FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1131.PDF
Discoverer 20 (1961 Epsilon) Discoverer 21 (1961 Zeta) Transit 3B (1961 Eta) LOFTI 1 (1961 Eta) Sputnik 9 (1961 Theta) Sputnik 10 (1961 lota)Explorer 10 (1961 Kappa) Discoverer 23 (1961 Lambda) Explorer II (1961 Nu) Discoverer 25 (1961 Xi) Transit 4A (1961 Omicron 1) Greb 3 (1961 Omicron 2) Injun (1961 Omicron 2) Discoverer 26 (1961 Pi) Tiros 3 (1961 Rho) Midas 3 (1961 Sigma) Thor-Agena B Thor-Agena B ') 1 Thor- ' AbleStar multi-stage rocket multi-stage rocketThor-Delta Thor-Agena B Juno 2 Thor-Agena B Thor- ' AbleStar Thor-Agena B Thnr Oplra• nor wciid Atlas-Agena B Feb. 17, 1961 Vandenberg AFB Feb. 18. 1961 Vandenberg AFB F h 11 1961 Cape Canaveral) 1 March 9, 1961 March 25, 1961 March 25, 1961 Cape Canaveral April 8, 1961 Vandenberg AFB April 27, 1961 Cape Canaveral June 16, 1961 Vandenberg AFB r June 29, 1961 Cape Canaveral i i July 7, 1961 Vandenberg AFB July 12, 1961 Cape Canaveral July 12. 1961 Point Arguello cylinder 25ft x 5ft dia not disclosed sphere 36in dia sphere 20in dianot disclosed not disclosed 13i n sphere tube-connectedto I9in cylinder 52in high cylinder 25ft x 5ft dia 12m dia, 23iin longoctagon on 6in dia, 20jin long column; 44inlong fourth stage attached cylinder 25ft - 5ft dia 16-sided. 43in dia polygon,3lin high, flat top and bottom sphere 20in dia cylinder I3in - I6in dia cylinder 25ft •< 5ft dia cylinderI9in - 42in dia cylinder 30ft 5ft dia 2,450 (300) not disclosed 250 approx. 57 10,340 10,330 79 2.100 (300) 82 2,100 (300) 175 55 40 2,100 (300) 285 3,500 approx 80.43 80.74 1 [28.36 64.9 64.9 33 81.94 28.8 82.1 1 67 J 82.93 47 8 91.2 177-486 149-659 117-511 115-155 111-150 approx. 100-145 000 approx. 126-882 304-1,113 139-252 534-623 534-634 146-503 461 -506 2,129-2,153 95.4 93.8 approx. (97.8 after re-startr i94.5 •( 11. 88.6 88.4 Il2hr approx. 101.2 108.1 90.87 103.7 103.8 <I 95 100 4 161.5 systems test of Agena B satellite; test of modified satellite stabilization system (USAF) obtain engineering and research data on atmos- pheric phenomena and infra-red radiation in Earth's atmosphere in support of Air Force early-warning satellite system; test satellite stabilisation and control system (USAF)develop all-weather global navigation system; increase accuracy of geodetic measurement (USN) measure intensity of VLF signals through ono- sphere (USN) further test of spacecraft and systems for manned flight; test influence of cosmic radiation on living beings (USSR)further test of spacecraft and systems for manned flight (USSR)study Earth and interplanetary magnetic fields and interaction with solar plasma (NASA) systems test of Agena B satellite, particularly recently changed guidance, stabilizing and pro- pulsion components; improve ability to control orbital period (USAF)gamma-ray astronomy telescope to detect high- energy gamma rays from cosmic sources and map their distribution in the sky (NASA) systems test of Agena B, particularly recently changed components; improvement of orbital period control: ejection and recovery of capsule (USAF) develop all-weather global navigation system: launch three satellites by one vehicle (USN) measure solar X-radiation (US Naval Research Laboratory) measure cosmic radiation intensity (State University of Iowa) systems test of Agena B, particularly recently changed components: improvement of orbitalperiod control; ejection and recovery of capsule (USAF) (2) obtain photographs of Earth's cloud cover with two wide-angle cameras;(3) determine amount of solar energy absorbed, reflected and emitted by Earth (NASA)overall test of system for detecting missile launch- ings with satellite-borne