Wikipedia
1955 in spaceflight
In 1955, both the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR) announced plans for launching the world's first satellites during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957–58. Project Vanguard, proposed by the US Navy, won out over the US Army's Project Orbiter as the satellite and rocket design to be flown in the IGY. Development of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, the Atlas by the US and the R-7 by the USSR, accelerated, entering the design and construction phase.
The Viking made its final flight in 1955 | |
| Rockets | |
|---|---|
| Maiden flights | Aerobee RTV-N-10c Aerobee RTV-N-10a Aerobee Hi Aerobee AJ10-27 Loki rockoon Deacon-Loki rockoon Nike-Deacon Nike-Nike-Tri-Deacon-T40 X-17 HJ-Nike R-1E R-5M |
| Retirements | Aerobee RTV-N-10a Aerobee AJ10-27 Deacon-Loki rockoon Nike-Nike-Tri-Deacon-T40 |
Both the US and USSR continued to launch a myriad of sounding rockets to probe the outer reaches of Earth's atmosphere and to take quick glimpses of the sun beyond the obscuring layers of air. The Aerobee Hi, first launched in April, promised a comparatively low cost alternative to other high altitude sounding rockets. The State University of Iowa meanwhile experimented with balloon-launched rockoons on its fourth expedition into the Atlantic Ocean.
Space exploration highlights edit
Sounding Rockets edit
The Aerobee family of rockets expanded considerably this year, both in variety and capability. Most significant was the introduction of the Aerobee-Hi, doubling the altitude range of the Aerobee sounding rocket from 125 km (78 mi) to 220 km (140 mi) and increasing the payload carried from 68 kg (150 lb) to 91 kg (201 lb). Able to probe the upper atmosphere, its $30,000 per flight price tag compared favorably to that of its high altitude contemporaries, the Viking and the Bumper;[1] at least one 1955 Aerobee-Hi flight returned scientific data.[2][a] Other, less capable, Aerobee rockets still lofted instruments beyond the 100-kilometer (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation)[3] returning spectra of the Sun in ultraviolet and investigating atmospheric airglow.[4][5][6]
The Viking series of rockets wrapped up with the flight of Viking 12, launched 4 February 1955. Reaching an altitude of 143.5 mi (230.9 km), the rocket's K-25 camera snapped an infrared picture of the Southwestern United States, from the Pacific coast to Phoenix, just after reaching its apogee.[7]
A number of sounding rockets based on the Nike booster (used as the first stage in various anti-aircraft missiles),[8] were developed and launched. Just one, the 5 April Nike-Deacon flight, breached the limits of space. The Soviet Union launched three R-1E sounding rocket variants of its R-1 missile (a copy of the German V-2), all carrying dogs as biological payloads.[b]
a (the mission date has not yet been determined) b (see table below for details and citations)
Fourth Atlantic Rockoon expedition edit
Members of the State University of Iowa (SUI) physics department embarked September 1955 on their fourth naval expedition into the Atlantic Ocean to survey the distribution of cosmic rays and auroral radiation by latitude using balloon-launched rockets (rockoons). The team leader was Frank B. McDonald, formerly of the University of Minnesota. Their vessel was the USS Ashland, a World War 2 era Dock landing ship originally used to transport and launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles. Two research teams with the Naval Research Laboratory also sailed on the Ashland. In addition to the Deacon-equipped rockoons that had been used on the prior expeditions, the SUI team experimented with Loki I rockets launched from balloons. The new vehicle worked perfectly, the first being launched 23 September.
This set the stage for the most ambitious missions of the cruise: the launchings of two two-stage Loki I/Deacon rockoons. The first was a failure, the smaller Loki second stage failing to separate from the Deacon. On the second attempt, both stages fired properly. However, two and a half seconds after second stage ignition, telemetry from the rocket abruptly stopped. Professor James Van Allen, head of the SUI physics department, determined that the thin aluminum nosecone on the rocket had melted due to the incredible friction encountered at its speed of more than 8,000 km (5,000 mi) per hour. Had it reached its target altitude, Van Allen later stated, it might well have discovered the Van Allen Belts two and a half years before the missions of Explorer 1 and Explorer 3. As it turned out, no more Loki/Deacon missions were attempted.[9]: 34, 37–51
Spacecraft development edit
Preparation for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) edit
The origin of the International Geophysical Year can be traced to the International Polar Years held in 1882–1883, then in 1932–1933 and most recently from March 2007 to March 2009. On 5 April 1950, several top scientists (including Lloyd Berkner, Sydney Chapman, S. Fred Singer, and Harry Vestine), met in James Van Allen's living room and suggested that the time was ripe to have a worldwide Geophysical Year instead of a Polar Year, especially considering recent advances in rocketry, radar, and computing.[10] Berkner and Chapman proposed to the International Council of Scientific Unions that an International Geophysical Year (IGY) be planned for 1957–58, coinciding with an approaching period of maximum solar activity.[11][12] In 1952, the IGY was announced.[13]
In January 1955, Radio Moscow announced that the Soviet Union might be expected to launch a satellite in the near future. This announcement galvanized American space efforts; in the same month, the National Academy of Sciences' IGY committee established a Technical Panel on Rocketry to evaluate plans to orbit an American satellite. Already under consideration was Project Orbiter,[14]: 25–26 an Army plan to use a slightly modified Redstone (a 200 miles (320 km)) range surface-to-surface missile developed the prior year)[15] combined with upper stages employing 31 Loki solid-propellant rockets could put a 5 lb (2.3 kg) satellite into orbit, which could be tracked optically.[14]
On 26 May 1955, the U.S. National Security Council also endorsed a satellite program. On 8 June, United States Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson directed Assistant Secretary Donald A. Quarles to coordinate the implementation of a satellite program, with the United States Department of Defense providing the rocket and launch facilities, and the civilian IGY National Committee producing the satellite and its experimental package, the National Science Foundation mediating between the two agencies. A committee, under the chairmanship of Homer J. Stewart of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was developed to manage the project to evaluate and choose between the available satellite orbiting options. Project Orbiter now had competition in the form of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) plan to develop an orbital capability for its Viking rocket (Project Vanguard), even though the Loki upper stage rockets had been replaced with higher powered Sergeants. On 28 July, confident that a satellite could be lofted during the IGY, President Dwight D. Eisenhower's press secretary, James Hagerty, announced that a satellite would officially be among the United States' contributions to the IGY. The Soviets responded four days later with their own announcement of a planned IGY satellite launch.[14]: 25–43
