The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1947, the latest event was in 2013
Three milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1964 – LAUNCH: AS-102 (SA-7), LC37B, CCAFS – Saturn I first programmable flight computer flight test. MILESTONE: 60 years ago
1973- MM X-24B flight 32, Dryden Lake – Pilot John Manke
1991 – LANDING: STS-48 (Discovery), Edwards AFB
1995 – LANDING: STS-69 (Endeavour), KSC
Military and Classified Programs:
1968 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Corona 128, Thorad SLV-2G/Lockheed Agena D, SLC1E, VAFB
2013 – LAUNCH: LM AEHF-3, ULA Atlas V 531, LC41, CCAFS
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
1959 – LAUNCH: Vanguard 3, Martin Vanguard SLV-7, LC18A, CCAFS – Last Vanguard launch – Stage 3 did not detach, but the orbit was successful and this did not interfere with spacecraft operations
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
1962 – LAUNCH: RCA Tiros-6, Thor Delta, LC17A, CCAFS
Commercial Programs:
2002 – LAUNCH: Hispasat 1D, LM Atlas IIAS, LC36B, CCAFS
2007 – LAUNCH: Worldview 1, ULA Delta 7920-10C, SLC2W, VAFB
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1958 – LAUNCH FAILURE: GD Atlas B, LC13, CCAFS
1969 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A2E, SSBN619, ETR – MILESTONE: 55 years ago
1976 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A3, SSBN611, ETR
1986 – LAUNCH: MM Peacekeeper, LF08, VAFB
Other:
1947 – US Army Air Corps becomes the US Air Force
The photo today is of the last Vanguard launch, Vanguard 3 (Vanguard SLV-7) in 1959. Here’s information about the photo:
Launch of a three-stage Vanguard (SLV-7) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, September 18, 1959. Designated Vanguard III, the 100-pound satellite was used to study the magnetic field and radiation belt. In September 1955, the Department of Defense recommended and authorized the new program, known as Project Vanguard, to launch Vanguard booster to carry an upper atmosphere research satellite in orbit. The Vanguard vehicles were used in conjunction with later booster vehicle such as the Thor and Atlas, and the technique of gimbaled (movable) engines for directional control was adapted to other rockets. Photo Credit: NASA/MSFC.
