1977 - 19:35 GMT - Launch Site: Kheysa. Launch Vehicle: MR-12. LV Configuration: MR-12 MR-12.
  • MR-12 Auroral/Aeronomy/Ionosphere mission Nation: USSR. Apogee: 157 km (97 mi).

1978 - 11:00 GMT - Launch Site: Kagoshima. Launch Vehicle: Kappa 9. Model: Kappa 9M. LV Configuration: Kappa 9M K-9M-61.
  • Kappa 9 Aeronomy/Ionosphere/Plasma mission Nation: Japan. Agency: ISAS. Apogee: 292 km (181 mi).

1979 - 01:30 GMT - Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: T. Launch Vehicle: TT-500. LV Configuration: TT-500 TT-500-5F.
  • TT-500 Test mission Nation: Japan. Agency: NASDA. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).

1979 - 17:12 GMT - Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant VC. LV Configuration: Black Brant VC SSC S23-L1.
  • Black Brant Substorm-GEOS Auroral mission Nation: Sweden. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 267 km (165 mi).

1979 - 20:04 GMT - Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Vehicle: Petrel. Model: Petrel 2. LV Configuration: Petrel 2 P215K.
  • Petrel Ionosphere mission Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 180 km (110 mi).

1979 - 21:01 GMT - Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant 8C. LV Configuration: Black Brant 8C S23-H.
  • Black Brant Substorm-GEOS Auroral mission Nation: Sweden. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 414 km (257 mi).

1979 - 21:52 GMT - Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant VC. LV Configuration: Black Brant VC SSC S23-L2.
  • Black Brant Substorm-GEOS Auroral mission Nation: Sweden. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 266 km (165 mi).

1980 - 09:17 GMT - Launch Site: Poker Flat. Launch Vehicle: Terrier Malemute. LV Configuration: Terrier Malemute NASA 29.14UE.
  • Terrier Malemute ARCS 1 Plasma mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 433 km (269 mi).

1981 - 14:58 GMT - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8A92M. Model: Vostok 8A92M.
  • Cosmos 1242 Nation: USSR. Program: Tselina. Payload: Tselina-D no. 28. Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Class: Sigint. Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 568 km (352 mi). Apogee: 584 km (362 mi). Inclination: 81.20 deg. Period: 96.20 min. COSPAR: 1981-008A. USAF Sat Cat: 12154.

1982 - 03:52 GMT - Launch Site: Fort Churchill. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant. Model: Black Brant 8C. LV Configuration: Black Brant 8C NASA 27.45UE.
  • Black Brant SCEX Ionosphere active mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 239 km (148 mi).

1983 - 08:30 GMT - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Model: Soyuz 11A511U.
  • Cosmos 1438 Nation: USSR. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-6U. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 205 km (127 mi). Apogee: 226 km (140 mi). Inclination: 70.40 deg. Period: 88.80 min. COSPAR: 1983-005A. USAF Sat Cat: 13779. Duration: 11.00 days. Decay Date: 1983-02-07.

    Photo surveillance; returned film capsule; maneuverable.

1984 - 19:37 GMT - Launch Site: Andoya. Launch Vehicle: Skylark. Model: Skylark 12. LV Configuration: Skylark 12 DLR A-GRC-131.
  • Skylark CAESAR I Auroral mission Nation: Germany. Agency: DFVLR. Apogee: 700 km (430 mi).

1985 -
  • Preliminary design work began on Zarya 'Super Soyuz'. Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Zarya.

    Concept was reusable spacecraft, launched by Zenit launch vehicle, with all possible systems recovered in landing module, together with significant payload delivered to and returned from orbit. Carriage in payload bay of Buran shuttle was also a requirement.

1985 -
  • Landing of STS-51-C Nation: USA. Program: STS. Flight: STS-51-C.

    STS-51-C landed at 21:28 GMT.

1986 - Launch Vehicle: Tu-2000, Yakovlev MVKS, VKS.
  • Government decree orders design of a Soviet aerospaceplane Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Tu-2000, Yakovlev MVKS, VKS.

    In reaction to US X-30 project government decree ordered development of a Soviet equivalent.

1989 - 01:21 GMT - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA1. Launch Pad: ELA1. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 2/3. Model: Ariane 2. LV Configuration: Ariane 2 V28.
  • Intelsat 5A F-15 Nation: International. Program: Intelsat. Mass: 1,977 kg (4,358 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Intelsat 5A. Agency: Intelsat. Perigee: 35,773 km (22,228 mi). Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min. COSPAR: 1989-006A. USAF Sat Cat: 19772.

