1954 in spaceflight

1954 in spaceflight
	Viking 10 was launched in May
National firsts
Spaceflight	France
Rockets
Maiden flights	Aerobee RTV-N-10b; Nike-Nike-T40-T55; A-1; R-1D; Véronique-NA
Retirements	Aerobee RTV-N-10b; R-1D; Véronique-NA
	v; t; e;

The year 1954 saw the conception of Project Orbiter, the first practicable satellite launching project, utilizing the Redstone, a newly developed Short Range Ballistic Missile.

A variety of sounding rockets continued to return scientific data from beyond the 100 kilometres (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation),^[1] including the Viking and Aerobee rockets, University of Iowa and Naval Research Laboratory ship-launched rockoons, and derivatives of the Soviet R-1 missile. The French also launched their first sounding rocket into space, the Véronique-NA.

1954 also marked a year of development of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). The United States prioritized the development of its Atlas while the Soviet Union authorized the draft proposal for the R-7 Semyorka, its first ICBM.

Space exploration highlights

US Navy

After ten months of salvage, testing, and troubleshooting following the failed launch of Viking 10 on 30 June 1953, a successful static firing of the rebuilt rocket took place at the end of April 1954. Launch was scheduled for 4 May. Control issues revealed in the static firing as well as gusty, sand-laden winds caused a delay of three days. At 10:00 AM local time, Viking 10 blasted off from its pad at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, reaching an altitude of 136 mi (219 km)—a tie with the highest altitude ever reached by a first-generation Viking (Viking 7 on 7 August 1951). Data was received from the rocket for all stages of the flight, and its scientific package returned the first measurement of positive ion composition at high altitudes.^[2]

Viking 11, which was ready for erection on 5 May, also had a successful static test and was ready for launch, 24 May 1954. Again, the countdown went without hold, and Viking 11, the heaviest rocket yet in the series, was launched at 10:00 AM. Forty seconds into the flight, several puffs of smoke issued from the vehicle, but these accidental excitations of the rocket's roll jets did no harm. Viking 11 ultimately reached 158 mi (254 km) in altitude, a record for the series, snapping the highest altitude photographs of the Earth to date. Both Vikings 10 and 11 carried successful emulsions experiments, measuring cosmic rays at high altitudes.^[2]

Three more Viking flights were scheduled, one of which would fly in 1955,^[2] the other two later incorporated into the subsequent Project Vanguard.^[3]

American civilian efforts

For the third summer in a row, members of the State University of Iowa (SUI) physics department embarked 15 July 1954 on an Atlantic expedition to launch a series of balloon-launched Deacon rockets (rockoons), this time aboard the icebreaker, USS Atka. Once again, a Naval Research Laboratory team accompanied them to launch their own rockoons. Beginning with the fourth SUI launch on 21 July 1954 off the northern tip of Labrador, eleven rockoon launches (seven of them successful) over a five-day period probed the heart of the auroral zone at high altitude. Each rockoon carried two geiger counters with different thicknesses of shielding; two of the flights determined that aurorae produced detectable "soft" (lower energy/penetrative) radiation.^[4]

Scientific results

By 1954, the array of Viking, Aerobee, V-2, Deacon Rockoon, and other high altitude sounding rocket flights had returned a bonanza of knowledge about the upper atmosphere. Previously, it had been believed that, at altitudes above 20 mi (32 km), Earth's atmosphere was highly stratified and peaceful, an indefinite continuation of the stratosphere. Rocket research discovered winds, turbulence, and mixing up to heights of 80 mi (130 km), and wind velocities of 180 mph (290 km/h) were measured 125 mi (201 km) above the Earth's surface. The density of the upper atmosphere was found to be thinner than expected: the estimated average distance an air atom or molecule must travel before colliding with another (mean free path) was refined to .5 mi (0.80 km). Ionized particles were discovered in what were previously thought to be distinct gaps between the E and F layers in the ionosphere.^[2]

