| astronautix.com | July 20 |
1951 - Nation: USA.
NACA flight 47. Wing loads and aileron effectiveness. Abrupt rudder fixed aileron rolls left and right, from mach 0.70 to mach 0.88. References: 49 , 97 .
1955 - Nation: USA.
NACA flight 1. Familiarization. Walker attained mach 1.45 at 13725 m. Noted severe aileron buzz at mach 0.90 to 0.92. References: 49 , 97 .
1959 - Nation: USA.
Negotiations for construction of the Mercury tracking network were started with the Western Electric Company and their subcontractors (Bendix Aviation, International Business Machines, Bell Telephone Laboratories, and Burns and Roe), and a letter contract was signed on July 30, 1959, for the entire range. This included radar tracking; telemetry receiving, recording, and display; communications to both the spacecraft and surface stations; and the computing and control facilities. References: 483 .
1959 - Nation: USA.
NASA selected Western Electric Co. to build worldwide network of tracking and ground instrument stations to be used in Project Mercury. References: 17 .
1961 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Saturn V.
The Large Launch Vehicle Planning Group, established on July 7, 1961, began its formal existence with seven DOD and seven NASA members and alternates. Additional Details: Large Launch Vehicle Planning Group. References: 16 .
1962 - Nation: USA.
NASA Administrator James E. Webb announced that the Mission Control Center for future manned space flights would be located at MSC. The Center would be operational in time for Gemini rendezvous flights in 1964 and later Apollo lunar missions. The overriding factor in the choice of MSC was the existing location of the Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, the astronauts, and Flight Operations Division at Houston. References: 16 .
1963 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Wallops Island . Launch Vehicle: Scout X-3. LV Configuration: Scout X-3M. FAILURE: Failure.
NASA launched a Scout rocket with a nose cone of experimental heatshield material from Wallops Island, Va. The rocket was intentionally destroyed when it deviated from its course a few seconds after liftoff. The nose cone had been expected to reenter the atmosphere at 27,934 kilometers (18,600 miles) per hour to test the material's thermal performance under heating loads near those of a lunar reentry. References: 5 , 16 , 126 .
1964 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Wallops Island . Launch Vehicle: Scout X-4.
Suborbital 30 minute test of NASA SERT ion engine. References: 5 .
1965 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Edwards . Launch Vehicle: X-15A. LV Configuration: X-15 No. 3 Flight 45.
Maximum Speed - 6050 kph. Maximum Altitude - 32126 m. References: 38 , 49 , 97 .
1965 - - 08:27 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC13. Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena D. LV Configuration: Atlas s/n 225D / Agena D s/n 1803.
Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .
Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .
Radiation data. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .
1966 - Nation: USA.
MSC Director Robert R. Gilruth informed MSFC Director Wernher von Braun that for the past two years MSC had studied the use of the mapping and survey system (M&SS) in conjunction with the Apollo program. Additional Details: Apollo mapping and survey system (M&SS). References: 16 .
1966 - Nation: USA.
Threw excess equipment out of spacecraft. References: 66 .
1966 - Nation: USA.
Retrieved micrometeoroid collector from Agena. References: 66 .
1966 - - 09:07 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Vostok 11A510.
Prototype RORSAT hardware using chemical batteries in place of nuclear reactor. Lost on the 52nd revolution as a result of a possible failure in the chemical power units placed on board instead of the nuclear BES-5. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 290 .
1967 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Edwards . Launch Vehicle: X-15A. LV Configuration: X-15 No. 3 Flight 61.
Maximum Speed - 5942 kph. Maximum Altitude - 25720 m. References: 38 , 49 , 97 .
1971 - - 10:04 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.
High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; maneuverable. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1972 - - 18:00 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC132. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M.
Eight satellites launched by a single carrier rocket. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Viking 1 reached Mars orbit June 19, 1976. Landing was planned for the US Bicentennial on July 4, but was delayed until a suitable landing site was located. The lander separated from the orbiter and touched down on the western slope of Chryse Planitia (the Plains of Gold) at 22.3 deg N latitude, 48 deg longitude.
1977 - - 04:44 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/4. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.
Replaced Cosmos 665. Covered Oko constellation plane 2 - 323 degree longitude of ascending node. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 100 .
1977 - - 07:40 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; maneuverable. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1983 - - 08:00 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/4. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
3rd generation, medium resolution photo surveillance; film capsule; also performed earth resources tasks. 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 - - 09:07 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
Military cartographic satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1990 - - 08:38 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
Military cartographic satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
1994 - - 17:45 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
High resolution photo reconnaissance; returned film in two small SpK capsules during the mission and with the main capsule at completion of the mission. References: 2 , 6 , 179 .
1995 - - 03:04 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.
Unmanned resupply vessel to Mir. Docked with Mir's front port on 22 Jul 1995 04:39:37 GMT. Undocked on 4 Sep 1995 05:09:53 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 4 Sep 1995 08:58:55 GMT. Total free-flight time 2.22 days. Total docked time 44.02 days. References: 2 , 6 , 275 , 276 .