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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