Launched 10:09 local time. Reached 136.8 km. Carried Ionosphere, meteorites, sky brightness, density, biological experiments for Air Research and Development Command. Last of five Aeromedical Laboratory experiments (first four known as Albert series), it carried a nonanesthetized mouse, photographed by a camera, which survived the impact.

Density research. Launched at 2205 local time. Reached 107.8 km.

Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On creation of the State Commission for the R-7' was issued. References: 474 .

NACA flight 9. Mach 2.0 at 18300 m. Sideslips, pulses, rolls. References: 49 , 97 .

Carried dogs. References: 283 , 344 .

A House Committee Staff Report stated that lunar flights would originate from space platforms in earth orbit according to current planning. The final decision on the method to be used, "which must be made soon," would take into consideration the difficulty of space rendezvous between a space platform and space vehicles as compared with the difficulty of developing single vehicles large enough to proceed directly from the earth to the moon. References: 16 .

Landing by Gemini using 4,000 kg wet/680 kg empty lander and Saturn C-3 booster. Landing by January 1966. References: 26 , 27 .

U.S.S.R. announced policy of resumption of nuclear weapon testing which had been suspended March 31, 1958, and that bombs can be delivered anywhere in the world by "powerful rockets like those Majs. Yuri Gagarin and Gherman Titov rode to begin their unrivaled space flights around the Earth." References: 18 .

Suborbital. References: 5 , 126 .

Gemini Project Office (GPO) reported that it was investigating the use of a parasail and landing rocket system to enable the Gemini spacecraft to make land landings. Major system components were the parasail, drogue parachute, retrorocket, control system, and landing rocket. Unlike the conventional parachute, the parasail was capable of controlled gliding and turning. Landing rockets, fired just before touchdown, reduced the spacecraft terminate rate of descent to between 8 and 11 feet per second. Research and development testing was being conducted by the Landing and Impact System Section of Systems Evaluation and Development Division at Manned Spacecraft Center, while McDonnell had just completed a limited study of the advantages and disadvantages, including time required, of incorporating the new landing system on the spacecraft. GPO briefed NASA Headquarters on the system September 6, when it was decided that no further action would be taken on the parasail.

Probable commsat failure. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 64 .

Maximum Speed - 771 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 277 sec. References: 49 , 97 .

Operational readiness date, Vertical Assembly Building High Bays 3 and 4, KSC References: 15 .

Photo surveillance; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Released 25 Romb radar calibration subsatellites. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications system in the USSR; transmission of USSR Central Television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and within the framework of international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

The OK-ML-2 (former OK-MT) functional mock-up was used for systems integration tests, and was to have been expended on the second test flight.

Captured Syncom F3 and began repairs. References: 66 .

Military cartographic satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Stationed at 135 deg W. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Telespazio Micro Satellite; demonstration of data relay system. Environmental measurements are acquired through ground sensors, collected, temporarily stored on the ground, and logged by an autonomous terminal until upload request is received from TEMISAT.Characteristics: (a) Mass 42 kg (b) Dimension 35 x 35 x 35 cm, (c) Electric power 62 W Max, (d) Attitude control : 2 magnetic coil, 1 Am**2, (e) On-board memories - 2 of 8.5 Mbytes each, (f) Lifetime 5 years. Drift of the ascending node of orbital plane: 0.8 deg/d westwards. Copassenger of METEOR 2 satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Obtaining meteorological data and information on the radiation status of geovicinal outer space. The satellite included the Temisat German small space facility, which was separated from Meteor-2 on the seventh transit of the flight. The Temisat facility w ill, in agreement the Kaiser-Threde Company (Munich), be registered by the Italian partner. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Chile's first satellite built through a technology transfer programme with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. Carried store and forward and Earth observation payloads. Decommissioned as of 2000. References: 279 .

Oceanographic remote sensing; carried FASat-Alfa microsat for Chile that failed to deploy. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .

North Korea reported the launch of its first satellite on the first of September. This announcement was followed on September 14 by the release of a photograph of the satellite and the claim that the satellite had completed its 100th orbit of the earth between 08:24 and 11:17 local time (2017 GMT) on September 13. Video of the launch, the satellite, and an animation of the satellite in orbit around the earth were distributed to foreign news agencies the following weekend. The satellite appeared almost identical to the first Chinese test satellite (which itself appeared almost identical to the US Telstar).

Despite these claims no foreign observer ever detected the satellite visually, by radar, or picked up its radio signals. The Pentagon at first claimed it was an ICBM launch, and that the satellite story was just a cover for the test. However on further analysis of the data collected on the launch they admitted nearly a month later that there had been some a satellite launch attempt. What seems to have happened is that the third stage either failed and fell into the Pacific or misfired and put the satellite into a low orbit where it decayed very quickly before it could be detected by foreign observers. Additional Details: Kwangmyongsong 1. References: 279 .