September 18

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September 18

1932 - Nation: Russia.

Future cosmonaut Nikolai Nikolayevich Rukavishnikov born in Tomsk, Tomsk, Russia.

1933 - Nation: Russia.

Future cosmonaut Valentina Leonidovna Ponomaryova born in Moscow, Russia.

1944 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut Charles Lacy Veach born in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

1952 - Nation: USSR. Launch Vehicle: R-2.

R-2 flight.
14th and last launch in quality assurance testing. 12 of the 14 reached their targets. References: 283 , 344 .

1954 - Nation: Japan.

Future astronaut Dr Takao Doi born in Minamitama, Tokyo, Japan.

1956 - Nation: USA.

X-1B Flight 14 Payload: X-1B flight 14. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: X-1B. Flight Crew: McKay.
NACA flight 4. Glide flight, due to erratic engine start. References: 49 , 97 .

1958 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC13. Launch Vehicle: Atlas B. LV Configuration: Atlas 6B. FAILURE: Propulsion Failure.

Atlas Development Test

1959 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: R-7 8K71. LV Configuration: 8K71.

R-7 development test flight.

1959 - - 05:20 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC18A. Launch Vehicle: Vanguard. LV Configuration: Vanguard/X-248 s/n SLV-7.

Vanguard 3 Program: Vanguard. Payload: Vanguard 3C / Magne-Ray satellite. Mass: 23 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: Vanguard 3. Agency: U.S. Navy. Perigee: 512 km. Apogee: 3,413 km. Inclination: 33.4 deg. Period: 126.4 min. COSPAR: 1959-Eta-1.
Radiation, micrometeoroid data. Third stage failed to separate from payload. Partial Failure. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1961 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Woomera . Launch Vehicle: Skylark.

First Skylark flight.
First of four scheduled Skylark rocket firings was launched from Woomera in the joint United States-Australian ultraviolet survey of the southern skies. References: 18 .

1962 - Nation: USA.

Slayton designated Coordinator of Astronaut Activities Program: Mercury.
Donald Slayton, one of the seven chosen for the astronaut training program, was designated Coordinator of Astronaut Activities at the Manned Spacecraft Center. References: 483 .

1962 - - 08:53 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17A. Launch Vehicle: Delta. LV Configuration: Thor Delta s/n 318 / Delta s/n 12.

Tiros 6 Program: Tiros. Payload: Tiros F2 (A-51). Mass: 127 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: Tiros. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 631 km. Apogee: 654 km. Inclination: 58.3 deg. Period: 97.6 min. COSPAR: 1962-A-Psi-1.
Returned 66674 cloud cover images. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1963 - Nation: USA.

AiResearch awarded contract for the Apollo CM environmental system Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM.
The AiResearch Manufacturing Company announced that it had been awarded a $20 million definitive contract for the CM environmental system. (AiResearch had been developing the system under a letter contract since 1961. References: 16 .

1963 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Thor. LV Configuration: Thor 232.

ASSET 1 Payload: ASSET-ASV 1. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: ASSET. COSPAR: 19630918S.
Suborbital test of subscale model of X-20 Dynasoar. Aero-thermodynamic structural test vehicle (ASV) for heat shield tests. Booster flew to peak altitude of 62 km, then pitched down, driving the spacecraft to separation at 59 km and 4,906 m/s. The spacecraft was sited under its parachute in the recovery zone at Ascension Island, but the flotation bag broke and it sank into the Atlantic. References: 5 .

1964 - Nation: USA.

Apollo Mission A-102 / SA-7 Program: Apollo.
Apollo Mission A-102, using BP-15 for the command and service modules (CSM) and SA-7 for the launch vehicle, confirmed Saturn Block II and CSM compatibility as well as the launch escape vehicle system. References: 16 .

1964 - - 11:23 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC37B. Launch Vehicle: Saturn I. LV Configuration: Saturn I s/n SA-7.

Saturn 7 Program: Apollo. Payload: Apollo CSM Boilerplate 15. Mass: 16,700 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Lunar spacecraft. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 181 km. Apogee: 215 km. Inclination: 31.7 deg. Period: 88.5 min. COSPAR: 1964-057A.
Apollo systems test. Third orbital test. First closed-loop guidance test. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 26 , 27 .

1965 - - 07:55 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC41. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 65S3.

Cosmos 89 Program: Strela. Mass: 50 kg. Class: Communications. Type: Military Store-dump. Spacecraft: Strela-1. Perigee: 1,363 km. Apogee: 1,658 km. Inclination: 56.1 deg. Period: 116.2 min. COSPAR: 1965-073D. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Cosmos 90 Program: Strela. Mass: 50 kg. Class: Communications. Type: Military Store-dump. Spacecraft: Strela-1. Perigee: 1,391 km. Apogee: 1,668 km. Inclination: 56.1 deg. Period: 116.6 min. COSPAR: 1965-073E. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Cosmos 88 Program: Strela. Mass: 50 kg. Class: Communications. Type: Military Store-dump. Spacecraft: Strela-1. Perigee: 1,340 km. Apogee: 1,645 km. Inclination: 56.1 deg. Period: 115.8 min. COSPAR: 1965-073C. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Cosmos 87 Program: Strela. Mass: 50 kg. Class: Communications. Type: Military Store-dump. Spacecraft: Strela-1. Perigee: 1,317 km. Apogee: 1,633 km. Inclination: 56.1 deg. Period: 115.4 min. COSPAR: 1965-073B. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Cosmos 86 Program: Strela. Mass: 50 kg. Class: Communications. Type: Military Store-dump. Spacecraft: Strela-1. Perigee: 1,286 km. Apogee: 1,627 km. Inclination: 56.1 deg. Period: 115.0 min. COSPAR: 1965-073A. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1968 - - 21:32 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: SLC1E. Launch Vehicle: LT Thor Agena D. LV Configuration: Thor 2L s/n 524 / Agena D s/n 1647.