    International communications; 18 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 60 deg E in 1989-1992; 18 deg W in 1992-1996; 22 deg W in 1996-1997; 38 deg W in 1998-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 37.72 deg W drifting at 0.020 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 153.76E drifting at 4.192W degrees per day.

1990 - 19:30 GMT - Launch Site: Kagoshima. Launch Complex: K. Launch Vehicle: S-310. LV Configuration: S-310 S-310-20.
  • S-310 Aeronomy mission Nation: Japan. Agency: ISAS. Apogee: 185 km (114 mi).

1996 - Launch Site: Balasore. Launch Vehicle: Prithvi. LV Configuration: Prithvi 2-1 (15).
  • Prithvi Test mission Nation: India. Agency: IDRDL. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1999 - 00:34 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC46. Launch Pad: SLC46. Launch Vehicle: Athena-1. Model: Athena-1. LV Configuration: Athena-1 LM-006.
  • ROCSAT-1 Nation: Taiwan. Mass: 400 kg (880 lb). Class: Earth. Spacecraft: ROCSAT. Manufacturer: TRW, Redondo Beach. Agency: NSPO. Perigee: 606 km (376 mi). Apogee: 653 km (405 mi). Inclination: 35.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-002A. USAF Sat Cat: 25616.

    Taiwan's first satellite, with experimental communications, ocean imagery, and ionospheric studies instruments. The Primex OAM placed itself and the payload into an elliptical transfer orbit. A second OAM burn circularized the orbit, and ROCSAT separated into a 588 x 601 km x 35.0 deg orbit.

2000 - 03:03 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: CLF. Launch Pad: CLF. Launch Vehicle: Minotaur. Model: Minotaur 1. LV Configuration: Minotaur 1OSP / SLV-1.
  • JAWSAT Nation: USA. Payload: P98-1. Mass: 64 kg (141 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: JAWSAT. Manufacturer: Weber State University, Utah. Agency: Weber St. Perigee: 753 km (468 mi). Apogee: 805 km (501 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. Period: 100.36 min. COSPAR: 2000-004A. USAF Sat Cat: 26061.

    Joint USAF Academy/Weber State Satellite. Payloads included a plasma experiment, a particle detector, and a technology test.

  • OCSE Nation: USA. Payload: Optical Calibration Sphere. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: L'Garde, Inc. Agency: USAF SOR. Perigee: 677 km (421 mi). Apogee: 711 km (442 mi). Inclination: 100.22 deg. Period: 98.57 min. COSPAR: 2000-004B. USAF Sat Cat: 26062. Decay Date: 2001-03-05.

    Optical Calibration Sphere Experiment, a 3.5m diameter inflatable sphere built by L'Garde Inc. for calibrating the lasers at the AFRL Starfire Optical Range. The 0.48m long 0.41m diameter OCSE canister was ejected from the JAWSAT stack; 42 seconds later, with the canister clear of the other payloads, the canister door opened and 10 seconds after that inflation of the sphere began. The canister remains attached to the inflated sphere. Once inflated, the sphere's material becomes rigidized

  • OPAL Nation: USA. Payload: Orbiting Picosat Launcher. Mass: 13 kg (28 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: Stanford University. Agency: Stanford. Perigee: 754 km (468 mi). Apogee: 808 km (502 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. Period: 100.39 min. COSPAR: 2000-004C. USAF Sat Cat: 26063.

    Stanford University Orbiting Picosat Automated Launcher. Carried an acclerometer, a magnetometer, and six small picosatellites - Picosat 1 and 2, Stensat, and the Artemis triplets (JAK, Thelma, and Louise). The first two were deployed on February 7 at 0334:16 GMT. OPAL transmitter problems delayed the initial release.

  • Falconsat Nation: USA. Mass: 52 kg (114 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: USAF Academy, Colorado Springs. Agency: USAF Aca. Perigee: 754 km (468 mi). Apogee: 810 km (503 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. Period: 100.41 min. COSPAR: 2000-004D. USAF Sat Cat: 26064.

    USAF Academy satellite, carried the CHAWS-LD (Charging Hazards and Wake Studies-Long Duration) experiment to measure spacecraft charging effects in LEO.

  • ASUSAT Nation: USA. Mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: Arizona State University. Agency: Arizona. Perigee: 754 km (468 mi). Apogee: 809 km (502 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. Period: 100.40 min. COSPAR: 2000-004E. USAF Sat Cat: 26065.

    Arizona State University satellite with an Earth imager and an amateur radio transponder.

