April 13

This page no longer updated from 31 October 2001. Latest version can be found at www.astronautix.com

astronautix.com

April 13

1948 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: White Sands . Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. LV Configuration: RTV-N-8.

Aerobee A-6 Agency: John Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory. Apogee: 114 km.
Magnetic field research. Launched at 1551 local time. Reached 114.3 km.

1949 - Nation: Germany.

Future astronaut Dr Jean-Jacques Favier born in Kehl, Germany.

1959 - Nation: USA.

Mercury small-scale escape-tower combinations launched Program: Mercury. Spacecraft: Mercury.
Two small-scale spacecraft escape-tower combinations were launched successfully at Wallops Island. On the next day a full-scale spacecraft escape system was launched. The complete sequence of events - escape system firing, escape tower jettisoning, parachute deployment, landing, and helicopter recovery - was satisfactory. References: 483 .

1959 - - 21:18 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: LC75-3-4. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena A. LV Configuration: Thor s/n 170 / Agena A s/n 1018.

Discoverer 2 Payload: KH-1 prototype / Agena A 1022. Mass: 743 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: KH-1. Agency: DARPA. Perigee: 239 km. Apogee: 346 km. Inclination: 89.9 deg. Period: 90.4 min. COSPAR: 1959-Gamma-1.
KH-1 prototype; tested capsule recovery techniques; did not carry camera; capsule recovery failed. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
SRV Spacecraft: KH-1. COSPAR: 1959-Gamma-xx. References: 279 .

1960 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Edwards . Launch Vehicle: X-15A. LV Configuration: X-15 No. 1 Flight 4.

X-15 Flight 12 Program: X-15. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: X-15A. Flight Crew: White Robert.
Maximum Speed - 2018 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14630 m. References: 38 , 49 , 97 .

1960 - - 12:02 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Thor Able-Star. LV Configuration: Thor Ablestar s/n 257 AB002?.

Transit 1B Program: Transit. Mass: 121 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Transit. Agency: DARPA. Perigee: 363 km. Apogee: 644 km. Inclination: 51.2 deg. Period: 94.6 min. COSPAR: 1960-Gamma-2.
Navy TRANSIT I-B launched into orbit by Thor-Able-Star with navigation payload experiment at Cape Canaveral. Flight demonstrated the first engine restart in space and the feasibility of using satellites as navigational aids. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1960 - - 12:02 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Thor Able-Star. LV Configuration: Thor Ablestar s/n 257 AB002?.

Dummy subsatellite Payload: GRAB dummy. Mass: 18 kg. Class: ELINT. Spacecraft: GRAB. COSPAR: 1960-Gamma-3. References: 279 .

1962 - Nation: USSR. Launch Vehicle: N1.

N1 development slowed.
Decree 'On restriction of work on the N1' was issued. References: 474 .

1963 - Nation: USSR.

Vostok plans in 1963. Spacecraft: Vostok 1K.
Decree 'On plans for Vostok launches in 1963' was issued. References: 474 .

1963 - - 11:02 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Kapustin Yar . Launch Complex: Mayak-2. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 63S1.

Cosmos 14 Payload: Omega-1. Spacecraft: Omega. Perigee: 250 km. Apogee: 410 km. Inclination: 48.9 deg. Period: 91.1 min. COSPAR: 1963-010A.
Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1964 - Nation: USSR.

Construction of nine Voskhod spacecraft approved. Spacecraft: Voskhod 3KD, Voskhod 3KV.
Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On approval of work on four Voskhods and five EVA-equipped Vykhods' was issued. Work on the 3KV (three crew) and 3KD (two crew plus inflatable airlock) versions of the basic Vostok spacecraft began. References: 474 .

1967 - Nation: Japan. Launch Site: Kagoshima . Launch Complex: L. Launch Vehicle: L-4S. LV Configuration: Lambda 4S s/n L-4S-3. FAILURE: Fourth stage failed to ignite.

Ohsumi 3 Payload: L-4S-3. Mass: 26 kg. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: Ohsumi. COSPAR. References: 5 , 126 .

