Encyclopedia Astronautica Index: B

Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z

Encyclopedia Astronautica Index: B

B-1 - Alternate designation for Kosmos 11K63.

B-1 - Alternate designation for Kosmos 63S1M.

B-1 - Alternate designation for Kosmos 63S1.

B-1A - Mach 2 rocket launch aircraft. N. American Bomber-variable geometry. Maximum release conditions: Bomb bay mounted, 16,364 kg (9.4 m length x 2.5 m diameter x 2.5 m span) at 2,096 kph at 11,900 m altitude. Status: In Production. Gross mass: 159,637 kg (351,939 lb). Unfuelled mass: 81,587 kg (179,868 lb). Payload: 16,364 kg (36,076 lb). Thrust: 302.40 kN (67,982 lbf). More at: Air/Kerosene

B-29 - Alternate designation for Banshee.

B-2C - Rocketdyne LOx/Kerosene rocket engine. Atlas Booster. Gas generator, pump-fed. Thrust and specific impulse values are at sea level. First flight 1958. Date: 1954. Thrust: 1,374.00 kN (308,887 lbf). More at: Lox/Kerosene

B-47 - Air/Kerosene rocket stage. Status: Retired 1959. More at: Air/Kerosene

B-52 - Alternate designation for NB-52.

B-57A - Air/Kerosene rocket stage. Status: Retired 1961. More at: Air/Kerosene

B-58 - Mach 2 rocket carrier. Convair Bomber-delta wing. Maximum release conditions: Belly mounted, 21,818 kg (22.5 m length x 1.9 m diameter x 7.1 m wingspan) at 2,130 kph at 12,195 m altitude (Kingfisher). Status: Retired 1959. Gross mass: 72,563 kg (159,974 lb). Unfuelled mass: 25,197 kg (55,549 lb). Payload: 21,818 kg (48,100 lb). Thrust: 183.23 kN (41,191 lbf). More at: Air/Kerosene

B-61 - US DoD designation for Matador.

B-611 - Chinese single-stage solid-propellant short range ballistic missile. Development began in 1995, and the design was made public in 2004. Exported to Turkey. Status: Active. First Launch: 2010-01-11. Last Launch: 2018-02-05. Number: 6 .

B-61A - Alternate designation for Matador.

B-62 - US DoD designation for Snark.

B-63 - US DoD designation for Rascal.

B-64 - US DoD designation for Navaho.

B-64A - US DoD designation for Navaho.

B-65 - US DoD designation for Atlas.

B-65 - Alternate designation for Atlas A.

B-67 - US DoD designation for Crossbow.

B-70 - Alternate designation for XB-70.

B-72 - US DoD designation for Quail ADM-20A.

B-75 - Alternate designation for Thor.

B-76 - Alternate designation for CGM-13B.

B-78 - US DoD designation for Jupiter.

B-78 - Alternate designation for Jupiter IRBM.

B-83 - US DoD designation for Bullpup AGM-12B.

B-87 - Alternate designation for Skybolt ALBM.

BA-3200 - Beal H2O2/Kerosene rocket engine. Development 1990's. Pressure-fed engine with composite ablative chamber and nozzle. Helium pressurant. Thrust declines to 70% of initial value before shutdown. Status: Development 1990's. Thrust: 14,100.00 kN (3,169,800 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

BA-330 - ISS module by Bigelow Aerospace, USA. Gross mass: 8,600 kg (18,900 lb).

BA-330 - Alternate designation for Nautilus manned space station module.

BA-44 - Beal H2O2/Kerosene rocket engine. Development 1990's. Pressure-fed restartable engine with composite ablative chamber and nozzle. Helium pressurant. Thrust declines to 50% of initial value before shutdown. Status: Development 1990's. Thrust: 196.00 kN (44,062 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

BA-810 - Beal H2O2/Kerosene rocket engine. Development 1990's. Pressure-fed engine with composite ablative chamber and nozzle. Helium pressurant. Thrust declines to 50% of initial value before shutdown. Status: Development 1990's. Thrust: 3,600.00 kN (809,300 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Babakin, Georgi Nikolayevich - Russian chief designer. Chief Designer of Lavochkin design bureau, 1965-1971. Born: 1914-11-14. Died: 1971-08-03.

Baberdin, Valeri Vasilyevich - Russian journalist cosmonaut, 1990-1992. Status: Deceased; Active 1990-1992. Born: 1948-10-28. Died: 2003-10-02.

Babiak, Martin - Slovak pilot cosmonaut, 1998-1999. As of January 2001 Babiak was a Colonel of the Slovak Air Force, studying at the Air War College in Alabama, USA. Status: Inactive. Born: 1959-04-14.

Babiychuk, Aleksandr Nikolayevich - Russian officer. Chief, Biomedical Service, of Air Force in early 1960's. Oversaw the early Vostok missions.

Babkin, Andrei Nikolayevich - Russian engineer cosmonaut, 2010-on. Status: Active 2010-on. Born: 1969-04-21.

Baby Babylon - Alternate designation for Babylon Gun.

Babylon Gun - Alternate designation for Gun-Launched ASAT.

Babylon Gun - From March of 1988 until the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Iraq contracted with Gerard Bull to build three superguns: two full sized 'Project Babylon' 1000 mm guns and one 'Baby Babylon' 350 mm prototype. Nine metric tons of special supergun propellant could fire a 600 kg projectile over a range of 1,000 kilometers, or a 2,000 kg rocket-assisted projectile. The 2,000 kg projectile would place a net payload of about 200 kg into orbit at a cost of $ 600 per kg. The 1000 mm guns were never completed. After the war UN teams destroyed the guns and gun components in Iraqi possession. Status: Cancelled 1990. First Launch: 1990-06-22. Last Launch: 1990-09-24. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Payload: 200 kg (440 lb).

BAC - British Aircraft Corporation, UK.

Bachem, Dipl-Ing Erich - German sailplane designer, co-designer of the Fieseler Fi-156 Storch, with von Braun of the Fi-166 rocket fighter. Founded own company in 1942 and developed Natter rocket interceptor. Post-war co-designer of the popular Hymer camper. Born: 1906-12-12. Died: 1960-03-25.

Bachmann - German rocket engineer in WW2. Later worked in France at LRBA as head of the internal instrumentation group of the flight mechanics and control department from 1947-1952.

Bachurin, Ivan Ivanovich - Russian test pilot cosmonaut, 1979-1992. Status: Deceased; Active 1979-1992. Born: 1942-01-29. Died: 2011-09-20.

Badgley, Peter C - American scientist. NASA Chief of the Earth Resources Survey Program and Chief of Advanced Missions, Manned Space Science Program, in the 1960's. Born: 1925-05-15. Died: 2005-09-02.

Badr - Pakistani communications technology satellite. Pakistani experimental series with a variety of payloads. Technology satellite for SUPARCO, Pakistan. Launched 1990. Status: Operational 1990. First Launch: 1990-07-16. Last Launch: 2008-07-07. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 52 kg (114 lb).

Badr 3 - Alternate name of Arabsat 3A (Badr 3).

Badr 5 - Alternate name of Arabsat 5B (Badr 5).

Badr 7 - Alternate name of Arabsat 6B (Badr 7).

Badr B - Technology satellite for SUPARCO, Pakistan. Launched 2001. First Launch: 2001-12-10. Last Launch: 2001-12-10. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 68 kg (149 lb).

Badr-2000 - Egyptian intermediate range ballistic missile. Status: Retired. Payload: 500 kg (1,100 lb).

BAe - Abbreviation for British Aerospace

Bagian, James Philipp - American physician mission specialist astronaut 1980-1995. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 14.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-29 (1989), STS-40.. Status: Inactive; Active 1980-1995. Born: 1952-02-22. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 14.08 days.

Bahagian Kajian Sains Angkasa (BAKSA) - Alternate name for BKSA.

Bahamas - Bahamas

BAI Aerosystems - American manufacturer. BAI Aerosystems, USA.

Baikal (Baikal - lake in Siberia) - Alternate name for Soyuz 5.

Baikal (Baikal - lake in Siberia) - Alternate name for Soyuz 21.

Baikonur - Russia's largest cosmodrome, the only one used for manned launches and with facilities for the larger Proton, N1, and Energia launch vehicles. The spaceport ended up on foreign soil after the break-up of Soviet Union. The official designations NIIP-5 and GIK-5 are used in official Soviet histories. It was also universally referred to as Tyuratam by both Soviet military staff and engineers, and the US intelligence agencies. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union the Russian Federation has insisted on continued use of the old Soviet 'public' name of Baikonur. In its Kazakh (Kazak) version this is rendered Baykonur. First Launch: 1957-05-15. Last Launch: 2014-07-23. Number: 2663 .

Bailey, Palmer Kent - American geologist payload specialist astronaut, 1990-1992. Status: Inactive; Active 1990-1992. Born: 1947-10-27.

BAJ - Canadian Bristol Aerojet Ltd

Baker, Ellen Louise Shulman - American physician mission specialist astronaut 1984-2012. Physician. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 28.6 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-34 (1989), STS-50, STS-71.. Status: Inactive; Active 1984-2012. Born: 1953-04-27. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 28.60 days.

