Spaceflight as a practical endeavor began during World War II with the development of operational liquid-fueled rockets. Beginning life as a weapon, the V-2 was pressed into peaceful service after the war at the United States' White Sands Missile Range as well as the Soviet Union's Kapustin Yar. This led to a flourishing of missile designs setting the stage for the exploration of space. The small American WAC Corporal rocket was evolved into the Aerobee, a much more powerful sounding rocket. Exploration of space began in earnest in 1947 with the flight of the first Aerobee, 46 of which had flown by the end of 1950. These and other rockets, both Soviet and American, returned the first direct data on air density, temperature, charged particles and magnetic fields in the Earth's upper atmosphere.
Launch of a V-2 from Peenemünde | |
National firsts | |
---|---|
Spaceflight | |
Rockets | |
Maiden flights | |
Retirements | |
By 1948, the United States Navy had evolved the V-2 design into the Viking capable of more than 100 miles (160 km) in altitude. The first Viking to accomplish this feat, number four, did so 10 May 1950. The Soviet Union developed a virtual copy of the V-2 called the R-1, which first flew in 1948. Its longer-ranged successor, the R-2, entered military service in 1950. This event marked the entry of both superpowers into the post-V-2 rocketry era.
Origins and rocket development
editThe era of spaceflight began in 1942 with the development of the V-2 rocket (A-4) as a ballistic missile by Germany, the first vehicle capable of reaching the 100 kilometres (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation).[1] On 20 June 1944, a V-2 (MW 18014) was launched vertically, reaching a height of 174.6 kilometres (108.5 mi).[2]
The post-war years saw rapid development in rocket technology by both superpowers, jumpstarted by the dozens of V-2s and hundreds of German specialists that ended up in the custody of the Soviet Union and the United States.[3]: 216–7 [4]: 226 [5]: 43 The V-2, designed for carrying a warhead horizontally rather than vertical science missions, made an inefficient sounding rocket, while the wartime American WAC Corporal sounding rocket was too small to carry much scientific equipment.[4]: 250 In 1946, the US Navy began development of its own heavy sounding rocket, the Viking, derived in part from the V-2.[6]: 21–25 [6]: 236 The Aerobee was developed from the WAC Corporal to loft lighter payloads.[4]: 250–1
The Soviet Union began military development of the R-1, a copy of the V-2 with modifications intended to improve reliability, in 1947.[5]: 41, 48 Flight testing of this first Soviet-made liquid-fueled missile began on 13 September 1948,[5]: 129 and the rocket entered military service in 1950.[5]: 149 Also from 1947, two advanced rockets with ranges of 600 kilometres (370 mi), the German émigré-designed G-1 (or R-10) and the Russian-designed R-2, competed for limited engineering and production staff, the latter winning out by the end of 1949[5]: 65 and being put into service in 1951.[5]: 274 The draft plan for the 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) range R-3 was approved on 7 December 1949,[5]: 67 though it was never developed, later designs proving more useful and achievable.[5]: 275–6
Space exploration
editV-2, WAC Corporal, and R-1A
editThe V-2s captured from Germany at the end of World War II were used for engineering and scientific missions by the United States and the Soviet Union. The first 25 captured V-2s were launched in the 15 months commencing 15 March 1946.[4]: 398 By the end of 1950, more than 60 had been launched by the Americans, most of them equipped with research instruments.[7]: 6 The first biological payloads launched to high altitude were sent on V-2s, starting with seeds and fruit flies in 1947, followed by mice and monkeys from 1948 onward.[8]
The V-2 was also used in early experiments with two-stage rockets: Project Bumper combined the V-2 first stage with the WAC Corporal as second stage. On 24 February 1949, Bumper 5 set an altitude record of 417 kilometres (259 mi).[4]: 257–8 Around 10 WAC Corporals were also launched on their own in this period.[7]: 6
The Soviet Union launched 11 captured V-2s in 1947.[5]: 41 Three of the V-2s launched by the USSR in 1947 carried 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) experiment packages for measuring cosmic rays at high altitude; at least one returned usable data.[9]: 56 Two Soviet R-1As (an experimental R-1 variant that tested nose cone separation at altitude) also carried scientific equipment during test launches in 1949, but neither returned usable data.[10]
Aerobee
editFirst launched on 24 November 1947, the solid/liquid-fuel hybrid Aerobee quickly secured a reputation for reliability. With the development of these first generation purpose-built sounding rockets, the exploration of Earth's upper atmosphere and the nearest reaches of space began in earnest, a total of 46 Aerobee flights being launched through 1950.[11] Aerobee flights measured the velocity and density of cosmic rays above 70 miles (110 km) and made high altitude measurements of the Earth's magnetic field. Cameras mounted on Aerobee rockets returned the first high quality photographs from space of sizeable regions of the Earth as well as large scale cloud formations.[4]: 251
Viking
editVikings 1 and 2, launched in 1949 from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, both suffered from premature engine cutoff due to turbine leaks, significantly reducing their maximum altitude.[6]: 98–102 The improved Viking 3, launched 9 February 1950 reached 50 mi (80 km) and could have gone higher. However, after 34 seconds of accurately guided flight, the rocket veered westward and had to be destroyed by range safety.[6]: 108–114
On 10 May 1950, Viking 4 was launched from a site in the Pacific Ocean between Jarvis Island and Christmas Island. The fourth Viking became the first sounding rocket ever launched from a sea-going vessel, the USS Norton Sound. This flight was perfect, reaching 106.4 mi (171.2 km), more than double that reached by the earlier Vikings.[6]: 108–114
Viking 5, launched 21 November 1950, carried a vast array of radiation detectors. The rocket also carried two movie cameras to take high altitude film of the Earth all the way to its peak height of 108 miles (174 km) as well as Pirani gauges to measure air densities in the upper atmosphere.[6]: 148, 236 Viking 6, launched 11 December, underperformed, reaching a maximum altitude of 40 miles (64 km).[6]: 151–153, 236
Launches
edit1942
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
13 June — 12 December | V-2 | Peenemünde | Wehrmacht | ||||
Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | Mixed | |||
7 V-2 rockets launched on test flights, 3 successfully[12] |
1943
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
7 January — 30 December | V-2 | Peenemünde, Heidelager | Wehrmacht | ||||
Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | Mixed | |||
39 V-2 rockets launched on test flights; at least 9 failures[12] |
1944
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
20 June | V-2 | Greifswalder Oie | Wehrmacht | ||||