Sounding rockets returned the first measurements of extraterrestrial X-rays, blocked from observation from the ground by the lower layers of the atmosphere. It was determined that these X-rays were one of the major producers of atmospheric ionization. Ultraviolet radiation was extensively observed as well as its contribution to the ozone layer. Solar radiation data determined that the Sun was hotter than had been calculated from strictly earthbound measurements. Cosmic rays were found to consist mainly of protons, alpha particles, and heavier atomic nuclei; the range of measured elements extended to iron, with greater abundance in even mass numbered elements.^[2]

Vehicle development

US Air Force

On February 1, 1954,^[5] the Strategic Missiles Evaluation Committee or 'Teapot Committee', comprising eleven of the top scientists and engineers in the country, issued a report recommending prioritization of the development of the Atlas, the nation's first ICBM. Trevor Gardner, special assistant for research and development to Secretary of the Air Force, Harold Talbott, selected Ramo Wooldridge (R-W) to handle the systems engineering and technical direction for the entire project, a considerable expansion of duties for the year-old company, which had hitherto been contracted by the Air Force to advise and perform research.^[6]^: 178–9 From spring 1954 through the end of the year, R-W's work was confined to the evaluation of the project and the accumulation of personnel to handle development of the ICBM.^[6]^: 185 Convair, which had been developing the Atlas for the prior eight years, remained the manufacturer of the missile proper.^[5]

The public first became aware of the Atlas project with the publication of the 8 March 1954 issue of Aviation Weekly, in which appeared the short item: "Convair is developing a long range ballistic missile known as the Atlas. Its development was begun in the era when Floyd Odlum's Atlas Corp. was the controlling stockholder in Convair."^[5]

Before the Teapot commission had determined the likely weight of a thermonuclear payload, the Atlas specification had called for a missile 90 ft (27 m) long and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide, carrying five rocket engines, and a full-scale wooden model as well as a metal test example of the tank were built in 1954. By the time the design was frozen at the end of the year, the specifications had been downscaled to 75 ft (23 m) long, retaining the same width, and the number of engines was reduced to three.^[5]

Project Orbiter

At a meeting of Project Orbiter on March 16, 1954, Fred C. Durant is seen seated at the table, second from the left.

By 1954, there was growing consensus in the United States that rocket technology had evolved to the point the launch of an Earth orbiting satellite was becoming feasible. A 16 March meeting in Washington D.C. involving several of the nation's leading space specialists was arranged by past president of the American Rocket Society Frederick C. Durant III. They included Fred Singer, proposer of the "MOUSE" (Minimum Orbiting Unmanned Satellite of the Earth), rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, David Young of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Commander George Hoover and Alexander Satin of the Air Branch of the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and noted astronomer, Fred Whipple. They determined that a slightly modified Redstone (a 200 miles (320 km) range surface-to-surface missile developed the prior year)^[7] combined with upper stages employing 31 Loki solid-propellant rockets could put a 5 lb (2.3 kg) satellite into orbit, which could be tracked optically.^[8]

Whipple approached the National Science Foundation (NSF) to sponsor a conference for further study of the idea, particularly to develop instrumentation for a satellite. The NSF took no immediate action. Hoover, however, was able to secure interest from the ONR, and by November 1954, a satellite-launching plan had been developed. Dubbed Project Orbiter, the "no-cost satellite" would be built largely from existing hardware; the Army would design and construct the booster system (using Redstone and Loki) while the Navy would handle creation of the satellite, tracking facilities, and the acquisition and analysis of data. By the end of the year, ONR had let $60,000 in three contracts for feasibility studies and initial design.^[8]

Soviet Union

The R-5 missile, able to carry the same 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) payload as the R-1 and R-2 but over a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi)^[9]^: 242 underwent its third series of test launches, beginning 12 August 1954 and continuing through 7 February 1955. These tests confirmed the soundness of the design and cleared the way for nuclear and sounding rocket variants.^[10]^{: 120, 138}