Baker, Michael Allen - American test pilot astronaut 1985-2008. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 40.2 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-43 (1991), STS-52, STS-68, STS-81.. Status: Inactive; Active 1985-2008. Born: 1953-10-27. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 40.21 days.

Bakhchivangi, Grigori Yakovlevich - Russian test pilot, 1935-1943. Set 1943 world speed record in BI-1 rocketplane, but killed when it crashed. Status: Deceased. Born: 1908-02-20. Died: 1943-03-27.

Baklan - Russian pressure suit, operational 1970. The Baklan full-pressure suit was developed by Zvezda for the crew of high altitude strategic aviation aircraft. Status: operational 1970.

Baklanov, Oleg Dmitriyevich - Russian politician. Minister of General Machine Building 1983-1988. Born: 1932.

Bal - Alternate name of Uran.

BAL - Abbreviation for Bristol Aerospace Limited

Balandin, Aleksandr Nikolayevich - Russian engineer cosmonaut 1978-1994. Left cosmonaut corps for medical reasons and returned to NPO Energia until departing in 1994. Then President of Lendint-Association until 2000. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 179.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TM-9 (1990).. Status: Inactive; Active 1978-1994. Born: 1953-07-30. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 179.05 days.

Balasore - Indian military testing range. First Launch: 1979-01-01. Last Launch: 2014-04-27. Number: 724 .

Ball - American manufacturer of spacecraft. Ball Aerospace and Technology, Boulder, Colorado, USA.

Ball Space Systems - First name of Ball.

Ball, Erich K A - German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter. Born: 1901-09-12. Died: 1990-01-01.

Ballast A, B - Vehicle evaluation payload, USA. Launched 2010. First Launch: 2010-11-20. Last Launch: 2010-11-20. Number: 1 .

Ballistisches Einstufiges Traeger-Aggregat I - Alternate designation for Beta.

Ballistisches Einstufiges Traeger-Aggregat II - Alternate designation for Beta II.

Ballistisches Einstufiges Traeger-Aggregat III - Alternate designation for Beta III.

Ballistisches Einstufiges Traeger-Aggregat IV - Alternate designation for Beta IV.

Ballistisches Enistufiges Traeger-Aggregat I - Alternate designation for Beta.

Ballistisches Enistufiges Traeger-Aggregat II - Alternate designation for Beta II.

Ballistisches Enistufiges Traeger-Aggregat III - Alternate designation for Beta III.

Ballistisches Enistufiges Traeger-Aggregat IV - Alternate designation for Beta IV.

Balloon - Category of spacecraft.

balloon-launched - Category of launch vehicles.

Ballute - Acronym for Balloon parachute

Balmer series - The visible line spectrum emitted by hydrogen. The wavelengths of the lines form a series, the formula of which was established by Balmer ( 1885 ).

Balmont, Boris Vladimirovich - Russian politician. First Deputy Minister of General Machine Building 1976-1981. Chief of Chief Directorate of Ministry of General Machine Building 1965-1973. Born: 1927-10-06.

Bambi - American military anti-ballistic missile satellite. Cancelled 1963. BAllistic Missile Boost Intercept ABM system, cancelled May 1963. Status: Cancelled 1963.

BAMSE - Swedish surface-to-air missile. Development finalized in 1999. Status: Operational 1999. Gross mass: 5.70 kg (12.50 lb).

Ban Xing - Chinese technology satellite. BX-1. Ban Xing (companion satellite) subsatellite released by Shenzhou. If maneuvered away and back to the Shenzhou orbital module after the mission. Status: Operational 2008. First Launch: 2008-09-25. Last Launch: 2013-07-19. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 40 kg (88 lb).

bandpass filter - A wave filter that has a single transmission band extending from a lower cutoff frequency greater than zero to a finite upper cutoff frequency.

Bangabandhu 1 - Communication satellite built by Thales Alenia Space for Thales Alenia Space for Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Bangladesh. Used the Spacebus-4000B2 bus. Gross mass: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb).

Bangladesh -

Banshee - American intercontinental cruise missile. Cruise missile version of B-29 bomber Status: Cancelled 1945. Gross mass: 50,000 kg (110,000 lb). Payload: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). Thrust: 43.10 kN (9,689 lbf).

Bantam - Alternate name of RB 53.

Bantam - Bristol solid rocket engine. Skua first stage. Status: Retired 1973. Gross mass: 40 kg (88 lb). Unfuelled mass: 10 kg (22 lb). More at: Solid

Bantam 2 - Bristol solid rocket engine. Skua 2 first stage. Status: Retired 1981. Gross mass: 40 kg (88 lb). Unfuelled mass: 10 kg (22 lb). More at: Solid

Bantam 3 - Bristol solid rocket engine. Skua 3 first stage. Status: Retired 1981. Gross mass: 80 kg (176 lb). Unfuelled mass: 10 kg (22 lb). More at: Solid

BanXing 1 - Technology support satellite for Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), China. Launched 2008. First Launch: 2008-09-25. Last Launch: 2008-09-25. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 40 kg (88 lb).

BanXing 2 - Technology support satellite for Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), China. Launched 2016. First Launch: 2016-09-15. Last Launch: 2016-09-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 40 kg (88 lb).

Barak - Israeli surface-to-air missile. Shipborne or land-based versions. Developed with IAI. Status: Operational 2000. Gross mass: 98 kg (216 lb). Payload: 22 kg (48 lb).

Baranov SAM - Russian surface-to-air missile. First Soviet anti-aircraft barrage rocket, fired in limited numbers during siege of Leningrad, and downing two German aircraft. Status: Retired 1945.

Barbados - Barbados became involved as a bridgehead to space as the site for Gerald Bull's development of gun-boosted sounding rocket and satellite launchers in the 1960's. The facilities and modified artillery pieces he built still stand today, rusting, their original purpose a mystery to local residents.

Barbados site - Sounding rocket launch site located on island in the Caribbean. It was also from here that Gerard Bull tested his Martlet series of gun-launched sounding rockets. First Launch: 1963-01-01. Last Launch: 1968-12-14. Number: 222 .

Barbarian MDD - American heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle. Proposed launch vehicle for large SDI 'Star Wars' payloads. Expected to cost $ 400-500 million, the Barbarian could place the Zenith-Star chemical laser into low earth orbit. It would consist of 3 Shuttle SRM's, attached around a ring of six Delta RS-27 first stage boosters, which in turn clustered around a single Delta first stage booster that was the last stage of the launch vehicle. Status: Study 1987. Gross mass: 2,500,000 kg (5,500,000 lb). Payload: 45,400 kg (100,000 lb). Thrust: 35,789.56 kN (8,045,813 lbf).

Barbarian MM - American heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle. The Zenith Star space-based chemical laser missile defense weapon required a launch vehicle capable of placing a 45,000 kg payload into low earth orbit. Martin and Aerojet turned to their work 20 years earlier on advanced Titans for the MOL program. These earlier studies were combined with new concepts for tank construction and materials. The Martin Barbarian was a 4.57 m diameter Titan vehicle (instead of the customary 3.05 m) with four LR-87 engines on the first stage, and a single LR-87 engine on the second stage. Status: Study 1986. Gross mass: 2,100,000 kg (4,600,000 lb). Payload: 45,400 kg (100,000 lb). Thrust: 32,052.66 kN (7,205,725 lbf).

Barbarian MM-1 - N2O4/Aerozine-50 propellant rocket stage. All values roughly estimated based on number of engines and diameter given. Status: Study 1986. Gross mass: 400,000 kg (880,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 25,000 kg (55,000 lb). Thrust: 6,080.00 kN (1,366,830 lbf). More at: N2O4/Aerozine-50

Barbarian MM-2 - N2O4/Aerozine-50 propellant rocket stage. All values roughly estimated based on number of engines and diameter given. Status: Study 1986. Gross mass: 80,000 kg (176,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 6,000 kg (13,200 lb). Thrust: 1,214.00 kN (272,918 lbf). More at: N2O4/Aerozine-50

Barclay, John A - American officer. Commander of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency from 1958 Born: 1909-08-27. Died: 1983-05-01.

Barents Sea Launch Area - Submarine-launched ballistic missile launch area. First Launch: 1965-05-19. Last Launch: 2014-05-08. Number: 107 .

Barking Sands - Military missile test and sounding rocket launch site. In use from 1962 to present. Sandia National Laboratories operates the Kauai Test Facility for the Department of Energy and, through inter-Service Support Agreements provides the Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility with rocket launch services for target systems and upper atmosphere measurements. PMRF/KTF is recognized in the INF Treaty as an authorized site from which launches of the STARS missile can be conducted. The site was recently involved in anti-ballistic missile tests. First Launch: 1960-11-01. Last Launch: 2014-06-28. Number: 2444 .

Barkowski, Werner - German expert in production of A-4 and V-1 missiles during World War II. Stayed in Germany after the war.

Barksdale AFB - First Launch: 1977-12-14. Last Launch: 1977-12-14. Number: 1 .

Barksdale Defense Area - Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.

Barmin bureau - Russian manufacturer of missile launchers, space launch facilities, and the proposed Soviet lunar base.

Barmin, Igor Vladimirovich - Russian engineer. Head and Chief Designer of the Barmin KBOM after the death of his father in 1993. Designed mobile and fixed launchers for missiles and space boosters. Born: 1943-01-12.