MW 18014[2] | Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 June | Successful | ||
First artificial object to cross 100 km.[citation needed] Vertical test, apogee: 174.6 kilometres (108.5 mi) | |||||||
8 September | V-2 | Houffalize | Wehrmacht | ||||
Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile attack | 8 September | Successful | |||
First combat usage of V-2 after more than a hundred test flights; ~3000 combat launches followed until March 1945[12] (see List of V-2 test launches) |
1945
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
2 October 13:41 |
V-2 | Cuxhaven | UK military | ||||
Suborbital | 2 October | Successful | |||||
First launch of Operation Backfire; apogee: 69.4 kilometres (43.1 mi)[13] | |||||||
4 October 13:15 |
V-2 | Cuxhaven | UK military | ||||
Suborbital | 4 October | Partial failure | |||||
Apogee: 17.4 kilometres (10.8 mi)[13] | |||||||
15 October 14:06 |
V-2 | Cuxhaven | UK military | ||||
Suborbital | 15 October | Successful | |||||
Press and international observers present; Apogee: 64 kilometres (40 mi)[13] |
1946
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
16 April 21:47 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 2 | White Sands LC-33 | General Electric / US Army | |||
WSPG[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation (Applied Physics Laboratory)[16] | 16 April | Launch failure | |||
First launch of Project Hermes, apogee: 8 kilometres (5.0 mi), guidance failure;[14] carried Geiger counter designed by James Van Allen[15] | |||||||
10 May 21:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 3 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
WSPG[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation (APL)[16] | 10 May | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi), First US spaceflight | |||||||
29 May 21:12 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 4 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation (APL)[16] | 29 May | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
13 June 23:40 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 5 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE[14] | Suborbital | Solar Radiation / Ionospheric (Naval Research Laboratory)[16] | 13 June | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi) | |||||||
28 June 19:25 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 6 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation / Aeronomy / Ionospheric[17]: 336–337 | 28 June | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi) | |||||||
9 July 19:25 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 7 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Ionospheric (NRL) / Biological (Harvard University)[17]: 338–339 | 9 July | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 134 kilometres (83 mi), sent seeds to space | |||||||
19 July 19:11 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 8 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE[14] | Suborbital | Ionospheric (NRL)[16] | 19 July | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi), explosion at 28.5 seconds[14] | |||||||
30 July 19:36 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 9 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Ionospheric (NRL)[17]: 342–343 | 30 July | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi) | |||||||
15 August 18:00 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 10 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Princeton University[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Ionospheric[17]: 344 | 15 August | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi), guidance failure at 13.9 seconds[14] | |||||||
22 August 17:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 11 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
University of Michigan[14] | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Sky Brightness[16][17]: 345 | 22 August | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 0.1 kilometres (0.062 mi), guidance failure immediately after lift[14] | |||||||
10 October 18:02 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 12 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Spectroscopy / Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Biological (Harvard)[17]: 346–347 | 10 October | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 164 kilometres (102 mi),[14] launched with seeds and cross jet attenuation transmitter and receiver | |||||||
24 October 19:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 13 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Aeronomy / Photography[16] | 24 October | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi), first photo of Earth from space, short burning time (59 sec)[18] | |||||||
7 November 20:31 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 14 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Princeton University[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 7 November | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 0.4 kilometres (0.25 mi). Guidance failure at 2 seconds, missile turned sideways, flew horizontal and was destroyed.[17]: 350 | |||||||
21 November 16:55 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 15 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Watson Laboratories / University of Michigan[18] | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Sky Brightness / Voltage Breakdown[17]: 351–352 | 21 November | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 102 kilometres (63 mi) | |||||||
5 December 20:08 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 16 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Aeronomy / Photography[16] | 5 December | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi), guidance problems | |||||||
18 December 05:12 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 17 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Grenades | APL[14] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Meteor Research / Biological (National Institute of Health)[16] | 18 December | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 187 kilometres (116 mi), first night flight of a V-2. Released artificial meteors for photographic observation.[19] Carried fungus spores. Extraordinary range due to guidance failure.[17]: 355–356 |
1947
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
10 January 21:13 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 18 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 10 January | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 116 kilometres (72 mi), roll at 40 seconds[14][17]: 357–358 | |||||||
24 January 00:22 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 19 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE[14] | Suborbital | Test Guidance System[14] / Hermes A-2 Telemetry System Test[17]: 359–360 | 24 January | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi) | |||||||
20 February 18:16 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 20 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom I | Air Materiel Command[14] | Suborbital | Aeronomy (University of Michigan) / Ionospheric (AFCRC, University of Michigan) / Sky Brightness / Voltage Breakdown (AFCRC) / Biological[17]: 361–362 | 20 February | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi), guidance disturbance at 27 sec, roll at 37.5 seconds.[14] Flew with rye seeds, cotton seeds, and fruit flies, the first animals in space.[20] | |||||||
