Spaceflight before 1951
Spaceflight as a practical endeavor began during World War 2 with the development of operational liquid fueled rockets. This led to a flourishing of missile designs setting the stage for the exploration of space. Beginning life as a weapon, the V-2 was impressed into peaceful service at America's White Sands Missile Range during the late 40s. By 1950, The United States Navy had evolved the design into the Viking capable of more than 100 miles (160 km) in altitude. The Soviet Union developed a virtual copy of the V-2 called the R-1, which first flew in 1948, and by 1950, its successor, the R-2, was in development. The small American WAC Corporal rocket was evolved into the Aerobee sounding rocket, a space science workhorse of the late 1940s.
![]() Launch of a V-2 from Peenemünde. | |
National firsts | |
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Spaceflight | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rockets | |
Maiden flights | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Retirements | ![]() ![]() |
Overview
The era of human spaceflight began in 1942 with the development of the V-2 rocket (A-4) rocket by Germany, the first vehicle capable of reaching the 100 kilometres (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation).[1] In 1944, the V-2 set an altitude record of 196 kilometres (122 mi).[2]
The post-war years saw rapid development in rocket technology by both superpowers, jumpstarted by the dozens of V-2s and hundreds of German specialists that ended up in the custody of the Soviet Union and the United States.[3]:216–7[4]:226[5]:43 From 1946—7, the United States Army launched 25 captured V-2s on engineering and scientific flights.[4]:398 The V-2 was also used in early experiments with two-stage rockets: Project Bumper combined the V-2 first stage with the independently developed WAC Corporal as second stage. On 24 February 1949, a Bumper rocket set an altitude record of 417 kilometres (259 mi).[4]:257–8
The V-2, designed for carrying a warhead horizontally rather than vertical science missions, made an inefficient sounding rocket, while the WAC Corporal was too small to carry much scientific equipment.[4]:250 In 1946 the US Navy began development of its own heavy sounding rocket, the Viking, derived in part from the V-2.[6]:21–25 Six had launched by the end of 1950.[6]:236 The Aerobee was developed from the WAC Corporal to loft lighter payloads. First launched in 1947, the solid/liquid-fuel hybrid rocket quickly secured a reputation for reliability.[4]:250–1
The Soviet Union also launched 11 captured V-2s in 1947. These flights were followed by the development of the R-1, a copy of the V-2 with modifications intended to improve reliability.[5]:41 Flight testing of this first Soviet-made liquid-fueled missile began on 13 September 1948,[5]:129 and the rocket entered military service in 1950.[5]:135 At the same time, two advanced rockets with ranges of 600 kilometres (370 mi), the German émigré-designed G-1 (or R-10) and the Russian-designed R-2, competed for limited engineering and production staff, the latter winning out by the end of 1949[5]:65 and being put into service in 1951.[5]:274 The draft plan for the 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) range R-3 was approved on 7 December 1949,[5]:67 though it was never developed, later designs proving more useful and achievable.[5]:275–6
Space exploration
_c1949.jpg.webp)
With the development of the first generation of purpose-built sounding rockets, the exploration of Earth's upper atmosphere and the nearest reaches of space began in earnest. Aerobee flights in 1948 measured the velocity and density of cosmic rays above 70 miles (110 km). High altitude measurements of the Earth's magnetic field were conducted. The first high quality aerial photographs covering huge swathes of the Earth and large scale cloud formations were returned.[4]:251 Some 50 Aerobee flights were launched by 1950. Around 10 WAC Corporals were also launched in this period.[7]:6
Viking 5, launched 21 November 1950 carried a vast array of photomultiplier tubes, ionization chambers and Geiger counters, for the detection radiation across a wide variety of energies and types. The rocket also carried two movie cameras to take high altitude film of the Earth all the way to its peak height of 108 miles (174 km) as well as Pirani gauges to measure air densities in the upper atmosphere.[6]:148,236 Viking 6, launched 11 December, carried a much lighter payload, but its experiments included a battery of custom built pressure gauges. The rocket underperformed, however, only reaching a maximum altitude of 40 miles (64 km).[6]:151–153,236
The V-2s captured from Germany at the end of World War 2 were also used for scientific missions by the United States and the Soviet Union. By the end of 1950, 63 had been launched by Americans from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, most of them equipped with research instruments.[7]:6 Three of the V-2s launched by the USSR in 1947 carried 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) experiment packages for measuring cosmic rays at high altitude; at least one returned usable data.[8]:56 Two Soviet R-1As also carried scientific equipment during test launches, but neither returned usable data.[9]
Launches
Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
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Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) |
Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
1942 | |||||||
13 June - 12 December | ![]() |
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Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | Mixed | |||
7 V-2 rockets launched on test flights, 3 successfully[10] | |||||||
1943 | |||||||
7 January - 30 December | ![]() |
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Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | Mixed | |||