Barmin, Vladimir Pavlovich - Russian chief designer. Chief Designer 1941-1993 of GSKB SpetsMash; pre-eminent Soviet designer of rocket launch complexes. Born: 1909-03-17. Died: 1993-07-17.

Barminograd - Alternate designation for DLB Lunar Base manned lunar base.

Barnaul - Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1981-1990. Type of missiles deployed unknown. IRBM base.

Barnes, Florence Lowe 'Pancho' - American pioneering aviatrix, from 1928 a barnstormer, air racer, Hollywood stunt flier; pioneered new air routes into Mexico. Opened a desert flying dude ranch in the 1930's, later a legendary watering hole for Edwards AFB test pilots. Born: 1901-07-29. Died: 1975-03-01.

Barnes, Richard JH - American diplomat. Director of the International Affairs Division of the Office of External Relations at NASA in the 1980s. He had been a long-time NASA official, first coming to the agency in 1961 to work in international programs.

Barratt, Michael Reed - American physician mission specialist astronaut 2000-on. American physician mission specialist astronaut, 2000-on. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 211.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TMA-14 (2009), STS-133.. Status: Active 2000-on. Born: 1959-04-16. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 211.49 days.

Barre, Jean-Jacques - French rocket pioneer and space visionary, who developed the EA-1941 rocket in France before work was interrupted by WW2. His work continued after the war, but was eclipsed and finally replaced rockets based on German technology. Born: 1901. Died: 1978-01-01.

Barrett, Barbara McConnell - American space tourist cosmonaut candidate 2009. Status: Inactive; Active 2009-2009. Born: 1950-12-26.

Barron, Kayla Sax - American astronaut, selected 2017. Engineer USN. Status: Active, 2017-on.. Born: 1987-09-19.

Barry, Daniel Thomas - American physician mission specialist astronaut 1992-2005. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 30.6 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-72 (1996), STS-96, STS-105.. Status: Inactive; Active 1992-2005. Born: 1953-12-30. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 30.60 days.

Bars - Believed to be a new-generation electro-optical reconnaisance satellite based on a heavily modified Yantar bus. Placed in sun synchronous orbits. Reconnaissance, opticalsatellite built by TsSKB-Progress (bus), LOMO (payload) for VKO. Used Yantar bus. Status: Operational 2015. First Launch: 2015-02-27. Last Launch: 2015-02-27. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 7,000 kg (15,400 lb).

Bars-M - Reconnaissance, optical satellite built by TsSKB-Progress (bus), LOMO (payload) for VKO, Russia. Launched 2015 - 2016. First Launch: 2015-02-27. Last Launch: 2016-03-24. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb).

Barter Island - Sounding rocket launch location. First Launch: 1970-03-02. Last Launch: 1970-03-05. Number: 3 .

Bartoe, John-David Francis - American astrophysicist payload specialist astronaut 1978-1985. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 7.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51F (1985).. Status: Inactive; Active 1978-1985. Born: 1944-11-17. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 7.95 days.

Baryshev, Vladimir Mikhailovich - Russian engineer. Designer of automated check-out and launch systems. Deputy General Designer and Chief of Filial 2 of TsKB Mashinostroyeniye. Born: 1913. Died: 1992-01-01.

BAS - British Antarctic Survey, UK.

Basalt - Alternate name for Soyuz TMA-6.

Base Aerea de Gando - Alternate name for Gando.

Base Aerea Teniente Benjamin Matienzo - Alternate designation for Base Matienzo.

Base Matienzo - Sounding rocket launch location. First Launch: 1965-02-06. Last Launch: 1965-02-08. Number: 3 .

Bassett, Charles Arthur II 'Charlie' - American test pilot astronaut, 1963-1966. Died in crash of T-38 trainer into the McDonnell Aircraft plant. Status: Deceased; Active 1963-1966. Born: 1931-12-30. Died: 1966-02-28.

Bastion - Russian anti-tank missile.

Bastion 9K116 - Russian anti-tank missile. 100 mm. tank gun-fired antitank guided missile for T-55 & BMP-3. Gross mass: 18 kg (41 lb).

Bastion 9M117 - Russian anti-tank missile.

BAT - American anti-tank missile. Brilliant Anti Tank missile, dispenses antiarmor submunitions

Bat ASM-N-2 - Bureau of Standards 1950's US Navy air-to-surface missile.

BAT GBU-44/B - American missile. Brilliant Anti-Tank guided anti-tank submunition..

Bat JB-1 - Northrop US Army Air Force WWII guided missile; flying wing SSM.

Batalli-Cosmovici, Cristiano - Italian physicist payload specialist astronaut, 1989-1992. Status: Inactive; Active 1989-1992. Born: 1943-06-02.

BATCAM - American Battlefield Air Targeting Camera Autonomous Micro-Air Vehicle.

BATS MTR-15 - USAMICOM mobile surface-launched drone.

BATSAT - Experimental Communication satellite built by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) for Teledesic, USA. Launched 1998. Used the MicroStar (triple) bus. First Launch: 1998-02-26. Last Launch: 1998-02-26. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 120 kg (260 lb).

BATSAT - Communications Technology Demonstrator using Teledesic bus.

BATSE - Burst And Transient Source Experiment (on CGRO)

Baturin, Yuri Mikhailovich - Russian engineer cosmonaut 1997-2009. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 19.7 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TM-28 (1998), Soyuz TM-32.. Status: Inactive; Active 1997-2009. Born: 1949-06-12. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 19.74 days.

Baudry, Patrick Pierre Roger - French pilot cosmonaut 1980-1985. Transferred to NASA Payload Specialist. Flight on STS-18, 1985. French Air Force Transferred to NASA as a Payload Specialist. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 7.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51G (1985).. Status: Inactive; Active 1980-1985. Born: 1946-03-06. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 7.07 days.

Baum, Werner - German engineer, member of Rocket Team in the Soviet Union after WW2. Worked on rocket engine development in Glushko's design bureau from 1947 to 1952 as Deputy of the Chief and Technical Designer; Dept. 61. Born: 1918-11-04.

Baumanets 1 - Technology satellite built by Bauman Moscow State Technical University, NPO Mashinostroyeniya, Russia. Launched 2006. First Launch: 2006-07-26. Last Launch: 2006-07-26. Number: 1 .

Baumanets 2 - Technology satellite built by Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Russia. Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb).

Bauschinger, Oscar - German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter. Born: 1911-08-09. Died: 1989-12-27.

Baxter - American manufacturer. Baxter, USA.

Baxter, Woodhouse and Taylor - Alternate name for Woodhouse and Taylor.

Bay of Biscay Launch Area - Submarine-launched ballistic missile launch area. First Launch: 1983-01-01. Last Launch: 2005-02-01. Number: 8 .

Bayer, F - German rocket technician; later worked in France as part of the armature group at LRBA from 1947 until retirement in 1985. Remained in Vernon.

Bayi Kepu Weixing 1 - Alternate name of BY70-1 (Bayi Kepu Weixing 1).

Bazalt - Alternate name of P-500.

Bazooka - American 1950's US Army infantry rocket weapon; Army.

BB-10 - French air-to-surface missile. Cancelled 1957 Status: Operational 1954. Gross mass: 400 kg (880 lb). Payload: 180 kg (390 lb).

BB6 - Alternate designation for Black Brant VI.

BB7 - Alternate designation for Black Brant VII.

BB7 - Bristol Aerospace solid rocket engine. Status: Retired 1972. Unfuelled mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Thrust: 1.00 kN (225 lbf). More at: Solid

BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation

BBIVA,BBVC - Black Brant IVA, Black Brant VC sounding rockets

BBXRT - Broad Band X-ray Telescope, a Goddard Space Flight Center experiment carried on STS-35 in the ASTRO package. Status: Operational 1990. First Launch: 1990-12-02. Last Launch: 1990-12-02. Number: 1 .

BCP-100 - Alternate name of Astro-200.

BCP-1000 - Satellite bus built by Ball Aerospace, USA.

BCP-2000 - American Ball satellite bus in the 1000-kg class to accommodate high-precision optical surveillance payloads. Status: Operational 1999. First Launch: 1999-06-20. Last Launch: 2011-10-28. Number: 7 .

BCP-4000 - Ball Aerospace Commercial Platform designed specifically for SAR applications.

BCP-5000 - Alternate designation for WorldView.

BCP-5000 - American Ball satellite bus in the 2500-kg class to accommodate high-precision optical and radar surveillance payloads. Status: Operational 2014. First Launch: 2014-08-13. Last Launch: 2014-08-13. Number: 1 .

BCP-600 - Ball Aerospace satellite bus designed for NASA Designed for Small Explorer (SMEX) Class Missions.

BD - Abbreviation for Booster development

BD 1 - Alternate name of Bangabandhu 1 (BD 1).

BD 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D - Navigation satellite built by CAST, China. Launched 2000 - 2007. Used the DFH-3 Bus bus. First Launch: 2000-10-30. Last Launch: 2007-02-02. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb).

BD-2 G - Navigation satellite built by CAST, China. Launched 2009 - 2016. Used the DFH-3 Bus bus. First Launch: 2009-04-14. Last Launch: 2016-06-12. Number: 7 .