sensors (USAFJ not disclosed not disclosed 54 324 162 216 136 not disclosed not disclosed 108 not disclosed 107.97 108.06 not disclosed 136.2 not disclosed 235 237.8 108 108.03 not disclosed equipment malfunction prevented capsule re- covery attempt: carried Smithsonian optical tracking experiment, Transit tracking beacon Agena engine re-started in space for first time during Earth orbit attempted launch of two satellites by one launch vehicle; orbit achieved but satellites failed toseparate; both transmitters worked, but elliptical orbit hampered quality of transit data carried one dog, guinea pigs, mice, insects and seeds: cabin ejected and recovered in pre- determined areacarried one dog and other animals: cabin ejected and recovered in predetermined areadata transmitted for 60hr: equipment included rubidium vapour magnetometer, two fluxgatemagnetometers, plasma probe and optical aspect sensor capsule separated but did not re-enter following stabilization problems: satellite carried lights for Smithsonian tracking experiment vehicle and payload functioned as planned capsule ejected and recovered from sea, June 18; contained rare and common metals for study of space effects, also instruments to measure radiation and micro-meteorites carried memory system, electronic clock, and four transmitters, two of which powered by nuclear generator carried two X-ray detectors, one transmitter: failed to separate from Injun carried 12 particle and proton detectors, one transmitter: failed to separate from Greb 3 capsule ejected and recovered in mid-air, July 9: carried chemical elements to assess effects of space environment, erosion gauge and micro- mitted good data; one camera ceased to func- tion, July 24 payload details not disclosed: Agena B re-started in flight to boost altitude THii column-heading "Astronaut" appears for the first time in this, our third annual summary ot satellites and probes successfully launched. The following space vehicles were in orbit at the time of going lo press (August II): Explorer I, Van- guard I, Lunik 1, Vanguard 2. Pioneer 4, Explorer 6, Vanguard 3, Explorer 7, Pioneer 5. Tiros I, Transit IB, Sputnik 4, Midas 2, Transit 2 A, Greb I, Echo I, Courier IB, Explorer .*, Tiros 2, Samos 2, Soviet Venus probe, Explorer 9, Discoverer 20. Discoverer 21, Explorer 10, Discoverer 23, Explorer II, Discoverer 25, Transit 4A, Injun; Greb 3, Discoverer 26, Tiros 3 and Midas 3. Ot these Vanguard 1, Explorer 7, Tiros I, Midas 2. Transit 2A, Courier IB. Tiros 2, Explorer It, Transit 4A and InjiinlGreb 3, Tiros 3. and possibly Afidas 3 were still transmitting data. Spacecraft Vostok (1961 Mu) Freedom 7 Liberty Bell 7 Vostok 2 (1961 Tau) Astronaut Maj Yuri A. Gagarin Soviet Air Force Cdr Alan B. Shepard USN Capt Virgil 1. Grissom USAF Soviet Atr Force Launch vehicle six-engined, thrust of "20m h.p." Redstone Redstone as for Vostok Date and place April 12, 1961 Baykonur, W. Siberia May 5, 1961 Cape Canaveral July 21. 1961 Cape Canaveral assumed Baykonur Shape cylin- drical cone- cylinder cone-cylinder cylin- drical Weight (Ib) 10,416 2.250 2,250 10.430 Type of flight orbital 65.07^ incln 89.lminperiod sub-orbital sub-orbital orbital64 9' incln V ¥ . * JIT^IVI 8.6minperiod Distance (miles) one orbit 302 303 17 orbics Height (miles) 109-188 115 118 110-160 Duration (min) 108 15 16 1.518 Remarks first manned orbital flight: spacecraft landed near Smelovka, Saratov district, 500 miles south-west ofMoscow first US manned ballistic flight (NASA Project Mercury) capsule sank in sea after escape-hatch explosive bolts fired first manned m u It i -orbital flight;
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
