See also Born on this Day On this day in: 1935 - Launch Vehicle: Goddard. Model: Goddard A.
1950 - -
Korean War begins when North Korean Communist forces invade South Korea Nation: USA.
1951 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: V-2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: R-1. Model: R-1. LV Configuration: R-1 IIIB-4. -
Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1953 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Deacon. Model: Triple Deacon. -
F23 Ramjet test Nation: USA. Agency: NACA. Apogee: 41 km (25 mi).
1954 - Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Model: Jupiter C. -
Project Orbiter begun. Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Explorer A. In a meeting, Dr. Wernher von Braun, Frederick C. Durant III, Alexander Satin, David Young, Dr. Fred L. Whipple, Dr. S. Fred Singer, and Commander George W. Hoover agreed that a Redstone rocket with a Loki cluster as the second stage could launch a satellite into a 200-mile orbit without major new developments. This became a joint Army-Navy study project after meeting at Redstone Arsenal on August 3. Project Orbiter was a later outgrowth of this proposal and resulted in the launching of Explorer I on January 31, 1958.
1957 - 14:07 GMT - Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee Hi. LV Configuration: Aerobee Hi USAF 79.
1958 - -
Man-In-Space-Soonest Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Project 7969. Agency: USAF. Crew: Walker Joseph, Crossfield, Armstrong, Rushworth, Bridgeman, White Alvin, Kincheloe, White Robert, McKay. Flight: Man-In-Space-Soonest. In a US Air Force briefing a preliminary astronaut selection for the Man-In-Space Soonest project is made. The list consisted of USAF test pilots Robert Walker, Scott Crossfield, Neil Armstrong, Robert Rushworth, William Bridgeman, Alvin White, Iven Kincheloe, Robert White, and Jack McKay. This was the first preliminary astronaut selection in history. The project was cancelled when NASA was formed in and took responsibility for all manned space flight on 1 August 1958. Prospective contractors estimated it would take from 12 to 30 months to put the first American in orbit. In retrospect the orbital flight portion of NASA's Mercury program was paced by the availability of the Atlas booster. Therefore it is unlikely Man-in-Space-Soonest would have put an American in orbit any earlier than Mercury.
1958 - 03:36 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC6. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. Model: Redstone. LV Configuration: Redstone CC-48. FAILURE: Human error - thrust controller not connected. -
Nation: USA. Agency: USA. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). Successfully fired at 2059 hours EST from AMR. The flight was a success in that all missions were accomplished with the exception of failure of the thrust governor. This failure was caused by human error before firing which caused excess velocity, thereby exceeding the predicted impact point by 8.36 nm. Programmed range to impact was 137.31 nm. All other missions were satisfactorily completed. Missed aimpoint by 14,917 m.
1959 - -
Mercury recovery airdrop test. Nation: USA. Program: Mercury. Spacecraft: Mercury. Navy surface vessels and aircraft were used in a recovery operation after an airdrop of a spacecraft off the coast from Jacksonville, Florida. The spacecraft was purposely dropped 40 miles away from the predicted impact point and 45 miles away from the nearest ship. Recovery was effected in 2 and one half hours.
1959 - 22:47 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC1E. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Model: Thor Agena A. LV Configuration: Thor Agena A 179 / Agena A 1023. FAILURE: Insufficient stage 2 velocity.
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SRV 102 Nation: USA. Spacecraft: KH-1. Agency: USAF. COSPAR: F590625B.
1961 - Launch Site: Cuxhaven. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. -
Rocket mail delivered to Scharhoern Nation: Germany. The DRG (German Rocket Society) launches two 3-m long, 51.9 kg, 600 kgf thrust Kumulus rockets from Arensch over the sea 18 km to the flats of the island of Scharhoern. The trip was made in 28 seconds at a top speed of 850 m/s with a payload of 5000 postcards weighing 15 kg.
1963 - Launch Vehicle: Titan. Model: Titan 2.
