The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1959, the latest event was in 2021
Three milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1972 – LAUNCH: Apollo 17, Saturn V, LC39A, KSC – Final Apollo mission to the moon with Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, and Ron Evans
1996 – LANDING: STS-80 (Columbia), KSC
2002 – LANDING: STS-113 (Endeavour), KSC
Military and Classified Programs:
1960 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Discoverer 18, Thor/Lockheed Agena B, SLC1W, VAFB
1966 – LAUNCH: ATS-1, GD Atlas SLV-3/Lockheed Agena D, LC12, CCAFS – Applications technology
2016 – LAUNCH: WGS-8, ULA Delta 4M+(5,4), LC37B, CCAFS
2021 – LAUNCH: STPSat-6, LDPE-1 ULA Atlas V 551, LC41, CCSFS – Space Force technology demonstrations
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
1968 – LAUNCH: OAO-2, GD Atlas SLV-3C/Centaur, LC36B, CCAFS – Astronomical observatory
1995 – Jupiter atmospheric module released from Galileo spacecraft intended for entry into the Jovian atmosphere. Martin Marietta provided three of the instruments in this probe (built by Hughes Aerospace). See details below:
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
NONE
Commercial Programs:
1979 – LAUNCH: RCA Satcom 3, Delta 3914, LC17A, CCAFS – MILESTONE: 45 years ago
1991 – LAUNCH: Eutelsat II F3, GD Atlas II, LC36B, CCAFS
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1959 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A1, LC29A, CCAFS – MILESTONE: 65 years ago
1961 – LAUNCH: GD Atlas D, 576-B3, VAFB
1962 – 556th squadron of GD Atlas F ICBMs transferred to SAC, Plattsburgh AFB, New York – Completed Atlas activations
1985 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Trident C-4, SSBN 657, ETR
1994 – LAUNCH (2): Lockheed Trident C-4, SSBN730, ETR – MILESTONE: 30 years ago
1995 – LAUNCH: LM Trident D-5, SSBN741, ETR
Other:
NONE
The photos today are from two missions:
First, there is the launch of the last Apollo lunar landing mission, Apollo 17, the crew (Commander Gene Cernan, LM Pilot Harrison “Jack” Schmitt and CM Pilot Ron Evans), and the famous “blue marble” photo of Earth.
Second, there is a diagram of the atmospheric probe from the Galileo mission that was released from the main spacecraft. Martin Marietta build these three instruments for the probe (Hughes Aircraft company had primary responsibility).
- Galileo Probe Atmospheric Structure Instrument (ASI) – Measured temperature, pressure and deceleration. Principal investigators: Ames Research Center and San Jose State.
- Galileo Probe Nephelometer (NEP) instrument – Determined cloud locations and did cloud particle observations. Principal investigators: Ames Research Center and San Jose State.
- Galileo Probe Net-flux Radiometer (NFR) instrument – Measured the difference between upward and downward radiant flux at each altitude. Principal investigator: University of Wisconsin.