By 9 September, the Stewart Committee had chosen the NRL proposal over the Army's citing the Navy's impressive planned Minitrack communications technology and network as well as both the civilian nature and the greater growth potential of the Viking/Vanguard rocket. The contract authorizing the construction of two more Viking rockets (13 and 14) was expanded to include development of the Vanguard rockets.[14]: 51–58 NRL received the assignment to develop the Vanguard satellite in early October.[9]: 77
United States edit
In January 1955, Convair was awarded a long-term government contract for the development of the Atlas, America's first ICBM, beginning Phase Three: detail design and development. With the increasing availability of smaller, lighter thermonuclear weapons, the Atlas design could reach a desired range of 5,500 km (3,400 mi) while using just three engines (original plans had contemplated five). Work on the Atlas accelerated in response to a secret report made in February 1955[16]: 191 by James Rhyne Killian to the National Security Council on Soviet rocket progress; in December 1955, Atlas was made the highest-priority project in the nation. In addition, after the issuance of the Killian report, a second ICBM, the Titan, was authorized, along with the Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), this latter rocket using many of the systems already being developed for Atlas.[17] All three of these missiles were adapted into workhorse orbital delivery rockets,[18]: 131–137 the Atlas offered as a backup alternative to both the Redstone and the Vanguard as an IGY launching vehicle.[14]: 41
Also authorized in the wake of the Killian report was the U.S. Army's Jupiter IRBM proposal, which was to be jointly developed by the U.S. Navy for use on vessels (the Navy dropped out of the project late the following year). The Jupiter also ultimately became a space launcher under the designation Juno II.[19]
Soviet Union edit
The single-stage R-5 missile completed its test launch series and entered operational service in 1955; it was able to carry the same 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) payload as its shorter ranged predecessors, the R-1 and R-2 but over a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi). Work then proceeded on an upgrade designated R-5M, with similar launch mass and range, but designed to carry a nuclear warhead.[20]: 242–243 This rocket, which would be the world's first nuclear missile, was a stopgap weapon pending the development of an ICBM, the development of both of which had been decreed by the USSR Council of Ministers in late 1953.[20]: 275
This ICBM was the R-7, whose design began in 1954. Initially contemplated as a two-stage design, the R-7 ultimately employed a cluster of four strapon boosters around a central rocket (or "sustainer"). For the first time, Soviet engineers were developing a rocket with more than a single combustion chamber (in the case of the R-7, there were 32). This ambitious project was the joint effort of three design entities: OKB-1, responsible for the general hydraulic system, NII-885, managing the general electrical system, and OKB-456, developing the engines' layout and thrust sequence.[20]: 290–1 In 1955, after the traditional launch pad proved to be unusable for the R-7, a plan was advanced to suspend the sustainer at the launch site, attaching the strapon cluster there; the entire assembly would be suspended by the launch facility rather than resting on the ground.[20]: 295 The first test launches were planned for 1957. The site for these launches, decided 12 February 1955, was Ministry of Defense Scientific-Research and Test Firing Range No.5 (NIIP-5), located in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (now Kazakhstan) near the Syr-Darya river. The town of Baikonur grew to support the facility.[20]: 308
Though the R-7 was developed explicitly as a nuclear missile, OKB-1's head Sergei Korolev already had plans to utilize the rocket for delivering satellites into orbit. At a private meeting on 30 August 1955, Korolev proposed this possibility Vasily Ryabikov, chairman of the Military Industrial Meeting. This suggestion culminated in the governmental resolution of January 1956 calling for the production of the Soviet Union's first satellite.[20]: 380
Launches edit
January edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 4 January | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 January | Successful[21] | |||
| 6 January | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 January | Successful[22] | |||
| 8 January | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 January | Successful[22] | |||
| 15 January | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 January | Successful[21] | |||
| 17 January | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 January | Successful[22] | |||
| 20 January | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 January | Successful | |||
| Maiden flight of the R-5M[22] | |||||||
| 21 January | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 January | Successful[22] | |||
| 22 January 00:54 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 51 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| Sodium Release 1 | AFCRC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 22 January | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 94.8 kilometres (58.9 mi)[23]: 145–146 | |||||||
| 22 January | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 January | Successful[22] | |||
| 25 January | R-1E | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 25 January | Successful | |||
| Maiden flight of the R-1E, carried dogs[24] | |||||||
| 25 January | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 January | Successful[21] | |||
| 28 January | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 January | Successful[25] | |||
| 29 January | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 January | Successful[25] | |||
| 29 January | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 January | Successful[22] | |||
| 31 January | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 January | Successful[21] | |||
February edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 1 February | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 February | Successful[22] | |||
| 3 February | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 February | Successful[25] | |||
| 4 February 21:55 | Viking (second model) | White Sands LC-33 | US Navy | ||||
| Viking 12 | NRL | Suborbital | REV test / Photography / Aeronomy | 4 February | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 232 kilometres (144 mi)[26] | |||||||
| 5 February | R-1E | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 5 February | Partial Failure | |||
| Carried dogs, not recovered[24] | |||||||
| 7 February | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 February | Successful[25] | |||
| 7 February | R-5 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 February | Successful[22] | |||
| 7 February 18:51 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 52 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 7 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 120.4 kilometres (74.8 mi)[23]: 147–148 | |||||||
| 8 February | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 February | Successful[21] | |||
| 8 February | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 February | Successful[21] | |||