7 March 18:23 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 21 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Aeronomy / Solar Radiation / Ionospheric (NRL) / Biological (Harvard) | 7 March | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 161 kilometres (100 mi), sent seeds to space[14][17]: 363–365 | |||||||
1 April 20:10 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 22 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV (APL, Yerkes Observatory) / Photography | 1 April | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)[14][17]: 366–367 | |||||||
9 April 00:10 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 23 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Photography | 9 April | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 103 kilometres (64 mi)[14][17]: 368–369 | |||||||
17 April 23:22 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 24 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Grenades | GE[14] | Suborbital | Aeronomy (Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories)[17]: 370–371 | 17 April | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi), roll at 57.5 seconds[14] | |||||||
15 May 23:08 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 26 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Grenades | NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy (SCEL) / Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation / Ionospheric (NRL)[17]: 374–375 | 15 May | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi), steering trouble from lift[14] | |||||||
29 May | V-2 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Hermes II | GE | Suborbital | Test of ramjet diffusers called "Organ"[22] | 29 May | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi), maiden flight of the Hermes II V-2 variant. Rocket flew south instead of north and landed in Mexico[21] | |||||||
10 July 19:18 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 29 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Ionospheric / Biological (Harvard College Observatory) | 10 July | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 16.3 kilometres (10.1 mi), steering trouble from lift, cutoff triggered at 32 seconds[14][17]: 383–384 | |||||||
29 July 12:55 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 30 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Photography | 29 July | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi), vane #4 ceased to operate at 27 seconds[14][17]: 386–387 | |||||||
6 September | V-2 | USS Midway, Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Bermuda | US Navy | ||||
US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 September | Launch failure | |||
Operation Sandy, first shipboard missile launch, apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) | |||||||
9 October 19:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 27 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE | Suborbital | Aeronomy (University of Michigan) / Solar UV (NRL)[17]: 376–378 | 9 October | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 156 kilometres (97 mi), steering disturbance at 48.4 seconds, roll at 52 seconds[14] | |||||||
18 October 07:47 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 October | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 86 kilometres (53 mi); destroyed during ballistic portion of flight[23] | |||||||
20 October 07:47 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 October | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi); tore loose from launch stand; flew 180 kilometres (110 mi) left of planned target[23] | |||||||
23 October 14:05 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 14 kilometres (8.7 mi); payload destroyed, rocket disintegrated[23] | |||||||
28 October 14:05 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 87 kilometres (54 mi)[23] | |||||||
31 October 13:41 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 October | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi); loss of control on longitudinal axis[23] | |||||||
2 November 15:14 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)[23] | |||||||
3 November 12:05 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 November | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi); rolled after launch and lost stabilization[23] | |||||||
4 November 15:02 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)[23] | |||||||
10 November 09:39 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 November | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi); lost guidance[23] | |||||||
13 November 08:30 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)[23] | |||||||
13 November 14:00 |
V-2 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 November | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi); broke up on re-entry[23] | |||||||
20 November 23:47 |
V-2 | GE Special | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE | Suborbital | Technology development flight for GE | 20 November | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 21 kilometres (13 mi), propulsion trouble at 36 seconds[14][17]: 471 | |||||||
24 November 17:20 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A4 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 24 November | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 55.8 kilometres (34.7 mi), maiden flight of the Aerobee RTV-N-8, although three booster tests with dummy upper stages occurred earlier in the year.[17]: 260–261 Flew off course, flight terminated.[24] | |||||||
8 December 21:42 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 28 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom II | AMC | Suborbital | Aeronomy (University of Michigan, Boston University) / Solar X-Ray / Ionospheric (Boston University, WADC) / Sky Brightness (AFCRC)[17]: 379–382 | 8 December | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)[14] |
1948
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
22 January 20:12 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 34 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Ionospheric | 22 January | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi)[14][17]: 396–397 | |||||||
6 February 17:17 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 36 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE | Suborbital | Technology development flight for GE | 6 February | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)[14][17]: 401–402 | |||||||
5 March 22:51 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A5 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 5 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 117.5 kilometres (73.0 mi)[17]: 262–263 | |||||||
19 March 23:10 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 39 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IIA | GE / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Magnetic Field | 19 March | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi), air pressure failure caused early burnout[14][17]: 408–409 | |||||||