39 V-2 rockets launched on test flights; at least 9 failures[10] | |||||||
1944 | |||||||
20 June | ![]() |
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Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 June | Successful | ||
First artificial object to cross what would later be defined as the Kármán line and hence first spaceflight. Vertical test, apogee: 174.6 kilometres (108.5 mi) | |||||||
8 September | ![]() |
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Wehrmacht | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | Successful | |||
First combat usage of V-2 after more than a hundred test flights; ~3000 combat launches followed[10] | |||||||
1945 | |||||||
2 October | ![]() |
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Suborbital | 2 October | Successful | |||||
First launch of Operation Backfire; apogee: 69.4 kilometres (43.1 mi)[11] | |||||||
4 October | ![]() |
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Suborbital | 4 October | Partial failure | |||||
apogee: 17.4 kilometres (10.8 mi) [11] | |||||||
15 October | ![]() |
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Suborbital | 14 October | Successful | |||||
Press and international observers present; Apogee: 64 kilometres (40 mi)[11] | |||||||
1946 | |||||||
16 April 21:47 |
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WSPG[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation (Applied Physics Laboratory)[13] | 16 April | Guidance failure[12] | |||
First launch of Project Hermes, apogee: 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) | |||||||
10 May 21:15 |
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WSPG[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation (APL),[13] Chemical Release?*[14] | 10 May | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi), First US spaceflight | |||||||
29 May 21:12 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation (APL),[13] Chemical Release?*[14] | 29 May | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
13 June 23:40 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Solar radiation, Ionosphere (Naval Radiation Laboratory)[13] | 13 June | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi) | |||||||
28 June 19:25 |
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Naval Radiation Laboratory[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation, Pressure, Temperature. Ionosphere[15]:336–337 (V-2 NO. 6) | 28 June | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi) | |||||||
9 July 19:25 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere (Naval Radiation Laboratory), Biological (Harvard University)[15]:338–339 (V-2 NO. 7) | 9 July | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 134 kilometres (83 mi) | |||||||
19 July 19:11 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Ionospheric (NRL)[13] | 19 July | Explosion at 28.5 seconds[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) | |||||||
30 July 19:36 |
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Applied Physics Laboratory[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere (NRL)[15]:342–343 (V-2 NO. 9) | 30 July | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi) | |||||||
15 August 18:00 |
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Princeton University[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere[15]:344 (V-2 NO. 10) | 15 August | Guidance Failure at 13.9 seconds[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) | |||||||
22 August 17:15 |
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University of Michigan,[12] ARDC?[16] | Suborbital | Pressure, Density, Ionosphere Aeronomy, Sky Brightness[13] | 22 August | Guidance Failure immediately after lift[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch | |||||||
10 October 18:02 |
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NRL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Ray, Ionosphere, Pressure-Temperature, Solar Spectroscopy, Ejection of Cosmic Ray Recording Camera[17] Selected seeds (Harvard), Cross jet attenuation transmitter & receiver[15]:346–347 (V-2 NO. 12) | 10 October | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 164 kilometres (102 mi) | |||||||
24 October 19:15 |
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APL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic & Solar radiation, winds, photography[13] | 24 October | Successful, Short burning time (59 sec)[18] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi), First photo of Earth from space | |||||||
7 November 20:31 |
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Princeton University[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation,[13] | 7 November | Guidance Failure at 2 seconds, missile turned sideways, flew horizontal and was destroyed[15]:350 (V-2 NO. 14) | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 0.39 kilometres (0.24 mi) | |||||||
21 November 16:55 |
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Watson Laboratories, University of Michigan,[19] ARDC?[16] | Suborbital | Pressure, Temperature, Ionosphere, Sky Brightness,Voltage breakdown[15]:351–352 (V-2 NO. 15) | 21 November | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 102 kilometres (63 mi) | |||||||
5 December 20:08 |
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NRL [12] | Suborbital | Cosmic & Solar Radiation, Pressure, Temperature, Photography[13] | 5 December | Successful, Guidance Problems | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi) | |||||||
18 December 05:12 |
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APL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Meteor research, Biological (National Institute of Health),[13] Chemical release*[14] | 18 December | Successful, extraordinary range due to guidance failure[15]:354 (V-2 NO. 16) | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 187 kilometres (116 mi) | |||||||
1947 | |||||||
10 January 21:13 |