1963 - -
Vostok 5/6 returned cosmonauts traditional meeting with Korolev Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: Vostok. Flight: Vostok 6. The returned cosmonauts have the traditional meeting with Korolev at the design bureau and hand over their flight logs. The new cosmonaut group is presented as well. Korolev is in a good mood, and makes an especially long-winded speech. Tereshkova has to leave early, at 12:00, to attend yet another press conference and a woman's congress. These activities kept her going until 22:00 in the evening - a gruelling schedule indicative of what was to come.
1963 - Launch Site: Barking Sands. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Tomahawk Sandia. Model: Nike Tomahawk. LV Configuration: Nike Tomahawk-9a Sandia 152-2. -
Nitehawk-9 test Nation: USA. Agency: Sandia. Apogee: 250 km (150 mi).
1963 - 13:20 GMT - Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: LC35. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. Model: Aerobee 150. LV Configuration: Aerobee 150 KP3.2. -
Visible Dayglow Aeronomy / aurora mission Nation: USA. Agency: KPNO. Apogee: 213 km (132 mi).
1963 - 17:53 GMT - Launch Site: Delamar Dry Lake DZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: 37.3 N x 114.9 W. Launch Vehicle: X-15. LV Configuration: X-15 1-36-57.
1964 - Launch Vehicle: Redstone.
1964 - Launch Vehicle: Titan. Model: Titan 2.
1964 - 01:40 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC5. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Model: Scout X-4. LV Configuration: Scout X-4 S128R. FAILURE: Second stage exploded.
1964 - 14:57 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Apache. Model: Nike Apache. LV Configuration: Nike Apache NASA 14.156GE. -
B Field 2 Magnetosphere mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).
1964 - 17:34 GMT - Launch Site: Hidden Hills DZ. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: 36.1 N x 116.0 W. Launch Vehicle: X-15. LV Configuration: X-15 2-32-55.
1965 - Launch Vehicle: Saturn V. -
Nine additional S-IVB stages for the Saturn V Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. NASA announced negotiations with Douglas Aircraft Company for nine additional S-IVB stages to be used as the third stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle being developed at Marshall Space Flight Center. Work was to include related spares and launch support services. The S-IVB contract, presently valued at $312 million, would be increased by $150 million for the additional work.
1965 - Launch Vehicle: Titan. Model: Titan 2. -
The Combined Systems Acceptance Test of Gemini launch vehicle (GLV) 6 was completed at Martin-Baltimore. Nation: USA. Flight: Gemini 5. The vehicle acceptance team convened July 6 to review GLV-6 and accepted it July 10. The vehicle was demated on July 19 and formally accepted by the Air Force July 31. Stage II was delivered to Cape Kennedy the same day, and stage I on August 2. Both stages were then placed in storage pending the launch of Gemini-Titan 5.
1965 - Launch Vehicle: Titan. Model: Titan 2.
1965 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas.
1965 - 09:50 GMT - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Voskhod 11A57. LV Configuration: Voskhod 11A57 G15000-10.
1965 - 19:30 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC4E. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Model: SLV-3 Agena D. LV Configuration: SLV-3 Agena D 7109 / Agena D 7109. -
OPS 6749 Nation: USA. Payload: EHH B2. Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Class: Sigint. Spacecraft: SSF. Agency: NRO/USAF. Perigee: 496 km (308 mi). Apogee: 510 km (310 mi). Inclination: 107.60 deg. Period: 94.70 min. COSPAR: 1965-050A. USAF Sat Cat: 1422. Decay Date: 1968-08-22. Radar monitoring.
1966 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC60/7. Launch Pad: LC60/7?. Launch Vehicle: R-16. Model: R-16U. -
Palma-1 Operational test Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,210 km (750 mi).
1966 - 01:30 GMT - Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Iroquois. LV Configuration: Nike Iroquois CRL AF07.506. -
Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 130 km (80 mi).
1966 - 03:36 GMT - Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Iroquois. LV Configuration: Nike Iroquois CRL AF07.509. -
BABY Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 157 km (97 mi).
1966 - 08:15 GMT - Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Iroquois. LV Configuration: Nike Iroquois CRL AF07.620. -
CORA Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 140 km (80 mi).
1966 - 09:57 GMT - Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Nike. Model: Nike Iroquois. LV Configuration: Nike Iroquois CRL AF07.507. -
Aeronomy mission Nation: USA. Agency: AFCRL. Apogee: 179 km (111 mi).