Paralleling developments in the United States, 1954 marked the authorization of the R-7 Semyorka ICBM (on 20 May). Mikhail Tikhonravov, whose team at had completed the ICBM studies that formed the conceptual framework for the R-7, on 27 May, at the urging of OKB-1 Chief Designer Sergei Korolev, submitted a memorandum entitled, "A Report on an Artificial Satellite of the Earth" to Deputy Minister of Medium Machine Building Vasiliy Rabikov and Georgiy Pashkov, Rabikov's department chief in charge of missiles. This memorandum, containing summaries of both Soviet research of recent years as well as translations of Western articles on satellites, served as the catalyst for the Soviet satellite program.^[10]^{: 139–144}

Launches

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February

February launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 February 18:35	Aerobee RTV-N-10		NRL 20	White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Solar UV	2 February	Successful
		Apogee: 101 kilometres (63 mi)^[11]
20 February	Véronique-NA^[13]			Hammaguir Bechar		LRBA

			LRBA	Suborbital	Test flight	20 February	Launch failure
		Apogee: 29 kilometres (18 mi), maiden flight of the Véronique-NA^[12]
21 February	Véronique-NA^[13]			Hammaguir Bechar		LRBA

			LRBA	Suborbital	Test flight	21 February	Successful
		Apogee: 135 kilometres (84 mi), first French spaceflight^[12]

March

March launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
11 March	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	11 March	Successful^[14]
16 March	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	16 March	Successful^[14]
16 March	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	16 March	Successful^[14]
20 March	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	20 March	Successful^[14]

April

April launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
9 April 21:12	Aerobee RTV-N-10		NRL 18	White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Spectrometry	9 April	Successful
		Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi)^[11]
10 April 09:00	Aerobee RTV-N-10		NRL 19	White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Spectrometry	10 April	Launch Failure
		Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)^[11]
23 April	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	23 April	Successful^[14]
24 April	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	24 April	Successful^[14]
26 April	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	26 April	Successful^[14]
29 April	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	29 April	Successful^[14]

May

May launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		First of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Second of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Third of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Fourth of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Fifth of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Sixth of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Seventh of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Eighth of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Ninth of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
May	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	Same Day
		Tenth of ten production missile test launches, eight of which were successful^[15]
3 May	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	3 May	Successful^[14]
4 May	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	4 May	Successful^[14]
4 May	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	4 May	Successful^[14]
7 May	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	7 May	Successful^[14]
7 May 17:00	Viking (second model)			White Sands LC-33		US Navy

		Viking 10	NRL	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	7 May	Successful
		Apogee: 219 kilometres (136 mi)^[16]
11 May 15:00	Aerobee RTV-A-1a		USAF 46	Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			AFCRC	Suborbital	Beacon test	11 May	Successful
		Apogee: 98 kilometres (61 mi)^[17]^{: 135–136}
21 May	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	21 May	Successful^[14]
24 May 17:00	Viking (second model)			White Sands LC-33		US Navy

		Viking 11	NRL	Suborbital	REV test / Photography	24 May	Successful
		Apogee: 254 kilometres (158 mi)^[16]
26 May 14:24	A-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			MVS	Suborbital	Ionospheric	26 May	Successful
		Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi), maiden flight of the A-1^[18]

June

June launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 June 16:10	Aerobee RTV-A-1a		USAF 47	Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			AFCRC / University of Colorado	Suborbital	Solar UV	2 June	Successful
		Apogee: 93 kilometres (58 mi)^[17]^{: 137–138}
8 June	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	8 June	Successful^[15]
9 June	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	9 June	Successful^[15]
11 June	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	11 June	Successful^[14]
12 June	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	12 June	Successful^[14]
14 June	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	14 June	Successful^[14]
26 June 13:24	R-1D			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Biology / Ionosphere / Aeronomy	26 June	Successful
		Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi), maiden flight of R-1D^[19]