| 9 February | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 February | Successful[22] | |||
| 10 February 22:38 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 53 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 10 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 76.1 kilometres (47.3 mi)[23]: 149–150 | |||||||
| 14 February | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 February | Successful[22] | |||
| 21 February 18:25 | Aerobee RTV-N-10c | NRL 29 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Solar UV | 21 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 115 kilometres (71 mi), maiden flight of the RTV-N-10c;[27] obtained UV spectrum in 30 second exposure over range 977 to 1817 A. Used University of Colorado biaxial pointer to keep camera trained on the Sun.[4] | |||||||
| 25 February | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 February | Successful[21] | |||
| 28 February | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 February | Successful[21] | |||
March edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 1 March | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 March | Successful[21] | |||
| 2 March | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 March | Successful[21] | |||
| 19 March 06:00 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 26 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Airglow | 19 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 115 kilometres (71 mi)[27] | |||||||
| 21 March | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 March | Successful[21] | |||
| 29 March 16:47 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 54 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC / University of Colorado | Suborbital | Solar UV | 29 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)[23]: 151–152 | |||||||
April edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 4 April | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 April | Successful[21] | |||
| 8 April | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 April | Successful[25] | |||
| 8 April | Nike-Nike-Tri-Deacon-T40 | Wallops Island | NACA | ||||
| NACA | Suborbital | REV test | 8 April | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 18 kilometres (11 mi), maiden (and only) flight of the Nike-Nike-Tri-Deacon-T40[28] | |||||||
| 8 April 15:19 | Nike-Deacon | DAN-1 | Wallops Island | US Air Force | |||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Test flight | 8 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi), maiden flight of the Nike-Deacon[29] | |||||||
| 9 April | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 April | Successful[25] | |||
| 12 April | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 April | Successful[25] | |||
| 15 April | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 April | Successful[25] | |||
| 21 April 15:58 | Aerobee Hi | USAF 55 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC | Suborbital | Test flight | 21 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 192 kilometres (119 mi), maiden flight of the AJ11-6 Aerobee Hi (USAF variant)[23]: 153–154 | |||||||
| 29 April | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 April | Partial Failure[22] | |||
May edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 18 May | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 May | Successful[21] | |||
| 20 May | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 May | Successful[21] | |||
| 20 May | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 May | Successful[22] | |||
| 26 May | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 May | Successful[22] | |||
| 28 May | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 May | Successful[21] | |||
| 31 May | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 May | Successful[21] | |||
June edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 1 June | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 June | Successful[21] | |||
| 6 June | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 June | Successful[22] | |||
| 15 June | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 June | Successful[22] | |||
| 16 June 01:11 | Aerobee AJ10-27 | USAF 56 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| Holloman Air Development Center | Suborbital | Classified | 16 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 203 kilometres (126 mi), maiden flight of the Aerobee AJ10-27[23]: 157 | |||||||
| 18 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 June | Successful[25] | |||
| 20 June | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 June | Successful[21] | |||
| 22 June | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 June | Successful[22] | |||
| 23 June | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 June | Successful[22] | |||
| 23 June | Nike-Nike-T40-T55 | Wallops Island | NACA | ||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Heat transfer REV test | 23 June | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi)[30] | |||||||
| 23 June 12:47 | Aerobee Hi | USAF 57 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC | Suborbital | Test flight | 23 June | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 61 kilometres (38 mi), premature burnout at 23 seconds[23]: 155–156 | |||||||
| 24 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 24 June | Successful[25] | |||
| 24 June 18:04 | Nike-Deacon | DAN-2 | Wallops Island | US Air Force | |||
| NACA | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 24 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)[29] | |||||||
| 28 June | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 June | Successful[21] | |||
| 28 June | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 June | Successful[22] | |||
| 30 June | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 June | Successful[22] | |||
July edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 1 July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 July | Successful[21] | |||
| 7 July | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 July | Successful[22] | |||
| 8 July 08:39 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 23 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 8 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)[27] | |||||||
| 9 July | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 July | Successful[22] | |||
| 13 July 06:59 | Aerobee RTV-N-10a | NRL 23 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 13 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 69 kilometres (43 mi), maiden flight of the Aerobee RTV-N-10a[27] | |||||||
| 15 July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 July | Successful[21] | |||
| 25 July | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 July | Successful[25] | |||
| 26 July | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 July | Successful[25] | |||
| 26 July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 July | Successful[21] | |||
| 29 July | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 July | Successful[25] | |||
August edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 1 August | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 August | Successful[25] | |||
| 1 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 3 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 6 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 8 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 9 August | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 August | Successful[22] | |||
