| astronautix.com | August 23 |
1946 - Nation: USA.
1952 - Nation: Germany.
1956 - Nation: USA.
1960 - Nation: China.
All Russian technical advisers withdrawn from China. References: 87 .
1961 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Saturn V.
The Large Launch Vehicle Planning Group (Golovin Committee) notified the Marshal! Space Flight Center (MSFC), Langley Research Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that the Group was planning to undertake a comparative evaluation of three types of rendezvous operations and direct flight for manned lunar landing. Rendezvous methods were earth orbit, lunar orbit, and lunar surface. MSFC was requested to study earth orbit rendezvous, Langley to study lunar orbit rendezvous, and JPL to study lunar surface rendezvous. The NASA Office of Launch Vehicle Programs would provide similar information on direct ascent. Additional Details: Golovin Committee evaluates three rendezvous methods for manned lunar landing. References: 16 .
1961 - - 10:04 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC12. Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena B. LV Configuration: Atlas s/n 111D / Agena B s/n 6001. FAILURE: Agena B second stage failure.
Lunar probe; failed to leave Earth orbit. Ranger 1, a test version of the spacecraft which would attempt an unmanned crash landing on the moon, was launched from the Atlantic Missile Range by an Atlas-Agena B booster. The 306 kg spacecraft did not attain the scheduled extremely elongated orbit because of the misfiring of the Agena B rocket. Although the spacecraft systems were tested successfully, only part of the eight project experiments could be carried out. Ranger 1 reentered on August 29 after 111 orbits. Ranger 1's primary mission was to test the performance of those functions and parts that are necessary for carrying out subsequent lunar and planetary missions using essentially the same spacecraft design. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 , 296 .
1962 - - 11:44 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: LC-D. Launch Vehicle: Scout X-2. LV Configuration: Scout X-2M s/n S117.
Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
1967 - Nation: USA.
1967 - - 04:41 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: LE-6. Launch Vehicle: Thor Burner. LV Configuration: Thor Burner 2 s/n 266.
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
1969 - - 16:00 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: SLC4W. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3B. LV Configuration: Titan 3B s/n 3B-23 / Agena D.
KH-8 type satellite. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
1973 - - 22:57 GMT. Nation: International. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC36A. Launch Vehicle: Atlas Centaur SLV-3D. LV Configuration: Atlas SLV-3D s/n AC-31 / Centaur D-1AR s/n 5010D.
Over Atlantic Ocean. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .
1976 - Nation: USA.
1978 - - 23:44 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.
Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radiocommunications system in the USSR; transmission of television programmes to stations in the Orbita network. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
1979 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Edwards .
Enterprise (OV-101)/ shuttle carrier demate, Edwards References: 15 .
1983 - - 11:02 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
Photo surveillance; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1985 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg .
First Peacekeeper ICBM 'cold launch' from an underground silo (LF08). First eight launches conducted from an above ground launch stand at Test Pad 01. References: 88 .
1988 - - 09:21 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
Military cartographic satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1988 - - 11:16 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC41/1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1989 - - 03:10 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U2. LV Configuration: Soyuz 11A511U2 s/n T15000-037.
Unmanned supply vehicle to Mir; first flight of new vehicle design. Tested on-board systems under different conditions and delivered expendable materials and sundry cargo to the Mir manned space station. Docked with Mir on 25 Aug 1989 05:19:02 GMT. Undocked on 1 Dec 1989 09:02:23 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 1 Dec 1989 11:21:00 GMT. Total free-flight time 2.19 days. Total docked time 98.16 days. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 275 .
1990 - - 16:19 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC90. Launch Vehicle: Tsyklon 2.
Ocean surveillance. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
1994 - - 14:30 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M. LV Configuration: Molniya 8K78M / ML.
1997 - - 06:51 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: SLC6. Launch Vehicle: Athena-1. LV Configuration: LMLV-1 s/n LM-002?.
Reentered Sep 28 References: 4 , 276 .
2000 - - 11:05 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: SLC17B. Launch Vehicle: Delta 3. LV Configuration: 8930 s/n D280.
The third Boeing Delta III launch was financed by the company and carried a dummy payload in order to bolster customer confidence in the new launch vehicle. The second stage ignited at an altitude of 158 km and the RL-10 shut off as planned in a 157 x 1363 km x 29.5 deg parking orbit. The engine fired again until fuel depletion, to place the vehicle in a geostationary transfer orbit of 190 x 20,655 km x 27.6 deg. This was much lower than that planned (23,400 km plus or minus 3,000 km) due to the fuel temperature and atmospheric conditions on the day of launch. The DM-F3 dummy payload was a mass model of the Orion 3 HS-601 satellite launched on the second Delta 3. The 4348 kg model was a 2.0m diameter, 1.7m high cylinder with two circular end plates, painted with black and white patterns. It was to be used by US Air Force researchers as a calibration target.