BD-2 M - Navigation satellite built by CAST, China. Launched 2007 - 2016. Used the DFH-3 Bus bus. First Launch: 2007-04-13. Last Launch: 2016-03-29. Number: 11 .

BD-3 G - Navigation satellite built by CAST, China. Used the DFH-3B Bus bus. Gross mass: 4,600 kg (10,100 lb).

BD-3 I (Type 1) - Navigation satellite built by CAS, China. Launched 2015. First Launch: 2015-03-30. Last Launch: 2015-03-30. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb).

BD-3 I (Type 2) - Navigation satellite built by CASC, China. Launched 2015. First Launch: 2015-09-29. Last Launch: 2015-09-29. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 4,200 kg (9,200 lb).

BD-3 M (Type 1) - Navigation satellite built by CAST, China. Launched 2015. First Launch: 2015-07-25. Last Launch: 2015-07-25. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,014 kg (2,235 lb).

BD-3 M (Type 2) - Navigation satellite built by CAS, China. Launched 2016. First Launch: 2016-02-01. Last Launch: 2016-02-01. Number: 1 .

BDB - Abbreviation for Big Dumb Booster

BDR - Interstate WWII US Navy jet-powered assault drone project.

BE - American earth magnetosphere satellite. Explorer (20). Also known as Explorer S-66. Status: Operational 1964. First Launch: 1964-03-19. Last Launch: 1964-03-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 54 kg (119 lb).

BE A, B, C - Geodesy, Ionospheric research satellite built by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) for NASA, USA. Launched 1964 - 1965. Used Transit-Bus. First Launch: 1964-03-19. Last Launch: 1965-04-29. Number: 3 .

BE-3 - WRE solid rocket engine. SPARTA third stage. Status: Retired 1974. Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Unfuelled mass: 28 kg (61 lb). Thrust: 34.00 kN (7,643 lbf). More at: Solid

BE-3B1 - Hercules solid rocket engine. Status: Retired 1977. Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Unfuelled mass: 39 kg (85 lb). Thrust: 34.00 kN (7,643 lbf). More at: Solid

Beacon - American earth ionosphere satellite. Early technology satellite. None reached orbit. Atmosphere density satellite built by NASA Langley Research Center for US Army, USA. Launched 1958 - 1959. Status: Operational 1964. First Launch: 1964-10-10. Last Launch: 1965-04-29. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 56 kg (123 lb).

Beacon 1 - American technology satellite. Status: Operational 1958. First Launch: 1958-10-23. Last Launch: 1959-08-15. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb).

Beacon Explorer - Alternate designation for BE earth magnetosphere satellite.

Beakersat 1 - Technology satellite for Morehead State University, Sonoma State University, USA. Launched 2013. Used the 2.5P PocketQube bus. First Launch: 2013-11-21. Last Launch: 2013-11-21. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 0 kg (0 lb).

Beal - American manufacturer of rocket engines and rockets. Beal, USA.

Beal BA-2 - American low cost orbital launch vehicle. The Beal Aerospace BA-2 was a privately-financed heavy-lift commercial launch vehicle that used innovative technical solutions to achieve low cost to orbit. It harkened back to the low-cost Truax Sea Dragon or TRW 'Big Dumb Booster' concepts of the 1960's but added several new twists. Beal abandoned the project at the end of 2000 after the collapse of the MEO satellite market and active measures by NASA to support other, competing, more high-tech projects by the major aerospace contractors. Status: Cancelled 2000. Gross mass: 970,000 kg (2,130,000 lb). Payload: 17,000 kg (37,000 lb). Thrust: 14,100.00 kN (3,169,800 lbf).

Beal BA-2 Stage 1 - H2O2/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Thrust declines to 70% of initial value at shut down. Status: Development 2000. Gross mass: 744,000 kg (1,640,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 45,195 kg (99,637 lb). Thrust: 14,120.00 kN (3,174,300 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Beal BA-2 Stage 2 - H2O2/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Thrust declines to 50% of initial value at shut down. Status: Development 2000. Gross mass: 189,000 kg (416,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 14,560 kg (32,090 lb). Thrust: 3,599.00 kN (809,087 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Beal BA-2 Stage 3 - H2O2/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Thrust declines to 50% of initial value at shut down. Status: Development 2000. Gross mass: 36,700 kg (80,900 lb). Unfuelled mass: 2,855 kg (6,294 lb). Thrust: 196.00 kN (44,062 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Beale AFB - Titan I ICBM base. Beale was originally used as an army base in World War II. In 1959 it was selected as headquarters for the 851st Strategic Missile Squadron with nine Titan 1 missiles. Three complexes of three silos each were located 40 to 100 km west of the base. The missiles were emplaced in the silos between 28 February and 20 April 1962. However due to its poor reaction time the Titan 1's career was brief. Only three years later, by the end of April 1965, the squadron was deactivated, the missiles removed, and the silos abandoned.

BEAM - Technology, inflatable structures satellite for Bigelow Aerospace, USA. Launched 2016. First Launch: 2016-04-08. Last Launch: 2016-04-08. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1,360 kg (2,990 lb).

Bean, Alan LaVern - American test pilot astronaut 1963-1981. Fourth person to walk on the moon. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 69.7 days in space. Flew to orbit on Apollo 12 (1969), Skylab 3.. Status: Inactive; Active 1963-1981. Born: 1932-03-15. Died: 2018-05-26. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 69.66 days.

Beanstalk - American technology satellite. One launch, 1962.05.31. Suborbital. Status: Operational 1962.

Bechis, Kenneth Paul - American astrophysicist payload specialist astronaut, 1987-1990. Status: Inactive; Active 1987-1990. Born: 1949-07-22.

Beck, Georg - German Professor. Dresden rocket engine scientist. Born: 1901. Died: 1943-01-01.

Beckman, Arnold O - American engineer, inventor and manufacturer of various analytical instruments. Born: 1900-04-10. Died: 2004-05-18.

Beduerftig, Hermann F - German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter. Born: 1903-05-17. Died: 1973-01-01.

BeEagleSat - Technology, atmospheric science satellite for Istanbul Technical University, Turkish Air Force Academy, Turkey. Launched 2017. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

Beechcraft - American manufacturer. Beechcraft, USA.

BeeSat 1, 2, 3, 4 - Technology satellite from Technische Universitaet Berlin, Germany. Launched 2009-2016. Cubesat 1U bus. First Launch: 2009-09-23. Last Launch: 2016-06-22. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb).

BeeSat 5, 6, 7, 8 - Technology satellite for TU Berlin, Germany. Cubesat 0.25U bus. Gross mass: 0 kg (0 lb).

Beggs, James M - American engineer, served in various government and aerospace industry management positions. NASA Administrator 1981-1985. Born: 1926-01-09.

Beginning of A Beginning - Poem: Syr Dar'ya, ancient river that flows down to the Aral river that flows up to the sky....

Behnke - German rocket technician in WW2; later worked in France at LRBA from 1947 in the metrology group. Died in 1973. Died: 1973-01-01.

Behnken, Robert Louis - American engineer mission specialist astronaut 2000-on. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 29.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-123 (2008), STS-130.. Status: Active 2000-on. Born: 1970-07-07. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 29.51 days.

Behrens - German flyer and engineer.

Bei Shizhang - Chinese scientist. Bei Shizhang, Manager of the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Science, was one of three senior scientists that formulated the plans for China's first manned spacecraft in April 1966. Born: 1903-10-10. Died: 2009-10-29.

Beichel, Rudi - German-American engineer, on von Braun's team, but left to independently advise US Army on liquid propulsion. Joined Aerojet in 1956, worked on LOx/LH2 Titan I engine conversion, Aerojet large engine studies, and USAF ARES single-stage ICBM. Born: 1913-08-19. Died: 1999-10-25.

Beidou - Chinese navigation satellite. Operational, first launch 2000.10.30. Beidou ('Big Dipper') was the satellite component of an independent Chinese satellite navigation and positioning system. Status: Operational 2000. Gross mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb). Unfuelled mass: 1,100 kg (2,400 lb).

Beidou 3 - Third generation Beidou navigation satellite. Variants for deployment in MEO medium (21,000 km altitude) and IGSO inclined geosynchronous orbits (Beidou 3m and Beidou 3i). Status: Operational 2015. First Launch: 2015-03-30. Last Launch: 2015-09-29. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb).

Beidou-GEO - The Beidou-2 GEO (geosynchronous orbit) satellites incorporated Beidou-1 location and messaging technology for backward compatibility with existing receivers. Five of these were operational as of the end of 2010. Status: Operational 2009. First Launch: 2009-04-14. Last Launch: 2012-10-25. Number: 6 . Gross mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb).

Beidou-IGSO - The Chinese Beidou-2 navigation satellite Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit constellation consisted satellites deployed in three planes, in 24-hour orbits at 38,300 km altitude, but inclined at 55 degrees to the equator. The orbits were such that one satellite would be over Chinese territory at all times, providing an overhead signal allowing navigation even when surrounded by tall buildings or rugged terrain. Status: Operational 2010. First Launch: 2010-07-31. Last Launch: 2011-12-01. Number: 5 . Gross mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb).

Beidou-MEO - Satellites built for the 12-hour, 55 deg inclination MEO portion of the constellation. Status: Operational 2007. First Launch: 2007-04-12. Last Launch: 2012-09-18. Number: 5 . Gross mass: 6,000 kg (13,200 lb).