| 12 August | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 August | Successful[22] | |||
| 16 August | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 August | Partial Failure[22] | |||
| 24 August | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 24 August | Successful[25] | |||
| 24 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 24 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 25 August | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 August | Successful[25] | |||
| 25 August 13:00 | Aerobee Hi | NRL 37 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Test flight | 25 August | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 4 kilometres (2.5 mi), maiden flight of the Aerobee Hi (NRL variant), Navy designation: RTV-N-13[27] | |||||||
| 26 August | X-17 | Cape Canaveral LC-3 | US Air Force | ||||
| ARDC | Suborbital | Test flight | 26 August | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 3 kilometres (1.9 mi), maiden flight of the X-17[31] | |||||||
| 27 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 30 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 August | Successful[21] | |||
| 31 August | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 August | Successful[21] | |||
September edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 14 September 13:30 | Aerobee AJ10-27 | USAF 58 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 14 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 95 kilometres (59 mi)[23]: 158–159 | |||||||
| 15 September | HJ-Nike | Wallops Island | NACA | ||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Test flight | 15 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), maiden flight of the HJ-Nike[32] | |||||||
| 19 September | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 September | Successful[22] | |||
| 23 September | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 September | Successful[22] | |||
| 23 September | X-17 | Cape Canaveral LC-3 | US Air Force | ||||
| ARDC | Suborbital | Test flight | 23 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)[31] | |||||||
| 23 September 20:34 | Loki Rockoon | SUI 38 | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 23 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[33] | |||||||
| 24 September 16:35 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 39 | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 24 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 24 September 21:09 | Loki Rockoon | SUI 40 | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 24 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[33] | |||||||
| 25 September 20:39 | Loki Rockoon | SUI 41 | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Newfoundland | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 25 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)[33] | |||||||
| 27 September | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 September | Successful[22] | |||
| 27 September | Nike-Deacon | Wallops Island | NACA | ||||
| NACA | Suborbital | REV test flight | 27 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi)[29] | |||||||
| 27 September 19:12 | Deacon Rockoon | NRL Rockoon 14 | USS Staten Island, Labrador Sea | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 27 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 27 September 19:43 | Deacon Rockoon | NRL Rockoon 13 | USS Staten Island, Labrador Sea | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 27 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 27 September 20:54 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 42 | USS Staten Island, Labrador Sea | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 27 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 28 September 01:13 | Loki Rockoon | SUI 43 | USS Staten Island, Labrador Sea | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 28 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[33] | |||||||
| 28 September 12:45 | Deacon Rockoon | NRL Rockoon 15 | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 28 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 28 September 14:54 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 44 | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 28 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 28 September 17:40 | Deacon Rockoon | NRL Rockoon 16 | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 28 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 28 September 19:22 | Deacon-Loki Rockoon | SUI 45 | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Test flight | 28 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 102 kilometres (63 mi), maiden flight of the Deacon-Loki rockoon[35] | |||||||
| 29 September | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 September | Successful[21] | |||
| 29 September 13:42 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 46 | USS Staten Island, Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 29 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 29 September 19:13 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 47 | USS Staten Island, northern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 29 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 29 September 21:52 | Deacon-Loki Rockoon | SUI 48 | USS Staten Island, Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Test flight | 29 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), final flight of the Deacon-Loki rockoon[35] | |||||||
| 30 September 15:50 | Aerobee AJ10-27 | USAF 59 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
| AFCRC / University of Utah / University of Colorado | Suborbital | Solar UV | 30 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 74 kilometres (46 mi)[23]: 160–161 | |||||||
| 30 September 20:10 | Loki Rockoon | SUI 49 | USS Staten Island, Baffin Bay | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 30 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[33] | |||||||
October edit
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 1 October | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 October | Successful[21] | |||
| 1 October | R-5M | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 October | Successful[22] | |||
| 4 October 21:18 | Loki Rockoon | SUI 50 | USS Staten Island, Baffin Bay | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 4 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[33] | |||||||
| 5 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 5 October | Successful[25] | |||
| 6 October 10:45 | Deacon Rockoon | NRL Rockoon 17 | USS Staten Island, Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 6 October | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 6 October 19:10 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 51 | USS Staten Island, Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 6 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 7 October | Nike-Nike-T40-T55 | Wallops Island | NACA | ||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Heat transfer REV test | 7 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi)[30] | |||||||
| 8 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 October | Successful[25] | |||