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NRL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation,[13] "Daughter Canister Release (Air Material Command)[15]:357–358 (V-2 NO. 18) | 10 January | Successful, Roll at 40 seconds[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 116 kilometres (72 mi) | |||||||
24 January 00:22 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Test Guidance System,[12] Hermes A-2 Telemetry System Test[15]:359–360 (V-2 NO. 19) | 24 January | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 49.88 kilometres (30.99 mi). | |||||||
20 February 18:16 |
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Air Materiel Command[12] | Suborbital | Pressure-temperature (University of Michigan), Ionosphere (Air Force Cambridge Research Center, UoM), Sky brightness, Voltage Breakdown measurements (AFCRC), Biological rye, cotton seeds and fruit flies, first animals in space,[20] Blossom parachute recovery of canister (Cambridge Field Station)[15]:361–362 (V-2 NO. 20) | 20 February | Successful, Guidance disturbance at 27 sec, Roll at 37.5 sec[12] | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi). | |||||||
7 March 18:23 |
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NRL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Pressure-temperature, Solar Radiation, Ionosphere (NRL), Biological rye, cotton seeds and fruit flies (Harvard)[15]:363–365 (V-2 NO. 21) | 7 March | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 161 kilometres (100 mi). | |||||||
1 April 20:10 |
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APL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation (APL & Yerkes Observatory), High altitude photography (Gun Sight Aiming Point camera)[15]:366–367 (V-2 NO. 22) | 1 April | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi) | |||||||
9 April 00:10 |
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APL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation, High altitude photography.[15]:368–369 (V-23 NO. 20) | 9 April | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 103 kilometres (64 mi) | |||||||
17 April 23:22 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Pressure-Temperature: 9 Grenades (Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories)[15]:370–371 (V-2 NO. 24) | 17 April | Successful, Roll at 57.5 seconds[12] | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi) | |||||||
15 May 23:08 |
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NRL[12] | Suborbital | Density-pressure-temperature grenades (SCEL), (Michigan University), Composition, Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation (NRL)[15]:374–375 (V-2 NO. 26) | 15 May | Successful, Steering trouble from lift[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi) | |||||||
29 May[21] | ![]() ![]() |
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G.E. | Suborbital | Missile test of ramjet diffusers called "Organ."[22] | 29 May | Missile went South instead of North, landed in Mexico[23] | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi), maiden flight of Hermes II, aka Hermes B-1 | |||||||
10 July 19:18 |
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NRL[12] | Suborbital | Density-pressure-temperature, Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere, Simulant agent experiment - Camp Detrick, Indiana, seed containers in control chamber (Harvard College Observatory)[15]:363–364 (V-2 NO. 29) | 10 July | Launch failure, Steering trouble from lift[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) | |||||||
29 July 12:55 |
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APL[12] | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation, High altitude photography (APL)[15]:386–387 (V-2 NO. 30) | 29 July | Successful, Vane #4 ceased to operate at 27 sec[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi) | |||||||
6 September | ![]() |
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U.S. Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 September | Launch failure | |||
Operation Sandy, first shipboard missile launch, apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) | |||||||
9 October 19:15 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Density-pressure-temperature, Skin temperature, Composition (University of Michigan), Solar radiation (NRL)[15]:386–387 (V-2 NO. 30) | 9 October | Successful, Steering disturbance at 48.4 sec. Roll at 52 sec.[12] | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 156 kilometres (97 mi) | |||||||
18 October 07:47 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 October | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 86 kilometres (53 mi); destroyed during ballistic portion of flight[24] | |||||||
20 October 07:47 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 October | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi); tore loose from launch stand; flew 180 kilometres (110 mi) left of planned target[24] | |||||||
23 October 14:05 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 14 kilometres (8.7 mi); payload destroyed, rocket disintegrated[24] | |||||||
28 October 14:05 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 87 kilometres (54 mi)[24] | |||||||
31 October 13:41 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 October | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi); loss of control on longitudinal axis[24] | |||||||
2 November 15:14 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)[24] | |||||||
3 November 12:05 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 November | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi); rolled after launch and lost stabilization[24] | |||||||
4 November 15:02 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)[24] | |||||||
10 November 09:39 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 November | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi); lost guidance[24] | |||||||