2 April 13:47 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 25 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC / University of Michigan / NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV | 2 April | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 144 kilometres (89 mi)[14][17]: 372–373 | |||||||
13 April 21:41 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A6 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL / NOL | Suborbital | Magnetic field research | 13 April | Successful | |||
Apogee: 114.3 kilometres (71.0 mi)[17]: 264–265 | |||||||
19 April 19:54 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 38 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Ionospheric | 19 April | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 56 kilometres (35 mi), guidance failure caused irratic flight and cutoff was triggered at 57.1 seconds[14][17]: 406–407 | |||||||
13 May 13:43 |
Bumper | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 1 | GE | Suborbital | Solar / Ionosphere | 13 May | Successful | ||
Maiden flight of Bumper, apogee: 127.6 kilometres (79.3 mi)[25] | |||||||
27 May 14:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 35 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Photography | 27 May | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi)[14][17]: 399–400 | |||||||
11 June 10:22 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 37 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom III | AMC | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Ionospheric / Sky Brightness / Aeronomy / Biological | 11 June | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 63 kilometres (39 mi), premature valve closure caused an early engine cutoff.[14][17]: 403–405 Carried the monkey Albert I. | |||||||
26 July 16:47 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A7 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Earth Imaging | 26 July | Successful | |||
Apogee: 112.7 kilometres (70.0 mi)[17]: 266–267 | |||||||
26 July 18:03 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 40 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Aeronomy | 26 July | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 97 kilometres (60 mi), propulsion issues at 45.2 seconds[14][17]: 411–412 | |||||||
5 August 12:07 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 43 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Solar X-Ray / Ionospheric / Photography | 5 August | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi)[14][17]: 418–419 | |||||||
6 August 01:37 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | NRL 1 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Solar Radiation / Aeronomy | 6 August | Successful | |||
Apogee: 97 kilometres (60 mi)[17]: 293–294 | |||||||
19 August 14:45 |
Bumper | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 2 | GE | Suborbital | Solar UV | 19 August | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 13.1 kilometres (8.1 mi)[25] | |||||||
3 September 01:00 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 33 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 3 September | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi)[14][17]: 394–395 | |||||||
17 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 September | Launch failure | |||
Maiden flight of the R-1[26] | |||||||
30 September 15:30 |
Bumper | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 3 | GE | Suborbital | Solar UV / X-Ray | 30 September | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 150.6 kilometres (93.6 mi), 2nd stage failure[25] | |||||||
10 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 October | Successful[26] | |||
11 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test, sounding rocket | 11 October | Successful | |||
First Soviet spaceflight with scientific experiments[26] | |||||||
13 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 October | Successful[26] | |||
21 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 October | Successful[26] | |||
23 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | Successful[26] | |||
1 November 14:24 |
Bumper | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 4 | GE | Suborbital | Test flight | 1 November | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi), tail explosion at 28.5 seconds[25] | |||||||
1 November | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Successful[26] | |||
2 November 00:15 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A8 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL / NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar X-Ray | 2 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 90.9 kilometres (56.5 mi)[17]: 268–269 | |||||||
3 November | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 November | Successful[26] | |||
4 November | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 November | Successful[26] | |||
5 November | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 5 November | Successful | |||
Last of nine launches in the first test series[26] | |||||||
18 November 22:35 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 44 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE | Suborbital | Ramjet research / Aeronomy / Solar X-Ray / Biological | 18 November | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi), carried seeds and tested a Hermes B-1 ramjet diffuser in place of the warhead[14][17]: 420–421 | |||||||
9 December 16:08 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 42 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Solar X-Ray / Biological | 9 December | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi), carried seeds[14][17]: 416–417 | |||||||
9 December 22:38 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 1 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 9 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 91.6 kilometres (56.9 mi), maiden flight of the XASR-SC-1[17]: 188–189 |
1949
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
14 January 20:26 |
V-2 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | ||||
Hermes II | US Army | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 January | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)[27] | |||||||
28 January 17:20 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 45 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation / Ionospheric / Photography / Biological | 28 January | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 60 kilometres (37 mi), carried seeds. Poor propulsion and control, fuel cutoff triggered at 56.4 seconds.[14][17]: 423–424 | |||||||
29 January 06:17 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | NRL 2 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Solar X-Ray | 29 January | Successful | |||
Apogee: 97 kilometres (60 mi)[17]: 295–296 | |||||||
1 February 18:38 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | NRL 3 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Solar UV / Solar X-Ray | 1 February | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi), booster exploded at ignition[17]: 297 | |||||||