Beier, Anton - German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter. Born: 1906-09-09. Died: 1960-09-12.

Beijing - Beijing-1 carried a 31-cm focal-length cartographic telescope with a resolution of 4 meters. It was to be part of the international Disaster Monitoring Constellation. Operated by Tsinghua University. Used the SSTL-150 bus.

Beijing 1 - Alternate name of China-DMC+4 (Beijing 1).

Beijing Department 11 - Chinese manufacturer of spacecraft. Beijing Department 11, Beijing, China.

Beijing Wan Yuan - Chinese manufacturer of rocket engines. Beijing Wan Yuan, Beijing, China.

Belarus - Belarus

Belenos - French sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Elan + 1 x Aurore Status: Retired 1969. First Launch: 1967-04-01. Last Launch: 1968-03-01. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb).

Belgian AF - Belgian AF.

Belgium - Belgium

Belia - Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Elan + 1 x Belisama Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb).

Belier - Family of sounding rockets, developed by Sud Aviation, with the only or upper stage being variants of the Belier stage powered by a Jericho rocket motor. These were the most significant series of French civilian suborbital rockets. Manufacturing licenses were sold to India and Pakistan, becoming the basis of their rocket industries. Status: Retired 1986. First Launch: 1961-05-24. Last Launch: 1970-11-06. Number: 18 . Gross mass: 400 kg (880 lb).

Belier I - Basic Belier single stage vehicle, powered with a Jericho rocket motor loaded with 208 kg of 'Epictete' solid propellant with a specific impulse of 190 seconds. Gross mass: 313 kg (690 lb). Payload: 30 kg (66 lb). Thrust: 20.00 kN (4,496 lbf).

Belier II - Improved Belier single stage vehicle, loaded with 'Plastolite' propellant with a 205 second specific impulse. Gross mass: 352 kg (776 lb). Payload: 30 kg (66 lb). Thrust: 21.50 kN (4,833 lbf).

Belier II engine - Sud solid rocket engine. Used in single-stage Belier II and as Centaure 2B second stage. Status: Retired 1981. Gross mass: 300 kg (660 lb). Unfuelled mass: 80 kg (176 lb). Thrust: 20.00 kN (4,496 lbf). More at: Solid

Belier III - Improved Belier single stage vehicle, using a Vega motor loaded with 230.5 kg of 'Isolane' propellant with a specific impulse of 240 seconds. Status: Retired 1969. First Launch: 1968-03-18. Last Launch: 1969-09-25. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 400 kg (880 lb).

Belier III-1 - Alternate name for Vega engine.

Believing in 'Buck Rogers' - Bill Gerken's memoir of a 'space cadet' of an earlier generation...

Belintersat 1 - Communication satellite built by CAST for Belintersat, Belarus. Launched 2016. Used the DFH-4 Bus bus. First Launch: 2016-01-15. Last Launch: 2016-01-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 5,223 kg (11,514 lb).

Belisama - Single stage version. Status: Retired 1969. First Launch: 1968-01-01. Last Launch: 1969-01-01. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb).

Belisama engine - CFTH-HB solid rocket engine used in the Belisama and Epona sounding rockets. Status: Retired 1969. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 30 kg (66 lb). Unfuelled mass: 14 kg (30 lb). Thrust: 24.00 kN (5,395 lbf). More at: Solid

Belisama-1 - Alternate name for Agnes.

Belize - Belize

BelKA - Remote sensing satellite; replaced BelKa 1 satellite lost in an launch failure. Imager provided a resolution of 2.1 m and four spectral channels. Used Kanopus bus.

Belka - Alternate designation for RM-205.

BelKa 1 - Earth Observation satellite built by RKA Energiya for National Academy of Sciences of Republic of Belarus, Belarus. Launched 2006. Used Victoria Bus. First Launch: 2006-07-26. Last Launch: 2006-07-26. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 750 kg (1,650 lb).

BelKa 2 - Alternate name of BKA (BelKa 2).

Bell - American manufacturer of rockets, spacecraft, and rocket engines. ARC Liquid Propellant Division, Niagara Falls, NY, USA.

Bell 8000 - Bell Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine family. Derived from an engine developed originally for the B-58 Hustler bomber's cancelled rocket pod, it was adapted for use with Lockheed's Agena upper stage for use with the deep black Corona spy satellite.

Bell 8048 - Bell Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. Out of production. Used on Agena A, derived from Rascal engine. Regeneratively cooled; used drilled holes to create the same effect as more costly stacked spaghetti rubes. First flight 1959. Status: Out of production. Number: 20 . Unfuelled mass: 127 kg (279 lb). Thrust: 68.90 kN (15,489 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/UDMH

Bell 8081 - Bell Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. Out of production. Used on Agena B stage atop Thor and Atlas. First flight 1960. Status: Out of production. Number: 156 . Unfuelled mass: 130 kg (280 lb). Thrust: 71.20 kN (16,006 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/UDMH

Bell 8096 - Bell Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. Out of production. Used in Agena stage on top of Thor, Atlas, and Titan launch vehicles. First flight 1963. Status: Out of production. Number: 175 . Unfuelled mass: 132 kg (291 lb). Thrust: 71.20 kN (16,006 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/UDMH

Bell 8247 - Bell Nitric acid/UDMH rocket engine. Out of Production. Version of Agena engine for the Gemini-Agena Target Vehicle. Minimum capability of five restarts and a demonstrated capability of fifteen restarts. First flight 1963. Status: Out of Production. Date: 1962-1964. Number: 248 . Unfuelled mass: 132 kg (291 lb). Thrust: 71.20 kN (16,006 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/UDMH

Bell Aircraft - First name of Bell.

Bell Aircraft - First name of Atlantic Research.

Bell Aircraft (Air Force Plant 38) - Alternate name for Bell.

Bell Hypersonic Rocket Transport 1960 - American manned rocketplane. In March 1960 Bell proposed a revised hypersonic transport design based on its work on boost-glide vehicles during the 1950's. There was no government or airline interest in the concept. Status: Design 1960.

Bell Project 7969 - American manned spacecraft. Study 1958. Bell's preferred concept for the Air Force initial manned space project was the boost-glide vehicle they had been developing for the Dynasoar program. Status: Study 1958. Gross mass: 8,200 kg (18,000 lb).

Bell Rocket Transport 1957 - American manned rocketplane. Proposed 1957 civilian transport version of Bomi rocket bomber. Bell was unable to interest any airlines in putting up the development funds for the project. Status: Design 1957.

Bella, Ivan - Slovak pilot cosmonaut 1998-1999. First Slovak astronaut. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 7.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TM-29 (1999).. Status: Inactive; Active 1998-1999. Born: 1964-05-25. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 7.91 days.

BellComm - American manufacturer of spacecraft. BellComm, USA.

Beloborodov, Valeri Mikhailovich - Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1967-1969. Status: Deceased; Active 1967-1969. Born: 1939-10-26. Died: 2004-09-20.

Belokonyov, Alexis - Russian phantom cosmonaut, reported died in orbit 1962.05.15. Judica-Cordiglia reported radio transmission 1962.11. Named in 1959.10 Ogonyok article on high altitude equipment test. Basis for 1969 novel Autopsy for a Cosmonaut. Died: 1962-05-15.

Belokorovichi - Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1961-1991. IRBM base. In the 1950's it was the base for units deployed with four R-1 launchers, followed by two R-2 launchers, then 12 R-5. From 1961 it operated 12 R-14, and possibly additional R-12 missiles.

Belousov, Boris Nikolayevich - Belarusian engineer cosmonaut, 1965-1968. Status: Deceased; Active 1965-1968. Born: 1930-07-24. Died: 1998-06-27.

Belt, Michael Eugene - American photo interpreter payload specialist astronaut, 1988-1991. Status: Inactive; Active 1988-1991. Born: 1957-09-09.

Belyakov, Anatoli Mikhailovich - Russian officer. Colonel, served at Kapustin Yar from April 1947, at Baikonur from 1957. Key person in integration of pioneering spacecraft, including the early Luna probes, Vostok, Voskhod, and Salyut. Authored over 170 papers. Born: 1923. Died: 1986-01-01.

Belyayev, Pavel Ivanovich - Russian pilot cosmonaut 1960-1970. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 1.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on Voskhod 2 (1965).. Status: Deceased; Active 1960-1970. Born: 1925-06-26. Died: 1970-01-10. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 1.08 days.

BEM - Abbreviation for Bug-Eyed Monster

Bender, Hans - German Luftwaffe Me-163 test pilot and staff engineer.

Benderov, Vladimir Nikolayevich - Russian test pilot. Graduated from the Zhukovsky, 1950. Worked as an engineer and senior test pilot for Tupolev. Flew MiG-21 Tu-144 wing testbed. Proposed on 1964-06-29 as cosmonaut for Voskhod flights, but not confirmed. Died in the crash of a Tu-144 supersonic transport during an aviation demonstration at the 1973 Paris Airshow in Le Bourget. Status: Deceased; Active 1964-1964. Born: 1924-08-04. Died: 1973-06-03.

Bendix - American manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. Bendix, USA.