| 11 October 14:33 | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 52 | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| University of Iowa | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 11 October | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 11 October 14:37 | Deacon Rockoon | NRL Rockoon 18 | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait | US Navy | |||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 11 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)[34] | |||||||
| 13 October 01:00 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 60 | Holloman 1955, spaceflight, 1955, both, united, states, soviet, union, ussr, announced, plans, launching, world, first, satellites, during, international, geophysical, year, 1957, project, vanguard, proposed, navy, over, army, project, orbiter, satellite, rocket, desig. In 1955 both the United States and the Soviet Union USSR announced plans for launching the world s first satellites during the International Geophysical Year IGY of 1957 58 Project Vanguard proposed by the US Navy won out over the US Army s Project Orbiter as the satellite and rocket design to be flown in the IGY Development of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles the Atlas by the US and the R 7 by the USSR accelerated entering the design and construction phase 1955 in spaceflightThe Viking made its final flight in 1955RocketsMaiden flightsAerobee RTV N 10c Aerobee RTV N 10a Aerobee Hi Aerobee AJ10 27 Loki rockoon Deacon Loki rockoon Nike Deacon Nike Nike Tri Deacon T40 X 17 HJ Nike R 1E R 5MRetirementsAerobee RTV N 10a Aerobee AJ10 27 Deacon Loki rockoon Nike Nike Tri Deacon T40vte Both the US and USSR continued to launch a myriad of sounding rockets to probe the outer reaches of Earth s atmosphere and to take quick glimpses of the sun beyond the obscuring layers of air The Aerobee Hi first launched in April promised a comparatively low cost alternative to other high altitude sounding rockets The State University of Iowa meanwhile experimented with balloon launched rockoons on its fourth expedition into the Atlantic Ocean Contents 1 Space exploration highlights 1 1 Sounding Rockets 1 2 Fourth Atlantic Rockoon expedition 2 Spacecraft development 2 1 Preparation for the International Geophysical Year IGY 2 2 United States 2 3 Soviet Union 3 Launches 3 1 January 3 2 February 3 3 March 3 4 April 3 5 May 3 6 June 3 7 July 3 8 August 3 9 September 3 10 October 3 11 November 3 12 December 4 Suborbital launch summary 4 1 By country 4 2 By rocket 5 See also 6 References 6 1 FootnotesSpace exploration highlights editSounding Rockets edit nbsp First Aerobee Hi launch 21 April 1955The Aerobee family of rockets expanded considerably this year both in variety and capability Most significant was the introduction of the Aerobee Hi doubling the altitude range of the Aerobee sounding rocket from 125 km 78 mi to 220 km 140 mi and increasing the payload carried from 68 kg 150 lb to 91 kg 201 lb Able to probe the upper atmosphere its 30 000 per flight price tag compared favorably to that of its high altitude contemporaries the Viking and the Bumper 1 at least one 1955 Aerobee Hi flight returned scientific data 2 a Other less capable Aerobee rockets still lofted instruments beyond the 100 kilometer 62 mi boundary of space as defined by the World Air Sports Federation 3 returning spectra of the Sun in ultraviolet and investigating atmospheric airglow 4 5 6 The Viking series of rockets wrapped up with the flight of Viking 12 launched 4 February 1955 Reaching an altitude of 143 5 mi 230 9 km the rocket s K 25 camera snapped an infrared picture of the Southwestern United States from the Pacific coast to Phoenix just after reaching its apogee 7 A number of sounding rockets based on the Nike booster used as the first stage in various anti aircraft missiles 8 were developed and launched Just one the 5 April Nike Deacon flight breached the limits of space The Soviet Union launched three R 1E sounding rocket variants of its R 1 missile a copy of the German V 2 all carrying dogs as biological payloads b a the mission date has not yet been determined b see table below for details and citations Fourth Atlantic Rockoon expedition edit Members of the State University of Iowa SUI physics department embarked September 1955 on their fourth naval expedition into the Atlantic Ocean to survey the distribution of cosmic rays and auroral radiation by latitude using balloon launched rockets rockoons The team leader was Frank B McDonald formerly of the University of Minnesota Their vessel was the USS Ashland a World War 2 era Dock landing ship originally used to transport and launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles Two research teams with the Naval Research Laboratory also sailed on the Ashland In addition to the Deacon equipped rockoons that had been used on the prior expeditions the SUI team experimented with Loki I rockets launched from balloons The new vehicle worked perfectly the first being launched 23 September This set the stage for the most ambitious missions of the cruise the launchings of two two stage Loki I Deacon rockoons The first was a failure the smaller Loki second stage failing to separate from the Deacon On the second attempt both stages fired properly However two and a half seconds after second stage ignition telemetry from the rocket abruptly stopped Professor James Van Allen head of the SUI physics department determined that the thin aluminum nosecone on the rocket had melted due to the incredible friction encountered at its speed of more than 8 000 km 5 000 mi per hour Had it reached its target altitude Van Allen later stated it might well have discovered the Van Allen Belts two and a half years before the missions of Explorer 1 and Explorer 3 As it turned out no more Loki Deacon missions were attempted 9 34 37 51 Spacecraft development editPreparation for the International Geophysical Year IGY edit The origin of the International Geophysical Year can be traced to the International Polar Years held in 1882 1883 then in 1932 1933 and most recently from March 2007 to March 2009 On 5 April 1950 several top scientists including Lloyd Berkner Sydney Chapman S Fred Singer and Harry Vestine met in James Van Allen s living room and suggested that the time was ripe to have a worldwide Geophysical Year instead of a Polar Year especially considering recent advances in rocketry radar and computing 10 Berkner and Chapman proposed to the International Council of Scientific Unions that an International Geophysical Year IGY be planned for 1957 58 coinciding with an approaching period of maximum solar activity 11 12 In 1952 the IGY was announced 13 In January 1955 Radio Moscow announced that the Soviet Union might be expected to launch a satellite in the near future This announcement galvanized American space efforts in the same month the National Academy of Sciences IGY committee established a Technical Panel on Rocketry to evaluate plans to orbit an American satellite Already under consideration was Project Orbiter 14 25 26 an Army plan to use a slightly modified Redstone a 200 miles 320 km range surface to surface missile developed the prior year 15 combined with upper stages employing 31 Loki solid propellant rockets could put a 5 lb 2 3 kg satellite into orbit which could be tracked optically 14 On 26 May 1955 the U S National Security Council also endorsed a satellite program On 8 June United States Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson directed Assistant Secretary Donald A Quarles to coordinate the implementation of a satellite program with the United States Department of Defense providing the rocket and launch facilities and the civilian IGY National Committee