17 February 17:00 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 48 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Photography / Biological | 17 February | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi), carried fruit flies[14][17]: 431–432 | |||||||
24 February 22:14 |
Bumper | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 5 | GE | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 24 February | Successful | ||
Apogee: 393 kilometres (244 mi). The new altitude record.[25] | |||||||
2 March 00:15 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A9 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Test for shipboard launch | 2 March | Successful | |||
Dummy firing to evaluate shipboard launching procedures[17]: 270 | |||||||
17 March 23:20 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A10 | USS Norton Sound, Pacific Ocean near South America | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 17 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)[28][17]: 271–272 | |||||||
22 March 06:43 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 41 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVA | AMC | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Solar X-Ray / Imaging / Ionospheric | 22 March | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)[14][17]: 413–415 | |||||||
22 March 17:30 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A11 | USS Norton Sound, Pacific Ocean near South America | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 22 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)[17]: 273–274 | |||||||
24 March 15:14 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A12 | USS Norton Sound, Pacific Ocean near South America | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 24 March | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 6.0 kilometres (3.7 mi), pressure valve malfunction, booster separated on ignition[17]: 275 | |||||||
11 April 22:05 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 50 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Solar X-Ray / Biological | 11 April | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi), carried seeds and bacteria[14][17]: 436–437 | |||||||
22 April 00:17 |
Bumper | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 6 | GE | Suborbital | Solar / Aeronomy | 22 April | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi)[25] | |||||||
3 May 16:14 |
Viking (first model) | White Sands LC-33 – Army Launch Area 1 | US Navy | ||||
Viking 1 | NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Imaging | 3 May | Partial launch failure | ||
Apogee: 83 kilometres (52 mi)[6]: 236 [29] | |||||||
5 May 15:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 46 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
GE | Suborbital | Technology development for GE / Solar Radiation | 5 May | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 8.77 kilometres (5.45 mi), carried a Hermes B-1 ramjet diffuser in place of the warhead. Premature cutoff at 25.5 seconds.[14][17]: 425–426 | |||||||
7 May 03:12 |
R-1A | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 May | Successful | |||
Apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi), maiden flight of R-1A,[10] tested separable warhead | |||||||
10 May 15:57 |
R-1A | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 May | Successful | |||
Tested separable warhead[10] | |||||||
15 May 02:48 |
R-1A | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 May | Successful | |||
Tested separable warhead[10] | |||||||
16 May 21:55 |
R-1A | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 May | Successful | |||
Tested separable warhead[10] | |||||||
24 May 01:40 |
R-1A | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
FIAR-1 | NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test / Aeronomy | 24 May | Partial Failure | ||
Vertical flight, tested separable warhead, carried aeronomy experiments that were not recovered[10] | |||||||
28 May 01:50 |
R-1A | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
FIAR-1 | NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test / Aeronomy | 28 May | Partial Failure | ||
Final R-1A flight; vertical flight, tested separable warhead, carried aeronomy experiments damaged on landing and returned no usable data[10] | |||||||
2 June 13:10 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 2 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 2 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 78.4 kilometres (48.7 mi)[17]: 190–191 | |||||||
14 June 22:35 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 47 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVB | AMC | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Biological | 14 June | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 134 kilometres (83 mi), carried Albert II, the first mammal and monkey in space. Albert II died on impact after his capsule's parachute failed.[20][14][17]: 427–430 | |||||||
15 June 02:03 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | NRL 5 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Ozone Spectroscopy / Solar X-Ray | 15 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi)[17]: 300–301 | |||||||
17 June 11:50 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A13 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Aerodynamics test | 17 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)[17]: 276 | |||||||
23 June 23:21 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | A14 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL / NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar X-Ray | 23 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)[17]: 277–278 | |||||||
21 July 16:01 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 4 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan / NRL | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy | 21 July | Successful | |||
Apogee: 76.1 kilometres (47.3 mi)[17]: 194–195 | |||||||
6 September 16:57 |
Viking (first model) | White Sands LC-33 – Army Launch Area 1 | US Navy | ||||
Viking 2 | NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Imaging | 6 September | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 51 kilometres (32 mi)[6]: 236 [29] | |||||||
10 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 September | Successful[26] | |||
First flight of second series of tests | |||||||
11 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 September | Successful[26] | |||
13 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 September | Successful[26] | |||
14 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 September | Successful[26] | |||
16 September 23:19 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 32 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVC | AMC | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Cosmic Radiation / Solar X-Ray / Biological | 16 September | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 4.2 kilometres (2.6 mi), carried Albert III. Rocket tumbled after two explosions in the tail section at 10.7 and 24.2 seconds.[14][17]: 391–393 | |||||||
17 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 September | Successful[26] | |||
