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Aviation History
1965
1965 - 0051.PDF
Possibly the most significant US space launching in 1964 was that of the Atlas Agma carrying Mariner 4 (left), made from Cape Kennedy on November 28. Other important launches towards the end of the year included those of the Atlas Centaur AC-4 vehicle (centre) from Cape Kennedy on December II, and Explorer 26 (right) by Delta vehicle from Cape Kennedy on December 21. Mariner 4 had completed over 50 million miles of its journey to Mars by the end of the year Spaceflight THE YEAR IN SPACE A total of over 100 spacecraft launched by 87 rocket vehicles into Earth orbit or beyond made 1964 the most active year in space exploration to date. The exact total is uncertain: the US Defense Department does not always reveal the number of satellites placed in orbit on occasions when more than one spacecraft are launched by a single rocket. According to con- temporary reports in Flight the US Defense Department orbi- ted at least 45 payloads from 35 launches, including at least five multiple launchings. Unofficial US sources have given the total from the same number of launchings as 50 payloads, including nine multiple shots. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched 23 spacecraft from 22 vehicles during the year, while the Soviet Union launched 35 craft using 30 vehicles. This brings the grand total to 103 known satellites, or 108 using the US sources. It is possible that the true total is even higher, since further unannounced USAF pick-a-back satellites may also have been orbited. The NASA total, detailed below, included two Rangers launched towards the Moon, two Mariners launched towards Mars and the Italian San Marco orbital flight. The Soviet total included two twin launchings of Electron satellites; the triple launch of Cosmos 38, 39 and 40 and double launch of Cosmos 42 and 43; and the three-man Voskhod orbital flight. It included also the mysterious Zond 1 which appeared to be heading for Venus, and Zond 2, now on its way towards Mars. Annual totals for spacecraft launched into orbit or beyond since 1957 are as given in the following table: these figures do not include rocket bodies, fragments or unannounced pick-a-back satellites. Year 1957 19581959 1960 19611962 1963 1964 USSR . 21 . 34 7. 21 . 17 . 35 USA 711 1731 5755 68 (or 73*) Total 90 246 (or 251*) 1 Totals according to unofficial US reports. NASA'S YEAR The successful launch of Explorer 26 from Cape Kennedy on December 21 brought the National Aeronautics and Spacs Adminis- tration's record for the year to 28 successes out of a total of 33 major space launchings. This total comprised 22 Earth-orbital attempts, four space probes and seven suborbital flights. Among the failures were Ranger 6, which hit the Moon but failed to send back pictures on January 30; and Mariner 3, launched towards Mars on November 5, which failed to jettison its fairing and is transmitting no data. On December 9 the second mission (GT-2) in the Gemini programme was attempted: the Titan failed to leave the pad because of a defect in the hydraulic system. An attempt to launch an ionospheric beacon Explorer satellite into orbit on March 19 was unsuccessful, and the interplanetary monitoring platform, Explorer 21, was placed in an orbit lower than planned on October 3. Most spectacular success was that of Ranger 7, which trans- mitted 4,316 high-quality pictures of the lunar surface on July 31,
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