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 2007
Two milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1969 – MM X-24A flight 2, Dryden Lake – Pilot Jerhauld Gentry
1989 – LANDING: STS-30 (Atlantis), Edwards AFB
Military and Classified Programs:
1962 – LAUNCH FAILURE: GD Atlas/Centaur, LC36A, CCAFS – FAILURE; first test of Centaur upper stage
2000 – LAUNCH: DSP-1 Block 18 F20, LM Titan IVB(402)/IUS, LC40, CCAFS – MILESTONE: 25 years ago
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
2007 – LM Mars Phoenix Lander spacecraft delivered to NASA
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
NONE
Commercial Programs:
1985 – LAUNCH: GE GSTAR-2 (also Telecom 1B), Ariane 3, ELA2, Kourou, French Guiana – MILESTONE: 40 years ago
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1959 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris AX, LC25A, CCAFS
1961 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A2, LC29A, CCAFS
1996 – LAUNCH: LM Peacekeeper, LF-05, VAFB
1997 – LAUNCH: LM Peacekeeper, LF-05, VAFB
Other:
NONE
The photo today is the launch of DSP-1 Block 18 F20 on Titan IVB(402)/IUS in 2000. The photo was found on the USAF/USSF Photo Archives and is labeled “Public Domain” with the following description and disclaimer as requested by DoD:
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. — A U.S. Air Force Titan IVB space launch vehicle thundered into the Florida sky May 8, 2000, carrying a Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite that will add to a constellation of similar satellites the Air Force uses to provide early warning of missile launches worldwide. An inertial upper stage transferred the satellite to its final orbit. The Titan IVB is the nation’s largest, most powerful expendable launch vehicle and is built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company-Astronautics Operations near Denver, Colo. The Titan IVB is capable of boosting up to 47,800 pounds into low-Earth orbit or more than 12,700 pounds into geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth. (Courtesy photo – photographer unknown).
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