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Some Famous ROCKET FLIGHTS and SATELLITE LAUNCHINGS
September 6, 1944 First V-2 launchings in World War II.
February 24, 1949 V-2 combined with a WAC Corporal rocket set new altitude and speed records of 244 miles and 5100 miles per hour. These records remained unbroken for a number of years.
October 4, 1957 Sputnik I launched by USSR. First man-made satellite.
November 3, 1957 Sputnik II launched. Carried test dog Laika, first living thing put into orbit around earth.
December 17, 1957 U. S. Atlas fired successfully for first time.
January 31, 1958 Explorer I launched. First U. S. man-made satellite. Discovered Van Allen radiation belt around earth.
December 18, 1958 Project Score satellite launched by U. S. Atlas. First time human voice beamed from outer space (recorded message by President Eisenhower).
January 2, 1959 Lunik I space probe launched by USSR. Went into orbit around sun to become first man-made planet.
February 28, 1959 Discoverer I launched by U. S. First polar-orbit satellite.
March 3, 1959 Pioneer IV lunar probe launched and went into orbit around sun. First U. S.-made planet.
May 28, 1959 Monkeys Able and Baker, in nose cone of a Jupiter IRBM, carried 300 miles into space on a 1700-mile flight. First safe recovery of animals from longdistance flight through space.
August 7, 1959 Explorer VI launched by U. S. Took first television pictures of earth from space.
September 12, 1959 Lunik II lunar probe launched by USSR. Hit moon 35 hours later, after traveling 236,875 miles.
October 3, 1959 Lunik III, a translunar earth satellite, launched by USSR. Circled around moon, taking first pictures of far side. Went into orbit around earth and beyond orbital path of moon.
March 11, 1960 Pioneer V launched by U. S. and went into orbit around sun between orbital paths of earth and Venus. Transmitted messages from 22,462,740 miles in space, a new long-distance communication record.
April 1, 1960 Tiros I (weather satellite) launched by U. S. First satellite to provide detailed photographs of earth\'s weather.
April 13, 1960 Transit I-B (navigation satel-lite) launched by U. S. First time rocket engine restarted in space.
May 20, 1960 U. S. Atlas set new record for long-range ballistic-missile flight—9,000 miles.
June 22, 1960 Transit II-A and Greb launched by U. S. First successful twin launching, Greb riding piggyback on Transit II-A.
August 12, 1960 Echo I communications satellite launched by U. S. Photograph and two-way radio messages were bounced off satellite, establishing feasibility of using satellites for transmission of communications around the world.
August 19-20, 1960 USSR launched Spacecraft II, carrying two dogs and other animals, into orbit. First safe return of living creatures from orbital trip into space.
From: MODEL ROCKETS for Beginners BY: H. H. GILMORE
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