1966 - 10:30 GMT - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Vostok 8A92M. LV Configuration: Vostok 8A92M N15000-21.
1969 - 20:30 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC32B. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3. LV Configuration: Minuteman 3 FTM-206. -
Research and development launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).
1970 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF03. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1. Model: Minuteman 1B. LV Configuration: Minuteman 1B 1413. -
FOT GT73B Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).
1970 - 14:50 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC4W. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Titan. Model: Titan 3B. LV Configuration: Titan 23B 23B-5 (3B-27).
1971 - -
Soyuz 11 Day 20 Nation: USSR. Program: Salyut. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7KT-OK, Salyut 1. Flight: Soyuz 11. The crew sets a new world endurance record in space. Overnight they conduct another successful Svinets experiment, this time observing the launch of a solid propellant missile. The crew seems alert and in good shape. The Landing Commission confirms landing for 30 June, but now 200 to 250 km south-west of Karaganda. The medical teams will be prepared for all possible situations. There are bitter arguments within the commission as to the current and likely condition of the crew.
1971 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC43/3. Launch Pad: LC43/pad?. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Voskhod 11A57. FAILURE: Failure.
1971 - 08:44 GMT - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Javelin. LV Configuration: Javelin NASA 8.59AI. -
Ionosphere mission Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 660 km (410 mi).
1971 - 11:30 GMT - Launch Site: South Uist. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Petrel. Model: Petrel 1. LV Configuration: Petrel P48H. -
D / E regions Ionosphere mission Nation: UK. Agency: SRC. Apogee: 140 km (80 mi).
1972 - 14:47 GMT - Launch Site: Salto di Quirra. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Skylark. Model: Skylark 3 AC. LV Configuration: Skylark 3 AC S91. -
ESRO S91 X-ray Astronomy mission Nation: Europe. Agency: ESRO. Apogee: 213 km (132 mi).
1975 -
1975 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC142/34. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon. Model: R-36 8K67. -
OS-67 test Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
1975 - 13:00 GMT - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Voskhod 11A57.
1976 - -
Complete functional checkout, Enterprise (OV-101) Nation: USA. Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Enterprise.
1981 - 23:55 GMT - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/40. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Model: Proton-K/DM. LV Configuration: Proton-K/DM 305-01.
1982 - 02:28 GMT - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC43/3. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Molniya 8K78M.
1983 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF09. Launch Pad: LF09?. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3. -
FOT GT94GM Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).
1983 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF26. Launch Pad: LF26?. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3. -
FOT GT95GB Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).
1983 - Launch Site: Biscarosse. Launch Complex: BLB. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: SSBS. Model: SSBS S3. LV Configuration: SSBS S3 2606. -
Operational test Nation: France. Agency: DMA. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
1984 - 18:43 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC4E. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Titan. Model: Titan 34D. LV Configuration: Titan 34D 34D-4 (04D-1).
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USA 3 Nation: USA. Payload: SSF-D No. 5. Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Class: Sigint. Spacecraft: SSF. Agency: NRO/USAF. Perigee: 690 km (420 mi). Apogee: 710 km (440 mi). Inclination: 96.10 deg. Period: 98.80 min. COSPAR: 1984-065C. USAF Sat Cat: 15071. Radar monitoring.
1987 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Jubilee. Launch Pad: -.
1987 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: LF26. Launch Pad: LF26?. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3. -
FOT GT122GB-1 Follow-on Test launch Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).
1991 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Model: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M 65061-262. FAILURE: Second stage malfunction - no stable orbit.
1991 - 17:00 GMT - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Topol. Model: Topol. -
Test mission Nation: USSR. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
1991 - 21:11 GMT -
1992 - 16:12 GMT - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC39A. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. LV Configuration: Space Shuttle STS-50. -
STS-50 Nation: USA. Program: STS. Payload: Columbia F12 / USML-1 / OAST. Mass: 11,153 kg (24,588 lb). Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Columbia. Agency: NASA JSC. Perigee: 302 km (187 mi). Apogee: 309 km (192 mi). Inclination: 28.50 deg. Period: 90.60 min. COSPAR: 1992-034A. USAF Sat Cat: 22000. Duration: 13.81 days. Decay Date: 1992-07-09. Crew: Baker, Bowersox, DeLucas, Dunbar, Meade, Richards, Trinh. Flight: STS-50. Carried United States Microgravity Laboratory. First extended-duration mission. Payloads: United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML)-1; Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE); Investigations Into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP), Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX)-ll; Ultraviolet Plume Instrument (UVPl) .
