1953 in spaceflight

Launch of a Deacon Rockoon; several such launches occurred in 1953

Rockets
Maiden flights|  R-5 Pobeda
Retirements|  Aerobee XASR-SC-2

* v
* t
* e

1953 in spaceflight

Timeline of spaceflight

<- 1952

1954 ->

* v
* t
* e

Timeline of spaceflight

* Spaceflight before 1951

1950s|

* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959

1960s|

* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969

1970s|

* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979

1980s|

* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989

1990s|

* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

2000s|

* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009

2010s|

* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019

2020s|

* 2020
* 2021 (H1, H2)
* 2022 (H1, H2)
* 2023 (H1, H2)
* 2024 (H1, H2)
* 2025 (H1, H2)
* 2026
* 2027
* 2028
* 2029

* Future

The year 1953 saw the rockoon join the stable of sounding rockets capable of reaching beyond the 100 kilometres (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation).[1] Employed by both the University of Iowa and the Naval Research Laboratory, 22 total were launched from the decks of the USS Staten Island and the USCGC Eastwind this year. All branches of the United States military continued their program of Aerobee sounding rocket launches, a total of 23 were launched throughout 1953. The Soviet Union launched no sounding rockets in 1953; however, the Soviet Union did conduct several series of missile test launches.

Both the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics continued their development of ballistic missiles: the United States Air Force with its Atlas ICBM, the United States Army with its Redstone SRBM, the Soviet OKB-1 with its R-5 IRBM, and Soviet Factory 586 with its R-12 IRBM. None entered active service during 1953.

The first meeting of the Comité Speciale de l'Année Géophysique Internationale (CSAGI), a special committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), began preliminary coordination of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), scheduled for 1957–58.

## Space exploration highlights

[edit]

### US Navy

[edit]

On 25 May 1953, Viking 10, originally planned to be the last of the Naval Research Laboratory-built Viking rockets, arrived at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. A successful static firing on 18 June cleared the way for a 30 June launch date, a schedule that had been made months prior, before the rocket had even left the Glenn L. Martin Company plant where it had been built. At the moment of liftoff, the tail of Viking 10 exploded, setting the rocket afire. Water was immediately flooded into the rocket's base in an attempt to extinguish the fire, but flames continued to burn in the East Quadrant of the firing platform. Half an hour after launch, two of the launch team under manager Milton Rosen were dispatched to put out the fire to salvage what remained of the rocket.

Though successful, these efforts were then threatened by a slow leak in the propellant tank. The vacuum created by the departing fuel was causing the tank to dimple with the danger of implosion that would cause the rocket to collapse. Lieutenant Joseph Pitts, a member of the launch team, shot a rifle round into the tank, equalizing the pressure and saving the rocket. Three hours after the attempted launch, the last of the alcohol propellant had been drained from Viking 10. The launch team was able to salvage the instrument package of cameras, including X-ray detectors, cosmic ray emulsions, and a radio-frequency mass-spectrometer, valued at tens of thousands of dollars, although there was concern that the rocket was irreparable.

A thorough investigation of the explosion began in July, but a conclusive cause could not be determined. In a reported presented in September, Milton Rosen noted that a similar occurrence had not happened in more than 100 prior tests of the Viking motor. It was decided to rebuild Viking 10, and a program for closer monitoring of potential fail points was implemented for the next launch, scheduled for 1954.[2]

### American civilian efforts

[edit]

After the successful field tests of balloon-launched rockets (rockoons) the previous year, a University of Iowa physics team embarked on a second rockoon expedition aboard the USS Staten Island in summer 1953 with improved equipment. The new Skyhook balloons increased the rocket firing altitude from 40,000 feet (12,000 m) to 50,000 feet (15,000 m) affording a peak rocket altitude of 57 miles (92 km). The total payload weights were increased by 2 pounds (0.91 kg) to 30 pounds (14 kg). Between 18 July and 4 September, the Iowa team launched 16 rockoons from a variety of latitudes, 7 of which reached useful altitudes and returned usable data. An NRL team aboard the same vessel launched six rockoons, of which half were complete successes. Data from these launches provided the first evidence of radiation associated with aurora borealis.[3]