Bendix ALSS Rover - American manned lunar rover. Study 1965. The Bendix ALSS Payloads lunar rover design of June 1965 had a range of 400 km with a crew of 2 on a 14 day traverse. A variety of configurations were studied in detail. Status: Study 1965. Gross mass: 3,080 kg (6,790 lb).

Bendix LSSM - American manned lunar rover. Study 1965. The Bendix LSSM lunar rover design of October 1965 had 4 wheels. and a range of 400 km with a crew of 2 on a 14 day traverse. Status: Study 1965. Gross mass: 680 kg (1,490 lb).

Bendix Lunar Logistic System - American manned lunar rover. Study 1963. The Bendix Lunar Logistic System was a lunar rover design of January 1963. The vehicle had 4 wheels with alternative front or all-wheel steering and a range of 800 km with a crew of 3 on a 14 day traverse. Status: Study 1963. Gross mass: 2,720 kg (5,990 lb).

Bendix Manned Lunar Vehicle 3 Wheel - American lunar rover. Study 1961. The Bendix Lunar Mobile System was an unmanned lunar rover design of September 1961. The vehicle had 3 wheels, powered separately, and a range of 800 km. Status: Study 1961. Gross mass: 750 kg (1,650 lb).

Bendix Manned Lunar Vehicle 4 Wheel - American manned lunar rover. Study 1961. The Bendix Manned Lunar Vehicle was a lunar rover design of November 1961. The vehicle had 4 wheels and a range of 400 km with a crew of 3 on a 14 day traverse. Status: Study 1961. Gross mass: 2,720 kg (5,990 lb).

Bendix Molab - American manned lunar rover. Study 1965. The Bendix Molab lunar rover design of June 1965 had 4 wheels and a range of 400 km with a crew of 2 on a 14 day traverse. The cabin had a volume of 12.8 cubic meters. Status: Study 1965. Gross mass: 2,950 kg (6,500 lb).

Bendix SLRV - American lunar rover. Study 1964. The Bendix SLRV unmanned lunar rover design of April 1964 had a speed up to 25 kph on 4 tracks with floating pivot articulation. It was designed for a 105 day traverse mission. Status: Study 1964. Gross mass: 50 kg (110 lb).

Bennett, Rawson - American engineer. Chief of Naval Research from 1956 to 1961 Born: 1905-06-16. Died: 1967-12-01.

BepiColombo-MMO - Japanese Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter. Launched togeter with the BepiColombo-MPO orbiter. Gross mass: 4,100 kg (9,000 lb).

BepiColombo-MPO - European Mercury Planetary Orbiter, to be launched in 2018. Gross mass: 4,100 kg (9,000 lb).

Beppo - Alternate name for SAX.

Beregovoi, Georgi Timofeyevich - Ukrainian pilot cosmonaut 1964-1982. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 4.0 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz 3 (1968).. Status: Deceased; Active 1964-1982. Born: 1921-04-15. Died: 1995-06-30. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 3.95 days.

Berenice - Berenice was Onera's successor to the Antares re-entry vehicle test booster. It was nearly double the mass of Antares. Status: Retired 1972. First Launch: 1962-06-27. Last Launch: 1966-01-01. Number: 12 . Gross mass: 3,340 kg (7,360 lb). Payload: 40 kg (88 lb). Thrust: 170.00 kN (38,210 lbf).

Berenice Satmos - French orbital launch vehicle. In April 1963, ONERA proposed using a modified Berenice suborbital test vehicle to place a small 3.5 kg satellite ('Satmos') into a 250 x 1800 km orbit. They claimed this booster could be ready in 1964, one year before Diamant. However the given the marginal growth potential of such a design, the government decided to stick with Diamant. Status: Study 1963.

Berenice-1 - Alternate name for Stromboli.

Berenice-2 - Alternate name for SEPR 740.

Berenice-3 - Alternate name for Tramontane.

Bereznyak bureau - Russian manufacturer of aircraft, including the Bi-1 rocketplane.

Bereznyak, Aleksandr Yakovlevich - Soviet Chief designer. Soviet aircraft designer. Born: 1912. Died: 1974-01-01.

Bereznyak, Nikolai Ivanovich - Russian officer. Lieutenant-General, Chief of the Mozhaiskiy Military Engineering Academy, 1974-1977. Served in the rocket forces from 1961-1973. Retired 1977. Born: 1922. Died: 1991-01-01.

Berezovoi, Anatoli Nikolayevich - Russian pilot cosmonaut 1970-1992. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 211.4 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz T-5 (1982).. Status: Deceased; Active 1970-1992. Born: 1942-04-11. Died: 2014-09-20. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 211.38 days.

Bergeler, Herbert R - German-American expert in guided missiles during World War II. Worked his entire life with the rocket team, at Peenemuende, Fort Bliss, White Stands, and then at Huntsville. Died at Huntsville, Alabama. Born: 1907-05-16. Died: 1996-10-09.

Bergen, William - American Chief Designer. Oversaw the development of the Viking and Titan rockets at Martin. After the Apollo fire, hired by North American to get Apollo to the moon. Stayed on during design of the Space Shuttle and B-1 bomber. Born: 1915-03-29. Died: 1987-10-09.

Berger - American manufacturer of spacecraft. Berger, USA.

Bergstrom Defense Area - Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.

Beria, Lavrenti Pavlovich - Georgian-Russian officer. Soviet security apparatus chief until toppled after death of Stalin 1953. In charge of Soviet development of nuclear weapons and rocketry, 1944-1953. Born: 1899-03-29. Died: 1953-12-23.

Beriev - Russian manufacturer of flying boats and cruise missiles.

Bering Sea - Sea-launched sounding rocket launch area known to have been used for 2 launches in 1950, reaching up to 80 kilometers altitude.

Berkner, Lloyd Viel - American engineer. Leading organizer of the International Geophysical Year in 1957-1958 Born: 1905-02-01. Died: 1967-06-04.

Berkut - Alternate designation for 218 missile.

Berkut - Alternate name of 207T.

Berkut - Alternate name of S-25 205.

Berkut - Alternate name of 32B.

Berkut - Alternate designation for S-25.

Berkut - Alternate name of S-25 217.

Berkut - Alternate name of S-25 215.

Berkut - Alternate name of S-25 208.

Berkut - Alternate name of S-25 207.

Berkut - Alternate name of S-25 206.

Berkut - Russian space suit, operational 1965. Berkut was a modified Vostok Sokol space suit. The needs of the cosmonaut were supplied not through the umbilical cord, but rather through a simple open-cycle environmental control system. Status: operational 1965.

Berkut - Alternate designation for 207A.

Berkut (Golden Eagle ) - Alternate name for Vostok 4.

Berkut (Golden Eagle ) - Alternate name for Soyuz 14.

Berkut (Golden Eagle) - Alternate designation for Vostok 4.

Berkut (Golden Eagle) - Alternate designation for Soyuz 14.

Berlin - First Launch: 1931-02-20. Last Launch: 1931-02-20. Number: 1 .

Bermuda - Bermuda

Bernkopf - German rocket expert; later worked in France in the engine group at LRBA from 1947 until retiring in 1985. He remained in France, living in Vernon.

Bershet - Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1961-present. ICBM base. Base for units deployed with R-16 ICBM initially. Later 60 light ICBM (UR-100) silos operated, later supplemented by 9 RT-23 mobile ICBM launchers. First Launch: 1968-07-10. Last Launch: 1990-07-17. Number: 11 .

Beta - German SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. In 1969 rocket pioneer Dietrich Koelle was working at MBB (Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm). There he sketched out a reusable VTOVL design called BETA using Bono's SASSTO as a starting point. The vehicle, taking European technology into account, was a bit heavier than Bono's design. But the thorough analysis showed even this design would be capable of delivering 2 metric tons of payload to orbit. Status: Study 1969. Gross mass: 127,500 kg (281,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb). Payload: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Thrust: 2,000.00 kN (449,600 lbf).

Beta II - German SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. Beta II was Dietrich Koelle's nominal 350 metric tons lift-off mass SSTO design for launch of a 10 metric ton European spaceplane. Status: Study 1987. Gross mass: 600,000 kg (1,320,000 lb). Payload: 18,000 kg (39,000 lb). Thrust: 10,000.00 kN (2,248,000 lbf).

Beta III - German SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. In 1969 Dietrich Koelle proposed his BETA III design. This was to deliver 20 metric tons to orbit with a launch mass of 600 metric tons. In 1996 and 1998 he updated the design for use as an ISS resupply vehicle in place of the shuttle, and as a space tourism vehicle for 100 passengers. Status: Study 1987. Gross mass: 780,000 kg (1,710,000 lb). Payload: 17,000 kg (37,000 lb). Thrust: 1,070.00 kN (240,540 lbf).

Beta IV - German SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. Beta II was Dietrich Koelle's largest SSTO concept, with a nominal 2000 metric ton lift-off mass SSTO design and 100 metric ton payload. Status: Study 1987. Gross mass: 2,000,000 kg (4,400,000 lb). Payload: 100,000 kg (220,000 lb). Thrust: 27,500.00 kN (6,182,200 lbf).

Bethge, Friedrich Wilhelm - German engineer at Peenemuende.

BeV - Abbreviation for Billion electron volts

Bevo 1 - Technology satellite for University of Texas at Austin, USA. Launched 2009. First Launch: 2009-07-15. Last Launch: 2009-07-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb).