1967 - - 03:25 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: SLC5. Launch Vehicle: Scout A. LV Configuration: Scout A s/n S154C.

Transit 15 Program: Transit. Payload: Transit-O 12. Mass: 60 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Transit. Agency: U.S. Navy. Perigee: 1,037 km. Apogee: 1,064 km. Inclination: 90.1 deg. Period: 106.2 min. COSPAR: 1967-034A. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1969 - - 02:24 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC13. Launch Vehicle: Atlas / Agena D SLV-3A. LV Configuration: Atlas s/n 5502A / Agena D s/n 2802.

Canyon 2 Payload: Canyon 2 / Agena D. Mass: 700 kg. Class: ELINT. Spacecraft: Canyon. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Perigee: 32,670 km. Apogee: 39,270 km. Inclination: 9.9 deg. Period: 1,445.0 min. COSPAR: 1969-036A. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 172 , 278 .

1974 - - 23:33 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Delta 2914. LV Configuration: Delta 2914 s/n 588 / Delta s/n 101.

Westar 1 Program: Westar. Mass: 500 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 333. Agency: Western Union. Perigee: 35,871 km. Apogee: 35,917 km. Inclination: 9.9 deg. Period: 1,441.6 min. COSPAR: 1974-022A.
Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1975 - - 00:51 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: SLC3W. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. LV Configuration: Atlas s/n 71F / Star-17A. FAILURE: Failure.

P 72-2 Class: Technology. Type: Military. Spacecraft: P 72. Agency: U.S. Air Force. COSPAR. References: 5 , 126 , 278 .

1976 - - 17:16 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC90. Launch Vehicle: Tsyklon 2.

Cosmos 814 Program: ASAT. Mass: 1,400 kg. Class: Military. Type: ASAT. Spacecraft: IS-A. Perigee: 118 km. Apogee: 480 km. Inclination: 65.1 deg. Period: 90.5 min. COSPAR: 1976-034A.
ASAT interceptor. After intercept with target deorbited using on-board engine. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 272 .

1985 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC45. Launch Vehicle: Zenit-2. FAILURE: Zenit failed to orbit.

Zenit launch vehicle test Program: Tselina. Payload: Mass Model. COSPAR. References: 279 .

1985 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Zenit-2.

R&D suborbital Zenit launch vehicle test Program: Tselina. Payload: Mass Model. COSPAR: 19850413S.
Suborbital. References: 5 .

1990 - - 22:33 GMT. Nation: Indonesia. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Delta 6925. LV Configuration: Delta 6925-8 / Delta s/n 194.

Palapa B2R Program: Palapa. Mass: 1,200 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 376. Agency: Perumtel. Perigee: 35,784 km. Apogee: 35,795 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.3 min. COSPAR: 1990-034A.
Refurbished Palapa B2 retrieved by STS-51A; 107.7 deg E. Communication services for Indonesia, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Papua New Guinea. Launch time 2227:59.719 Z. Launch complex 17, ETR. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1991 - - 00:09 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7925. LV Configuration: Delta 7925 / Delta s/n 204.

ASC-2 / Spacenet F4 Program: GTE. Mass: 1,350 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: ASC. Agency: Contel ASC. Perigee: 35,780 km. Apogee: 35,794 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.2 min. COSPAR: 1991-028A.
Commercial business communications; stationed at 101 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1994 - - 06:04 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC36B. Launch Vehicle: Atlas I. LV Configuration: Atlas I s/n AC-73 / Centaur I s/n 5053.

GOES 8 Payload: GOES I. Mass: 2,105 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: GOES-Next. Agency: NOAA. Perigee: 35,293 km. Apogee: 36,184 km. Inclination: 0.4 deg. Period: 1,433.7 min. COSPAR: 1994-022A.
Geostationary Environmental Satellite. Stationed at 75 deg W. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Launch vehicle put payload into supersynchronous earth orbit with MRS trajectory option. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .

Back to Index

Last update 12 March 2001.
Contact Mark Wade with any corrections or comments.
Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site..
© Mark Wade, 2001 .