1957 in spaceflight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[edit] Launches
This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1957.
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Launch Date/Time | Rocket | Launch Site |
Launch Contractor | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Mission/ Function |
Re-Entry/ Destruction |
Outcome | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 26 | Thor DM-18 | LC-17B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Exploded on pad. |
| March 1 21:51 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-5, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Maiden flight of Jupiter IRBM. Overheated and disintegrated. |
| April 20 04:33 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Maiden flight of Thor IRBM. Tracking error led flight controllers to incorrectly believe rocket was off course, self-destruct activated. |
| April 26 20:12 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-5, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | |
| May 1 06:29 GMT |
Viking | LC-18, Cape Canaveral | US Navy | Vanguard third stage | US Navy | Sub-orbital | Test Vanguard third stage | May 1, 1957 | Successful | Final flight of Viking sounding rocket. |
| May 15 07:55 GMT |
Jupiter C (Juno) | LC-6, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Gyro failure at T+134 seconds. |
| May 15 16:01 GMT |
R-7 | LC-1, Baikonur | MVS | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test flight | N/A | Failure | Maiden flight of R-7 rocket. Booster rocket tore away at T+98 seconds. Engine fire. |
| May 22 03:00 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Valve malfunction resulted in high internal pressure and ultimately explosion. |
| May 31 18:08 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-5, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| June 11 19:37 GMT |
Atlas A | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Maiden flight of Atlas. Fuel system malfunction. |
| July 12 12:53 GMT |
R-7 | LC-1, Baikonur | MVS | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test flight | N/A | Failure | Loss of control. Boosters jettisoned prematurely at T+33 seconds. |
| August 8 06:59 GMT |
Jupiter C (Juno) | LC-6, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | Nosecone recovered, proving re-entry system worked. |
| August 21 12:25 GMT |
R-7 | LC-1, Baikonur | MVS | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test flight | N/A | Successful | |
| August 28 21:02 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-26A, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| August 30 | Thor DM-18 | LC-17A, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Disintegrated at T+92 seconds. |
| September 7 11:39 GMT |
R-7 | LC-1, Baikonur | MVS | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test flight | N/A | Successful | |
| September 20 | Thor DM-18 | LC-17B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| September 25 19:57 GMT |
Atlas A | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Fuel system malfunction. |
| October 3 17:13 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17A, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Exploded on pad. |
| October 4 19:28 GMT |
R-7 8K71PS | LC-1, Baikonur | RVSN | Sputnik 1 | RVSN | LEO | Demonstrate orbital launch capability | January 3, 1958 | Successful | First successful orbital satellite. |
| October 11 16:29 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Partial Failure | Pump gearbox failure, still met test objectives. |
| October 23 01:07 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-26B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| October 23 19:22 GMT |
Vanguard Test Article | LC-18, Cape Canaveral | US Navy | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test first stage of Vanguard rocket | N/A | Successful | Battleship 2nd and 3rd stages. |
| October 24 16:32 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17A, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| November 3 02:30 GMT |
R-7 8K71PS | LC-1, Baikonur | RVSN | Sputnik 2, 1 dog (Laika) | RVSN | LEO | Test effects of spaceflight on a living organism | April 14, 1958 | Partial Failure | First living organism in space. Animal died prior to completion of experiments. |
| November 13 01:51 GMT |
Skylark | LA-2, Woomera | RAE/WRE | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test sounding rocket Aeronomy experiments |
N/A | Successful | |
| November 27 02:10 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-26B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Pump failure at T+202 seconds resulted in complete loss of thrust. |
| December 6 16:44 GMT |
Vanguard | LC-18, Cape Canaveral | US Navy | Vanguard 1A | US Navy | Intended:LEO | Demonstrate orbital launch capability | T+2 seconds | Failure | First flight of Vanguard rocket in full configuration. Lost thrust and exploded on pad. |
| December 7 22:11 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| December 17 17:39 GMT |
Atlas A | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM research and development | N/A | Successful | |
| December 19 00:07 GMT |
Jupiter | LC-26B, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Failure | Pump failure at T+116 seconds resulted in complete loss of thrust. |
| December 19 20:12 GMT |
Thor DM-18 | LC-17A, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | IRBM research and development | N/A | Successful |
Oh no
