June 17

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June 17

1949 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: White Sands . Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. LV Configuration: RTV-N-8.

Aerobee A-13 Agency: John Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory. Apogee: 89 km.
Classified flight. Launched at 0450 local time. Reached 88.5 km.

1953 -

East Berliners rise against Communist rule; quelled by tanks

1962 - - 18:14 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: LC1-1. Launch Vehicle: Atlas LV-3A / Agena B. LV Configuration: Atlas s/n 115D / Agena B SPS s/n 2402.

Samos 8 Payload: Samos E-2 no. 2 / Agena B 2402. Mass: 1,860 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Samos. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Perigee: 198 km. Apogee: 198 km. Inclination: 96.2 deg. Period: 88.4 min. COSPAR: 1962-Psi-1.
First generation photo surveillance; radio relay of images; Satellite and Missile Observation Satellite. Poor results. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .
FTV 2402 RV Payload: E-6 RV. Spacecraft: Samos. COSPAR: 1962-Psi-xx. References: 279 .

1965 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Edwards . Launch Vehicle: X-15A. LV Configuration: X-15 No. 1 Flight 55.

X-15 Flight 136 Program: X-15. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: X-15A. Flight Crew: Thompson.
Maximum Speed - 5697 kph. Maximum Altitude - 33071 m. References: 38 , 49 , 97 .

1966 - - 11:02 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

Cosmos 121 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-4. Perigee: 205 km. Apogee: 327 km. Inclination: 72.8 deg. Period: 89.8 min. COSPAR: 1966-054A. Duration: 8.00 days.
High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1967 -

Red China announces explosion of its first hydrogen bomb

1967 - Nation: China.

China conducts first thermonuclear bomb test. Program: Long March. References: 87 .

1967 - - 02:36 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M. FAILURE: Stage 4's engine 11D33 failed to ignite because the turbopump had not been cooled before ignition.

Cosmos 167 Program: Venera. Payload: 1V (V-67) s/n 311. Mass: 1,106 kg. Class: Planetary. Type: Venus. Spacecraft: Venera 1V (V-67). Perigee: 211 km. Apogee: 264 km. Inclination: 51.8 deg. Period: 89.2 min. COSPAR: 1967-063A.
Suggestions for the cause of the failure included incorrect soldering of wires in multiple pin plugs, wrong attachments of the plugs to the pyrotechnic connectors, or a mix-up of the pyrotechnic connectors during assembly.. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 64 , 65 .

1970 - Nation: USA.

X-24 Flight 14 Payload: X-24A flight 14. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: X-24A. Flight Crew: Manke.
Maximum Speed - 1051 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18593 m. Flight Time - 432 sec. References: 49 , 97 .

1970 - - 12:57 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

Cosmos 349 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-4. Perigee: 199 km. Apogee: 332 km. Inclination: 65.4 deg. Period: 89.8 min. COSPAR: 1970-045A. Duration: 8.00 days.
High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1972 -

Watergate scandal
Five men are apprehended by police in attempt to bug Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.'s Watergate complex - start of the Watergate scandal

1977 - - 03:55 GMT. Nation: France. Launch Site: Kapustin Yar . Launch Complex: LC107. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M s/n 47182-422.

Signe 3 Program: Intercosmos. Mass: 102 kg. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: Signe. Perigee: 449 km. Apogee: 522 km. Inclination: 50.7 deg. Period: 94.3 min. COSPAR: 1977-049A. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1977 - - 07:26 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC90. Launch Vehicle: Tsyklon 2.

Cosmos 918 Program: ASAT. Mass: 1,400 kg. Class: Military. Type: ASAT. Spacecraft: IS-A. Perigee: 125 km. Apogee: 197 km. Inclination: 65.1 deg. Period: 87.7 min. COSPAR: 1977-050A.
ASAT interceptor. Failed to intercept Cosmos 909. Deorbited using on-board engine. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 272 .

1981 - - 09:36 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 1277 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-6U. Perigee: 204 km. Apogee: 373 km. Inclination: 70.4 deg. Period: 90.3 min. COSPAR: 1981-056A. Duration: 14.00 days.
Photo surveillance; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1983 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg .

First Peacekeeper missile launch. References: 88 .

1985 - - 11:31 GMT. Nation: Mexico. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC39A. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. LV Configuration: STS-25 (51-G).