19 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 September | Successful[26] | |||
20 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 September | Launch failure[26] | |||
20 September 17:03 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 5 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan / NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Solar X-Ray | 20 September | Successful | |||
Apogee: 58.6 kilometres (36.4 mi)[17]: 196–197 | |||||||
23 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 September | Launch failure[26] | |||
25 September 11:16 |
R-2E | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 September | Successful | |||
Maiden flight of R-2E, a modified R-1 missile to test R-2 concepts: integral fuel tank and separable warhead[30] | |||||||
28 September | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 September | Successful[26] | |||
29 September 16:58 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 49 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Ionospheric / Meteoric Dust Collectors | 29 September | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi)[14][17]: 433–434 | |||||||
30 September 11:49 |
R-2E | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 September | Successful[30] | |||
2 October 11:00 |
R-2E | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 October | Partial failure | |||
Fire in tail compartment[30] | |||||||
3 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 October | Successful[26] | |||
6 October | V-2 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | ||||
Hermes II | US Army | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 October | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)[27] | |||||||
8 October 06:05 |
R-2E | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 October | Successful[30] | |||
8 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 October | Successful[26] | |||
10 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 October | Successful[26] | |||
11 October 12:45 |
R-2E | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 October | Partial failure | |||
Fire in tail compartment, last of five R-2E launches[30] | |||||||
12 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 October | Successful[26] | |||
13 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 October | Successful[26] | |||
13 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 October | Successful[26] | |||
15 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 October | Successful[26] | |||
18 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 October | Successful[26] | |||
19 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 October | Successful[26] | |||
22 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 October | Successful[26] | |||
23 October | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | NII-88 Section 3 | ||||
NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | Successful[26] | |||
Last of second series of twenty firings | |||||||
18 November 16:03 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 56 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation | 18 November | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 124 kilometres (77 mi)[14][17]: 450–451 | |||||||
2 December 22:20 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 1 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / Boston University / WADC | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy / Imaging | 2 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 96.1 kilometres (59.7 mi), maiden flight of the RTV-A-1[17]: 46–47 | |||||||
6 December 18:32 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 3 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 6 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 64.9 kilometres (40.3 mi)[17]: 192–193 | |||||||
7 December 00:16 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 7 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 7 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 60.0 kilometres (37.3 mi)[17]: 200–201 | |||||||
8 December 19:15 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 31 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVD | AMC | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Solar X-Ray / Biological | 8 December | Successful | ||
Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi), carried Albert IV[14][17]: 388–390 | |||||||
15 December 17:10 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 2 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy | 15 December | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0.3 kilometres (0.19 mi), exploded shortly after leaving tower[17]: 48–49 |
1950
editDate and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
15 January 23:45 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | A15 | USS Norton Sound, Gulf of Alaska | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 15 January | Successful | |||
Ship-launched; Apogee: 72 kilometres (45 mi), maiden flight of the RTV-N-10[17]: 279–280 | |||||||
18 January 23:17 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | A16 | USS Norton Sound, Pacific Ocean near the state of Washington | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 18 January | Successful | |||
Ship-launched; Apogee: 80 kilometres (50 mi)[17]: 281–282 | |||||||
9 February 21:44 |
Viking (first model) | White Sands LC-33 – Army Launch Area 1 | US Navy | ||||
Viking 3 | NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation / Aeronomy / Imaging | 9 February | Launch failure | ||
Veered off-course, failed to reach space, apogee: 80 kilometres (50 mi)[6]: 236 [29] | |||||||
14 February 23:14 |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | NRL 4 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Aeronomy | 14 February | Successful | |||
Apogee: 87.5 kilometres (54.4 mi), final flight of the RTV-N-8[17]: 298–299 | |||||||
17 February 18:00 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 53 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Cosmic Radiation / Aeronomy | 17 February | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 148 kilometres (92 mi)[14][17]: 444–445 | |||||||
22 February 00:54:30 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 9 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan / NRL | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy | 22 February | Successful | |||
Apogee: 49.1 kilometres (30.5 mi)[17]: 204–205 | |||||||
4 March 00:36 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 6 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 4 March | Successful | ||
Apogee: 72 kilometres (45 mi)[17]: 198–199 | |||||||
14 March 20:43 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 3 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Rhode Island | Suborbital | Solar Radiation / Sky Brightness | 14 March | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi), premature fuel cutoff after 4.75 seconds.[17]: 50–51 | |||||||
26 April 01:11 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 11 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 26 April | Successful | |||
