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 2024
One milestone event (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1964 – LAUNCH: AS-102 (SA-7), LC37B, CCAFS – Saturn I first programmable flight computer flight test.
1973- MM X-24B flight 32, Dryden Lake – Pilot John Manke
1991 – LANDING: STS-48 (Discovery), Edwards AFB
1995 – LANDING: STS-69 (Endeavour), KSC – MILESTONE: 30 years ago
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
2024 – Lockheed Martin awarded contract for next generation Geo-XO lightning mapper for next generation weather satellites (two instruments)
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
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 photos today are of two missions.
First, there is a photo 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.
Second, there is a photo of the launch of AEHF-3 by Atlas V in 2013. The photo was found on the ULA Flickr repository and has the following caption:
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket with the U.S. Air Force’s third Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-3) satellite blasts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on Sept. 18, 2013. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance. Copyright © United Launch Alliance, all rights reserved. This photo is being used for non-commercial and historical purposes for retirees of ULA and LM.