July

July launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 July	R-1D			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Biology / Ionosphere / Aeronomy	2 July	Successful
		Payload, instruments, left and right animal containers all recovered. Smoke container failed. Carried dogs Lyza and Ryjik.^[19]
7 July	R-1D			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Biology / Ionosphere / Aeronomy	7 July	Successful
		Final flight of the R-1D^[19]
14 July 13:55	Aerobee RTV-A-1a		USAF 48	Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			AFCRC / University of Michigan	Suborbital	Aeronomy	14 July	Successful
		Apogee: 92 kilometres (57 mi)^[17]^{: 139–140}
16 July 12:13	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 24	USS Atka,^[20] Atlantic Ocean, 360 kilometres (220 mi) east of Boston		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	16 July	Launch failure^[21]
		Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)^[4]
16 July 21:58	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 25	USS Atka, Atlantic Ocean, 360 kilometres (220 mi) east of Boston		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	16 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)^[21]
19 July 16:00	Deacon Rockoon		NRL Rockoon 7	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Aeronomy	19 July	Successful
		Apogee: 88 kilometres (55 mi)^[21]
19 July 20:30	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 26	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	19 July	Spacecraft failure^[4]
		Apogee: 43 kilometres (27 mi)^[21]
20 July 02:55	Deacon Rockoon		NRL Rockoon 8	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	20 July	Successful
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)^[21]
21 July 09:03	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 27	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	21 July	Successful^[4]
		Apogee: 60 kilometres (37 mi);^[21] first in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
21 July 12:45	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 28	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	21 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] second in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
21 July 20:49	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 29	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	21 July	Launch failure^[21]
		Apogee: 40 kilometres (25 mi);^[21] third in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
22 July	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	22 July	Successful^[15]
23 July 14:46	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 30	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	23 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] fourth in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
23 July 17:09	Deacon Rockoon		NRL Rockoon 9	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			Naval Research Laboratory	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	23 July	Successful
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)^[21]
23 July 17:54	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 31	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	23 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] fifth in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
23 July 19:37	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 32	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	23 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 23 kilometres (14 mi);^[21] sixth in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
24 July 08:57	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 33	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	24 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] seventh in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
24 July 13:16	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 34	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	24 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] eighth in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
25 July 06:51	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 35	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	25 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] ninth in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
25 July 12:36	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 36	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	25 July	Successful^[4]
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] tenth in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
25 July 15:30	Deacon Rockoon		SUI 37	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			University of Iowa	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	25 July
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[21] eleventh in series of 11 SUI flights, 7 of which were successful^[4]
25 July 18:45	Deacon Rockoon		NRL Rockoon 10	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			Naval Research Laboratory	Suborbital	Aeronomy	25 July	Successful
		Apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi)^[21]
26 July 00:29	Deacon Rockoon		NRL Rockoon 11	USS Atka, Labrador Sea		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	26 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)^[21]
26 July 11:02	Deacon Rockoon		NRL Rockoon 12	USS Atka, southern Davis Strait		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Ionospheric / Aeronomy	26 July	Successful
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)^[21]

August

August launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 August	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	2 August	Successful^[14]
11 August 17:25	Aerobee RTV-A-1a		USAF 49	Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			AFCRC / University of Utah	Suborbital	Ionospheric	11 August	Successful
		Apogee: 92 kilometres (57 mi)^[17]^{: 141–142}
12 August	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	12 August	Partial failure
		First flight of range test series^[22]
17 August	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	17 August	Successful^[22]
19 August	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	19 August	Successful^[22]
24 August	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	24 August	Successful^[22]
25 August	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	25 August	Successful^[22]
27 August	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	27 August	Successful^[14]
27 August	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	27 August	Successful^[14]

September

September launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
5 September	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	5 September	Successful^[22]
8 September	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	8 September	Successful^[22]
17 September 14:31	Aerobee RTV-A-1a		USAF 50	Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			AFCRC / University of Rhode Island	Suborbital	Solar UV	17 September	Successful
		Apogee: 94.6 kilometres (58.8 mi)^[17]^{: 143–144}
30 September	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	30 September	Successful^[15]

October

October launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 October	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 October	Successful^[15]
5 October	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	5 October	Successful^[15]
5 October 18:15	Aerobee RTV-N-10b			White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Remote sensing	5 October	Successful
		Apogee: 158 kilometres (98 mi); maiden (and only) flight of the RTV-N-10b;^[11] returned first images of a complete hurricane^[23]^[24]
9 October	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	9 October	Successful
		Airborne destruction of warhead^[22]
14 October 21:20	Nike-Nike-T40-T55			Wallops Island		NACA