producing the satellite and its experimental package the National Science Foundation mediating between the two agencies A committee under the chairmanship of Homer J Stewart of Jet Propulsion Laboratory was developed to manage the project to evaluate and choose between the available satellite orbiting options Project Orbiter now had competition in the form of the Naval Research Laboratory NRL plan to develop an orbital capability for its Viking rocket Project Vanguard even though the Loki upper stage rockets had been replaced with higher powered Sergeants On 28 July confident that a satellite could be lofted during the IGY President Dwight D Eisenhower s press secretary James Hagerty announced that a satellite would officially be among the United States contributions to the IGY The Soviets responded four days later with their own announcement of a planned IGY satellite launch 14 25 43 By 9 September the Stewart Committee had chosen the NRL proposal over the Army s citing the Navy s impressive planned Minitrack communications technology and network as well as both the civilian nature and the greater growth potential of the Viking Vanguard rocket The contract authorizing the construction of two more Viking rockets 13 and 14 was expanded to include development of the Vanguard rockets 14 51 58 NRL received the assignment to develop the Vanguard satellite in early October 9 77 United States edit In January 1955 Convair was awarded a long term government contract for the development of the Atlas America s first ICBM beginning Phase Three detail design and development With the increasing availability of smaller lighter thermonuclear weapons the Atlas design could reach a desired range of 5 500 km 3 400 mi while using just three engines original plans had contemplated five Work on the Atlas accelerated in response to a secret report made in February 1955 16 191 by James Rhyne Killian to the National Security Council on Soviet rocket progress in December 1955 Atlas was made the highest priority project in the nation In addition after the issuance of the Killian report a second ICBM the Titan was authorized along with the Thor Intermediate range ballistic missile IRBM this latter rocket using many of the systems already being developed for Atlas 17 All three of these missiles were adapted into workhorse orbital delivery rockets 18 131 137 the Atlas offered as a backup alternative to both the Redstone and the Vanguard as an IGY launching vehicle 14 41 Also authorized in the wake of the Killian report was the U S Army s Jupiter IRBM proposal which was to be jointly developed by the U S Navy for use on vessels the Navy dropped out of the project late the following year The Jupiter also ultimately became a space launcher under the designation Juno II 19 Soviet Union edit nbsp R 7 rocketThe single stage R 5 missile completed its test launch series and entered operational service in 1955 it was able to carry the same 1 000 kilograms 2 200 lb payload as its shorter ranged predecessors the R 1 and R 2 but over a distance of 1 200 kilometres 750 mi Work then proceeded on an upgrade designated R 5M with similar launch mass and range but designed to carry a nuclear warhead 20 242 243 This rocket which would be the world s first nuclear missile was a stopgap weapon pending the development of an ICBM the development of both of which had been decreed by the USSR Council of Ministers in late 1953 20 275 This ICBM was the R 7 whose design began in 1954 Initially contemplated as a two stage design the R 7 ultimately employed a cluster of four strapon boosters around a central rocket or sustainer For the first time Soviet engineers were developing a rocket with more than a single combustion chamber in the case of the R 7 there were 32 This ambitious project was the joint effort of three design entities OKB 1 responsible for the general hydraulic system NII 885 managing the general electrical system and OKB 456 developing the engines layout and thrust sequence 20 290 1 In 1955 after the traditional launch pad proved to be unusable for the R 7 a plan was advanced to suspend the sustainer at the launch site attaching the strapon cluster there the entire assembly would be suspended by the launch facility rather than resting on the ground 20 295 The first test launches were planned for 1957 The site for these launches decided 12 February 1955 was Ministry of Defense Scientific Research and Test Firing Range No 5 NIIP 5 located in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic now Kazakhstan near the Syr Darya river The town of Baikonur grew to support the facility 20 308 Though the R 7 was developed explicitly as a nuclear missile OKB 1 s head Sergei Korolev already had plans to utilize the rocket for delivering satellites into orbit At a private meeting on 30 August 1955 Korolev proposed this possibility Vasily Ryabikov chairman of the Military Industrial Meeting This suggestion culminated in the governmental resolution of January 1956 calling for the production of the Soviet Union s first satellite 20 380 Launches edit Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec January edit January launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks4 January nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 4 January Successful 21 6 January nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 6 January Successful 22 8 January nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 8 January Successful 22 15 January nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 15 January Successful 21 17 January nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 17 January Successful 22 20 January nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 20 January SuccessfulMaiden flight of the R 5M 22 21 January nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 21 January Successful 22 22 January 00 54 nbsp Aerobee RTV A 1a USAF 51 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air Force nbsp Sodium Release 1 AFCRC Suborbital Aeronomy 22 January SuccessfulApogee 94 8 kilometres 58 9 mi 23 145 146 22 January nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 22 January Successful 22 25 January nbsp R 1E nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Biological 25 January SuccessfulMaiden flight of the R 1E carried dogs 24 25 January nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 25 January Successful 21 28 January nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 28 January Successful 25 29 January nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 29 January Successful 25 29 January nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 29 January Successful 22 31 January nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 31 January Successful 21 February edit February launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks1 February nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 February Successful 22 3 February nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 3 February Successful 25 4 February 21 55 nbsp Viking second model nbsp White Sands LC 33 nbsp US Navy nbsp Viking 12 NRL Suborbital REV test Photography Aeronomy 4 February SuccessfulApogee 232 kilometres 144 mi 26 5 February nbsp R 1E nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Biological 5 February Partial FailureCarried dogs not recovered 24 7 February nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 7 February Successful 25 7 February nbsp R 5 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 7 February