Apogee: 99.5 kilometres (61.8 mi), maiden flight of the XASR-SC-2[17]: 208–209 | |||||||
12 May 03:08 |
Viking (first model) | USS Norton Sound, Pacific Ocean, near Jarvis Island | US Navy | ||||
Viking 4 | NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Aeronomy | 12 May | Successful | ||
Apogee: 169 kilometres (105 mi)[6]: 236 [29] | |||||||
12 May 12:30 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | A17 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 12 May | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88.1 kilometres (54.7 mi)[17]: 283–284 | |||||||
26 May 19:43 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 4 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Rhode Island | Suborbital | Solar Radiation | 26 May | Successful | |||
Apogee: 67 kilometres (42 mi)[17]: 52–53 | |||||||
2 June 17:07 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 5 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL | Suborbital | Sky Brightness | 2 June | Partial launch failure | |||
Apogee: 24.8 kilometres (15.4 mi), nose cone broke off at 2.8 seconds and rocket continued flying without nose. Some telemetry received and instruments operated satisfactorally, but experiments returned no data due to short flight duration.[17]: 54–55 | |||||||
20 June 15:38 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 6 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 20 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 92.5 kilometres (57.5 mi)[17]: 56–57 | |||||||
14 July 08:39 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 8 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 14 July | Successful | ||
Apogee: 69 kilometres (43 mi)[17]: 202–203 | |||||||
24 July 14:29 |
Bumper | Cape Canaveral LC-3 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 8 | GE | Suborbital | Low angle speed test | 24 July | Launch failure | ||
First missile launch from Cape Canaveral; apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi)[25] | |||||||
29 July 11:25 |
Bumper | Cape Canaveral LC-3 | GE / US Army | ||||
Bumper 7 | GE | Suborbital | Low angle speed test | 29 July | Successful | ||
Apogee: 35.2 kilometres (21.9 mi)[25] | |||||||
3 August 23:52 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 6 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Sunfollower Spectroscopy / Solar X-Ray | 3 August | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi), fuel line rupture caused sustainer to produce no useful thrust[17]: 302 | |||||||
17 August 15:45 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | A18 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 17 August | Successful | |||
Apogee: 101 kilometres (63 mi)[17]: 285–286 | |||||||
31 August 17:09 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 51 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVG | AMC | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Sky Brightness / Biological | 31 August | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 137 kilometres (85 mi), carried a mouse which did not survive due to a parachute failure[14][17]: 438–440 | |||||||
1 October | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 October | Partial failure | |||
Maiden flight of the R-2 prototype missile; missed target[31] | |||||||
1 October | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 October | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
12 October 19:36 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 7 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / WADC / Boston University | Suborbital | Photography / Temperature | 12 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 91.2 kilometres (56.7 mi)[17]: 58–59 | |||||||
17 October 04:00 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 10 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 17 October | Successful | ||
Apogee: 80 kilometres (50 mi)[17]: 206–207 | |||||||
18 October 04:30 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 12 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 18 October | Successful | ||
Apogee: 85.6 kilometres (53.2 mi)[17]: 210–211 | |||||||
21 October | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 October | Partial Failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
26 October 23:02 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 61 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Ballistic Research Laboratory | Suborbital | Technology development | 26 October | Partial failure | |||
Project Hermes launch: 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi), rocket exploded at 50 seconds, but experiment still considered successful.[14][17]: 460–462 | |||||||
27 October 13:30 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 13 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 27 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 80.1 kilometres (49.8 mi)[17]: 212–213 | |||||||
1 November | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
1 November | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
1 November | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
1 November | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
1 November | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
2 November 16:29 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 8 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Colorado / University of Denver | Suborbital | Airglow | 2 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 92 kilometres (57 mi)[17]: 60–61 | |||||||
9 November | V-2 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | ||||
Hermes II | US Army | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 November | Partial Failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi), final flight of the Hermes II[32] | |||||||
21 November 17:18 |
Viking (first model) | White Sands LC-33 – Army Launch Area 1 | US Navy | ||||
Viking 5 | NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric / Solar Radiation / Aeronomy | 21 November | Successful | ||
Apogee: 174 kilometres (108 mi)[6]: 236 [29] | |||||||
1 December | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 December | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
1 December | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 December | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
1 December | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 December | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[31] | |||||||
11 December 17:04 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 15 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 11 December | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0.3 kilometres (0.19 mi)[17]: 216 | |||||||
12 December 04:06 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 14 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 12 December | Successful | ||
Apogee: 83.8 kilometres (52.1 mi)[17]: 214–215 | |||||||
12 December 07:04 |
Viking (first model) | White Sands LC-33 – Army Launch Area 1 | US Navy | ||||
Viking 6 | NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Solar Radiation / Ionospheric | 12 December | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 64 kilometres (40 mi)[6]: 236 [29] | |||||||