13 November 08:30 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)[24] | |||||||
13 November 14:00 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 November | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi); broke up on re-entry[24] | |||||||
20 November 23:47 |
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G.E.[12] | Suborbital | Technology development flight for GE.[25] | 20 November | Launch failure, Propulsion trouble at 36 sec.[12] | |||
Apogee: 21 kilometres (13 mi) | |||||||
24 November 17:20 |
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Applied Physics Laboratory[15]:Table I, 7.3 | Suborbital | 24 November | Launch failure, off course, flight terminated.[26] | ||||
Apogee: 56 kilometres (35 mi)[27] | |||||||
8 December 21:42 |
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AMC[12] | Suborbital | Density-pressure-temperature (Michigan University), Skin temperature (Boston University), Solar soft X-rays,Vertical incidence ionosphere propagation, Oblique incidence ionosphere propagation, Aspect project (cameras to be lowered by parachute) (Wright Air Development Center), Sky brightness (AFCRC)[15]:379–382 (V-2 NO. 28) | 8 December | Successful | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi) | |||||||
1948 | |||||||
22 January 20:12 |
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NRL | Suborbital | 22 January | Successful | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi)[10] | |||||||
6 February 17:17 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 6 February | Successful | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)[10] | |||||||
5 March 22:51 |
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APL | Suborbital | Chemical release | 5 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 118 kilometres (73 mi)[27] | |||||||
19 March 23:10 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 19 March | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi)[10] | |||||||
2 April 13:47 |
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US Army Signal Corps | Suborbital | 2 April | Successful | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 144 kilometres (89 mi)[10] | |||||||
13 April 21:41 |
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APL | Suborbital | 13 April | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi)[27] | |||||||
19 April 19:54 |
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NRL | Suborbital | 19 April | Guidance Failure | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 56 kilometres (35 mi)[10] | |||||||
13 May 13:43 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 13 May | Successful | |||
Maiden flight of Bumper, apogee: 127.6 kilometres (79.3 mi)[28] | |||||||
27 May 14:15 |
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APL | Suborbital | 27 May | Successful | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi)[10] | |||||||
11 June 10:22 |
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AMC | Suborbital | 11 June | Launch Failure, Premature Valve Closure | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 63 kilometres (39 mi)[10] | |||||||
26 July 16:47 |
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APL | Suborbital | 26 July | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)[27] | |||||||
26 July 18:03 |
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APL | Suborbital | 26 July | Successful, Propulsion issues at 45.2s | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 97 kilometres (60 mi)[10] | |||||||
5 August 12:07 |
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NRL | Suborbital | UV Astronomy Solar X-ray | 5 August | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi)[10] | |||||||
6 August 1:37 |
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APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy/solar UV | 6 August | Successful | |||
Apogee: 96.6 kilometres (60.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
19 August 14:45 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 19 August | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 13.1 kilometres (8.1 mi)[28] | |||||||
3 September 01:00 |
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USASC | Suborbital | 3 September | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi)[10] | |||||||
17 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 September | Launch failure | |||
Maiden flight of R-1[29] | |||||||
30 September 15:30 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 30 September | 2nd Stage Failure | |||
Apogee: 150.6 kilometres (93.6 mi)[28] | |||||||
10 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), first Soviet spaceflight[29] | |||||||
11 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test, sounding rocket | 11 October | Successful | |||
First Soviet spaceflight with scientific experiments[29] | |||||||
13 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 October | Successful | |||
[29] | |||||||
21 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 October | Successful | |||
[29] | |||||||
23 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | Successful | |||
[29] | |||||||
1 November 14:24 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 1 November | Tail explosion at 28.5s | |||
Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) | |||||||
1 November | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[29] | |||||||
2 November 00:12 |
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APL | Suborbital | Cosmic radiation, solar radiation and particles | 2 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 91 kilometres (57 mi)[27] | |||||||
3 November | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 November | Successful | |||
[29] | |||||||
4 November | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 November | Successful | |||
[29] | |||||||
5 November | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 5 November | Successful | |||