Successful 22 7 February 18 51 nbsp Aerobee RTV A 1a USAF 52 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC University of Utah Suborbital Ionospheric 7 February SuccessfulApogee 120 4 kilometres 74 8 mi 23 147 148 8 February nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 8 February Successful 21 8 February nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 8 February Successful 21 9 February nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 9 February Successful 22 10 February 22 38 nbsp Aerobee RTV A 1a USAF 53 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC University of Utah Suborbital Ionospheric 10 February SuccessfulApogee 76 1 kilometres 47 3 mi 23 149 150 14 February nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 14 February Successful 22 21 February 18 25 nbsp Aerobee RTV N 10c NRL 29 nbsp White Sands LC 35 nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Solar UV 21 February SuccessfulApogee 115 kilometres 71 mi maiden flight of the RTV N 10c 27 obtained UV spectrum in 30 second exposure over range 977 to 1817 A Used University of Colorado biaxial pointer to keep camera trained on the Sun 4 25 February nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 25 February Successful 21 28 February nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 28 February Successful 21 March edit March launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks1 March nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 March Successful 21 2 March nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 2 March Successful 21 19 March 06 00 nbsp Aerobee RTV N 10 NRL 26 nbsp White Sands LC 35 nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Airglow 19 March SuccessfulApogee 115 kilometres 71 mi 27 21 March nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 21 March Successful 21 29 March 16 47 nbsp Aerobee RTV A 1a USAF 54 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC University of Colorado Suborbital Solar UV 29 March SuccessfulApogee 113 kilometres 70 mi 23 151 152 April edit April launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks4 April nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 4 April Successful 21 8 April nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 8 April Successful 25 8 April nbsp Nike Nike Tri Deacon T40 nbsp Wallops Island nbsp NACANACA Suborbital REV test 8 April Launch failureApogee 18 kilometres 11 mi maiden and only flight of the Nike Nike Tri Deacon T40 28 8 April 15 19 nbsp Nike Deacon DAN 1 nbsp Wallops Island nbsp US Air ForceUS Air Force Suborbital Test flight 8 April SuccessfulApogee 108 kilometres 67 mi maiden flight of the Nike Deacon 29 9 April nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 9 April Successful 25 12 April nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 12 April Successful 25 15 April nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 15 April Successful 25 21 April 15 58 nbsp Aerobee Hi USAF 55 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC Suborbital Test flight 21 April SuccessfulApogee 192 kilometres 119 mi maiden flight of the AJ11 6 Aerobee Hi USAF variant 23 153 154 29 April nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 29 April Partial Failure 22 May edit May launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks18 May nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 18 May Successful 21 20 May nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 20 May Successful 21 20 May nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 20 May Successful 22 26 May nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 26 May Successful 22 28 May nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 28 May Successful 21 31 May nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 31 May Successful 21 June edit June launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks1 June nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 June Successful 21 6 June nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 6 June Successful 22 15 June nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 15 June Successful 22 16 June 01 11 nbsp Aerobee AJ10 27 USAF 56 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceHolloman Air Development Center Suborbital Classified 16 June SuccessfulApogee 203 kilometres 126 mi maiden flight of the Aerobee AJ10 27 23 157 18 June nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 18 June Successful 25 20 June nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 20 June Successful 21 22 June nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 22 June Successful 22 23 June nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 23 June Successful 22 23 June nbsp Nike Nike T40 T55 nbsp Wallops Island nbsp NACANACA Suborbital Heat transfer REV test 23 June Launch failureApogee 30 kilometres 19 mi 30 23 June 12 47 nbsp Aerobee Hi USAF 57 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC Suborbital Test flight 23 June Launch failureApogee 61 kilometres 38 mi premature burnout at 23 seconds 23 155 156 24 June nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 24 June Successful 25 24 June 18 04 nbsp Nike Deacon DAN 2 nbsp Wallops Island nbsp US Air ForceNACA Suborbital Aeronomy 24 June SuccessfulApogee 105 kilometres 65 mi 29 28 June nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful 21 28 June nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful 22 30 June nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 30 June Successful 22 July edit July launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks1 July nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 July Successful 21 7 July nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 7 July Successful 22 8 July 08 39 nbsp Aerobee RTV N 10 NRL 23 nbsp White Sands LC 35 nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric 8 July SuccessfulApogee 113 kilometres 70 mi 27 9 July nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 9 July Successful 22 13 July 06 59 nbsp Aerobee RTV N 10a NRL 23 nbsp White Sands LC 35 nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Aeronomy 13 July SuccessfulApogee 69 kilometres 43 mi maiden flight of the Aerobee RTV N 10a 27 15 July nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 15 July Successful 21 25 July nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 25 July Successful 25 26 July nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 26 July Successful 25 26 July nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 26 July Successful 21 29 July nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 29 July Successful 25 August edit August launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks1 August nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 August Successful 25 1 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 August Successful 21 3 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 3 August Successful 21 6 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 6 August Successful 21 8 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 8 August Successful 21 9 August nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 9 August Successful 22 12 August nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 12 August Successful 22 16 August nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 16 August Partial Failure 22 24 August nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 24 August Successful 25 24 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 