  • Picosat 2 Nation: USA. Mass: 0 kg ( lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: MEMS. Manufacturer: Aerospace Corp., El Segundo. Agency: DARPA. Perigee: 746 km (463 mi). Apogee: 796 km (494 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. COSPAR: 2000-004H. USAF Sat Cat: 26080.

    Deployed by the OPAL satellite on February 7 at 0334:16 GMT. Picosat 1 and 2 were each 0.25 kg DARPA/Aerospace Corp. MEMS (Micro Electro-mechanical Systems) picosatellites, each carrying intersatellite communications experiment and connected by a 30-m tether.

  • Picosat 1 Nation: USA. Mass: 0 kg ( lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: MEMS. Manufacturer: Aerospace Corp., El Segundo. Agency: DARPA. Perigee: 746 km (463 mi). Apogee: 796 km (494 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. COSPAR: 2000-004H. USAF Sat Cat: 26080.

    Deployed by the OPAL satellite on February 7 at 0334:16 GMT. Picosat 1 and 2 were each 0.25 kg DARPA/Aerospace Corp. MEMS (Micro Electro-mechanical Systems) picosatellites, each carrying intersatellite communications experiment and connected by a 30-m tether.

  • Thelma Nation: USA. Mass: 68 kg (149 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: Santa Clara University. Agency: SCREEM. Perigee: 747 km (464 mi). Apogee: 797 km (495 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. COSPAR: 2000-004J. USAF Sat Cat: 26091.

    Three picosatellites (JAK, Thelma, and Louise), developed by the Artemis team of women undergraduates at Santa Clara University, were deployed from the OPAL satellite. Mass 0.5 kg; size around 0.1-0.2m. Carried a VLF wave experiment. Ejected from OPAL on February 12; unfortunately no data was received thereafter.

  • Louise Nation: USA. Mass: 68 kg (149 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: Santa Clara University. Agency: SCREEM. Perigee: 746 km (463 mi). Apogee: 800 km (490 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. COSPAR: 2000-004K. USAF Sat Cat: 26092.

    Three picosatellites (JAK, Thelma, and Louise), developed by the Artemis team of women undergraduates at Santa Clara University, were deployed from the OPAL satellite. Mass 0.5 kg; size around 0.1-0.2m. Carried a VLF wave experiment. Ejected from OPAL on February 12; unfortunately no data was received thereafter.

  • JAK Nation: USA. Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: Santa Clara University. Agency: SCREEM. Perigee: 744 km (462 mi). Apogee: 797 km (495 mi). Inclination: 100.20 deg. COSPAR: 2000-004L. USAF Sat Cat: 26093.

    Three picosatellites (JAK, Thelma, and Louise), developed by the Artemis team of women undergraduates at Santa Clara University, were deployed from the OPAL satellite. . JAK is the initials of the infant son of the Artemis' team's advisor Mass 0.2 kg; size around 0.1 - 0.2m. Carried a VLF wave experiment. Ejected from OPAL on February 11; unfortunately no data was received thereafter.

  • STENSAT Nation: USA. Mass: 0 kg ( lb). Class: Technology. Manufacturer: STENSAT, Washington DC. Agency: AMSAT-NA. Perigee: 747 km (464 mi). Apogee: 801 km (497 mi). Inclination: 100.10 deg. COSPAR: 2000-004M. USAF Sat Cat: 26094.

    Picosat. Built by built by the AMSAT-NA (Amateur Satellite, North America) group, and carried an amateur radio transponder. Ejected from OPAL on February 11; unfortunately no data was received thereafter.

2004 - 05:23 GMT - Launch Site: Kwajalein. Launch Vehicle: OBV. Model: Taurus-Lite. LV Configuration: OBV 3.
  • OBV IFT-13B [EKV Mock-up] test mission Nation: USA. Agency: OSC. Apogee: 272 km (169 mi).

    Launch delayed from October 2003. This system-level test of the Orbital Sciences’ boost vehicle launched the rocket carrying a simulated EKV from Kwajalein Atoll against a simulated target coming from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. IFT-13B was not an intercept attempt. Included in this test was the latest version of the GMD program’s fire control software, which was being built by Northrop Grumman and which performed as expected in this test.


Born on this day in:

Died on this day in:
  • 1967 - Edward Higgins (Ed) White II.  American Pilot Astronaut. Cause of Death: Killed in Apollo 1 fire on launch pad.
  • 1967 - Dr Roger Bruce Chaffee.  American Pilot Astronaut. Cause of Death: Killed in Apollo 1 fire on launch pad.
  • 1967 - Virgil Ivan (Gus) Grissom.  American Pilot Astronaut. Cause of Death: Killed in Apollo 1 fire on launch pad.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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