1960 in spaceflight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Timeline of Spaceflight WikiProject has identified this article as requiring cleanup and/or expansion to ensure consistency with other timeline aricles. Concerns have been raised that:
|
[edit] Launches
This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1960.
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 7 01:40 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-13, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
January 26 22:43 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-A3, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM operational test | N/A | Failure | |
January 27 01:31 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-13, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
February 2 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
February 5 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-3 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | February 5, 1960 | Failure | |
February 12 04:11 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-13, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
February 15 | Atlas D Able | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Pioneer 31 | NASA | Lunar exploration | Never left the ground | Failure | Exploded on pad | |
February 24 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | February 24, 1960 | Successful | |
March 8 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-3 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | March 8, 1960 | Failure | Second stage malfunction |
March 8 13:10 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17 | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | First use of internal guidance |
March 11 00:36 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-13, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | Propulsion system malfunction |
March 11 13:00 GMT |
Thor-DM18 Able-4 | LC-17, Cape Canaveral | NASA | Pioneer 5 | NASA | interplanetary | Investigation of interplanetary space | June 26, 1960 (last signal) | Successful | intended as Venus fly-by, reached heliocentric orbit |
March 22 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | March 22, 1960 | Successful | |
April 1 11:45 GMT |
Thor Able-2 | LC-17, Cape Canaveral | NASA | TIROS 1 | NASA | LEO | Weather satellite | June 15, 1960 | Successful | First successful weather satellite |
April 8 02:06 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | Propulsion system malfunction |
April 8 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-3 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | April 8, 1960 | Failure | Second stage malfunction |
April 13 | Thor Able-Star | LC-17, Cape Canaveral | DoD | Transit 1B | DoD | LEO | Satellite navigation system | N/A | Successful | First engine restart in space |
April 15 | Thor-Agena-A | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 11 aka KH-1 8 | US Air Force | LEO | Spy satellite | N/A | Partial success | Film capsule recovery failed |
April 18 | Vought Scout X | Wallops Island | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test LV | N/A | Failure | Structural Failure during staging. First, last, and only flight of Scout X rocket |
April 21 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | April 21, 1960 | Successful | |
April 22 19:39 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-B2, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Operational readiness test | N/A | Successful | |
April 28 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-3 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | April 28, 1960 | Successful | |
May 6 16:47 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-B2, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Operational readiness test | N/A | Failure | |
May 13 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | May 4, 1960 | Successful | |
May 15 | R-7 8K72 (Vostok/A-1) | Baikonur | RVSN | Korabl-Sputnik 1 (Sputnik 4) | RVSN | LEO | Test prototype Vostok spacecraft | Partial Failure | Guidance malfunction prevented retrofire test, all other aspects successful | |
May 20 15:00 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-12, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | Record distance for sub-orbital flight - (9040 miles) |
May 24 11:30 GMT |
Saunders-Roe Black Knight | Woomera | RAE | Gaslight Re-entry vehicle | RAE | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | May 24, 1960 | Failure | |
May 24 17:31 GMT |
Atlas-Agena-A | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Midas 2 | US Air Force | LEO | Detection of IR-sources | May 26, 1960 | Successful | |
May 27 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | May 27, 1960 | Successful | |
June 4 | R-7 (A-1) | Baikonur | RVSN | (none) | N/A | N/A | Operational Readiness Test | N/A | Successful | |
June 11 06:30 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
June 21 10:05 GMT |
Saunders-Roe Black Knight | Woomera | RAE | Gaslight Re-entry vehicle | RAE | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | June 21, 1960 | Successful | |
June 22 06:00 GMT |
Thor-Able-Star | Thor Agena-A | US Navy | Transit 2A | US Navy | LEO | Satellite navigation system | N/A | Successful | |
Solrad 1 | US Navy | LEO | Solar physics | N/A | Successful | |||||
June 22 14:49 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | Electrical malfunction |
June 24 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | June 24, 1960 | Successful | |
June 28 02:30 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-12, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
July 1 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | July 1, 1960 | Failure | Exploded above pad |
July 2 00:04 GMT |
Scout X-1 | Wallops Island | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | Test LV | N/A | Failure | First flight of Scout X-1 |
July 2 06:58 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | Electrical malfunction |
July 22 23:46 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-B1, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | |
July 25 11:54 GMT |
Saunders-Roe Black Knight | Woomera | RAE | Gaslight Re-entry vehicle | RAE | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | July 25, 1960 | Successful | |
July 28 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | July 28, 1960 | Failure | |
July 28 | R-7 8K72 (Vostok/A-1) | Baikonur | RVSN | Korabl-Sputnik, 2 dogs | RVSN | Intended: LEO | Test prototype Vostok spacecraft | July 28, 1960 | Failure | Exploded above pad |
July 29 14:13 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Mercury-Atlas 1 | NASA | Intended: LEO | Test Mercury spacecraft | August 9, 1960 | Failure | LV exploded |
August 9 18:09 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-12, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
August 10 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | August 10, 1960 | Successful | |
August 10 20:38 GMT |
Thor Agena-A | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 13 | US Air Force | LEO | Spy satellite | August 11, 1960 | Successful | First successful recovery of object from orbit |
August 12 13:00 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
August 12 09:36 GMT |
Delta DM-19 | LC-17, Cape Canaveral | NASA | Echo 1 | NASA | LEO | Communications satellite (passive) | May 24, 1968 | Successful | 30.5 m diameter balloon |
August 18 19:55 GMT |
Thor Agena-A | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 14 | US Air Force | LEO (polar) | Spy satellite | August 19, 1960 | Successful | First aerial recovery from orbit |
August 19 | R-7 8K72 (Vostok/A-1) | Baikonur | RVSN | Korabl-Sputnik 2 (Sputnik 5) various animals and plants |
RVSN | LEO | Test prototype Vostok spacecraft | Successful | ||
August 30 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | August 30, 1960 | Successful | |
September 12 20:38 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-B3, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | |
September 13 22:19 GMT |
Thor Agena-A | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 15 | US Air Force | LEO | Spy satellite | Partial failure | capsule recovery failed | |
September 17 00:50 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
September 19 18:31 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
September 21 13:02 GMT |
Vought Blue Scout | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | HETS | US Air Force | Investigate radiation | Failure | Spacecraft radio malfunction - no data relayed First Blue Scout launch |
||
September 25 | Atlas D Able | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Pioneer P-30 | NASA | Lunar exploration. | September 25, 1960 | Failure | Exploded during ascent | |
September 28 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | September 28, 1960 | Successful | |
September 29 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | September 29, 1960 | Successful | |
September 29 20:21 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-B2, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | |
October 4 15:23 GMT |
Scout X-1 | Wallops Island | US Air Force | USAF Radiation Probe | US Air Force | Investigate radiation | Successful | |||
October 4 17:45 GMT |
Thor Able-Star | LC-17, Cape Canaveral | US Army | Courier 1B | US Army | LEO | Communications satellite | October 21, 1960 | Successful | First active repeater |
October 7 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | October 7, 1960 | Successful | |
October 10 14:27 GMT |
Molniya | Baikonur | USSR | Mars 1960A aka Marsnik 1 | USSR | intended Mars fly-by | Mars exploration | October 10, 1960 | Failure | Destroyed in a launch failure |
October 13 04:53 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-576-B3, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Failure | |
October 13 09:34 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-11, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | 3 black mice carried aboard and recovered |
October 22 05:13 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-14, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
October 24 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | October 24, 1960 | Successful | |
November 3 11:16 GMT |
Juno II | LC-26, Cape Canaveral | NASA | Explorer 8 | NASA | LEO | Ionospheric exploration | December 27, 1960 | Successful | |
November 8 13:18 GMT |
Vought Blue Scout | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | HETS | US Air Force | Investigate magnetosphere | Failure | |||
November 12 20:38 GMT |
Thor Agena-B | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 17 | US Air Force | LEO | Spy satellite | November 14, 1960 | Successful | |
November 15 05:54 GMT |
Atlas D | LC-12, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
November 16 20:35 GMT |
Atlas D | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | (none) | N/A | N/A | ICBM Research and Development | N/A | Successful | |
November 21 14:00 GMT |
Redstone | LC-5, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Mercury-Redstone 1 | NASA | Intended: Sub-orbital | Test Mercury spacecraft | T+1 second | Failure | Engine failed at T+1 second, rocket fell back onto the pad without exploding. Launch Escape system fired, but
did not remove capsule |
November 23 11:13 GMT |
Delta DM-19 | LC-17, Cape Canaveral | NASA | TIROS 2 | NASA | LEO | Weather satellite | January 22, 1961 | Successful | |
December 1 07:30 GMT |
R-7 8K72 (Vostok/A-1) | Baikonur | RVSN | Korabl-Sputnik 3 (Sputnik 6), various animals and plants. | RVSN | LEO | Test prototype Vostok spacecraft | December 2, 1960 | Failure | Disintergrated during re-entry |
December 3 | Titan I | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | Never left ground | Failure | Exploded on pad following collapse of tower. |
December 4 21:14 GMT |
Scout X-1 | Wallops Island | US Air Force | Explorer (9) S 56 | US Air Force | Intended: LEO | Investigate radiation | December 4, 1960 | Failure | Second stage malfunction |
December 7 20:38 GMT |
Thor Agena-B | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 18 | US Air Force | LEO | Spy satellite | November 10, 1960 | Successful | |
December 15 | Atlas D Able | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Pioneer P-31 | NASA | Lunar exploration | December 15, 1960 | Failure | Exploded during ascent | |
December 19 16:15 GMT |
Redstone | LC-5, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | Mercury-Redstone 1A | NASA | Sub-orbital | Test Mercury spacecraft | December 19, 1960 | Successful | |
December 20 | Titan I | Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | RVX-4 Re-entry vehicle | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test Re-entry vehicle | December 20, 1960 | Failure | |
December 20 20:38 GMT |
Thor Agena-B | Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | Discoverer 19 | US Air Force | LEO | Spy satellite | N/A | Successful | |
December 22 | R-7 8K72K (Vostok/A-1) | Baikonur | RVSN | Korabl-Sputnik, 2 dogs | RVSN | Intended:LEO | Test prototype Vostok spacecraft | December 22, 1960 | Failure | Third stage malfunction. Dogs recovered alive. |
[edit] References
Generic references:
- Encyclopedia Astronautica
- Gunter's Space Page - Chronology of Space Launches
- JAXA
- Jonathan's Space Report (SatCat.txt and Launchlog.txt)
- Mission Set Database (NASA GFC)
- NASA
- NASA SpaceFlight.com
- Orbital Report News Agency's Launch Logs
- Space Calendar (NASA JPL)
- Southwest Space Archive
- SPACE.com Launch Forecast
- SpaceFlightNow
- Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive
- U.S. Space Objects Registry
- Хроника освоения космоса (Russian)
Preceded by 1959 |
Timeline of spaceflight 1960 |
Succeeded by 1961 |