KH-4A 1048 Payload: KH-4A s/n 1048 / Agena D 1647. Mass: 2,000 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: KH-4A. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Perigee: 167 km. Apogee: 393 km. Inclination: 83.0 deg. Period: 90.1 min. COSPAR: 1968-078A.
KH-4A. Film in the forward camera separated and camera failed on mission 1048-2, also the stellar/index camera unit failed. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
SRV 749 Payload: SRV 1048-1. Mass: 60 kg. Spacecraft: KH-4A. Perigee: 500 km. Apogee: 514 km. Inclination: 83.2 deg. Period: 94.8 min. COSPAR: 1968-078B.
Radar monitoring. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 172 .
OPS 8595 Payload: EHH B13. Class: ELINT. Spacecraft: SSF. COSPAR: 1968-078xx. References: 279 .
SRV 750 Payload: SRV 1048-2. Spacecraft: KH-4A. COSPAR: 1968-078xx. References: 279 .

1969 - Nation: USA.

HL-10 Flight 25 Program: NASA Lifting Body. Payload: HL-10 flight 25. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: HL-10. Flight Crew: Manke.
4 chambers. Maximum Speed - 1340 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24140 m. Flight Time - 426 sec. References: 49 , 97 .

1969 - - 09:07 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

Cosmos 299 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-4. Perigee: 207 km. Apogee: 284 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. Period: 89.4 min. COSPAR: 1969-078A. Duration: 4.00 days.
High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1973 - Nation: USA.

X-24 Flight 32 Payload: X-24B flight 4. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: X-24B. Flight Crew: Manke.
Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 271 sec. References: 49 , 97 .

1973 - Nation: China. Launch Site: Jiuquan . Launch Complex: LA2. Launch Vehicle: FB-1. LV Configuration: Feng Bao 1 s/n FB1-2. FAILURE: Failure.

JSSW 1 Payload: JSSW 1. Spacecraft: JSSW. COSPAR. References: 279 .

1975 - Nation: USA. Launch Vehicle: Thor. LV Configuration: Thor 201.

Thor 201
BMDTTP 1

1975 - - 00:28 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8A92M.

Meteor 1-22 Payload: Meteor M no. 22. Mass: 3,800 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Weather. Spacecraft: Meteor M. Perigee: 798 km. Apogee: 910 km. Inclination: 81.3 deg. Period: 102.0 min. COSPAR: 1975-087A.
Acquisition of meteorological information needed for use by the weather service. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1977 - - 13:55 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC90. Launch Vehicle: Tsyklon 2.

Cosmos 954 Program: RORSAT. Payload: US-A no. 17. Mass: 3,800 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval Radarsat. Spacecraft: US-A. Perigee: 251 km. Apogee: 265 km. Inclination: 65.0 deg. Period: 89.7 min. COSPAR: 1977-090A.
Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered; re-entered over Canada, spreading radioactive debris. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1980 - - 19:11 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Soyuz 38 Program: Salyut. Payload: Soyuz 7K-T s/n 54. Mass: 6,800 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Perigee: 195 km. Apogee: 257 km. Inclination: 51.6 deg. Period: 89.0 min. COSPAR: 1980-075A. Duration: 7.86 days. Flight Crew: Romanenko, Tamayo-Mendez. Manned flight: Soyuz 38.
Manned two crew. Docked with Salyut 6. Transported to the Salyut-6 station the seventh international crew under the INTERCOSMOS programme, comprising Y V Romanenko (USSR) and A. Tomaio Mendez (Cuba), to conduct scientific research and experiments. Recovered September 26, 1980 15:54 GMT. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 32 , 33 , 51 .

1981 - - 03:36 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M s/n 47195-113.

Cosmos 1308 Mass: 700 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Parus. Perigee: 958 km. Apogee: 1,001 km. Inclination: 82.9 deg. Period: 104.7 min. COSPAR: 1981-091A.
Military navigation satellite. Replaced Cosmos 1275. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

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

Cosmos 1309 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-4MT. Perigee: 212 km. Apogee: 257 km. Inclination: 82.3 deg. Period: 89.2 min. COSPAR: 1981-092A. Duration: 13.00 days.
Military topography satellite; returned film capsule; also performed mapping, geodesy. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1982 - - 04:58 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. LV Configuration: Soyuz 11A511U s/n Ts15000-292.

Astrozond Program: Salyut. Payload: Astrozond. COSPAR: 1982-033AC. References: 279 .
Progress 15 Program: Salyut. Payload: Progress s/n 112. Mass: 7,020 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Logistics. Spacecraft: Progress. Perigee: 188 km. Apogee: 241 km. Inclination: 51.7 deg. Period: 88.8 min. COSPAR: 1982-094A. Duration: 28.51 days. Completed Operations Date: 16 October 1982.
Unmanned supply vessel to Salyut 7. Docked with Salyut 7 on 20 Sep 1982 06:12:00 GMT. Undocked on 14 Oct 1982 13:46:00 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 16 Oct 1982 17:08:00 GMT. Total free-flight time 4.19 days. Total docked time 24.32 days. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 275 .

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