Bevo 2 - Technology satellite for University of Texas at Austin, USA. Launched 2015. Cubesat 3U bus. First Launch: 2015-12-06. Last Launch: 2015-12-06. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb).

Beyond the Vapor Trails - Don Estabrook's contemporary account of operating the V-2 from White Sands.

Bezverby, Anatoly K - Lead manager at the Korolev Bureau in the 1960's and 1970's; one of Mishin's deputies; involved with L3 lunar landing management as well as the MKBS space station, especially space nuclear power applications.

BG-1 - Fletcher US Army Air Force WWII glider loaded with explosive warhead; converted PQ-11.

BG-2 - Fletcher US Army Air Force WWII glider loaded with explosive warhead; converted CG-1; cancelled.

BG-3 - Cornelius US Army Air Force WWII glider loaded with explosive warhead; cancelled.

BGL 1000 - French air-to-surface missile. Operational. Gross mass: 990 kg (2,180 lb).

BGL 400 - French air-to-surface missile. Out of production. Gross mass: 0.50 kg (1.10 lb).

BGM-110 - American intermediate range cruise missile. Losing design in Sea-Launched Cruise Missile competition. Nuclear warhead version with warhead mass of 120 kg. Status: Cancelled 1976. Gross mass: 1,450 kg (3,190 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb). Thrust: 2.64 kN (593 lbf).

BGM-75 - Alternate designation for AICBM.

BGRV - Alternate designation for Boost Glide Re-entry Vehicle re-entry vehicle technology satellite.

B-Gull GQM-94 - Boeing ground-launched drone. Gross mass: 6,530 kg (14,390 lb). Thrust: 2,400.00 kN (539,500 lbf).

BGUSat - Technology satellite for Ben Gurion University, Israel. Launched 2017. Cubesat 3U bus. First Launch: 2017-02-15. Last Launch: 2017-02-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb).

BH - Abbreviation for Black Hole

Bharat - Indian manufacturer of rockets. Bharat, India.

Bhaskara - Indian earth land resources satellite. Experimental satellite for conducting earth resources survey over India. Earth Observing, technology satellite for ISRO, India. Launched 1979-1981. Status: Operational 1979. First Launch: 1979-06-07. Last Launch: 1981-11-20. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 442 kg (974 lb).

Bhat, Nagapathi Chidambar - Indian engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1985-1986. Status: Inactive; Active 1985-1986. Born: 1948.

BI-1 - Russian manned rocketplane. Flown 1941. The Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 was the first high speed rocket plane developed by the Soviet Union. Drawings were completed by spring 1941 but Stalin did not give the go-ahead for production until July 9, 1941. Status: Operational 1941. Gross mass: 1,683 kg (3,710 lb). Unfuelled mass: 978 kg (2,156 lb). Thrust: 10.70 kN (2,405 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/Kerosene

Biarri-Point - Technology satellite built by Project Biarri; Boeing (bus) for Project Biarri, Australia. Launched 2017. Cubesat 3U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb).

Bibikov, Yakov Lvovich - Russian officer. Director of NII-1 during German recovery operations 1945-1946.

BIC - Abbreviation for Barium-ion-cloud experiment

BIC (GRP) - Research, magnetosphere satellite built by Max-Planck-Institut fuer Extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), NASA.

Bicentenario - Alternate name of MEXSAT 3 (Bicentenario).

Big Dumb Booster - Alternate designation for LCLV.

Big Gemini - American manned spacecraft. Reached mockup stage 1967. Status: Mock-up 1967. Gross mass: 15,590 kg (34,370 lb). Payload: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).

Big Gemini AM - American manned spacecraft module. Reached mockup stage 1967. Earth orbit maneuver and retrofire. Status: Mock-up 1967. Gross mass: 4,450 kg (9,810 lb). More at: N2O4/UDMH

Big Gemini CM - American manned spacecraft module. Reached mockup stage 1967. Space station resupply. Status: Mock-up 1967. Gross mass: 5,910 kg (13,020 lb). Payload: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb).

Big Gemini RV - American manned spacecraft module. Reached mockup stage 1967. Crew and cargo return. Status: Mock-up 1967. Gross mass: 5,227 kg (11,523 lb).

Big Q AIM-68 - Air Force Weapons Lab air-to-air missile. USAF project.

Big Soyuz - Russian manned spacecraft. Study 2008. This enlarged version of the Soyuz reentry vehicle shape was one alternative studied for the next-generation Russian launch vehicle. Status: Study 2008. Gross mass: 11,000 kg (24,000 lb). Payload: 3,300 kg (7,200 lb).

Big Stick - Alternate designation for SLAM.

Bigelow - American manufacturer of spacecraft. Bigelow, USA.

Bigen Island - Bigen Island, Aur Atoll, Marshall Islands, was a sounding rocket launch location. First Launch: 1997-02-07. Last Launch: 1997-03-19. Number: 2 .

Bikini - Nuclear test site. Sounding rockets were launched from here to monitor blast and fallout of nuclear explosions. First Launch: 1956-04-01. Last Launch: 1956-07-21. Number: 13 .

Bikini drone - American light-weight drone reconnaissance system for battlefield surveillance of 1965.

Bikle, Paul F - American engineer. Worked at Wright Field and Edwards AFB from 1940. Director NASA Edwards 1959-1971. Oversaw projects from the XB-43 through the X-15 to the NASA lifting bodies. Born: 1916-06-05. Died: 1991-01-20.

Bilenko, Anton Petrovich - Russian engineer. General designer of satellite communications systems. Director of the Moscow Institute of Radio Communications 1977-1991. Born: 1924. Died: 1991-01-01.

Billig - German rocket technician in WW2; later worked in France at LRBA from 1947 until retirement in 1974.

Bilsat - Alternate designation for MicroSat-100.

Bilsat 1 - Earth Observation satellite built by SSTL for TUBITAK-ODTU-BILTEN, Turkey. Launched 2003. Used the Microsat-100 (modified) bus. First Launch: 2003-09-27. Last Launch: 2003-09-27. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 130 kg (280 lb).

BIMA - Abbreviation for Berkeley Illinois Maryland Array

Bimat web - The continuous processing film used in the Lunar Orbiter photographic subsystem to process the camera film.

Binarian - Malaysian agency. Binarian, Malaysia.

Binariang - Binariang Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, Malaysia

Binnie, William Brian - American test pilot rocketplane pilot. Flight record: 1 suborbital spaceflight on Spaceflightone, 0.4 hours in space.. Status: Active. Born: 1953. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 0.0167 days.

BIOCORE - Apollo 17 medical experiment (using mice)

Biology - Category of spacecraft.

Biomass - Earth Science satellite built by Airbus Defence and Space for ESA, Europe. Gross mass: 1,170 kg (2,570 lb).

Bion - Russian biology satellite. Bion was developed for biological studies of the effects of radiation. Life Science satellite built by TsSKB > TsSKB-Progress, Russia. Launched 1973 - 1996. Used Zenit Bus. Status: Operational 1973. First Launch: 1973-10-31. Last Launch: 1996-12-24. Number: 11 . Gross mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Payload: 625 kg (1,377 lb).

Bion-M - Biosat which combined a Vostok spherical pressurized reentry capsule and a Yantar service module. Life Science satellite built by TsSKB-Progress for Roskosmos, Russia. Launched 2013. Used Yantar Bus. Status: Operational 2013. First Launch: 2013-04-19. Last Launch: 2013-04-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 6,266 kg (13,814 lb).

BIOS - Biological Investigation of Space (suborbital flight experiment); sometimes also used as short name for Biosatellite .

Biosatellite - American biology satellite. Biosatellite was a NASA spacecraft designed in the early 1960's to study the effects of the space environment on living organisms in missions. Life Science satellite built by General Electric Co. for NASA Ames Research Center, USA. Launched 1966 - 1969. Status: Operational 1966. First Launch: 1966-12-14. Last Launch: 1969-06-29. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 542 kg (1,194 lb).

BioSentinel - Life science satellite for NASA Ames Research Center, USA. Cubesat 6U bus. Gross mass: 14 kg (30 lb).

Bio-Suit - American space suit, study of 2001. Novel approach that used biomedical breakthroughs in skin replacement and materials to replace the bulky conventional balloon spacesuit with a second skin approach. Status: Design 2001.

Bioteknologiya - Russian materials science satellite. Study 1992. In 1991 the Salyut Design Bureau proposed a satellite based on a derivative of the class of spacecraft which serve as the heavy add-on modules for the Mir space station, e.g., Kvant 2 and Kristall. Status: Study 1992. Gross mass: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb).

BIP - Zero Defect Completion System (Russian abbreviation) - First Russian missile quality assurance system, 1953-1955.

BIRD - German earth land resources satellite. Status: Operational 2001. First Launch: 2001-10-22. Last Launch: 2001-10-22. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 94 kg (207 lb).

BIRD 1 - Technology, Earth observation (infra-red) satellite for DLR, Germany. Launched 2001. First Launch: 2001-10-22. Last Launch: 2001-10-22. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 92 kg (202 lb).

Bird B, G, J, M, N - Technology satellite for Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT), Japan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Mongolia, Nigeria. Cubesat 1U bus. Gross mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb).