Morelos 1 Program: Morelos. Payload: Morelos-A / PAM-D. Mass: 512 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 376. Agency: Secretaria De Comunicaciones Y Transportes. Perigee: 35,779 km. Apogee: 35,795 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1985-048B.
Released by STS 51G 6/17/85; 113.5 deg W. Coverage of the national territory with television, radio and telephony signals and data transmission. Geostationary satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
STS-51-G Program: STS. Payload: Discovery F05 / Morelos 1[PAM-D] / Telstar 303. Mass: 20,174 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Discovery. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 358 km. Apogee: 369 km. Inclination: 28.5 deg. Period: 91.8 min. COSPAR: 1985-048A. Duration: 7.07 days. Flight Crew: Al-Saud, Baudry, Brandenstein, Creighton, Fabian, Lucid, Nagel. Manned flight: STS-51-G.
Deployed and retrieved Spartan 1; launched Morelos 1, Arabsat 1B, Telstar 3D.Payloads: Shuttle Pointed Autono-mous Research Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN)-1; Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (ADSF); High Precision Tracking Experiment (HPTE); Orbiter Experiments (OEX); French Echocardiograph Experiment (FEE) and French Pocket Experiment (FPE). Additional Details: STS-51-G. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 33 .
Arabsat 1B Program: Arabsat. Payload: Discovery F5 / Morelos 1 [PAM-D] / Telstar 303 [PA. Mass: 592 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Spacebus 100. Agency: Arab Satellite Communications Organization, Riyadh. Perigee: 35,737 km. Apogee: 35,746 km. Inclination: 1.9 deg. Period: 1,433.8 min. COSPAR: 1985-048C.
Released by STS 51G 6/18/85; 26 deg E. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Telstar 3D Program: Telstar. Payload: Telstar 303 / PAM-D. Mass: 630 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 376. Agency: ATT. Perigee: 35,781 km. Apogee: 35,792 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1985-048D.
Released by STS 51G 6/19/85; stationed at 76 deg W. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Spartan 1 Payload: Spartan 101. Mass: 1,008 kg. Class: Astronomy. Spacecraft: Spartan. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 359 km. Apogee: 395 km. Inclination: 28.5 deg. Period: 92.1 min. COSPAR: 1985-048E.
Released by STS 51G 6/20/85, retrieved 6/22/85. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Star 48B S/N 10039-19 Program: STS. Payload: Star 48B. COSPAR: 1985-048F. References: 279 .
Star 48B S/N 10033-17 Program: STS. Payload: Star 48B. COSPAR: 1985-048G. References: 279 .
Star 48B S/N 10034-19 Program: STS. Payload: Star 48B. COSPAR: 1985-048H. References: 279 .

1989 -

Astronaut Stanley David Griggs dies at age of 49 -- Crash of a World-War-II-era training plane.

1991 - - 21:50 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC200L. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K. LV Configuration: Proton 8K82K s/n 337-01.

Mak 1 Program: Mir. Payload: Mak. Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere. Spacecraft: Mak. Perigee: 377 km. Apogee: 389 km. Inclination: 51.6 deg. Period: 92.2 min. COSPAR: 1986-017DV.
Deployed from MIR 6/17/91. Launched from Mir airlock. Investigation of features at the Earth's atmosphere. Launched with the Mir orbital station. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1994 - - 07:12 GMT. Nation: International. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44LP. LV Configuration: Ariane 44LP s/n V64.

STRV-1A Mass: 3,695 kg. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: STRV-1. Agency: Intelsat. Perigee: 35,776 km. Apogee: 35,795 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1994-034A.
Stationed at 1.03 deg W. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .
STRV-1B Mass: 50 kg. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: STRV-1. Perigee: 251 km. Apogee: 35,518 km. Inclination: 7.3 deg. Period: 626.9 min. COSPAR: 1994-034B.
50 cm cube; Space Technology and Research Vehicle; included solar cell tests. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .
Intelsat 702 Program: Intelsat. Mass: 53 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: FS-1300. Perigee: 239 km. Apogee: 35,588 km. Inclination: 7.4 deg. Period: 628.0 min. COSPAR: 1994-034C.
50 cm cube; Space Technology and Research Vehicle; included solar cell tests. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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