content
1958 in spaceflight
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1958_in_spaceflight" .
Launches
This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1958 .
Date/Time
(GMT )
Rocket
Site
LSP
Payload
Operator
Orbit
Function
Decay
(GMT )
Outcome
Remarks
January 28
Thor DM-18
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Failure
February 1
03:47 GMT
Juno I
LC-26A , Cape Canaveral
US Army / ARPA
Explorer 1
US Army
LEO
Magnetosphere research
March 31 , 1970
Successful
First American spacecraft in orbit
Discovered Van Allen belts
February 5
07:33 GMT
Vanguard
LC-18A , Cape Canaveral
US Navy
Vanguard 1B
US Navy
Intended: LEO
Demonstrate orbital launch capability
T+57 seconds
Failure
Loss of control
February 28
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Failure
March 5
18:27 GMT
Juno I
LC-26A , Cape Canaveral
US Army / ARPA
Explorer 2
US Army
Intended:LEO
Magnetosphere research
March 5 , 1958
Failure
Fourth stage failed to ignite
March 17
12:15 GMT
Vanguard
LC-18A , Cape Canaveral
US Navy
Vanguard 1
US Navy
LEO
Demonstrate orbital launch capability
Still in orbit
Successful
Oldest spacecraft remaining in orbit
March 26
17:38 GMT
Juno I
LC-5 , Cape Canaveral
US Army / ARPA
Explorer 3
US Army
LEO
Magnetosphere research
June 27 , 1958
Successful
April 19
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Failure
April 23
Thor Able
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
1 mouse
US Air Force
Sub-orbital
Demonstrate re-entry capability
T+150 seconds
Failure
Pump gearbox failure
Maiden flight of Thor-Able rocket.
April 27
09:01 GMT
R-7 8A91
LC-1 , Baikonur
RVSN
ISZ
RVSN
Intended: Low Earth Orbit
Physical research
T+88 seconds
Failure
LV disintegrated
April 29
02:53 GMT
Vanguard
LC-18A , Cape Canaveral
US Navy
Vanguard 2A
US Navy
Intended: LEO
X-ray and environmental research
29 April 1958
Failure
Third stage failed to ignite
May 15
03:46 GMT
R-7 8A91
LC-1 , Baikonur
RVSN
Sputnik 3
RVSN
Low Earth Orbit
Physical research
April 6 , 1960
Partially successful
Launched with faulty recorder; only data transmitted directly was received
May 28
03:46 GMT
Vanguard
LC-18A , Cape Canaveral
US Navy
Vanguard 2B
US Navy
Intended: LEO
X-ray and environmental research
28 May 1958
Failure
Guidance malfunction
June 4
Thor DM-18
LC-18B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
June 13
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
June 26
05:00 GMT
Vanguard
LC-18A , Cape Canaveral
US Navy
Vanguard 2C
US Navy
Intended: LEO
X-ray and environmental research
26 June 1958
Failure
Premature cutoff of second stage
July 10
02:30 GMT
Thor Able
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
1 mouse
US Air Force
Sub-orbital
Demonstrate re-entry capability
July 10 , 1957
Successful
July 13
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
July 23
Thor Able
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
1 mouse
US Air Force
Sub-orbital
Demonstrate re-entry capability
July 23 , 1957
Successful
July 26
15:07 GMT
Juno I
LC-5 , Cape Canaveral
US Army / ARPA
Explorer 4
US Army
LEO
Magnetosphere research
October 23 , 1959
Successful
July 26
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Failure
August 6
Thor DM-18
LC-18B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
August 17
12:18 GMT
Thor Able
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
Pioneer 0
NASA
Intended: Lunar flyby
Lunar probe
T+77 seconds
Failure
LV exploded
August 24
06:17 GMT
Juno I
LC-5 , Cape Canaveral
US Army / ARPA
Explorer 5
US Army
Intended: LEO
Magnetosphere research
August 24 , 1958
Failure
Collision between booster and second stage disrupted upper stage firing angle
September 23
Luna 8K72
LC-1 , Baikonur
RVSN
Luna 1958A
RVSN
Intended: Lunar impact
Lunar probe
T+93 seconds
Failure
LV breakup
September 26
15:38 GMT
Vanguard
LC-18A , Cape Canaveral
US Navy
Vanguard 2D
US Navy
Intended: LEO
X-ray and environmental research
26 September 1958
Failure
Insufficient thrust to reach orbit
October 11
08:45 GMT
Thor Able
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
Pioneer 1
NASA
Intended: Lunar flyby
Actual: LEO
Lunar probe
October 12 , 1958
Failure
Insufficient thrust to reach moon
October 11
Luna 8K72
LC-1 , Baikonur
RVSN
Luna 1958B
RVSN
Intended: Lunar impact
Lunar probe
T+104 seconds
Failure
LV exploded
November 5
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
November 8
07:30 GMT
Thor Able
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
Pioneer 2
NASA
Intended: Lunar flyby
Lunar probe
November 8 , 1958
Failure
Third stage failed to ignite
November 26
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
December 4
Luna 8K72
LC-1 , Baikonur
RVSN
Luna 1958C
RVSN
Intended: Lunar impact
Lunar probe
T+245 seconds
Failure
LV exploded
December 5
Thor DM-18
LC-18B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
December 6
05:45 GMT
Juno II
LC-17A , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
Pioneer 3
NASA
Intended: Lunar flyby
Lunar probe
December 7 , 1958
Failure
First stage depleted propellant early; erroneous orbit injection angle
December 16
Thor DM-18
LC-17B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
December 16
23:44 GMT
Thor DM-18
LC-75-1-1, Vandenberg AFB
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Operational Test
N/A
Successful
December 18
23:02 GMT
Atlas B
LC-11 , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
Project SCORE
ARPA
LEO
Comsat
January 21 , 1959
Successful
First communications satellite
December 30
Thor DM-18
LC-18B , Cape Canaveral
US Air Force
(none)
N/A
N/A
IRBM Research & Development
N/A
Successful
References
© jGames.co.uk 2007 (some content from Wikipedia under GDL )
!-- ValueClick Media 468x60 and 728x90 Banner CODE for jgames.co.uk -->