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USML-1 Nation: USA. Program: Spacelab. Payload: Spacelab Long Module. Class: Manned. Type: Spacelab. Spacecraft: Spacelab. Agency: NASA. COSPAR: 1992-034xx. USAF Sat Cat: 22000. Decay Date: 1992-07-09.
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EDO Nation: USA. Program: STS. Agency: NASA. COSPAR: 1992-034xx. USAF Sat Cat: 22000. Decay Date: 1992-07-09.
1993 -
1993 - 00:18 GMT - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Model: Ariane 42P. LV Configuration: Ariane 42P+ V57.
1993 - 08:20 GMT - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC16/2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Soyuz 11A511U.
1993 - 23:30 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC5. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Model: Scout G. LV Configuration: Scout G-1 S217C.
1997 - -
Galileo, Callisto 9 Encounter Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Galileo.
1997 - 23:44 GMT - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Ariane. Model: Ariane 44P. LV Configuration: Ariane 44P-3 V96.
1998 - 14:00 GMT - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Model: Soyuz 11A511U.
2000 - 11:50 GMT - Launch Site: Xichang. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: CZ. Model: CZ-3. LV Configuration: Chang Zheng 3 CZ3-13 (61). -
Fengyun-2 Nation: China. Mass: 1,250 kg (2,750 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: FY-2. Manufacturer: Shanghai Inst. of Satellite Engineering. Agency: CASC. Perigee: 35,786 km (22,236 mi). Apogee: 35,790 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.80 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min. COSPAR: 2000-032A. USAF Sat Cat: 26382. Second Fengyun-2 weather satellite, replacing the first FY-2 (retired in April after a three year service life). The spin-stabilised FY-2 fired its solid apogee motor early on Jun 26. By July 3, it was in a 35,791 x 35,804 km x 1.1 deg orbit drifting over the Pacific. Stationed at 104 deg E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 110 deg E in 2000. As of 5 September 2001 located at 104.56 deg E drifting at 0.030 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 34.70W drifting at 0.629W degrees per day.
2001 - Launch Site: ETR Launch Area. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Trident. Model: Trident D-5. LV Configuration: Trident D-5 FCET-25. -
Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
2001 - Launch Site: ETR Launch Area. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Trident. Model: Trident D-5. LV Configuration: Trident D-5 FCET-25. -
Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
2001 - Launch Site: ETR Launch Area. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Trident. Model: Trident D-5. LV Configuration: Trident D-5 FCET-25. -
Operational test Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
2002 -
2006 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC6. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: Delta IV. Model: Delta IV Medium+ (4.2). LV Configuration: Delta 4M+(4,2) D4-6 (317) 4240. -
USA 184 Nation: USA. Payload: NRO L-22. Mass: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). Class: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Jumpseat-2. Agency: NRO. COSPAR: 2006-027A. Secret payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The intended orbit was thought to be a "Molniya" elliptical 12-hour orbit with an inclination of 63 degrees. American data relay and signals intelligence satellites have used this orbit in the past, notably the Jumpseat series of 1971-1983. A secondary payload was later confirmed to be the first SBIRS-HEO (Space-based Infrared System) sensor. SBIRS was the successor to the DSP (Defence Support Program), which provided early warning of missile launches. Also carried the NASA/Los Alamos TWINS-A magnetospheric research payload
Born on this day in: - 1886 - Henry H (Hap) Arnold. American Manager. Birth City: Gladwyne. Birth State: Pennsylvania. Birth Country: USA.
Died on this day in: - 2001 - Yuri Petrovich Sheffer
. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Cause of Death: Airplane crash at Zhukovsky Flight Research Center, Russia (heart failure).
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.
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