## Spacecraft development

[edit]

### US Air Force

[edit]

Development of the Atlas, the nation's first ICBM proceeded slowly throughout 1953. Without firm figures as to the weight and dimension of a thermonuclear device (the US tested its first H-bomb in November 1952, the USSR announced their first successful test in August 1953), it was not known if the Atlas could deliver an atomic bomb payload.

In spring 1953, Colonel Bernard Schriever, an assistant in development planning at The Pentagon and a proponent of long-ranged ballistic missiles, pushed to obtain accurate characteristics of a nuclear payload. Trevor Gardner, special assistant for research and development to the new Secretary of the Air Force, Harold Talbott, responded by organizing the Strategic Missiles Evaluation Committee or "Teapot Committee" comprising eleven of the top scientists and engineers in the country. Their goal would be to determine if a nuclear payload could be made small enough to fit on the Atlas rocket. If so, the importance of the committee's members would allow such findings to accelerate Atlas development. By October, committee member John von Neumann had completed his report on weights and figures indicating that smaller, more powerful warheads within Atlas' launch capability would soon be available. Pending test verification of von Neumann's theoretical results, the Air Force began revising the Atlas design for the projected nuclear payload.[4]

### US Army

[edit]

The first production Redstone, a surface-to-surface missile capable of delivering nuclear or conventional warheads to a range of 200 miles (320 km), was delivered on 27 July 1953. A Redstone R&D missile was flight tested on 20 August 1953.[5]

### Soviet Union

[edit]

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)[6]: 242 underwent its first series of eight test launches from 15 March to 23 May 1953. After two failures, the third rocket, launched 2 April, marked the beginning of streak of success. Seven more missiles were launched between 30 October and December, all of which reached their targets. A final series of launches, designed to test modifications made in response to issues with the first series, was scheduled for mid-1954.[7]: 100–101

In his brief tenure as Director of NII-88, responsible for the production of all Soviet ballistic missiles, engineer Mikhail Yangel chafed professionally with OKB-1 (formerly NII-88 Section 3) Chief Designer, Sergei Korolev, whom he had previously reported to as Deputy Chief Designer of the bureau. To relieve this tension, on 4 October 1953, Yangel was demoted to NII-88 Chief Engineer and assigned responsibility for production of missiles at State Union Plant No. 586 in Dnepropetrovsk. This plant under, Vasiliy Budnik, had been tasked on 13 February 1953 with developing the R-12 missile, possessing a performance similar to that of the R-5 (range of 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) vs. 1,200 kilometres (750 mi)) but using storable propellants so that it could be stored at firing readiness for extended periods of time.[7]: 113–114

At the end of 1953, at a meeting of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, it was determined that a transportable thermonuclear device be developed (as opposed to the one detonated in August, which was stationary). It was further determined that an ICBM be developed to carry said bomb. As no ICBMs existed at the time, in reality or even in planning, development of a nuclear capable R-5 (dubbed the "R-5M") was ordered.[6]: 275

### The International Geophysical Year

[edit]

July 1953 saw the first meeting of the Comité Speciale de l'Année Géophysique Internationale (CSAGI), a special committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) tasked with coordinating the International Geophysical Year (IGY), set for 1957–58. This international effort would undertake simultaneous observations of geophysical phenomena over the entire surface of the Earth including such farflung regions as the Arctic and Antarctica. At its first meeting, CSAGI invited the world's nations to participate in the IGY. Response from most prominent nations was quick. The National Research Council of the US National Academy of Sciences set up a US National Committee for the IGY, with Joseph Kaplan serving as chairman and Hugh Odishaw as executive director. The only key nation slow in committing to the IGY was Soviet Union, which did not signal its involvement until spring 1955.[3]: 69–70

