1956 in spaceflight

The Jupiter-C sounding rocket made its maiden flight in 1956

This is a list of spaceflight related events which occurred in 1956.

Launches

Date and time (UTC) Rocket Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
19 January Soviet UnionR-11M Zemlya Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 19 January Unknown
Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
20 January United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 20 January Successful
Apogee: 132 kilometres (82 mi)
21 January GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 21 January Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
24 January GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 24 January Launch failure
January Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
January Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
January Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
January Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
January Soviet UnionR-11M Zemlya Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test   Unknown
Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
2 February Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
Soviet UnionBaykal MVS Suborbital Nuclear test 2 February Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi), first launch of a missile carrying a live nuclear warhead
13 February GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 13 February Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
14 February GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 14 February Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
16 February Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology 16 February Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
February Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
5 March United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 5 March Successful
Apogee: 116 kilometres (72 mi)
14 March
08:45
United StatesAerobee RTV-A-1a United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Chemical release 14 March Successful
Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)
23 March Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology 23 March Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
28 March GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 28 March Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
March Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
March Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
12 April
02:05
United StatesAerobee RTV-A-1a United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Chemical release 12 April Successful
Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)
16 April GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 16 April Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
17 April United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 17 April Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
1 May
22:05
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) United StatesWhite Sands LC-35 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital 1 May Launch failure
Apogee: 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)
8 May
14:54
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 8 May Successful
Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi)
8 May
15:15
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) United StatesWhite Sands LC-35 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital 8 May Launch failure
Apogee: 188 kilometres (117 mi)
15 May Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Missile test 15 May Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
16 May
15:40
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 16 May Launch failure
Apogee: 169 kilometres (105 mi)
31 May
02:57
GermanySoviet UnionR-1E Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Biological
Solar
31 May Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
4 June
14:13
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) United StatesWhite Sands LC-35 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 4 June Launch failure
Apogee: 58 kilometres (36 mi)
7 June United StatesNike-Nike-T40-T55 United StatesWallops Island United StatesNACA
NACA Suborbital Thermodynamics 7 June Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
13 June
20:51
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 13 June Successful
Apogee: 138 kilometres (86 mi)
15 June Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Missile test 15 June Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
17 June GermanySoviet UnionR-1E Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Biological 17 June Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
18 June
20:42
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 18 June Successful
Apogee: 136 kilometres (85 mi)
21 June
18:48
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 21 June Successful
Apogee: 146 kilometres (91 mi)
22 June
19:42
United StatesAerobee RTV-N-10 United StatesWhite Sands LC-35 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital 22 June Launch failure
Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
26 June
18:26
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 26 June Successful
Apogee: 111 kilometres (69 mi)
26 June United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 26 June Successful
Apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi)
29 June
19:09
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) United StatesWhite Sands LC-35 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Ionospheric 29 June Successful
Apogee: 264 kilometres (164 mi)
30 June GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 30 June Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
June Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Missile test   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
5 July
07:54
United StatesAerobee RTV-N-10c United StatesWhite Sands LC-35 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital 5 July Successful
Apogee: 162 kilometres (101 mi)
6 July
18:00
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesWallops Island United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 6 July Successful
Apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)
17 July
15:40
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-1 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 17 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
17 July United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 17 July Successful
Apogee: 142 kilometres (88 mi)
18 July
15:46
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-2 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 18 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
19 July
15:21
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-3 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 19 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
20 July
19:15
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-4 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 20 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
20 July GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 20 July Launch failure
20 July Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology 20 July Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
21 July
17:18
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-5 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Aeronomy 21 July Launch failure
Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)
22 July
17:57
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-6 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 22 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
24 July
14:07
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-7 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 24 July Launch failure
Apogee: 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)
24 July GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 24 July Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
24 July United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesWallops Island United StatesUS Navy
United StatesHUGO-1 US Navy Suborbital Aeronomy 24 July Successful
Apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi)
25 July
15:15
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-8 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 25 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
26 July