24 August Successful 21 25 August nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 25 August Successful 25 25 August 13 00 nbsp Aerobee Hi NRL 37 nbsp White Sands LC 35 nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Test flight 25 August Launch failureApogee 4 kilometres 2 5 mi maiden flight of the Aerobee Hi NRL variant Navy designation RTV N 13 27 26 August nbsp X 17 nbsp Cape Canaveral LC 3 nbsp US Air ForceARDC Suborbital Test flight 26 August Launch failureApogee 3 kilometres 1 9 mi maiden flight of the X 17 31 27 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 27 August Successful 21 30 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 30 August Successful 21 31 August nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 31 August Successful 21 September edit September launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks14 September 13 30 nbsp Aerobee AJ10 27 USAF 58 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC University of Michigan Suborbital Aeronomy 14 September SuccessfulApogee 95 kilometres 59 mi 23 158 159 15 September nbsp HJ Nike nbsp Wallops Island nbsp NACANACA Suborbital Test flight 15 September Launch failureApogee 10 kilometres 6 2 mi maiden flight of the HJ Nike 32 19 September nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 19 September Successful 22 23 September nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 23 September Successful 22 23 September nbsp X 17 nbsp Cape Canaveral LC 3 nbsp US Air ForceARDC Suborbital Test flight 23 September Launch failureApogee 5 kilometres 3 1 mi 31 23 September 20 34 nbsp Loki Rockoon SUI 38 nbsp USS Staten Island Atlantic Ocean near Nova Scotia nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 23 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 33 24 September 16 35 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 39 nbsp USS Staten Island Atlantic Ocean near Nova Scotia nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 24 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 34 24 September 21 09 nbsp Loki Rockoon SUI 40 nbsp USS Staten Island Atlantic Ocean near Nova Scotia nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 24 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 33 25 September 20 39 nbsp Loki Rockoon SUI 41 nbsp USS Staten Island Atlantic Ocean near Newfoundland nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 25 September Launch failureApogee 11 kilometres 6 8 mi 33 27 September nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 27 September Successful 22 27 September nbsp Nike Deacon nbsp Wallops Island nbsp NACANACA Suborbital REV test flight 27 September SuccessfulApogee 30 kilometres 19 mi 29 27 September 19 12 nbsp Deacon Rockoon NRL Rockoon 14 nbsp USS Staten Island Labrador Sea nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 27 September Launch failureApogee 11 kilometres 6 8 mi 34 27 September 19 43 nbsp Deacon Rockoon NRL Rockoon 13 nbsp USS Staten Island Labrador Sea nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 27 September SuccessfulApogee 90 kilometres 56 mi 34 27 September 20 54 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 42 nbsp USS Staten Island Labrador Sea nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 27 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 34 28 September 01 13 nbsp Loki Rockoon SUI 43 nbsp USS Staten Island Labrador Sea nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 28 September Launch failureApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 33 28 September 12 45 nbsp Deacon Rockoon NRL Rockoon 15 nbsp USS Staten Island southern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 28 September SuccessfulApogee 90 kilometres 56 mi 34 28 September 14 54 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 44 nbsp USS Staten Island southern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 28 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 34 28 September 17 40 nbsp Deacon Rockoon NRL Rockoon 16 nbsp USS Staten Island southern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 28 September Launch failureApogee 11 kilometres 6 8 mi 34 28 September 19 22 nbsp Deacon Loki Rockoon SUI 45 nbsp USS Staten Island southern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Test flight 28 September Launch failureApogee 102 kilometres 63 mi maiden flight of the Deacon Loki rockoon 35 29 September nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 29 September Successful 21 29 September 13 42 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 46 nbsp USS Staten Island Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 29 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 34 29 September 19 13 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 47 nbsp USS Staten Island northern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 29 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 34 29 September 21 52 nbsp Deacon Loki Rockoon SUI 48 nbsp USS Staten Island Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Test flight 29 September Launch failureApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi final flight of the Deacon Loki rockoon 35 30 September 15 50 nbsp Aerobee AJ10 27 USAF 59 nbsp Holloman LC A nbsp US Air ForceAFCRC University of Utah University of Colorado Suborbital Solar UV 30 September SuccessfulApogee 74 kilometres 46 mi 23 160 161 30 September 20 10 nbsp Loki Rockoon SUI 49 nbsp USS Staten Island Baffin Bay nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 30 September SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 33 October edit October launches Date and time UTC Rocket Flight number Launch site LSPPayload Operator Orbit Function Decay UTC OutcomeRemarks1 October nbsp R 2 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 October Successful 21 1 October nbsp R 5M nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 1 October Successful 22 4 October 21 18 nbsp Loki Rockoon SUI 50 nbsp USS Staten Island Baffin Bay nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 4 October SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 33 5 October nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 5 October Successful 25 6 October 10 45 nbsp Deacon Rockoon NRL Rockoon 17 nbsp USS Staten Island Davis Strait nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 6 October Launch failureApogee 11 kilometres 6 8 mi 34 6 October 19 10 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 51 nbsp USS Staten Island Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 6 October SuccessfulApogee 100 kilometres 62 mi 34 7 October nbsp Nike Nike T40 T55 nbsp Wallops Island nbsp NACANACA Suborbital Heat transfer REV test 7 October SuccessfulApogee 30 kilometres 19 mi 30 8 October nbsp R 1 nbsp Kapustin Yar nbsp OKB 1OKB 1 Suborbital Missile test 8 October Successful 25 11 October 14 33 nbsp Deacon Rockoon SUI 52 nbsp USS Staten Island southern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyUniversity of Iowa Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 11 October Launch failureApogee 20 kilometres 12 mi 34 11 October 14 37 nbsp Deacon Rockoon NRL Rockoon 18 nbsp USS Staten Island southern Davis Strait nbsp US NavyNRL Suborbital Ionospheric Aeronomy 11 October SuccessfulApogee 90 kilometres 56 mi 34 13 October 01 00 nbsp Aerobee RTV A 1a USAF 60 nbsp Holloman a, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library, article, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games. | ||||