The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1954, the latest event was in 2022
Two milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1971 – MM X-24A Flight 24, Dryden Lake – Pilot Cecil Powell
2002 – LAUNCH: STS-109 (Columbia), LC39A, KSC – 7 person crew, LM Hubble Servicing Mission 3B. Crew: Scott Altman, Duane Carey, John Grunsfeld, Nancy Currie, Richard Linnehan, James Newman, Michael Massimino
Military and Classified Programs:
1972 – LAUNCH: IMEWS3, MM Titan IIIC, LC40, CCAFS
2017 – LAUNCH: USA 274, ULA Atlas V 401, SLC3E, VAFB
2022 – LM selects mission payload providers for the next generation early warning satellite system OPIR (Overhead Persistent Infrared).
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
NONE
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
2018 – LAUNCH: GOES 17, ULA Atlas V 451, LC41, CCAFS
2022 – LAUNCH: LM GOES-T, ULA Atlas V 541, LC41, CCSFS
Commercial Programs:
1997 – LAUNCH: LM Intelsat 801, Ariane 44P, ELA2, Kourou, French Guiana
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1954 – GD Atlas system propulsion work begins – MILESTONE: 70 years ago
1957 – LAUNCH: Lockheed X-17, LC3, CCAFS
1961 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A2, EAG-154, ETR
1962 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A2, LC29A, CCAFS
1962 – LAUNCH: Atlas A, OSTF1, VAFB
1963 – LAUNCH: Atlas F, LC11, CCAFS
1965 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A3, SSBN630, ETR
1966 – LAUNCH (2): Lockheed Polaris A2, SSBN611, ETR
1973 – LAUNCH (4): Lockheed Polaris A3, SSBN633, ETR
1974 – LAUNCH: MM Titan II, 395-C, VAFB – MILESTONE: 50 years ago
Other:
NONE
The photos today are from three missions. First, the STS-109 mission launched on this day in 2002 to perform another Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission (3B); photos include the launch, the crew and work on HST. This was the last successful mission for Columbia prior to the tragic loss of STS-107 in 2003.
Second, GOES-T (GOES-18) was launched two years ago (2022) on an Atlas V 541 and photos are included of the spacecraft before integration and the Atlas V on the pad prior to launch.
Third, there is a notional artist’s conception of the OPIR (Overhead Persistent Infrared) next generation ballistic missile detection spacecraft. LM has the contract to build the three GEO satellites (geosynchronous) and Northrop Grumman has the contract to build the two polar platforms. The first launch is planned for 2025.
