The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1960, the latest event was in 2003
One milestone event (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1964 – LAUNCH: A-001, GD Little Joe II, LC36, White Sands, New Mexico – Apollo command module boilerplate – MILESTONE: 60 years ago
Military and Classified Programs:
1961 – Space Systems Division completed a review highlighting development of a new Martin Titan launch vehicle using solid rocket motors
1978 – LAUNCH: GPS SVN02, GD Atlas F/SVS, SLC3E, VAFB
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
NONE
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
1998 – LAUNCH: LM NOAA 15 (K), LM Titan II SLV, SLC4W, VAFB
Commercial Programs:
1976 – LAUNCH: Comstar 1, GD Atlas SLV-3D/Centaur, LC36A, CCAFS
2003 – LAUNCH: Hellas Sat 2, LM Atlas V 401, LC41, CCAFS
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1960 – LAUNCH: Martin Titan I, LC15, CCAFS
1961 – LAUNCH: GD Atlas E, LC11, CCAFS
1963 – LAUNCH: MM Titan II, 395-D, VAFB
1966 – LAUNCH: GD Atlas D, 576-A1, VAFB
1988 – LAUNCH: MM Pershing 2, Fort Bliss, Texas
Other:
1988 – SLC-6 (VAFB) ordered mothballed by USAF Secretary Aldridge
The photos today are of two events. First, there is a photo of the first Little Joe II launch at White Sands in 1964, carrying the Apollo A001 boilerplate. Photo Credit: NASA.
Second, a photo was found in the USAF/USSF photo archives of the launch of NOAA 15 (K) on Titan II SLV in 1998. The photo is released as public domain with the following descriptions and disclaimers from the archive:
A refurbished Titan II missile launches the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NOAA 15 weather satellite from Vandenberg AFB on 13 May 1998. (USAF photo)
Non-Commercial Use Authorized. Except in cases where productions are authorized for DoD assistance, DoD VI [Visual Information] may be distributed, copied, and used, for non-commercial, personal use, as well as historical and newsworthy purposes or activities. Display of the non-DoD endorsement disclaimer is requested.
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