last of nine launches in the first test series[29] | |||||||
18 November 22:35 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | Ramjet research | 18 November | Successful | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi)[10] | |||||||
9 December 16:08 |
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USASC | Suborbital | 9 December | Successful | ||||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi)[10] | |||||||
9 December 22:38 |
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APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 9 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 91 kilometres (57 mi)[27] | |||||||
1949 | |||||||
14 January 20:26 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 January | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)[30] | |||||||
28 January 17:20 |
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NRL | Suborbital | Solar x-ray / ionosphere / aeronomy / biology | 28 January | Launch failure | |||
Blossom launch, apogee: 60 kilometres (37 mi)[30] | |||||||
29 January 06:17 |
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APL | Suborbital | Radiation, ionospheric | 29 January | Successful | |||
Apogee: 96.6 kilometres (60.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
1 February 18:38 |
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APL | Suborbital | Solar UV and X-Ray | 1 February | Launch Failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi)[27] | |||||||
17 February 17:00 |
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APL | Suborbital | 17 February | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 100.8 kilometres (62.6 mi)[30] | |||||||
24 February 22:14 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 24 February | Successful | |||
Apogee: 393 kilometres (244 mi). The new altitude record.[28] | |||||||
2 March 00:15 |
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APL | Suborbital | Test for shipboard launch; dummy payload | 2 March | Launch Failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi)[27] | |||||||
17 March 23:20 |
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APL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 17 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)[27] | |||||||
22 March 06:43 |
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AMC | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 22 March | Successful | ||
Blossom IVA; apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)[30] | |||||||
22 March 17:20 |
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APL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 22 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)[27] | |||||||
24 March 15:14 |
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APL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 24 March | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi), pressure valve malfunction, booster separated on ignition[27] | |||||||
11 April 22:05 |
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USASC | Suborbital | 11 April | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi)[30] | |||||||
22 April 00:17 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 22 April | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi)[28] | |||||||
3 May | ![]() |
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NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy Imaging | 3 May | Partial launch failure | ||
Apogee: 83 kilometres (52 mi)[6]:236[31] | |||||||
5 May 15:15 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | 5 May | Launch failure | ||||
Apogee: 8.9 kilometres (5.5 mi)[30] | |||||||
7 May 03:12 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 May | Successful | |||
Apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi), maiden flight of R-1A[9] | |||||||
10 May 15:57 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 May | Successful | |||
[9] | |||||||
15 May 02:48 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 May | Successful | |||
Tested seperable warhead[9] | |||||||
16 May 21:55 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 May | Successful | |||
Tested seperable warhead[9] | |||||||
24 May 01:40 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test/aeronomy | 24 May | Partial Failure | ||
Apogee: 32.9 kilometres (20.4 mi); vertical flight, tested seperable warhead, carried aeronomy experiments that were not recovered[9] | |||||||
28 May 01:50 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 May | Partial Failure | |||
Apogee: 31.9 kilometres (19.8 mi); Final R1-A flight -- vertical flight, tested seperable warhead, carried aeronomy experiments damaged on landing and returned no usable data[9] | |||||||
2 June 13:10 |
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APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 2 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 78.4 kilometres (48.7 mi)[27] | |||||||
14 June 22:35 |
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AMC | Suborbital | Biological, Atmospheric | 14 June | Successful | ||
Apogee: 133.9 kilometres (83.2 mi), carried Albert II, first monkey in space[20][32][30] | |||||||
15 June 02:03 |
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NRL | Suborbital | Ozone research | 15 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi)[27] | |||||||
17 June 02:03 |
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NRL | Suborbital | classified mission | 17 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)[27] | |||||||
23 June 23:21 |
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NRL | Suborbital | Solar, aeronomy | 23 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)[27] | |||||||
21 July 16:01 |
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APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 21 July | Successful | |||
Apogee: 76.1 kilometres (47.3 mi)[27] | |||||||
6 September 16:57 |
