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Chronology - 1954 - Quarter 4

- 1954 Oct 5 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: White Sands . Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. LV Configuration: RTV-N-10b.

Aerobee RTV-N-10b Agency: US Navy, Naval Research Laboratory. Apogee: 158 km.
Rocket performance test. Launched at 1115 local time. Reached 158 km.

- 1954 Oct 6 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 3 Payload: X-1B flight 2. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Ridley.
AF flight 2. Glide flight, aborted power flight because of evidence of high lox-tank pressure. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Oct 8 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 4 Payload: X-1B flight 3. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Murray.
AF flight 3. First powered flight. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Oct 13 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 5 Payload: X-1B flight 4. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Stephens.
AF flight 4. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Oct 14 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Wallops Island .

First American four-stage rocket
The first American four-stage rocket was launched by the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division of NACA's Langley Laboratory at Wallops Island. NACA's PARD four-stage, solid-fuel rocket obtained heat transfer data to Mach 10.4. References: 17 .

- 1954 Oct 17 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC4. Launch Vehicle: Redstone. LV Configuration: Redstone s/n RS-6. FAILURE: Ground programmed yaw maneuver caused missile control loss at 80 sec causing power plant erratic behavior. Human error in selection of yaw maneuver impulse.

Redstone RS-6 Agency: US Army.
Missile test failure. Missed aimpoint by 166,300 m. References: 439 .

- 1954 Oct 18 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Saturn C-3BN, Saturn C-5N, Saturn I RIFT.

Nuclear rocket engine proposed. Program: NERVA.
At the suggestion of Theodore von Kármán and following a request of Gen. H. B. Thatcher, an Ad Hoc Committee of the Scientific Advisory Board met in the Pentagon to consider the application of nuclear energy to missile propulsion. In its report, the Committee "noted that there was an almost complete hiatus in the study of the nuclear rocket from 1947 following a report by North American Aviation, until a 1953 report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Because the technical problems appear so severe, and because another 6 years of no progress in this area would seem to be unfortunate," the Committee felt that a continuing study both analytical and experimental, at a modest level of effort, should be carried on. References: 17 .

- 1954 Oct 19 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 6 Payload: X-1B flight 5. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Childs.
AF flight 5. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Oct 26 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 7 Payload: X-1B flight 6. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Hanes.
AF flight 6. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Nov 3 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut Kevin Pathrick (Chili) Chilton born in Los Angeles, California, USA.

- 1954 Nov 4 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 8 Payload: X-1B flight 7. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Harer.
AF flight 7. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Nov 12 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut John Edward (Hawk) Hawker born in Pana, Illinois, USA.

- 1954 Nov 18 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Navaho G-26.

Navaho inertial system tested. Program: Navaho.
Inertial guidance system for Navaho X-10 missile tested in first flight at Downey, Calif. References: 17 .

- 1954 Nov 19 -

Algerian War of Independence against France begins

- 1954 Nov 20 - Nation: USSR. Launch Vehicle: R-7 8K71.

R-7 draft project approved.
Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On approval of the R-7 draft project' was issued. References: 474 .

- 1954 Nov 22 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut Frank Maxton DeArmond born in Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

- 1954 Nov 26 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 9 Payload: X-1B flight 8. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Holtoner.
AF flight 8. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Nov 30 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 10 Payload: X-1B flight 9. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Everest.
AF flight 9. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Dec 2 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 11 Payload: X-1B flight 10. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: Everest.
AF flight 10. Mach 2.3 at 19825 m. References: 49 , 97 .

- 1954 Dec 7 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Navaho G-26.

Navaho first automatic recovery. Program: Navaho.
First successful recovery of a Navaho X-10 using fully automatic approach and landing system, made at Edwards AFB, Calif. References: 17 .

- 1954 Dec 14 - Nation: Canada.

Future astronaut Steven Glenwood MacLean born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

- 1954 Dec 16 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Atlas A.

Atlas publicly announced.
USAF announced Atlas ICBM under construction by Convair. References: 17 , 278 .

- 1954 Dec 31 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Redstone.

Hermes program terminated.
Army Ordnance terminated the Hermes project, during which development of high-performance liquid-fuel rocket and first stabilized platform inertial guidance equipment had been accomplished. References: 17 .

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Last update 3 May 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .