1959 in spaceflight

1959 in spaceflight
Orbital launches
First	2 January
Last	26 November
Total	23
Successes	10
Failures	11
Partial failures	2
Catalogued	14
Rockets
Maiden flights	Thor-Agena; Atlas-Able; Atlas D (suborbital test)
Retirements	Vanguard

Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to leave the gravitational influence of Earth. Also in 1959, Luna 2 was the first spacecraft to reach the surface of another celestial body, impacting the Moon, and Luna 3 returned the first images of the far side of the Moon.

Launches

January

January launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 January 16:41:21	Luna 8K72			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

		Mechta (Luna 1/E1-4)	MVS	Intended: HEO to Lunar impact Achieved: Heliocentric	Lunar impactor	In orbit	Launch failure
		Missed Moon due to premature cutoff of upper stage caused by control system malfunction. First spacecraft to be placed in Heliocentric orbit.
10 January 11:00	A-1			Ostrov Kheysa		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Ionospheric Aeronomy	10 January	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
16 January 04:00	SM-65B Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-14		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	16 January	Launch failure
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
19 January 15:42	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	19 January	Launch failure
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
22 January 00:10	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-5		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	22 January	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
23 January	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		RVX-1	US Air Force	Suborbital	REV test	23 January	Launch failure
27 January 17:00	Daniel			CERES		ONERA

			ONERA	Suborbital	Aeronomy	27 January	Successful
		Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi)
27 January 23:34	SM-65C Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-12		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	27 January	Successful
		Apogee: 990 kilometres (620 mi)
28 January	Nike-Cajun			Wallops Island		ARPA

		Beacon Test 4	ARPA/NASA	Suborbital	Technology	28 January	Successful
		Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi)
30 January 22:53	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	30 January	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)

February

February launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
4 February 08:01	SM-65B Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-11		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	4 February	Successful
		Apogee: 990 kilometres (620 mi), final flight of Atlas B
5 February 14:45	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		5 February	Successful
		Apogee: 212 kilometres (132 mi)
6 February 21:22	HGM-25A Titan I			Cape Canaveral LC-15		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	6 February	Successful
		Maiden flight of Titan I, battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
17 February 15:55	Vanguard			Cape Canaveral LC-18A		US Navy

		Vanguard 2 (20in Cloud Cover 2)^[1]	NRL	Medium Earth	Atmospheric	In orbit	Partial spacecraft failure
		Transmitted data for 19 days, poor quality data returned due to uncontrolled rotation of spacecraft
20 February 05:38	SM-65C Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-12		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	20 February	Launch failure
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
25 February 19:45	HGM-25A Titan I			Cape Canaveral LC-15		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	25 February	Successful
		Battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
27 February 15:44	Aerobee			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Solar	27 February	Successful
		Apogee: 210 kilometres (130 mi)
27 February 19:16	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	27 February	Launch failure
		Apogee: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
27 February 23:50	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	28 February	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
28 February 07:58	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		RVX-1	US Air Force	Suborbital	REV test	28 February	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
28 February 21:41:16	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-4		US Air Force

		Discoverer 1 (KH-1 prototype)	CIA DST	Low Earth (Polar)	Technology	6 March	Successful
		Maiden flight of Thor-Agena, first spacecraft to be placed in polar orbit

March

March launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
3 March 05:10:56	Juno II			Cape Canaveral LC-5		ABMA

		Pioneer 4	NASA/ABMA	Heliocentric	Lunar flyby	In orbit	Partial launch failure
		Second stage burned for longer than planned, resulting in more distant flyby than planned^[2]
3 March	Trailblazer 1			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	REV test	3 March	Successful
		Apogee: 260 kilometres (160 mi)
4 March 11:14	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			RAE UCL Queen's	Suborbital	Aeronomy	4 March	Launch failure
		Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi)
7 March 19:34	Véronique			Hammaguir Blandine		CASDN

			CASDN	Suborbital	Aeronomy	7 March	Launch failure
		Apogee: 35 kilometres (22 mi), released sodium
10 March 18:40	Véronique			Hammaguir Blandine		CASDN

			CASDN	Suborbital	Aeronomy	10 March	Successful
		Apogee: 124 kilometres (77 mi), released sodium
12 March 05:44	Véronique			Hammaguir Blandine		CASDN

			CASDN	Suborbital	Aeronomy	12 March	Successful
		Apogee: 174 kilometres (108 mi), released sodium
12 March 10:50	Black Knight 201			Woomera LA-5A		RAE

			RAE	Suborbital	Test flight	12 March	Successful
		Apogee: 537 kilometres (334 mi)
12 March 15:44	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		12 March	Successful
		Apogee: 210 kilometres (130 mi)
13 March 13:50	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital		13 March	Successful
		Apogee: 170 kilometres (110 mi)
17 March 01:46	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	17 March	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
17 March	Honest John-Nike-Nike-20"SM			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	17 March	Successful
		Apogee: 1,380 kilometres (860 mi)
19 March 00:59	SM-65C Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-12		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	19 March	Launch failure
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
21 March 06:19	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		RVX-1	US Air Force	Suborbital	REV test	21 March	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
22 March 00:58	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	22 March	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
25 March 05:25	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	25 March	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
27 March 04:02	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	27 March	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
30 March 15:01	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		30 March	Successful
		Apogee: 201 kilometres (125 mi)
30 March 16:45	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital		30 March	Successful
		Apogee: 238 kilometres (148 mi)
30 March 22:53	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	30 March	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
30 March	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	30 March	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)

April

April launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
3 April 17:11	HGM-25A Titan I			Cape Canaveral LC-15		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	3 April	Successful
		Battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
4 April 00:34	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	4 April	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
4 April	WS-199B Bold Orion II			B-47, Cape Canaveral		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	4 April	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
7 April 14:46	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		7 April	Launch failure
		Apogee: 317 kilometres (197 mi)
8 April 06:35	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		RVX-1	US Air Force	Suborbital	REV test	8 April	Successful
		Apogee: 1,230 kilometres (760 mi)
11 April	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	11 April	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
13 April 21:18:39	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-4		US Air Force

		Discoverer 2 (KH-1 prototype)	CIA DST	Low Earth	Technology	26 April	Partial spacecraft failure
		Capsule recovery failed due to timer error. May have been recovered by the Soviet Union, inspiring plot of 1963 Alistair MacLean novel Ice Station Zebra
14 April 02:49:46	Vanguard			Cape Canaveral LC-18A		US Navy

		20in Radiation Balance 1^[1]	NRL	Intended: Medium Earth	Radiation	14 April	Launch failure
		Vanguard Balloon^[1]	NRL	Intended: Medium Earth	Air density	14 April	Launch failure
		Second stage damaged during separation, failed to reach orbit, first launch of multiple satellites on a single rocket
14 April 21:46	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	14 April	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
14 April	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	14 April	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
15 April 14:46	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		15 April	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
16 April 20:46	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-2-8		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	16 April	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
20 April 15:30	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	20 April	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
21 April 01:05	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		21 April	Successful
		Apogee: 235 kilometres (146 mi)
22 April 19:29	Nike-Cajun			Holloman		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Ionospheric	22 April	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
23 April 05:30	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	23 April	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
25 April 05:00	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	25 April	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
29 April	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	29 April	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)

May

May launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 May	Terrier-ASROC-Cajun			Point Arguello		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Test flight	1 May	Launch failure
2 May	OPd-56-39-22D (Antares)			CERES		ONERA

			ONERA	Suborbital	REV test	2 May	Successful
		Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
4 May 18:30	HGM-25A Titan I			Cape Canaveral LC-15		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	4 May	Successful
		Battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
5 May 01:45	Aerobee AJ10-34			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	5 May	Successful
		Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)
7 May 01:47	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	7 May	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
8 May 19:28	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	8 May	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
9 May 18:59	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	9 May	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
12 May 11:39	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		12 May	Successful
		Apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi)
12 May 17:35	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	12 May	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
12 May	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	12 May	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
14 May 05:52	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-5		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	14 May	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
14 May	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	14 May	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
15 May 22:10	Arcon			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	15 May	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
15 May	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	15 May	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
18 May 23:16	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	18 May	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
19 May 04:30	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-14		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	19 May	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
21 May 06:40	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		RVX-1	US Air Force	Suborbital	REV test	21 May	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
22 May 11:15	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		22 May	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
23 May 02:42	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	23 May	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
27 May 04:51	Nike-Cajun			White Sands		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	27 May	Successful
		Apogee: 169 kilometres (105 mi)
27 May 19:55	Nike-Cajun			White Sands		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	27 May	Successful
		Apogee: 177 kilometres (110 mi)
28 May 07:35:02	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

		Bioflight 2	US Air Force	Suborbital	Biological Missile test	28 May	Successful
		Apogee: 483 kilometres (300 mi)
30 May 21:42	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	30 May	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
30 May	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	30 May	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
May	Long Tom			Woomera LA-2		WRE

			WRE	Suborbital	Aeronomy		Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)

June

June launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 June	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	2 June	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
3 June 20:09:20	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-4		US Air Force

		Discoverer 3 (KH-1 Prototype)	CIA DST	Intended: Low Earth	Technology	3 June	Launch failure
		Loss of signal after upper stage ignition
5 June 04:15	Trailblazer 1			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	REV test	6 June	Successful
		Apogee: 260 kilometres (160 mi)
6 June 17:39	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	6 June	Launch failure
		Apogee: 80 kilometres (50 mi)
8 June	WS-199B Bold Orion I			B-47, Cape Canaveral		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	8 June	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
9 June 20:34	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	9 June	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
10 June 16:40	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		10 June	Successful
		Apogee: 225 kilometres (140 mi)
11 June 06:44	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		RVX-1	US Air Force	Suborbital	REV test	11 June	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
11 June 13:03	Black Knight 201			Woomera LA-5A		RAE

			RAE	Suborbital	Test flight	11 June	Successful
		Apogee: 803 kilometres (499 mi)
12 June 18:57	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	12 June	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
15 June	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	15 June	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
16 June 21:45	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-2-7		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	16 June	Launch failure
		Guidance system failed to engage as remove before flight safety wires had not been removed. Vehicle ascended vertically before being destroyed by range safety.^[3]
17 June	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	17 June	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
18 June 08:08	Luna 8K72			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

		Luna E-1A No.1	MVS	Intended: Heliocentric	Lunar impactor	18 June	Launch failure
		Internal guidance system failed 153 seconds after launch
19 June	WS-199B Bold Orion I			B-47, Cape Canaveral		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	19 June	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
21 June	R-5V Pobeda			Kapustin Yar		AN

			AN	Suborbital	Solar	21 June	Successful
		Apogee: 400 kilometres (250 mi)
22 June 14:32	Aerobee			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Solar	22 June	Successful
		Apogee: 110 kilometres (68 mi)
22 June 20:16:09	Vanguard			Cape Canaveral LC-18A		US Navy

		20in Radiation Balance^[1]	NRL	Intended: Medium Earth	Radiation	22 June	Launch failure
		Second stage propulsion system malfunctioned, failed to reach orbit
23 June 01:26	Skylark-1			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			RAE	Suborbital	Test flight	23 June	Launch failure
		Apogee: 91 kilometres (57 mi)
24 June 12:10	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Holloman LC-A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		24 June	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
25 June 22:47:45	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-5		US Air Force

		Discoverer 4 (KH-1) 9001	CIA DST	Intended: Low Earth	Optical imaging	25 June	Launch failure
		Upper stage underperformed, failed to reach orbit
26 June	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	26 June	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
26 June	Terrier-ASROC-Cajun			Point Arguello		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital		26 June	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
29 June 11:33	Black Knight 201			Woomera LA-5A		RAE

			RAE	Suborbital	Test flight	29 June	Successful
		Apogee: 442 kilometres (275 mi)
30 June 02:37	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	30 June	Successful
		Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
29 June 15:42	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	29 June	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
June	R-13			Kapustin Yar		VMF

			VMF	Suborbital	Missile test		Successful
		Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)

July

July launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
2 July 06:40	R-2			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		2 July	Successful
		Apogee: 220 kilometres (140 mi)
7 July 11:15	Javelin			Wallops Island		US Air Force

			AFSWC	Suborbital	Test flight	7 July	Successful
		Apogee: 1,045 kilometres (649 mi)
10 July 01:01	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	10 July	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
10 July 04:47	R-2			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		10 July	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
14 July 03:40	R-2			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		14 July	Successful
		Apogee: 203 kilometres (126 mi)
14 July 17:45	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			NASA	Suborbital	Solar	14 July	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
15 July 16:59	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	15 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
16 July 17:37:03	Juno II			Cape Canaveral LC-5		ABMA

		Explorer S-6	NASA	Intended: Low Earth	Scientific	+5.5 seconds	Launch failure
		Destroyed by range safety after rocket went out of control
17 July 17:40	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital		17 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
18 July 18:15	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	18 July	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
20 July	R-11A Zemlya			Kapustin Yar		AN

			AN	Suborbital		20 July	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
21 July 02:00	R-11A Zemlya			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		21 July	Successful
		Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)
21 July 05:22	SM-65C Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-12		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	21 July	Successful
		Apogee: 900 kilometres (560 mi)
21 July 07:33	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	21 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
21 July 14:00	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital		21 July	Successful
		Apogee: 197 kilometres (122 mi)
21 July 14:00	R-11A Zemlya			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		21 July	Successful
		Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)
21 July	R-2			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		21 July	Successful
		Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)
21 July	Javelin			Wallops Island		US Air Force

			AFSWC	Suborbital	Test flight	21 July	Launch failure
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
22 July 01:14	R-11A Zemlya			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital		22 July	Successful
		Apogee: 211 kilometres (131 mi)
24 July 12:47	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	24 July	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
24 July 16:34	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	24 July	Successful
		Apogee: 227 kilometres (141 mi)
24 July	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	24 July	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
25 July	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	25 July	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
26 July	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	26 July	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
28 July	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	28 July	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
29 July 04:10	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-11		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	29 July	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
30 July 04:00	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	30 July	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
31 July	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	31 July	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)

August

August launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
3 August 21:41	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-1-1		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	3 August	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
6 August 02:48	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	6 August	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
6 August	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	6 August	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
7 August 14:24:20	Thor DM-18 Able-III			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		Explorer 6	US Air Force	Highly elliptical	Radiation Imaging	30 June 1961	Successful
7 August 17:05	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	7 August	Successful
		Apogee: 225 kilometres (140 mi)
7 August	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	7 August	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
7 August	Arcon			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	7 August	Launch failure
		Apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi)
7 August	Arcon			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	7 August	Launch failure
		Apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi)
7 August	Arcon			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	7 August	Launch failure
		Apogee: 104 kilometres (65 mi)
11 August 18:01	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	11 August	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
12 August	Terrier-ASROC-Cajun			Point Arguello		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital		12 August	Launch failure
13 August 19:00:08	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-4		US Air Force

		Discoverer 5 (KH-1 9002)	CIA DST	Low Earth	Optical imaging	11 February 1961	Spacecraft failure
		Electrical system malfunction. Deorbit burn conducted in incorrect direction, raising orbit
13 August 23:14	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	13 August	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
13 August	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	13 August	Launch failure
14 August 09:00	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	14 August	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
14 August 16:00	HGM-25A Titan I			Cape Canaveral LC-19		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	+0 seconds	Launch failure
		First all-up test of Titan I, hold-down bolts released prematurely, rocket exploded on launch pad^[4]
14 August 16:00	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	14 August	Successful
		Apogee: 237 kilometres (147 mi)
14 August 19:30	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25B		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	14 August	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
14 August 19:36:04	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-2-6		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	14 August	Launch failure
15 August 00:31:00	Juno II			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		ABMA

		Beacon 2	NASA/US Army	Intended: Low Earth	Technology	15 August	Launch failure
		Premature cutoff of first stage, failed to reach orbit
17 August 09:18	Nike-Asp			Wallops Island		NASA

			US Navy	Suborbital	Aeronomy	17 August	Successful
		Apogee: 236 kilometres (147 mi), released sodium
19 August 00:20	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			UCL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	19 August	Successful
		Apogee: 144 kilometres (89 mi)
19 August 00:34	Nike-Asp			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Aeronomy	19 August	Launch failure
		Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi), released sodium
19 August 19:24:44	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-5		US Air Force

		Discoverer 6 (KH-1 9003)	CIA DST	Low Earth	Optical imaging	20 October	Spacecraft failure
		Retrorocket malfunctioned
22 August 00:45	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		22 August	Successful
		Apogee: 230 kilometres (140 mi)
22 August 02:30	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	22 August	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
24 August 15:33	SM-65C Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-12		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	24 August	Successful
		Apogee: 1,400 kilometres (870 mi)
24 August 22:47	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital		24 August	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
25 August	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	25 August	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
26 August 17:35	Nike-Zeus A			White Sands LC-38		US Army

			US Army	Suborbital	Test flight	26 August	Launch failure
26 August	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	26 August	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
27 August 01:30	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-5		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	27 August	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
27 August 16:57	UGM-27 Polaris AX			USNS Observation Island, ETR		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	27 August	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
28 August 16:10	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	28 August	Successful
		Apogee: 214 kilometres (133 mi)
27 August 12:30	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	27 August	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
28 August 18:45	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital		28 August	Successful
		Apogee: 235 kilometres (146 mi)
28 August	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	28 August	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
31 August 22:53	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

		Sunflare II	US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	31 August	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)

September

September launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 September 01:01	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	1 September	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
1 September 19:00	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital		1 September	Successful
		Apogee: 210 kilometres (130 mi)
2 September 00:03	Nike-Asp			Point Arguello LC-A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Solar	2 September	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
2 September	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	2 September	Launch failure
5 September 15:27	Black Brant I			Churchill		CARDE

			CARDE	Suborbital	Test flight	5 September	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), maiden flight of Black Brant
5 September	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	5 September	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
8 September 15:14	Black Brant I			Churchill		CARDE

			CARDE	Suborbital	Test flight	8 September	Successful
		Apogee: 130 kilometres (81 mi)
9 September 08:19	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-14		US Air Force

		Big Joe 1	NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	08:32	Partial launch failure
		Apogee: 153 kilometres (95 mi), Boilerplate Mercury test, booster engines failed to separate, spacecraft recovered
9 September 17:50:42	SM-65D Atlas			Vandenberg LC-576A-2		SAC

			SAC	Suborbital	Missile test	9 September	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
10 September 21:48	Black Brant I			Churchill		CARDE

			CARDE	Suborbital	Test flight	10 September	Successful
		Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi)
11 September 19:12	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Churchill		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital		11 September	Successful
		Apogee: 227 kilometres (141 mi)
12 September 06:39:42	Luna 8K72			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

		Luna 2 (E-1A-2)	MVS	Heliocentric	Lunar impactor	14 September 22:02	Successful
		First spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon
12 September	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	12 September	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
14 September 17:27	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Churchill		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital		14 September	Successful
		Apogee: 218 kilometres (135 mi)
15 September 21:45	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

		Bioflight 3	US Air Force	Suborbital	Biological Missile test	15 September	Launch failure
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
15 September	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	15 September	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
15 September	Aerobee			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Test flight	15 September	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
17 September 00:12	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			Birmingham UCL	Suborbital	Ionospheric Solar	17 September	Successful
		Apogee: 132 kilometres (82 mi)
17 September 02:09	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	17 September	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
17 September 14:34	Thor DM-18 Able-II			Cape Canaveral LC-17A		US Air Force

		Transit 1A	US Air Force	Intended: Low Earth	Navigation Technology	17 September	Launch failure
		Third stage malfunctioned
17 September 18:37	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Churchill		NASA

		DRTE.01	NASA	Suborbital	Ionospheric	17 September	Successful
		Apogee: 256 kilometres (159 mi)
17 September 21:09	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-1-2		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	17 September	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
18 September 05:20:07	Vanguard/Altair			Cape Canaveral LC-18A		US Navy

		Vanguard 3 (20in MXE)^[1]	NRL	Medium Earth	Scientific	In orbit	Partial launch failure
		Final flight of Vanguard rocket, satellite failed to separate from carrier rocket, otherwise successful, spacecraft operated until 11 December
18 September 16:02	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	18 September	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
18 September 16:55	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	18 September	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
20 September 17:35	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Churchill		NASA

		DRTE.02	NASA	Suborbital	Ionospheric	20 September	Launch failure
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
21 September	UGM-27 Polaris A1			Cape Canaveral LC-29A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	21 September	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
22 September 18:00	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	22 September	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
22 September	Aerobee-100			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Test flight	22 September	Successful
		Apogee: 110 kilometres (68 mi)
24 September 00:29	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			Birmingham UCL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	24 September	Successful
		Apogee: 158 kilometres (98 mi)
25 September	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	25 September	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
28 September	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	28 September	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
28 September	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	28 September	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
29 September 10:59	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	29 September	Successful
		Apogee: 124 kilometres (77 mi)
30 September 10:57	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	30 September	Successful
		Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi)
30 September	Terrier-Asp			Point Arguello		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital		30 September	Successful
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)

October

October launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 October 01:28	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-6		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	1 October	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
1 October 10:49	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	1 October	Successful
		Apogee: 138 kilometres (86 mi)
2 October 11:00	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	2 October	Successful
		Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi)
2 October 18:11	UGM-27 Polaris AX			Cape Canaveral LC-25A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	2 October	Launch failure
		Apogee: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
3 October 11:03	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	3 October	Successful
		Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi)
4 October 00:43:39	Luna 8K72			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

		Luna 3 (E-2A-1)	MVS	High Earth	Lunar flyby	29 April 1960	Successful
		Placed on a circumlunar trajectory, returned first images of the far side of the Moon
5 October 11:01	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	5 October	Successful
		Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi)
6 October 05:55	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-11		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	6 October	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
6 October 16:41	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	6 October	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
6 October 18:26	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-2-8		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	6 October	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
8 October	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	8 October	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
9 October 08:40	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	9 October	Successful
		Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi)
9 October 11:17	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	9 October	Successful
		Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi)
9 October	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	9 October	Launch failure
9 October	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	9 October	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
10 October 03:10	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	10 October	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
10 October 12:00	Aerobee AJ10-34			White Sands LC-35		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Meteorite research	10 October	Successful
		Apogee: 111 kilometres (69 mi)
12 October 09:00	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	12 October	Successful
		Apogee: 123 kilometres (76 mi)
12 October 10:12	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	12 October	Successful
		Apogee: 123 kilometres (76 mi)
12 October 18:18	UGM-27 Polaris A1			Cape Canaveral LC-29A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	12 October	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
13 October 11:17	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	13 October	Successful
		Apogee: 116 kilometres (72 mi)
13 October 15:30:04	Juno II			Cape Canaveral LC-5		ABMA

		Explorer 7 (S-1A)	NASA	Low Earth	Scientific	In orbit	Successful
		Broadcast data until 24 August 1961
13 October	WS-199B Bold Orion II			B-47, Cape Canaveral		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	13 October	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
14 October 04:15	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	14 October	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
15 October 11:05	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	15 October	Successful
		Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi)
16 October 11:17	Nike-Cajun			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	16 October	Successful
		Apogee: 139 kilometres (86 mi)
15 October	R-11A Zemlya			Ostrov Kheysa		AN

			AN	Suborbital		15 October	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
15 October	R-11A Zemlya			Ostrov Kheysa		AN

			AN	Suborbital		15 October	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
20 October 14:25	Aerobee AJ10-34			White Sands		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Ionospheric	20 October	Successful
		Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)
21 October 22:57	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-1-1		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	21 October	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
22 October 03:20	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26A		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	22 October	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
22 October 17:30	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	22 October	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
22 October	OPd-56-39-22D (Antares)			CERES		ONERA

			ONERA	Suborbital	REV test	22 October	Successful
		Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
24 October	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	24 October	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
25 October 17:32	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	25 October	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
25 October 17:44	Aerobee-300			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force/Utah	Suborbital	Ionospheric	25 October	Successful
		Apogee: 386 kilometres (240 mi)
26 October 17:00	Nike-Cajun			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Ionospheric	26 August	Launch failure
27 October	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	27 October	Launch failure
28 October 14:47	Aerobee-300			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force/Utah	Suborbital	Ionospheric	28 October	Successful
		Apogee: 135 kilometres (84 mi)
28 October 22:40	Shotput			Wallops Island		NASA

		Echo E60	NASA/ARPA	Suborbital	Technology	28 October	Successful
		Apogee: 400 kilometres (250 mi)
29 October 02:12	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	29 October	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
29 October 07:20	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-11		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	29 October	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
30 October 11:49	Black Knight 201			Woomera LA-5A		RAE

			RAE	Suborbital	REV test	30 October	Successful
		Apogee: 732 kilometres (455 mi)

November

November launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 November 21:23	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
3 November	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	3 November	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
4 November 21:37	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	4 November	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
5 November 00:38	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-6		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	5 November	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
6 November 07:25	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			White Sands LC-35		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	Aeronomy	6 November	Successful
		Apogee: 142 kilometres (88 mi)
6 November 16:36	Aerobee-300			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force/Utah	Suborbital	Ionospheric	6 November	Successful
		Apogee: 393 kilometres (244 mi)
7 November 20:28:41	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-4		US Air Force

		Discoverer 7 (KH-1 9004)	CIA DST	Low Earth	Optical imaging	26 November	Spacecraft failure
		Satellite tumbled out of control
10 November 12:00	Strongarm			Wallops Island		US Army

			BRL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	10 November	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi), maiden flight of Strongarm
12 November 19:24	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-1-2		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	12 November	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
14 November 22:38	Aerobee-300			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	14 November	Successful
		Apogee: 138 kilometres (86 mi)
18 November 19:30	Nike-Asp			Elgin		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Ionospheric	18 November	Successful
		Apogee: 206 kilometres (128 mi)
18 November 22:17	Nike-Asp			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Aeronomy	18 November	Successful
		Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi), released sodium
18 November	Strongarm			Wallops Island		US Army

			BRL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	18 November	Launch failure
		Apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi)
19 November 01:31	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	19 November	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
19 November 07:44	Aerobee-150 (Hi)			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Ionospheric	19 November	Launch failure
		Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)
19 November 10:36	Nike-Cajun			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	19 November	Successful
		Apogee: 119 kilometres (74 mi)
19 November 10:51	Nike-Asp			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Aeronomy	19 November	Successful
		Apogee: 255 kilometres (158 mi), released sodium
19 November	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	19 November	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
20 November 10:51	Nike-Asp			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Aeronomy	20 November	Successful
		Apogee: 236 kilometres (147 mi), released sodium
20 November 17:11	UGM-27 Polaris A1			Cape Canaveral LC-29A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	20 November	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
20 November 18:16	Nike-Cajun			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Aeronomy	20 November	Successful
		Apogee: 119 kilometres (74 mi)
20 November 19:25:24	Thor DM-18 Agena-A			Vandenberg LC-75-3-5		US Air Force

		Discoverer 8 (KH-1 9005)	CIA DST	Low Earth	Optical imaging	8 March 1960	Launch failure
		Inserted into useless orbit with greater eccentricity than planned
20 November 21:06	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	20 November	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
22 November 18:35	Aerobee-300			Churchill		US Air Force

			US Air Force/Utah	Suborbital	Ionospheric	22 November	Launch failure
		Apogee: 35 kilometres (22 mi)
24 November 19:48	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	24 November	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
26 November 07:26	Atlas-Able			Cape Canaveral LC-14		US Air Force

		Pioneer P-3	NASA	Intended: Selenocentric	Lunar orbiter	+45 seconds	Launch failure
		Payload fairing separated prematurely, rocket disintegrated
27 November 01:12:33	R-7 Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	27 November	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
30 November 09:58	Aerobee			White Sands		US Navy

			NRL	Suborbital	UV Astronomy	30 November	Successful
		Apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi)
30 November 10:16	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			Queen's	Suborbital	Aeronomy	30 November	Successful
		Apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi), released sodium
30 November 12:35	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			UCL	Suborbital	Aeronomy	30 November	Successful
		Apogee: 163 kilometres (101 mi)
30 November	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	30 November	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
November	R-13			Project 611 submarine		VMF

			VMF	Suborbital	Missile test		Successful
		Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)

December

December launches
Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Flight number	Launch site		LSP
		Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
		Remarks
1 December 11:36	Skylark-2			Woomera LA-2		RAE

			UCL Birmingham	Suborbital	Aeronomy	1 December	Successful
		Apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi)
1 December 17:00	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-18B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	1 December	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
1 December	Trailblazer 1			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	REV test	1 December	Successful
		Apogee: 260 kilometres (160 mi)
2 December 05:29	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-1-2		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	2 December	Launch failure
3 December	R-11A Zemlya			Ostrov Kheysa		AN

			AN	Suborbital		3 December	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
3 December	R-11A Zemlya			Ostrov Kheysa		AN

			AN	Suborbital		3 December	Successful
		Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi)
12 December 17:11	HGM-25A Titan I			Cape Canaveral LC-16		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	+0 seconds	Launch failure
		Vibrations from ignition erroneously triggered self-destruct system whilst rocket was still on pad^[4]^[5]
17 December 20:13	UGM-27 Polaris A1			Cape Canaveral LC-29A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	7 December	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
9 December 00:10	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	9 December	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
10 December 00:08	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-6		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	10 December	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
15 December 02:14	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Vandenberg LC-75-1-1		Royal Air Force

			Royal Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	15 December	Launch failure
15 December	OPd-56-39-22D (Antares)			CERES		ONERA

			ONERA	Suborbital	REV test	15 December	Successful
		Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
16 December 04:50	UGM-27 Polaris A1			Cape Canaveral LC-29A		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	16 December	Launch failure
		Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
16 December	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	16 December	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
16 December	Nike-Zeus A			White Sands LC-38		US Army

			US Army	Suborbital	Test flight	16 December	Launch failure
		Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
17 December 00:03	PGM-19 Jupiter			Cape Canaveral LC-26B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	17 December	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
17 December	PGM-17 Thor DM-18A			Cape Canaveral LC-17B		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	17 December	Successful
		Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi)
18 December	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	18 December	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
19 December 00:48	SM-65D Atlas			Cape Canaveral LC-13		US Air Force

			US Air Force	Suborbital	Missile test	19 December	Successful
		Apogee: 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi)
21 December	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	21 December	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
22 December 07:56	Javelin			Wallops Island		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight	22 December	Successful
		Apogee: 901 kilometres (560 mi)
23 December 19:05	R-7A Semyorka			Baikonur Site 1/5		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	23 December	Successful
		Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi)
23 December	UGM-27 Polaris A1			Cape Canaveral LC-25B		US Navy

			US Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	23 December	Launch failure
		Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
26 December	R-5A Pobeda			Chelkar		RVSN

			RVSN	Suborbital	Target	26 December	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
27 December	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	27 December	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
28 December	R-12 Dvina			Kapustin Yar		MVS

			MVS	Suborbital	Missile test	28 December	Successful
		Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi)
December	R-5A Pobeda			Chelkar		RVSN

			RVSN	Suborbital	Target	December	Successful
		Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
Unknown	R-11FM Zemlya			B-67, Beloye More		VMF

			VMF	Suborbital	Missile test		Launch failure
Unknown	ALSOR			F-104, Edwards		NASA

			NASA	Suborbital	Test flight		Successful
		Apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi)

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (GMT)	Spacecraft	Event	Remarks
4 January	Luna 1	First Lunar flyby	Failed impactor, closest approach: 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi)
4 March	Pioneer 4	Lunar flyby	Closest approach: 60,200 kilometres (37,400 mi)
14 September	Luna 2	First Lunar impact	Landed in Mare Imbrium, first spacecraft to reach the surface of a celestial body
6 October	Luna 3	Lunar flyby	First Circumlunar flight, returned 29 pictures including first images of the far side of the Moon; closest approach 6,200 kilometres (3,900 mi)

Orbital launch summary

By country

	Soviet Union
	United States

Orbital launch attempts by country in 1959

Country	Launches	Successes	Failures	Partial failures	Remarks
Soviet Union	4	2	2	0
United States	19	8	9	2

By rocket

Rocket	Country	Launches	Successes	Failures	Partial failures	Remarks
Atlas-Able	United States	1	0	1	0	Maiden flight
Juno II	United States	4	1	2	1
Luna 8K72	Soviet Union	4	2	2	0
Thor DM-18 Agena-A	United States	8	5	3	0	Maiden flight
Thor DM-18 Able-II	United States	1	0	1	0
Thor DM-18 Able-III	United States	1	1	0	0
Vanguard	United States	4	1	2	1	Final flight

By orbit

Orbital regime	Launches	Successes	Failures	Remarks
Low Earth	12	7	5
Medium Earth	4	1	3
High Earth	2	2	0	Including Highly elliptical orbits
Heliocentric	5	3	2

References

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. "Jonathan's Space Report".
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.
"Space Calendar". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
"Space Information Center". JAXA.
"Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).

Generic references:

Spaceflight portal

Footnotes

1 2 3 4 5 Krebs, Gunter. "Vanguard". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
↑ Lafleur, Claude. "Pioneer 4". Spacecrafts [sic] launched in 1959. The Spacecraft Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
↑ Eleazer, Wayne (31 January 2011). "Launch failures: the "Oops!" factor". The Space Review. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
1 2 Powell, Joel W.; LeBrun, Art (2006). Go For Launch: An Illustrated History of Cape Canaveral. Canada: Apogee Books. p. 128. ISBN 1-894959-43-4.
↑ Powell, Joel W.; LeBrun, Art (2006). Go For Launch: An Illustrated History of Cape Canaveral. Canada: Apogee Books. pp. 81–85. ISBN 1-894959-43-4.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[Vanguard_PL-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Krebs, Gunter. "Vanguard". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2009.

[2] Lafleur, Claude. "Pioneer 4". Spacecrafts [sic] launched in 1959. The Spacecraft Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2009.

[3] Eleazer, Wayne (31 January 2011). "Launch failures: the "Oops!" factor". The Space Review. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.

[GFL-128-4] 1 2 Powell, Joel W.; LeBrun, Art (2006). Go For Launch: An Illustrated History of Cape Canaveral. Canada: Apogee Books. p. 128. ISBN 1-894959-43-4.

[GFL-T1-5] Powell, Joel W.; LeBrun, Art (2006). Go For Launch: An Illustrated History of Cape Canaveral. Canada: Apogee Books. pp. 81–85. ISBN 1-894959-43-4.

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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 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Future

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 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Future

← 1958 · Orbital launches in 1959 · 1960 →
Mechta Vanguard 2 Discoverer 1 Pioneer 4 Discoverer 2 Unnamed, Unnamed Discoverer 3 Luna E-1A No.1 Vanguard SLV-6 Discoverer 4 Explorer S-1 Explorer 6 Discoverer 5 Beacon 2 Discoverer 6 Luna 2 Transit 1A Vanguard 3 Luna 3 Explorer 7 Discoverer 7 Discoverer 8 Pioneer P-3
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( \| ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in (brackets).