May 21

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May 21

1941 - Nation: Ukraine.

Future cosmonaut Anatoli Semyonovich Levchenko born in Krasnokutsk, Ukraine.

1942 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut Robert Clyde (Bob) Springer born in Paterson, Missouri, USA.

1945 - Nation: Germany.

Future astronaut Dr Ernst Willi Messerschmid born in Reutlingen, Germany.

1947 - Nation: USA.

XS-1 Flight 34 Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 18. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Flight Crew: Goodlin.
Bell flight 18. Buffet-boundary investigation. At Muroc Dry Lake, California. References: 49 , 97 .

1948 - Nation: USA.

XS-1 Flight 91 Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 54. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Flight Crew: Lundquist.
AF flight 32. Stability and control and buffeting investigation. Mach 0.92. References: 49 , 97 .

1952 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Holloman . Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. LV Configuration: RTV-A-1.

Aerobee USAF-26 Agency: USAF Air Research and Development Command. Apogee: 26 km.
Biological research. Launched at 0818 local time. Reached 26.1 km. Air Force Aerobee rocket placed an aeromedical payload containing two Phillipine monkeys (Pat and Mike) and two mice to an altitude of 26.1 km, which were recovered unharmed and without apparent ill effect.

1953 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Holloman . Launch Vehicle: Aerobee. LV Configuration: RTV-A-1a.

Aerobee USAF-37 Agency: USAF Air Research and Development Command. Apogee: 114 km.
Sky brightness, day airglow research. Launched at 0847 local time. Reached 114.3 km.

1956 -

First aerial H-bomb tested over Namu islet, Bikini Atoll - 10 million tons TNT equivalent

1957 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Thor. LV Configuration: Thor 103. FAILURE: Stuck valve resulted in tank pressure buildup followed by booster explosion.

Thor 103

1959 - Nation: USA.

Specifications for Tracking and Ground Instrumentation System for Project Mercury Program: Mercury.
Langley Specification Number S-45, entitled 'Specifications for Tracking and Ground Instrumentation System for Project Mercury,' was issued. Proposals were received from seven contractor teams by June 22, 1959, and technical evaluations were started. References: 483 .

1964 - Nation: Slovakia.

Future cosmonaut Ivan Bella born in Brezno, Slovakia.

1964 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Edwards . Launch Vehicle: X-15A. LV Configuration: X-15 No. 3 Flight 29.

X-15 Flight 108 Program: X-15. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: X-15A. Flight Crew: Thompson.
Premature engine shutdown at 41 sec. Maximum Speed - 3001 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19568 m. References: 38 , 49 , 97 .

1965 - Nation: USA.

Preliminary flight rating tests on the Apollo reaction control engine Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM.
Marquardt Corporation completed preliminary flight rating tests on the reaction control engine for the SM. References: 16 .

1968 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC69. Launch Vehicle: R-36-O.

OGCh Payload: FOBS. Class: FOBS. Spacecraft: FOBS. COSPAR: 1968-U01xx. References: 279 .

1973 - Nation: France. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Complex: ELD. Launch Vehicle: Diamant B. LV Configuration: Diamant B s/n No. 5. FAILURE: Third stage failed.

Castor (D 5A) Payload: D 5A. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: D. COSPAR. References: 5 , 126 .
Pollux Payload: D-5A. Spacecraft: D. COSPAR. References: 279 .

1974 - - 06:14 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC132. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M s/n 53719-152.

Cosmos 655 Program: Tselina. Mass: 875 kg. Class: ELINT. Spacecraft: Tselina-O. Perigee: 523 km. Apogee: 542 km. Inclination: 74.1 deg. Period: 95.3 min. COSPAR: 1974-035A.
Replaced Cosmos 536. Possible ELINT satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1975 - - 06:57 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

Cosmos 731 Mass: 6,000 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-2M. Perigee: 203 km. Apogee: 296 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. Period: 89.5 min. COSPAR: 1975-041A. Duration: 12.00 days.
Area survey photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; separated science capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .
Nauka Cosmos 731 Payload: Nauka. Spacecraft: Nauka. COSPAR: 1975-041H. References: 279 .

1976 - - 06:57 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

Cosmos 819 Mass: 6,000 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-2M. Perigee: 207 km. Apogee: 293 km. Inclination: 64.9 deg. Period: 89.5 min. COSPAR: 1976-045A. Duration: 11.00 days.
Area survey photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1976 - - 07:00 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/3. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 820 Program: Resurs. Payload: Zenit-4MKT no. 2. Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-4MKT. Perigee: 209 km. Apogee: 217 km. Inclination: 81.4 deg. Period: 88.8 min. COSPAR: 1976-046A. Duration: 12.00 days.
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 , 103 .

1980 - Nation: China. Launch Site: Jiuquan .