## Launches

[edit]

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

### February

[edit]

February launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
10 February
21:09  | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 12  | White Sands LC-35  | US Navy
| NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation | 10 February | Successful
Apogee: 137.0 kilometres (85.1 mi)[8]: 305
12 February
07:09  | Aerobee RTV-N-10  | NRL 13  | White Sands LC-35  | US Navy
| NRL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation | 12 February | Successful
Apogee: 137.3 kilometres (85.3 mi)[8]: 305
18 February
06:50  | Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 27  | White Sands LC-35  | US Army
Grenades  | SCEL | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 18 February | Successful
Apogee: 108.6 kilometres (67.5 mi)[8]: 240–241
18 February
17:42  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 34  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
| AFCRC | Suborbital  | Rocket performance test | 18 February | Successful
Apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi)[8]: 111–112

### March

[edit]

March launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 March | R-1 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 March | Successful[9]
5 March | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 5 March | Successful[9]
15 March | R-5 |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 15 March | Partial failure [7]
Maiden flight of R-5[10]
18 March | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 18 March | Partial failure [10][7]
19 March | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 19 March | Successful[9]

### April

[edit]

April launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
2 April | R-5 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 2 April | Successful
First successful R-5 launch[10]
8 April | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 8 April | Partial failure[10]
14 April
15:47  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 35  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
| AFCRC | Suborbital  | Rocket performance test | 14 April | Successful
Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi)[8]: 113–114
19 April | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 19 April | Successful[10]
23 April
19:33  | Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 30  | White Sands LC-35  | US Army
Sphere  | SCEL / University of Michigan | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 23 April | Successful
Apogee: 123.3 kilometres (76.6 mi)[8]: 246–247
24 April
10:19  | Aerobee XASR-SC-2  | SC 28  | White Sands LC-35  | US Army
Grenades  | SCEL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 24 April | Successful
Apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi)[8]: 242–243
24 April | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 24 April | Partial failure[10]

### May

[edit]

May launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
11 May | R-1 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 11 May | Successful[9]
13 May | R-5 |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 13 May | Successful[10]
20 May
14:04  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 36  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
Airglow 3  | AFCRC | Suborbital  | Sky Brightness | 20 May | Successful
Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi)[8]: 115–116
21 May
15:57  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a  | USAF 37  | Holloman LC-A  | US Air Force
Airglow 4  | AFCRC  | Suborbital  | Sky Brightness | 21 May | Successful
Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi)[8]: 117–118
23 May | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 23 May | Successful
Contained 4 supplementary combat compartments; end of 1st set of experimental launches[10]

### June

[edit]

June launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
26 June
19:10  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 38  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
Ionosphere 3  | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital  | Ionospheric | 26 June | Successful
Apogee: 135 kilometres (84 mi)[8]: 119–120
30 June | Viking (second model) |  | White Sands LC-33 | US Navy
Viking 10  | NRL | Suborbital  | Aeronomy / Ionospheric | 30 June | Launch Failure
Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi), tail exploded on launch pad; rocket rebuilt and launched successfully on 7 May 1954

### July

[edit]

July launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 July
17:52  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 39  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
Ionosphere 4  | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital  | Ionospheric | 1 July | Successful
Apogee: 138 kilometres (86 mi)[8]: 121–122
6 July | R-1 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 6 July | Successful[9]
14 July
15:30  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a  | USAF 40  | Holloman LC-A  | US Air Force
| AFCRC / University of Rhode Island | Suborbital  | Solar UV | 14 July | Successful
Apogee: 103 kilometres (64 mi)[8]: 123–124
18 July
22:27  | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 8  | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Boston | US Navy
| University of Iowa | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 18 July | Launch failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 22.0 kilometres (13.7 mi), rocket failed to fire[8]: 313
19 July
10:30  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 9  | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 19 July | Launch failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 22.2 kilometres (13.8 mi), rocket failed to fire[8]: 313
19 July
15:53  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 10  | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia  | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 19 July | Launch failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 22.2 kilometres (13.8 mi), rocket failed to fire[8]: 313
19 July
21:57  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 11  | USS Staten Island, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia  | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 19 July | Launch failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 23.2 kilometres (14.4 mi), rocket failed to fire[8]: 314
22 July
09:47  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a  | USAF 41  | Holloman LC-A  | US Air Force
| AFCRC  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 23 July | Successful
Apogee: 95.6 kilometres (59.4 mi)[8]: 125–126
24 July
16:40  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 12  | USS Staten Island, Labrador Sea | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 24 July | Launch failure
Balloon cut down, rocket failed to fire[8]: 314
28 July
09:41  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 13  | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait, near Baffin Island | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 28 July | Successful
Apogee: 88.4 kilometres (54.9 mi)[8]: 314

### August

[edit]

August launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
3 August
18:28  | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 14  | USS Staten Island, Frobisher Bay | US Navy
| University of Iowa | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 3 August | Successful
Apogee uncertain[8]: 314
5 August
21:54  | Deacon Rockoon  | NRL Rockoon 1  | USS Staten Island, southern Davis Strait, near Baffin Island | US Navy
| NRL | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 5 August |
Apogee: 79.2 kilometres (49.2 mi);[8]: 311 first of six 1953 NRL flights, three of which reached altitude and returned data[3]
6 August
15:07  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 15  | USS Staten Island, Davis Strait  | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 6 August | Successful
Apogee: 65.5 kilometres (40.7 mi)[8]: 314
6 August
18:40  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 16  | USS Staten Island, Davis Strait  | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 6 August | Successful
Apogee uncertain[8]: 315
8 August
15:09  | Deacon Rockoon  | NRL Rockoon 2  | USS Staten Island, Baffin Bay | US Navy
| NRL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 8 August |
Apogee uncertain;[8]: 311 second of six 1953 NRL flights, three of which reached altitude and returned data[3]
9 August
05:54  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 17  | USS Staten Island, Baffin Bay  | US Navy
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 9 August | Successful
Apogee: 99.1 kilometres (61.6 mi)[8]: 315
9 August
19:15  | Deacon Rockoon  | NRL Rockoon 3  | USS Staten Island, Baffin Bay  | US Navy
| NRL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 9 August | Launch failure
Apogee: 38.1 kilometres (23.7 mi);[8]: 311 third of six 1953 NRL flights, three of which reached altitude and returned data[3]
11 August
17:09  | Deacon Rockoon  | NRL Rockoon 4  | USS Staten Island, Baffin Bay  | US Navy
| NRL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 11 August |
Apogee: 80.8 kilometres (50.2 mi);[8]: 311 fourth of six 1953 NRL flights, three of which reached altitude and returned data[3]
30 August
14:00  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 18  | USCGC Eastwind, Labrador Sea | US Coast Guard
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 30 August | Launch failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi), rocket failed to fire[8]: 315
30 August
16:20  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 19  | USCGC Eastwind, Labrador Sea  | US Coast Guard
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 30 August | Launch failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 19.2 kilometres (11.9 mi), rocket failed to fire[8]: 315
30 August
20:46  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 20  | USCGC Eastwind, Labrador Sea  | US Coast Guard
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 30 August | Successful
Apogee: 103.6 kilometres (64.4 mi)[8]: 315

### September

[edit]

September launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 September
05:10  | Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 32  | White Sands LC-35  | US Army
Grenades  | SCEL | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 1 September | Successful
Apogee: 107.3 kilometres (66.7 mi), final flight of the Aerobee XASR-SC-2[8]: 251–252
3 September
09:50  | Deacon Rockoon | SUI 21  | USCGC Eastwind, Atlantic Ocean, east of Nova Scotia | US Coast Guard
| University of Iowa | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 3 September | Successful
Apogee uncertain[8]: 316
3 September
11:51  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 22  | USCGC Eastwind, Atlantic Ocean, east of Nova Scotia  | US Coast Guard
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 3 September | Successful
Apogee: 103.6 kilometres (64.4 mi)[8]: 316
3 September
14:05  | Deacon Rockoon  | SUI 23  | USCGC Eastwind, Atlantic Ocean, east of Nova Scotia  | US Coast Guard
| University of Iowa  | Suborbital  | Cosmic Radiation | 3 September | Successful
Apogee: 99.1 kilometres (61.6 mi)[8]: 316
4 September
03:59  | Deacon Rockoon  | NRL Rockoon 5  | USCGC Eastwind, Atlantic Ocean, east of Nova Scotia  | US Coast Guard
| NRL | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 4 September |
Apogee: 67.1 kilometres (41.7 mi);[8]: 311 fifth of six 1953 NRL flights, three of which reached altitude and returned data[3]
4 September
15:51  | Deacon Rockoon  | NRL Rockoon 6  | USCGC Eastwind, Atlantic Ocean, near Nova Scotia  | US Coast Guard
| NRL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 4 September | Launch Failure
(Balloon) Apogee: 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi), rocket failed to fire;[8]: 311 sixth of six 1953 NRL flights, three of which reached altitude and returned data[3]
5 September
05:35  | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 33  | White Sands LC-35  | US Army
Grenades  | SCEL  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 5 September | Successful
Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi)[8]: 253–254
15 September
15:02  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 42  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
Airglow 5  | AFCRC | Suborbital  | Sky Brightness | 15 September | Launch failure
Apogee: 32 kilometres (20 mi), early cut-off due to a thrust chamber burn-through[8]: 127–128
29 September
20:50  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a  | SC 31  | White Sands LC-35  | US Army
Sphere  | SCEL / University of Michigan | Suborbital  | Aeronomy | 29 September | Successful
Apogee: 58 kilometres (36 mi)[8]: 249–250

### October

[edit]

October launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 October | R-1 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 October | Successful[11]
1 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 October | Successful[11]
1 October | R-2 |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 October | Successful[12]
1 October | R-2  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 October | Successful[12]
7 October
17:00  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 43  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
| AFCRC / University of Colorado | Suborbital  | Solar UV | 7 October | Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)[8]: 129–130
10 October | R-2  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 10 October | Successful[12]
16 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 16 October | Successful[9]
17 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 17 October | Successful[9]
19 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 19 October | Successful[9]
20 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 20 October | Successful[9]
24 October | R-2  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 24 October | Successful[12]
26 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 26 October | Successful[9]
27 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 27 October | Successful[9]
28 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 28 October | Successful[9]
28 October | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 28 October | Successful[9]
30 October | R-5 |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 30 October | Successful
Beginning of 2nd stage of experimental launches[10]

### November

[edit]

November launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 November | R-1 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 November | Successful[11]
1 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 November | Successful[11]
1 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 November | Successful[11]
1 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 1 November | Successful[11]
2 November
18:32  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 44  | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force
Ionosphere 5  | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital  | Ionospheric | 2 November | Successful
Apogee: 121 kilometres (75 mi)[8]: 131–132
3 November | R-5 |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 3 November | Successful[10]
3 November
18:15  | Aerobee RTV-A-1a  | USAF 45  | Holloman LC-A  | US Air Force
Ionosphere 6  | AFCRC / University of Utah  | Suborbital  | Ionospheric | 3 November | Successful
Apogee: 121.5 kilometres (75.5 mi)[8]: 133–134
12 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 12 November | Successful[9]
15 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 15 November | Successful[11]
15 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 15 November | Successful[9]
17 November | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 17 November | Successful[10]
19 November
22:40  | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 14  | White Sands LC-35  | US Navy
| NRL | Suborbital  | Solar X-Ray / Solar UV / Aeronomy | 19 November | Successful
Apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi)[13]
21 November | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 21 November | Successful[10]
24 November | R-1  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 24 November | Successful[9]
25 November
15:46  | Aerobee RTV-N-10  | NRL 15  | White Sands LC-35  | US Navy
| NRL  | Suborbital  | Solar X-Ray / Solar UV / Aeronomy | 25 November | Successful
Apogee: 95 kilometres (59 mi)[13]
26 November | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 26 November | Partial failure[10]

