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 2010
Four milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1959 – NASA combines GD Atlas D booster orders for Mercury program – MILESTONE: 65 years ago
1970 – MM X-24A flight 13, Dryden Lake – Pilot John Manke
1973 – LAUNCH: Skylab 1, Saturn V, LC39A, KSC – first US orbital workshop, MM responsible for Multiple Docking Adapter Assembly, Payload Integration, EREP experiment. Last flight of the Saturn V
2010 – LAUNCH: STS-132 (Atlantis), LC39A, KSC – 6 person crew, ISS assembly, Rassvet research module. Crew: Kenneth Ham, Dominic Antonelli, Garrett Reisman, Michael Good, Stephen Bowen, Piers Sellers.
Military and Classified Programs:
1966 – LAUNCH: Classified mission, GD Atlas SLV-3/Lockheed Agena D, SLC4E, VAFB
1995 – LAUNCH: USA 110, MM Titan IVA(401)/Centaur, LC40, CCAFS
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
NONE
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
1991 – LAUNCH: GE(RCA) NOAA-12 (D), GD Atlas E, SLC3W, VAFB
Commercial Programs:
NONE
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1954 – GD (Convair) Atlas program accelerated to the maximum extent permitted by available technology (USAF headquarters) – MILESTONE: 70 years ago
1964- Deployed GD Atlas F explodes during fueling, Altus AFB, Oklahoma – MILESTONE: 60 years ago
1970 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Poseidon C3, LC25C, CCAFS
1988 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Trident C4, SSBN (unknown), WTR
2001 – LAUNCH: LM Trident D5, SSBN737, ETR
Other:
2004 – Final LM Atlas IIAS shipped from Denver – MILESTONE: 20 years ago
The photo today is of the Skylab 1 (Skylab workshop) launch in 1973; a detailed diagram of the Skylab orbital workshop is also included. Photo and image Credits: NASA.