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NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy Imaging | 6 September | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 57 kilometres (35 mi)[6]:236[31] | |||||||
10 September | ![]() ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 September | ||||
First flight of second series of tests[29] | |||||||
11 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 September | ||||
[29] | |||||||
13 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 September | ||||
[29] | |||||||
14 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 September | ||||
[29] | |||||||
16 September 23:19 |
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AMC | Suborbital | Biological | 16 September | Launch Failure | ||
Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi), carried Albert III[30] | |||||||
17 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 September | ||||
[29] | |||||||
19 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 September | ||||
[29] | |||||||
20 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 September | Launch failure | |||
[29] | |||||||
20 September 17:03 |
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APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 20 September | Successful | |||
Apogee: 58.6 kilometres (36.4 mi)[27] | |||||||
23 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 September | Launch failure | |||
25 September 11:16 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 September | Successful | |||
Maiden flight of R-2E -- a modifed R-1 missile to test R-2 concepts: integral fuel tank and seperable warhead[33] | |||||||
28 September | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 September | ||||
[29] | |||||||
29 September 16:58 |
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NRL | Suborbital | 29 September | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 151.1 kilometres (93.9 mi)[30] | |||||||
30 September 11:49 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 September | Successful | |||
[33] | |||||||
2 October 11:00 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 October | Partial failure | |||
Fire in tail compartment[33] | |||||||
3 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
6 October | ![]() |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 October | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)[30] | |||||||
8 October 06:05 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 October | Successful | |||
[33] | |||||||
8 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
10 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 10 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
11 October 12:45 |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 October | Partial failure | |||
Fire in tail compartment, last of five R-2E launches[33] | |||||||
12 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
13 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
13 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
15 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
18 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
19 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
22 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 October | ||||
[29] | |||||||
23 October | ![]() ![]() |
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NII-88 Section 3 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | ||||
Last of second series of twenty firings (14 successes, 6 failures)[29] | |||||||
18 November 16:03 |
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USASC | Suborbital | 18 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 124.2 kilometres (77.2 mi)[30] | |||||||
2 December 22:20 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | Solar, imaging, aeronomy | 2 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 96 kilometres (60 mi)[27] | |||||||
6 December 18:32 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Air sampling aeronomy mission | 6 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 64.9 kilometres (40.3 mi)[27] | |||||||
7 December 00:16 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Air sampling aeronomy mission | 7 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 60 kilometres (37 mi)[27] | |||||||
8 December 19:15 |
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AMC | Suborbital | Biological | 8 December | Successful | ||
Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi), carried Albert IV[30] | |||||||
15 December 17:10 |
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APL | Suborbital | Solar, imaging, aeronomy | 15 December | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi)[27] | |||||||
1950 | |||||||
15 January 23:45 |
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Applied Physics Laboratory | Suborbital | Particle physics | 15 January | Successful | |||
Ship-launched; Apogee: 72 kilometres (45 mi)[27] | |||||||
18 January 23:17 |
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APL | Suborbital | Particle physics | 18 January | Successful | |||
Ship-launched; Apogee: 80 kilometres (50 mi)[27] | |||||||
9 February 21:44 |
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NRL | Suborbital | Solar Imaging | 9 February | Launch failure | ||
Veered off-course, failed to reach space, apogee: 80.5 kilometres (50.0 mi)[6]:236[31] | |||||||
14 February 23:14 |
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APL | Suborbital | Cosmic gamma Ionosphere mission | 14 February | Successful | |||
Apogee: 87.6 kilometres (54.4 mi)[27] | |||||||
17 February 18:00 |
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NRL | Suborbital | 17 February | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 148 kilometres (92 mi)[30] | |||||||
22 February 00:54 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 22 February | Successful | |||
Apogee: 87.6 kilometres (54.4 mi)[27] | |||||||