### December

[edit]

December launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 December
15:30  | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 16  | White Sands LC-35  | US Navy
| NRL | Suborbital  | Solar X-Ray / Solar UV / Aeronomy | 1 December | Successful
Apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)[13]
5 December | R-5 |  | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 5 December | Successful[10]
9 December | R-5  |  | Kapustin Yar  | OKB-1
| OKB-1  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 9 December | Successful
End of second experimental flight series[10]

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

## Suborbital launch statistics

[edit]

### By country

[edit]

Launches by country Country  | Launches  | Successes  | Failures  | Partial
failures

|
|
|
|

|  Soviet Union | 42 | 37 | 0 | 5
|  United States | 46 | 34 | 12 | 0
World  | 88 | 71 | 12 | 5

### By rocket

[edit]

Viking

Aerobee

Deacon rockoon

R-1

R-2

R-5

* Viking (second model)
* Aerobee RTV-N-10
* Aerobee XASR-SC-1
* Aerobee XASR-SC-2
* Aerobee RTV-A-1a
* Deacon rockoon (SUI)
* Deacon rockoon (NRL)
* R-1
* R-2
* R-5

Launches by rocket Rocket  | Country  | Launches  | Successes  | Failures  | Partial
failures  | Remarks

|
|
|
|
|
|

Viking (second model) |  United States | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 |  United States | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 |  United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-2 |  United States | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Retired
Aerobee RTV-A-1a |  United States | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
Deacon rockoon (SUI)  |  United States | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 |
Deacon rockoon (NRL)  |  United States | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
R-1 |  Soviet Union | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
R-2 |  Soviet Union | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
R-5 |  Soviet Union | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | Maiden flight

## See also

[edit]

* Timeline of spaceflight

## References

[edit]

* Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
* Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
* Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.
* 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.
* "Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).
* "Rocket Launch Manifest". Next Spaceflight.

Generic references:

* view
* talk
* edit

Spaceflight portal

### Footnotes

[edit]

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.
2. ^ Milton W. Rosen (1955). The Viking Rocket Story. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 204–221\. OCLC 317524549.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h George Ludwig (2011). Opening Space Research. Washington D.C.: geopress. pp. 18–32\. OCLC 845256256.
4. ^ John L. Chapman (1960). Atlas The Story of a Missile. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp. 71–73\. OCLC 492591218.
5. ^ "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.
6. ^ a b Boris Chertok (June 2006). Rockets and People, Volume II: Creating a Rocket Industry. Washington D.C.: NASA. OCLC 946818748.
7. ^ a b c d 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 2 February 2021.
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap 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 23 November 2022.
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Wade, Mark. "R-1 8A11". Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Asif Siddiqi (2021). "R-5 Launches 1953-1959". Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
11. ^ a b c d e f g Wade, Mark. "R-1". Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
12. ^ a b c d Wade, Mark. "R-2". Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
13. ^ a b c McDowell, Jonathan C. "General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects, Launches, Aerobee". Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Timeline of spaceflight

* Spaceflight before 1951

1950s|

* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959

1960s|

* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969

1970s|

* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979

1980s|

* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989

1990s|

* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

2000s|

* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009

2010s|

* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019

2020s|

* 2020
* 2021 (H1, H2)
* 2022 (H1, H2)
* 2023 (H1, H2)
* 2024 (H1, H2)
* 2025 (H1, H2)
* 2026
* 2027
* 2028
* 2029

* Future

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template