12 December 09:10 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 16 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 12 December | Successful | ||
Apogee: 77.7 kilometres (48.3 mi)[17]: 217–218 | |||||||
12 December 18:26 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 9 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 12 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)[17]: 62–63 | |||||||
19 December 18:52 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 17 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 19 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 81.9 kilometres (50.9 mi)[17]: 219–220 | |||||||
20 December | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 December | Partial failure | |||
Final flight of 12 mission prototype series; missed target[31] |
Suborbital launch summary (1945–1950)
editBy country
editCountry | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
United States | 120 | 84 | 32 | 4 | |
Soviet Union | 64 | 38 | 7 | 19 |
By rocket
editRocket | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures |
Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
V-2 | United Kingdom | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Maiden flight, retired |
V-2 / Hermes II | United States | 59 | 40 | 17 | 2 | Maiden flight, first US spaceflight |
Bumper | United States | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | Maiden flight, retired |
Viking (first model) | United States | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | United States | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | Maiden flight, retired |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | United States | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | United States | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | United States | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | United States | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | Maiden flight |
V-2 | Soviet Union | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Maiden flight, retired |
R-1 | Soviet Union | 30 | 27 | 3 | 0 | Maiden flight, first Soviet spaceflight |
R-1A | Soviet Union | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | Maiden flight, retired |
R-2E | Soviet Union | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | Maiden flight, retired |
R-2 | Soviet Union | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Maiden flight |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Paul Voosen (24 July 2018). "Outer space may have just gotten a bit closer". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aau8822. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ a b Louis de Gouyon Matignon. "Peenemünde and the German V-2 rockets". Space Legal Issues. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ Dieter K. Kuzel (1962). Peenemünde to Canaveral. United States of America: Prentice Hall.
- ^ a b c d e f Willy Ley (June 1951). Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel. Dominion of Canada: Viking Press. OCLC 716327624.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Boris Chertok (June 2006). Rockets and People, Volume II: Creating a Rocket Industry. Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 946818748.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Milton W. Rosen (1955). The Viking Rocket Story. New York: Harper & Brothers. OCLC 317524549.
- ^ a b George Ludwig (2011). Opening Space Research. Washington D.C.: geopress. OCLC 845256256.
- ^ Beischer, DE; Fregly, AR (1962). "Animals and man in space. A chronology and annotated bibliography through the year 1960" (PDF). US Naval School of Aviation Medicine. ONR TR ACR-64 (AD0272581). Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Asif A. Siddiqi. Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945–1974 (PDF). Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 1001823253. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mark Wade. "R-1A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ Mark Wade. "Aerobee". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- ^ a b c Mark Wade. "V-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ a b c Report on operation 'Backfire' Recording and analysis of the trajectory. Vol. 5. Ministry of Supply. January 1946. pp. 9–11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh L. D. White (September 1952). Final Report, Project Hermes V-2 Missile Program. Schnectady, New York: Guided Missile Department, Aeronautic and Ordnance Systems Division, Defense Products Group, General Electric. p. Table I.
- ^ William R. Corliss (1967). Scientific Satellites. Washington D.C.: Science and Technical Information Division, Office of Technology Utilization, NASA. p. 62. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Gregory P. Kennedy (2009). The Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground. Atglen, PA.: Schiffer Publishing. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-7643-3251-7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp Charles P. Smith Jr. (April 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276: Upper Atmosphere Research Report No. XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ a b H. E. Newell, Jr.; J. W. Siry (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030: Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number II (PDF). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. p. Table I. Archived from the original (pdf) on 6 September 2017.
- ^ F. Zwicky (February 1947). "The First Night–Firing of a V-2 Rocket in the United States" (pdf). Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 59 (346): 32. Bibcode:1947PASP...59...32Z. doi:10.1086/125894. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ a b Gregory P. Kennedy. "Chronology of Human Space Exploration: Part 1: 1900 – 1950". I-Spy Space. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2008.
- ^ Gregory P. Kennedy (2009). The Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground. Atglen, PA.: Schiffer Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-7643-3251-7.
- ^ Michael J. Neufeld (2007). Von Braun, Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-307-38937-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mark Wade. "Kapustin Yar V-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ James A. Van Allen & John W. Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In H. E. Newell (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. 61–62.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Mark Wade. "BUMPER-WAC". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Mark Wade. "R-1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ a b Mark Wade. "White Sands LC33". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan C. "General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects, Launches, Aerobee". Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Mark Wade. "Viking Sounding Rocket". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Mark Wade. "R-2E". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mark Wade. "R-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ Michael J. Neufeld (2007). Von Braun, Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-307-38937-4.