4 March 00:36 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 4 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 72.4 kilometres (45.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
14 March 20:43 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | Solar radiation | 14 March | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
26 April 01:11 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Atmospheric | 26 April | Successful | |||
Apogee: 99.5 kilometres (61.8 mi)[27] | |||||||
12 May 03:08 |
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U.S. Navy | Suborbital | Ionospheric Aeronomy | 12 May | Successful | ||
Apogee: 171 kilometres (106 mi)[6]:236[31] | |||||||
12 May 12:30 |
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APL | Suborbital | Particle physics | 12 May | Successful | |||
Ship-launched; Apogee: 88.1 kilometres (54.7 mi)[27] | |||||||
26 May 19:43 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | Solar radiation | 26 May | Successful | |||
Apogee: 67.6 kilometres (42.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
2 June 17:07 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | Solar radiation | 2 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 67.6 kilometres (42.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
20 June 15:38 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | aeronomy | 20 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 92.6 kilometres (57.5 mi)[27] | |||||||
14 July 08:39 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 14 July | Successful | |||
Apogee: 69.2 kilometres (43.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
24 July 14:29 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | Test | 24 July | Launch failure | ||
First missile launch from Cape Canaveral; apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi)[28] | |||||||
29 July 11:25 |
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G.E. | Suborbital | Test | 29 July | Launch failure | ||
Apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi)[28] | |||||||
17 August 15:45 |
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APL | Suborbital | Spectrometry | 17 August | Successful | |||
Apogee: 101 kilometres (63 mi)[27] | |||||||
31 August 17:09 |
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AMC | Suborbital | Biological | 31 August | Successful | ||
Apogee: 137 kilometres (85 mi), carried a mouse[30] | |||||||
1 October | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 October | Partial failure | |||
maiden flight of R-2 prototype missile; missed target[34] | |||||||
1 October | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 October | Partial failure | |||
missed target[34] | |||||||
12 October 19:36 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | Photography | 12 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 91.3 kilometres (56.7 mi)[27] | |||||||
17 October 04:00 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 17 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 80.5 kilometres (50.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
18 October 04:30 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 18 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi)[27] | |||||||
21 October | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 October | Partial Failure | |||
missed target[34] | |||||||
26 October 23:02 |
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Ballistic Research Laboratory | Suborbital | 26 October | Launch Failure | ||||
Apogee: 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi)[30] | |||||||
27 October 13:30 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 27 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 80.2 kilometres (49.8 mi)[27] | |||||||
1 November | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
1 November | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
1 November | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
1 November | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
1 November | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 November | Partial failure | |||
missed target[34] | |||||||
2 November 16:29 |
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U.S.A.F. | Suborbital | Air glow research | 2 November | Successful | |||
Apogee: 91.8 kilometres (57.0 mi)[27] | |||||||
9 November | ![]() ![]() |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 November | Partial Success[35] | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)Apogee: 80.2 kilometres (49.8 mi) | |||||||
21 November 17:18 |
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NRL | Suborbital | Solar Ionospheric | 21 November | Successful | ||
Apogee: 174 kilometres (108 mi)[6]:236[31] | |||||||
1 December | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 December | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
1 December | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 December | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
1 December | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 December | Partial failure | |||
Missed target[34] | |||||||
11 December 17:04 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 11 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 83.9 kilometres (52.1 mi)[27] | |||||||
12 December 04:06 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 12 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 84 kilometres (52 mi)[27] | |||||||
12 December 07:04 |
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U.S. Navy | Suborbital | 12 December | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 64 kilometres (40 mi)[6]:236[31] | |||||||
12 December 09:10 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 12 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 77 kilometres (48 mi)[27] | |||||||
12 December 18:26 |
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ARDC | Suborbital | 12 December | Successful | ||||
Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)[27] | |||||||
19 December 18:52 |
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U.S. Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 19 December | Successful | |||
Apogee: 81.9 kilometres (50.9 mi)[27] | |||||||
20 December | ![]() |
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OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 December | Partial failure | |||
Final flight of 12 mission prototype series; missed target[34] | |||||||
Suborbital launch summary (1945-1950)
By country
Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures |
Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
![]() | 63 | 33 | 19 | 11 | |
![]() | 132 | 82 | 16 | 34 |
By rocket
Rocket | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
V-2 | ![]() | 72 | 37 | 15 | 20 | Maiden flight |
Bumper | ![]() | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | Maiden flight |
Viking (first model) | ![]() | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee RTV-N-8 | ![]() | 17 | 14 | 0 | 3 | Maiden flight, retired |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | ![]() | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | ![]() | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | ![]() | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | ![]() | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | Maiden flight |
V-2 | ![]() | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight |
V-2 | ![]() | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | Maiden flight, retired |
R-1 | ![]() | 29 | 22 | 0 | 7 | Maiden flight |
R-1A | ![]() | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | Maiden flight |
R-2 | ![]() | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | Maiden flight |
See also
References
- Voosen, Paul (24 July 2018). "Outer space may have just gotten a bit closer". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aau8822. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- Louis de Gouyon Matignon. "Peenemünde and the German V-2 rockets". Space Legal Issues. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- Dieter K. Kuzel (1962). Peenemünde to Canaveral. United States of America: Prentice Hall.
- Willy Ley (June 1951). Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel. Dominion of Canada: Viking Press. OCLC 716327624.
- Boris Chertok (June 2006). Rockets and People, Volume II: Creating a Rocket Industry. Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 946818748.
- Milton W. Rosen (1955). The Viking Rocket Story. New York: Harper & Brothers. OCLC 317524549.
- George Ludwig (2011). Opening Space Research. Washington D.C.: geopress. OCLC 845256256.
- Asif A. Siddiqi. Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945-1974 (PDF). Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 1001823253.
- Wade, Mark. "R-1A". Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "V-2". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- Report on operation 'Backfire' Recording and analysis of the trajectory. 5. Ministry of Supply. January 1946. pp. 9–11.
- White, L. D. (September 1952). Final Report,Project Hermes V-2 Missile Program. Schnectady, New York: Guided Missile Department, Aeronautic and Ordnance Systems Division, Defense Products Group, General Electric. p. Table I.
- Kennedy, Gregory P. (2009). The Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground. Atglen, PA.: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-7643-3251-7.
- I have found no evidence that a chemical release experiment was flown. Chemical release is usually done to conduct aeronomy or wind studies.
- Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
- Kennedy list the Agency for this flight as ARDC while White does not as the Air Research and Development Command did not exist until 1950 kennedy may have confused ARDC with the AAF Technical Service Command, the Air Technical Service Command, or the Air Materiel Command.
- Newell, H. E. Jr.; Siry, J. W. (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030 (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 11, 91.
- Newell, H. E. Jr.; Siry, J. W. (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030 (PDF). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. p. Table I. Archived from the original (pdf) on 6 September 2017.
- Newell, H. E. Jr.; Siry, J. W. (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number II (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. Table I. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- "Part 1: 1900 – 1950". Chronology of Human Space Exploration. I-Spy Space.
- Newell & Siry, Neufeld, and Kennedy agree that the launch was on 29 May.
- Neufeld, Michael J. (2007). Von Braun, Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-307-38937-4.
- Kennedy, Gregory P. (2009). The Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground. Atglen, PA.: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-7643-3251-7.
- Wade, Mark. "Kapustin Yar V-2". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "1947". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 November 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- Van Allen, James A. & Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. 61–62.
- Wade, Mark. "Aerobee". Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "BUMPER-WAC". Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "R-1". Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "White Sands LC33". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "Viking Sounding Rocket". Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- Wade, Mark. "V-2 Chronology". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
- Wade, Mark. "R-2E". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- Wade, Mark. "R-2". Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- Neufeld, Michael J. (2007). Von Braun, Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-307-38937-4.