15:28
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-9 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 26 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
26 July GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 26 July Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
27 July
15:30
United StatesDeacon Rockoon United StatesUSS Colonial, PO-9 LP-10 United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Solar 27 July Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
27 July United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 27 July Launch failure
28 July GermanySoviet UnionR-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 28 July Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
31 July
00:56
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 31 July Successful
Apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)
July Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
3 August
12:56
United StatesAerobee RTV-A-1a United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital 3 August Launch failure
Apogee: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
8 August
22:00
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesWallops Island United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 8 August Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
9 August
22:47
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesWallops Island United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 9 August Successful
Apogee: 164 kilometres (102 mi)
18 August Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology 18 August Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
18 August United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 18 August Launch failure
23 August United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 23 August Successful
Apogee: 142 kilometres (88 mi)
28 August United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 28 August Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
August Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
August Soviet UnionR-5 Pobeda Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Technology   Successful
Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
8 September United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 8 September Launch failure
Apogee: 394 kilometres (245 mi)
20 September
06:45
United StatesJupiter-C United StatesCape Canaveral LC-5 United StatesABMA
ABMA Suborbital REV test 20 September Successful
Maiden flight of Jupiter-C, apogee: 1,097 kilometres (682 mi), carried a 39.25 kilograms (86.5 lb) payload[1]
21 September United StatesTerrapin United StatesWallops Island United StatesNACA
NACA Suborbital Test flight 21 September Launch failure
Apogee: 16 kilometres (9.9 mi), maiden flight of Terrapin
21 September United StatesTerrapin United StatesWallops Island United StatesNACA
NACA Suborbital Test flight 21 September Successful
Apogee: 130 kilometres (81 mi)
1 October United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 1 October Successful
Apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi)
5 October United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 5 October Successful
Apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi)
13 October United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 13 October Successful
Apogee: 102 kilometres (63 mi)
18 October United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 18 October Successful
Apogee: 155 kilometres (96 mi)
20 October
22:01
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesWallops Island United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 20 October Successful
Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)
23 October
08:40
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 CanadaFort Churchill United StatesUS Army
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 23 October Successful
Apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi), first spaceflight launched from Canadian soil
25 October United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 25 October Successful
Apogee: 124 kilometres (77 mi)
27 October
21:24
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesUSS Rushmore, AO-14 LP-1 United StatesUS Air Force/US Navy
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 27 October Successful
Apogee: 161 kilometres (100 mi)
31 October Soviet UnionR-11FM Zemlya Soviet UnionB-67, Beloye More Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 31 October Successful
Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
31 October Soviet UnionR-11FM Zemlya Soviet UnionB-67, Beloye More Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 31 October Successful
Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
2 November
05:39
United StatesAerobee AJ10-34 United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Chemical release 2 November Successful
Apogee: 146 kilometres (91 mi)
2 November
18:40
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesUSS Rushmore, AO-14 LP-2 United StatesUS Air Force/US Navy
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 2 November Successful
Apogee: 131 kilometres (81 mi)
4 November
18:54
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesUSS Rushmore, AO-14 LP-3 United StatesUS Air Force/US Navy
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 4 November Successful
Apogee: 162 kilometres (101 mi)
5 November
07:50
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) CanadaFort Churchill United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Auroral 5 November Launch failure
5 November United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 5 November Successful
Apogee: 118 kilometres (73 mi)
7 November
15:02
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesUSS Rushmore, AO-14 LP-4 United StatesUS Air Force/US Navy
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 7 November Successful
Apogee: 169 kilometres (105 mi)
10 November
15:17
United StatesNike-Cajun United StatesUSS Rushmore, AO-14 LP-5 United StatesUS Air Force/US Navy
US Air Force Suborbital Aeronomy 10 November Successful
Apogee: 161 kilometres (100 mi)
15 November
19:32
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) CanadaFort Churchill United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Ionospheric 15 November Successful
Apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)
16 November United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 16 November Successful
Apogee: 107 kilometres (66 mi)
17 November
16:48
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) CanadaFort Churchill United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Aeronomy
Solar
17 November Successful
Apogee: 209 kilometres (130 mi)
21 November
05:21
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) CanadaFort Churchill United StatesUS Navy
NRL Suborbital Ionospheric
Auroral
15 November Successful
Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi)
23 November United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 23 November Successful
Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi)
3 December United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 3 December Successful
Apogee: 125 kilometres (78 mi)
8 December
06:03
United StatesViking United StatesCape Canaveral LC-18A United StatesUS Navy
ABMA Suborbital REV test 8 December Successful
Apogee: 203.5 kilometres (126.4 mi)[2]
11 December United StatesX-17 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-3 United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital REV test 11 December Successful
Apogee: 144 kilometres (89 mi)
13 December
21:44
United StatesAerobee-150 (Hi) United StatesHolloman LC-A United StatesUS Air Force
US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 13 December Successful
Apogee: 193 kilometres (120 mi)
20 December GermanySoviet UnionA-1 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar Soviet UnionOKB-1
MVS Suborbital Ionospheric 20 December Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
26 December Soviet UnionR-11FM Zemlya Soviet UnionB-67, Beloye More Soviet UnionOKB-1
OKB-1 Suborbital Missile test 26 December Successful
Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)

References

Generic references:

Footnotes

  1. "Explorer Information". NASA History Office. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  2. "Early Test Firings". NASA History Office. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2007.