1951 in spaceflight
The year 1951 saw extensive exploration of space by the United States and the
Development also continued by both superpowers on rockets more powerful than the
Space exploration
United States
The
The first generation of US Navy-built Viking sounding rockets reached its acme of performance with the flight of Viking 7, the sole Viking launch of 1951. Launched 7 August from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the rocket set a new world altitude record of 136 miles (219 km).[4]: 167–171, 236
Soviet Union
The
On 29 January 1951, dogs were carried on one of the winter test flights of the R-1.[2] This was followed in the summer by six R-1s specifically designed and equipped for biomedical flights to determine if their payload dogs could survive the rigors of space travel and be recovered. Three of the missions were successful.[7]
The R-2 missile, the first operational Soviet design to have a separable nose cone, underwent a second test series of thirteen flights in July 1951, experiencing one failure. Accepted for operational service on 27 November 1951,[8] the design had a range of 600 kilometres (370 mi), twice that of the R-1, while maintaining a similar payload of around 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb).[5]: 48–9
Spacecraft development
US Air Force
By 1950, the war-head carrying
US Army
On 15 April 1950, Wernher von Braun and his team of German rocket engineers were transferred from Fort Bliss to Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. In 1951, the Redstone team was tasked with researching and developing guided missiles and developing and testing free rockets, solid propellants, Jet-Assisted Take-off rockets, and related items, thus making the Army a leading player in America's missile development.[11] Their work led to the production of the Redstone missile, first launched in 1953,[12] versions of which ultimately launched Explorer 1, America's first artificial satellite, in 1958, and Mercury-Redstone 3, America's first human space mission, in 1961.[13]
In the summer of 1950, the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) team led by Milton Rosen began work on an improved Viking rocket able to reach higher altitudes. The team would achieve increased performance through larger fuel tanks and reduced weight elsewhere on the rocket. Originally planned for launch in 1951, the development of the second generation Viking took two years, and the first of the new rockets would not launch until 6 June 1952.[4]: 172–3, 236
University of Iowa
In January 1951,
Soviet Union
From 1947, G-1 (or R-10) missile, designed by
The draft plan for the ambitious 3,000-kilometre (1,900 mi) range R-3 had been approved on 7 December 1949,
Launches
January
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
18 January 20:14 |
V-2
|
V-2 No. 54 | LC-33
|
GE / US Army | |||
NRL
|
Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Solar X-Ray | 18 January | Launch failure | |||
: 446–447 | |||||||
22 January 22:55 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10
|
A19 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 22 January | Successful | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)[18]: 287–288 | |||||||
25 January 15:00 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10 | A20 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Ozone Aeronomy | 25 January | Successful | |||
Apogee: 90 kilometres (56 mi)[18]: 289–290 | |||||||
29 January | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 January | Successful | |||
Carried dogs[2] | |||||||
30 January | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 January | Successful[2] | |||
31 January | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 January | Successful[2] |
February
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
1 February | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 February | Successful[2] | |||
2 February | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 February | Successful[2] | |||
6 February 17:20 |
Aerobee RTV-N-10
|
A21 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | |||
APL | Suborbital | Photography | 6 February | Successful | |||
Apogee: 98 kilometres (61 mi)[18]: 291–292 |
March
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
9 March 03:16 |
V-2
|
V-2 No. 57 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVE | Air Materiel Command | Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy / Ionospheric / Airglow | 9 March | Launch failure | ||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 3.1 kilometres (1.9 mi), explosions starting at 15.5 seconds destroyed the tail section[17][18]: 452–453 | |||||||
28 March 23:14 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 10 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL
|
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 28 March | Successful | |||
Apogee: 66 kilometres (41 mi)[18]: 64–65 |
April
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
12 April 17:26 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 11 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / University of Colorado
|
Suborbital | Solar UV | 12 April | Partial failure | |||
Apogee: 29 kilometres (18 mi), premature engine cutoff at 30.6 seconds[18]: 66–67 | |||||||
18 April 18:39 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 12 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
Aeromed 1 | AFCRL / WADC Aero-Medical Laboratory
|
Suborbital | Biological | 18 April | Successful | ||
First biomedical Aerobee mission, carried monkey;[19] apogee: 61 kilometres (38 mi)[18]: 68–69 |
May
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
29 May 19:46 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 13 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL / Boston University
|
Suborbital | Ionospheric | 29 May | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi)[18]: 70–71 |
June
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
8 June 00:11 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 14 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRL
|
Suborbital | Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy | 8 June | Successful | |||
Apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)[18]: 72–73 | |||||||
8 June 01:18 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1
|
SC 19 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan
|
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 8 June | Launch failure | |||
Apogee: 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi), full burn but very low thrust[18]: 224–225 | |||||||
9 June 06:11 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 18 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 9 June | Successful | ||
Apogee: 66.8 kilometres (41.5 mi)[18]: 221–223 | |||||||
13 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 13 June | Successful[2] | |||
14 June 13:48 |
V-2
|
V-2 No. 55 | LC-33
|
GE / US Army | |||
NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar UV / Solar X-Ray | 14 June | Launch failure | |||
Project Hermes launch, apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi), rocket exploded at ignition[17][18]: 449 | |||||||
14 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 June | Successful[2] | |||
18 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 June | Successful[2] | |||
19 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 June | Successful[2] | |||
20 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 June | Successful[2] | |||
22 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 June | Successful[2] | |||
23 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 June | Successful[2] | |||
24 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 24 June | Successful[2] | |||
25 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 June | Successful[2] | |||
26 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 June | Successful[2] | |||
27 June | R-1 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 June | Successful[2] | |||
28 June 21:43 |
V-2 | V-2 No. 52 | White Sands LC-33 | GE / US Army | |||
Blossom IVF | Air Materiel Command | Suborbital | Solar UV / Solar X-Ray / Ionospheric / Photography / Aeronomy / Biological | 28 June | Launch failure | ||
Final project Hermes launch, apogee: 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi), explosion in tail section at 8 seconds, cutoff triggered at 22 seconds[17][18]: 441–443 |
July
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
2 July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 July | ||||
First of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Second of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Third of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Fourth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Fifth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Sixth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Seventh of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Eighth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Ninth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Tenth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Eleventh of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | ||||
Twelfth of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
22 July | R-1V | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 22 July | Successful | |||
Maiden flight of the R-1V;[2] first ever space dog mission carried dogs Dezik and Zhegan which were recovered.[20]: 21 | |||||||
25 July 16:26 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 15 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRC
|
Suborbital | Sky Brightness | 25 July | Successful | |||
Apogee: 71.3 kilometres (44.3 mi)[18]: 74–75 | |||||||
27 July | R-2 | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 July | ||||
Last of thirteen launches, 12 of which hit the target area.[16]: 97 | |||||||
29 July | R-1B | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 29 July | Launch failure | |||
Maiden flight of the R-1B; electrical failure, no payload recovery; carried dogs did not survive[2] |
August
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
7 August 16:36 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 16 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRC / Boston University
|
Suborbital | Ionospheric | 7 August | Successful | |||
Apogee: 83.5 kilometres (51.9 mi)[18]: 76–77 | |||||||
7 August 18:00 |
Viking (first model) | LC-33 – Army Launch Area 1
|
US Navy | ||||
Viking 7 | NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar X-Ray / Aeronomy | 7 August | Successful | ||
Final flight of the first model Viking, apogee: 219 kilometres (136 mi)[18]: 492–493 | |||||||
15 August | R-1B | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Solar UV / Biological | 15 August | Successful | |||
Carried dogs, recovered[2] | |||||||
19 August | R-1V | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 19 August | Successful | |||
Final flight of the R-1V; carried dogs, recovered[2] | |||||||
22 August 19:00 |
V-2
|
TF-1 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | |||
US Army | Suborbital | Altitude test | 22 August | Successful | |||
First all Army team after General Electric's contract concluded; apogee: 213.4 kilometres (132.6 mi)[18]: 463 | |||||||
28 August | R-1B | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 28 August | Successful[2] | |||
30 August 22:40 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1b
|
USAF 17 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRC | Suborbital | Rocket test | 30 August | Successful | |||
Maiden (and only) flight of the RTV-A-1b, apogee: 76 kilometres (47 mi)[18]: 78–79 |
September
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
3 September | R-1B | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1
| ||||
OKB-1 | Suborbital | Biological | 3 September | Successful | |||
Final flight of the R-1B; carried dogs, recovered[2] | |||||||
13 September 11:37 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
USAF 18 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRC / University of Michigan
|
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 13 September | Successful | |||
Apogee: 76 kilometres (47 mi)[18]: 80–81 | |||||||
20 September 16:31 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 19 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
Aeromed 2 | AFCRC / WADC Aero-Medical Laboratory
|
Suborbital | Biological | 20 September | Successful | ||
Carried monkey, Yorick/Albert VI, and 11 mice, all recovered;[19] apogee: 71 kilometres (44 mi)[18]: 82–83 | |||||||
27 September 00:06 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1
|
SC 21 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan
|
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 27 September | Successful | |||
Apogee: 68.9 kilometres (42.8 mi)[18]: 229–230 |
October
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
17 October 18:17 |
Aerobee RTV-A-1a
|
USAF 20 | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | |||
AFCRC / Boston University
|
Suborbital | Ionospheric | 17 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 114.3 kilometres (71.0 mi), maiden flight of the RTV-A-1a[18]: 84 | |||||||
29 October 21:04 |
V-2
|
V-2 No. 60 | LC-33
|
US Army | |||
USASC / University of Michigan
|
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 29 October | Successful | |||
Apogee: 141.0 kilometres (87.6 mi)[18]: 458–459 |
November
Date and time ( UTC )
|
Rocket | Flight number | Launch site
|
LSP
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
1 November 09:46 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1
|
SC 20 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC
|
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 1 November | Successful | ||
Apogee: 66.3 kilometres (41.2 mi)[18]: 226–227 | |||||||
3 November 00:35 |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 22 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | |||
Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 3 November | Successful | ||
Apogee: 82 kilometres (51 mi)[18]: 231–232 |
Suborbital launch summary
By country
Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 26 | 19 | 6 | 1 | |
Soviet Union | 35 | 33 | 1 | 1 |
By rocket
- V-2 (American)
- Viking (first model)
- Aerobee RTV-N-10
- Aerobee XASR-SC-1
- Aerobee RTV-A-1
- Aerobee RTV-A-1b
- Aerobee RTV-A-1a
- R-1
- R-1V
- R-1B
- R-2
Rocket | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures |
Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
V-2
|
United States | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
Viking (first model) | United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired |
Aerobee RTV-N-10
|
United States | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
Aerobee XASR-SC-1
|
United States | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | |
Aerobee RTV-A-1
|
United States | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | |
Aerobee RTV-A-1b
|
United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight, retired |
Aerobee RTV-A-1a
|
United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight |
R-1 | Soviet Union | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | |
R-1V | Soviet Union | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight, retired |
R-1B | Soviet Union | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight, retired |
R-2 | Soviet Union | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
See also
References
- S2CID 126154837. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Mark Wade. "1951 Chronology". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
- ^ Wayne O. Mattson; Martyn D. Tagg (June 1995). We Develop Missiles not Air! (PDF). Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico: Legacy Resource Management Program, Air Combat Command USAF. pp. 45–52. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2021.
- ^ OCLC 317524549.
- ^ OCLC 946818748.
- ^ Mark Wade. "R-1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ Chris Gebhardt (20 September 2016). "Aerobee-19: 65 years after animal flight that paved the way for Project Mercury". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
- ^ Mark Wade. "R-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ OCLC 492591218.
- OCLC 916575496.
- ^ "Installation History 1950 - 1952". US Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command. 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Installation History 1953 - 1955". US Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command. 2017. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Redstone Missile". US Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command. 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ OCLC 845256256.
- ^ Mark Wade. "R-11". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 9 March 2002. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ OCLC 1001823253. Archived(PDF) from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d L. D. White (September 1952). Final Report, Project Hermes V-2 Missile Program. Schnectady, New York: Guided Missile Department, Aeronautic and Ordnance Systems Division, Defense Products Group, General Electric. p. Table I.
- ^ 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 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. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ a b Mark Wade. "Aerobee". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- OCLC 1316077842.