Second full range DF-5 test. Program: Long March.
RV impacted 1300 km short of recovery fleet. References: 87 .

1981 - - 09:21 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 1272 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-6U. Perigee: 206 km. Apogee: 376 km. Inclination: 70.4 deg. Period: 90.3 min. COSPAR: 1981-047A. Duration: 14.00 days.
Photo surveillance; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1982 - - 12:43 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 1368 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-6U. Perigee: 204 km. Apogee: 338 km. Inclination: 70.4 deg. Period: 89.9 min. COSPAR: 1982-046A. Duration: 13.00 days.
Photo surveillance; returned film capsule; maneuverable. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1986 - - 08:22 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U2.

Soyuz TM-1 Program: Mir. Payload: Soyuz TM 11F732 s/n 51. Mass: 7,070 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft. Spacecraft: Soyuz TM. Perigee: 192 km. Apogee: 225 km. Inclination: 51.6 deg. Period: 88.7 min. COSPAR: 1986-035A. Duration: 8.93 days.
Test of new Soyuz vehi cle. Recovered May 30, 1986 6:49 GMT. Unmanned test of Soyuz TM. Docked with Mir May 23 1987. Undocked 29 May.
Officially: Comprehensive experimental testing of spacecraft in independent flight and jointly with the Mir orbital station. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1986 - - 16:33 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC41/1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 1744 / Foton 2 Payload: Foton s/n 2L. Mass: 6,200 kg. Class: Materials. Spacecraft: Foton. Perigee: 217 km. Apogee: 371 km. Inclination: 62.8 deg. Period: 90.4 min. COSPAR: 1986-036A. Duration: 13.19 days.
216 orbits. Materials processing experiments. Continuation of research on materials science in space. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 69 .

1987 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: Jubilee.

Buran Analog BST-02 flight 12 Program: Buran. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Buran Analogue. Flight Crew: Levchenko, Shchukin.
Time 20 minutes. References: 81 .

1987 - - 07:55 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/4. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 1846 Program: Resurs. Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Landsat. Spacecraft: Resurs F1-14F40. Perigee: 178 km. Apogee: 283 km. Inclination: 82.3 deg. Period: 89.1 min. COSPAR: 1987-045A. Duration: 14.00 days.
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 .

1988 - - 17:57 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC200L. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861. LV Configuration: Proton 8K82K s/n 348-01 / 11S861 s/n 13L.

Cosmos 1946 Payload: Glonass s/n 39L. Mass: 1,400 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Glonass . Perigee: 19,109 km. Apogee: 19,149 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. Period: 675.7 min. COSPAR: 1988-043A.
Glonass. Testing of components and systems for a space-based navigation system being constructed to track Soviet civil aircraft and naval and fishing vessels. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .
Cosmos 1948 Payload: Glonass s/n 41L. Mass: 1,400 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Glonass. Perigee: 19,119 km. Apogee: 19,139 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. Period: 675.7 min. COSPAR: 1988-043C.
Glonass. Testing of components and systems for a space-based navigation system being constructed to track Soviet civil aircraft and naval and fishing vessels. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .
Cosmos 1947 Payload: Glonass s/n 40L. Mass: 1,400 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Glonass. Perigee: 19,117 km. Apogee: 19,141 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. Period: 675.7 min. COSPAR: 1988-043B.
Glonass. Testing of components and systems for a space-based navigation system being constructed to track Soviet civil aircraft and naval and fishing vessels. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .

1991 - - 09:07 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/4. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Resurs F-10 Program: Resurs. Payload: Resurs-F2 17F42 s/n 6. Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Landsat. Spacecraft: Resurs F2. Perigee: 178 km. Apogee: 242 km. Inclination: 82.3 deg. Period: 88.7 min. COSPAR: 1991-035A. Duration: 30.00 days.
Also carried microgravity experiments. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of the various branches of the national economy of the USSR, and solution of problems relating to the environment and to international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1993 - - 09:21 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC16/2. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Resurs F-17 Program: Resurs. Payload: Resurs-F2 17F42 s/n 9. Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Landsat. Spacecraft: Resurs F2. Perigee: 176 km. Apogee: 255 km. Inclination: 82.6 deg. Period: 88.8 min. COSPAR: 1993-033A. Duration: 30.00 days.
Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth for the various branches of the national economy, the solution of environmental problems, and international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1997 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3.

Minuteman 3 test launch.
GT-164GM

1997 - - 22:39 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17A. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7925 . LV Configuration: Delta 7925 / Delta s/n 243.

Thor 2 Program: Thor Comsat. Payload: Thor 2A. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 376. Agency: Telenor, Oslo. Manufacturer: Hughes Space and Communications, El Segundo. Perigee: 35,778 km. Apogee: 35,794 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1997-025A.
Geosynchronous. Stationed over 0.8W References: 4 .

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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