			NACA	Suborbital	Hypersonic research	14 October	Successful
		Apogee: 352 kilometres (219 mi), maiden flight of the Nike-Nike-T40-T55^[25]
16 October	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	16 October	Successful^[15]
17 October	Véronique-NA^[13]			Hammaguir Bechar		LRBA

			LRBA	Suborbital	Ionospheric	17 October	Launch failure
		Apogee: 39 kilometres (24 mi)^[12]
19 October	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	19 October	Successful
		End of range test series^[22]
29 October	Véronique-NA^[13]			Hammaguir Bechar		LRBA

			LRBA	Suborbital	Test flight	29 October	Successful
		Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi);^[12] final flight of the Véronique-NA
30 October	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	30 October	Successful^[14]

November

November launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
27 November	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	27 November	Successful^[15]
30 November	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	30 November	Successful^[14]

December

December launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 December	R-1			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 December	Successful^[14]
1 December	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 December	Successful^[15]
6 December	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	6 December	Successful^[15]
9 December	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	9 December	Successful^[15]
23 December	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	23 December	Successful^[15]
25 December	R-2			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	25 December	Successful^[15]
30 December	R-5			Kapustin Yar		OKB-1

			OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	30 December	Successful
		Start of validity test series^[22]

← Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec →

Suborbital launch summary

By country

Launches by country
	Launches	Successes	Failures	Partial failures
United States	32	23	9	0
Soviet Union	59	56	2	1
France	4	2	2	0

By rocket

6

12

18

24

30

Launches by rocket
Rocket	Country	Launches	Successes	Failures	Partial failures	Remarks
Viking (second model)	United States	2	2	0	0
Aerobee RTV-N-10	United States	3	2	1	0
Aerobee RTV-N-10b	United States	1	1	0	0	Maiden flight, retired
Aerobee RTV-A-1a	United States	5	5	0	0
Deacon rockoon (SUI)	United States	14	7	7	0
Deacon rockoon (NRL)	United States	6	5	1	0
Nike-Nike-T40-T55	United States	1	1	0	0	Maiden flight
R-1	Soviet Union	22	22	0	0
A-1	Soviet Union	1	1	0	0	Maiden flight
R-1D	Soviet Union	3	3	0	0	Maiden flight, retired
R-2	Soviet Union	23	21	2	0
R-5	Soviet Union	10	9	0	1
Véronique-NA	France	4	2	2	0	Maiden flight, first French Spaceflight, retired

References

Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.^{[dead link‍]}
Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report". Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
McDowell, Jonathan. "GCAT Orbital Launch Log".
Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".
Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".
Webb, Brian. "Southwest Space Archive".
Zak, Anatoly. "Russian Space Web".
"ISS Calendar". Spaceflight 101.
"NSSDCA Master Catalog". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
"Space Calendar". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.^{[dead link‍]}
"Space Information Center". JAXA.^{[dead link‍]}
"Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).

Generic references:

Spaceflight portal

Footnotes

^ Voosen, Paul (24 July 2018). "Outer space may have just gotten a bit closer". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aau8822. S2CID 126154837. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Milton W. Rosen (1955). The Viking Rocket Story. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 221–236. OCLC 317524549.
^ Ordway, Frederick I.; Wakeford, Ronald C. International Missile and Spacecraft Guide Archived 6 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine, N.Y., McGraw-Hill, 1960, p. 208
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p George Ludwig (2011). Opening Space Research. Washington D.C.: geopress. pp. 36–37. OCLC 845256256.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d John L. Chapman (1960). Atlas The Story of a Missile. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 73–77. OCLC 492591218.
^ ^a ^b Davis Dyer (1998). TRW: Pioneering Technology and Innovation since 1900. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. OCLC 1064465832.
^ "Installation History 1953 - 1955". U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command. 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
^ ^a ^b Constance Green and Milton Lomask (1970). Vanguard — a History. Washington D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. pp. 17–18. ISBN 978-1-97353-209-5. OCLC 747307569. SP-4202. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
^ Boris Chertok (June 2006). Rockets and People, Volume II: Creating a Rocket Industry. Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 946818748.
^ ^a ^b Asif A. Siddiqi. Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945-1974 (PDF). Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 1001823253. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d McDowell, Jonathan C. "General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects, Launches, Aerobee". Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Wade, Mark. "Veronique". Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gunter Krebs. "Veronique Family". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v Wade, Mark. "R-1 8A11". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w Wade, Mark. "R-2". Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b Wade, Mark. "Viking Sounding Rocket". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Charles P. Smith Jr. (April 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276: Upper Atmosphere Research Report No. XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
^ Wade, Mark. "A-1 (R-1)". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wade, Mark. "R1-D". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ "Atka (AGB-3)". Naval History and Heritage Command. US Navy. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u Wade, Mark. "Deacon Rockoon". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Asif Siddiqi (2021). "R-5 Launches 1953-1959". Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
^ "NASA History Office - Aeronautics and Astronautics Chronology, 1950-1954". Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
^ "View of tropical cyclone centered near del Rio, Texas. This picture showed thepromise of satellite monitoring of weather. The picture was made from moviecameras mounted in a Navy Aerobee rocket fired from White Sands Proving Ground.Operational Use".
^ Wade, Mark. "Nike Nike T40 T55". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2021.

[ScienceJul2018-1] Voosen, Paul (24 July 2018). "Outer space may have just gotten a bit closer". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aau8822. S2CID 126154837. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2019.

[vikingstory-2] Milton W. Rosen (1955). The Viking Rocket Story. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 221–236. OCLC 317524549.

[3] Ordway, Frederick I.; Wakeford, Ronald C. International Missile and Spacecraft Guide Archived 6 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine, N.Y., McGraw-Hill, 1960, p. 208

[Ludwig-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p George Ludwig (2011). Opening Space Research. Washington D.C.: geopress. pp. 36–37. OCLC 845256256.

[Atlas-5] John L. Chapman (1960). Atlas The Story of a Missile. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 73–77. OCLC 492591218.

[pioneering-6] Davis Dyer (1998). TRW: Pioneering Technology and Innovation since 1900. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. OCLC 1064465832.

[redstone53-7] "Installation History 1953 - 1955". U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command. 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2021.

[Vanguard-8] Constance Green and Milton Lomask (1970). Vanguard — a History. Washington D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. pp. 17–18. ISBN 978-1-97353-209-5. OCLC 747307569. SP-4202. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2021.

[ranp-9] Boris Chertok (June 2006). Rockets and People, Volume II: Creating a Rocket Industry. Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 946818748.

[challenge-10] Asif A. Siddiqi. Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945-1974 (PDF). Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 1001823253. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2021.

[gcat-aerobee-11] McDowell, Jonathan C. "General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects, Launches, Aerobee". Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2022.

[astrover-12] Wade, Mark. "Veronique". Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2021.

[gunterver-13] Gunter Krebs. "Veronique Family". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2021.

[astror-18a11-14] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v Wade, Mark. "R-1 8A11". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2021.

[astror2-15] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w Wade, Mark. "R-2". Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[astroviking-16] Wade, Mark. "Viking Sounding Rocket". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[NRL4276-17] Charles P. Smith Jr. (April 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276: Upper Atmosphere Research Report No. XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2022.

[astrora1-18] Wade, Mark. "A-1 (R-1)". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[astror1d-19] Wade, Mark. "R1-D". astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[20] "Atka (AGB-3)". Naval History and Heritage Command. US Navy. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[astrodeacon-21] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u Wade, Mark. "Deacon Rockoon". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[asifr-5-22] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Asif Siddiqi (2021). "R-5 Launches 1953-1959". Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2021.

[NASA-HO-1950-23] "NASA History Office - Aeronautics and Astronautics Chronology, 1950-1954". Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2007.

[NOAA-24] "View of tropical cyclone centered near del Rio, Texas. This picture showed thepromise of satellite monitoring of weather. The picture was made from moviecameras mounted in a Navy Aerobee rocket fired from White Sands Proving Ground.Operational Use".

[astronnt40t50-25] Wade, Mark. "Nike Nike T40 T55". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2021.

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