Bird, Cory - American Engineer. White Knight project engineer.

Birdling's Flat - Sounding rocket launch site, co-located with radar site operated by University of Canterbury. First Launch: 1963-05-23. Last Launch: 1964-12-01. Number: 2 .

Birodbidzhan - Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1961-1964. Moved to Tatishchevo. IRBM base for units deployed with R-1, R-2, R-12, and R-14 missiles.

BIROS - Technology satellite built by Kayser-Threde GmbH (prime); Astrofein (bus) for DLR, Germany. Launched 2016. Used TET-X bus. First Launch: 2016-06-22. Last Launch: 2016-06-22. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 130 kg (280 lb).

Biryukov, Gennadiy Pavlovich - Russian engineer. From 1992-2004 General Director and Chef Designer of KB TM Developed launch equipment and complexes for a range of missiles and launch vehicles, including the R-36 heavy ICBM, Zenit space launcher. After the Cold War advised the United States and South Korea on using the quick-launch designs developed for the Zenit and Angara. Born: 1937-01-17.

Biryuzov, Sergei Semenovich - Russian officer. Commander-in-Chief of RVSN 1962-1963. Born: 1904-08-21. Died: 1964-10-19.

BIS - British manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. British Interplanetary Society, UK.

BIS 3 Stage - The British Interplanetary Society (BIS) reusable booster concept of 1950 was a 3 stage, rocket, similar to Von Braun concepts of the time. The third stage was a winged vehicle which would use the skip-glide re-entry technique conceived by Saenger. Status: Design 1950.

BIS Lunar Lander - British manned lunar lander. Study 1939. Design of the British Interplanetary Society's BIS Spaceship began in 1937 and was published in January and July 1939. Status: Study 1939. Gross mass: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).

BIS Space Suit - British space suit, study of 1949. In 1947 R A Smith presented a series of papers to the British Interplanetary Society. This space suit was the concept for earth orbit work. Status: Study 1949.

BIS Station - British manned space station. Study 1948. H. E. Ross proposed a manned satellite station in Earth orbit that would serve as an astronomical and zero-gravity and vacuum research laboratory. Status: Study 1948.

Biscarosse - In April 1962 France signed the final agreements with Algeria, requiring them to evacuate their rocket test ranged there by July 1967. Three months later a site on French soil on the Bay of Biscay, at Landes, near Biscarosse, was selected. The site would allow the testing of missiles over the Atlantic out to a range of 3000 km. This would put the RV impact area near the Azores, and a tracking station was opened in October 1966 on Flores island. First Launch: 1965-06-15. Last Launch: 2011-11-15. Number: 177 .

Bisnovat - Russian manufacturer of rockeplanes based on German WWII designs.

BisonSat - Technology satellite for Salish Kootenai College, Montana, USA. Launched 2015. Cubesat 1U bus. First Launch: 2015-10-08. Last Launch: 2015-10-08. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb).

Bissell, Richard M - American CIA official who headed development of the U-2 and A-12 spy planes, and the first generation of spy satellites. Deputy Director for Plans at the time of the Bay of Pigs debacle, which resulted in his resignation. Born: 1909-09-18. Died: 1994-02-15.

Bitburg AB - CGM-13B Mace operating base.

BitSat 1-24 - Communications satellite built by Deep Space Industries (DSI) for Dunvegan Space Systems. Cubesat 3U bus. Gross mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb).

Bitsy-SX - Satellite bus built by AeroAstro, USA.

Bizan - Russian air-launched orbital launch vehicle. Bizan was the 1982 Soviet air-launched spaceplane design iteration between the '49' and 'MAKS' concepts. Like the '49', it was air-launched from atop an An-124 transport. Unlike the '49', it was a single-stage-to-orbit tripropellant concept. Status: Study 1981. Gross mass: 200,000 kg (440,000 lb). Payload: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb).

Bizan-T - Russian air-launched orbital launch vehicle. Air launched from catamaran heavy-life aircraft, predecessor of later Gerakl / Molniya-1000 design. 900 metric tons takeoff mass. Release conditions: Suspended load, Mach 0.7 at 8 to 9 km altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 270 m/s. Status: Study 1981. Gross mass: 200,000 kg (440,000 lb). Payload: 9,000 kg (19,800 lb).

BJMU - German agency. Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universitaet, Wuerzburg, Germany.

BKA - Earth Observation satellite built by NPP VNIIEM for National Academy of Sciences of Republic of Belarus, Belarus. Launched 2012. Used Kanopus bus. First Launch: 2012-07-22. Last Launch: 2012-07-22. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 473 kg (1,042 lb).

BKA - Remote sensing satellite; replaced BelKa 1 satellite lost in an launch failure. Imager provided a resolution of 2.1 m and four spectral channels. Used Kanopus bus.

BKS - Combat Shock Space System (Russian abbreviation)

BKSA - Malaysian agency. Bahagian Kajian Sains Angkasa, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Black Armadillo - American manned spacecraft. Study 2004. X-Prize suborbital ballistic spacecraft concept of Armadillo Aerospace, Mesquite, Texas. Reached the stage of engineering tests by 2003. Status: Study 2004. Gross mass: 8,000 kg (17,600 lb).

Black Arrow - British orbital launch vehicle. Britain's only indigenous launch vehicle. Following cancellation of the project in July 1971, one final launch was permitted, which successfully placed the Prospero satellite in orbit. Status: Retired 1971. First Launch: 1969-06-27. Last Launch: 1971-10-28. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 18,130 kg (39,960 lb). Payload: 73 kg (160 lb). Thrust: 222.40 kN (49,998 lbf).

Black Arrow (2 Stage) - Two stage suborbital test version of Black Arrow.

Black Arrow-1 - H2O2/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. . Status: Retired 1971. Gross mass: 14,104 kg (31,093 lb). Unfuelled mass: 1,070 kg (2,350 lb). Thrust: 234.82 kN (52,790 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Black Arrow-2 - H2O2/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. . Status: Retired 1971. Gross mass: 3,537 kg (7,797 lb). Unfuelled mass: 535 kg (1,179 lb). Thrust: 68.23 kN (15,340 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Black Arrow-3 - British solid rocket engine. Out of production. Used on Black Arrow launch vehicle. First flight 1969. Status: Out of production. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 397 kg (875 lb). Unfuelled mass: 87 kg (191 lb). Thrust: 29.40 kN (6,609 lbf). More at: Solid

Black Brant - The Black Brant originated in a 1957 Canadian government requirement for a sounding rocket to characterize the ionosphere in order to improve military communications. Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg, Manitoba was selected to design the rocket, while the Canadian Armament Research and Development Establishment (CARDE) was responsible for the propellant and filling. The prototype was called the Propulsion Test Vehicle. It was a relatively heavy rocket, since it was designed to stand up to the use of a wide range of engine burning time, propellant loadings and launch angles associated with fuel development. The lighter production version of the vehicle was renamed Black Brant. Later versions of Black Brant used a variety of booster and upper stages to supplement the original single-stage vehicle. Status: Active.

Black Brant 1 - Alternate designation for Black Brant I.

Black Brant 10 - Alternate designation for Black Brant X.

Black Brant 10B - Alternate designation for Black Brant XB.

Black Brant 10CM1 - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Active. First Launch: 1990-02-23. Last Launch: 2004-01-22. Number: 7 . Gross mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb).

Black Brant 11 - Alternate designation for Black Brant XI.

Black Brant 12 - Alternate designation for Black Brant XII.

Black Brant 2 - Alternate designation for Black Brant II.

Black Brant 2B - Alternate designation for Black Brant IIB.

Black Brant 2B - Alternate designation for 23KS20000 rocket stage.

Black Brant 3 - Alternate designation for Black Brant III.

Black Brant 3B - Alternate designation for Black Brant IIIB.

Black Brant 4 - Alternate designation for Black Brant IV.

Black Brant 4A - Alternate designation for Black Brant IVA.

Black Brant 4B - Alternate designation for Black Brant IVB.

Black Brant 5 - Alternate designation for Black Brant V.

Black Brant 5A - Alternate designation for Black Brant VA.

Black Brant 5B - Alternate designation for Black Brant VB.

Black Brant 5C - Alternate designation for 26KS20000 rocket stage.

Black Brant 5C - Alternate designation for Black Brant VC.

Black Brant 6 - Alternate designation for Black Brant VI.

Black Brant 7 - Alternate designation for Black Brant VII.

Black Brant 8 - Canadian sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Nike booster + Black Brant VB or VC upper stage. Payload 136 kg to 430 km or 408 kg to 230 km. Gross mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Thrust: 196.00 kN (44,062 lbf).

Black Brant 8B - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Active. First Launch: 1975-12-04. Last Launch: 2003-06-30. Number: 23 . Gross mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).

Black Brant 8C - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Active. First Launch: 1976-11-17. Last Launch: 2004-09-17. Number: 91 . Gross mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).

Black Brant 9 - Alternate designation for Black Brant IX.

Black Brant 9B - Alternate designation for Black Brant IXB.

Black Brant 9BM1 - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1992. First Launch: 1992-04-09. Last Launch: 1992-04-09. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb).

Black Brant 9CM1 - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Active. First Launch: 1989-03-29. Last Launch: 2001-02-09. Number: 24 . Gross mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb).

Black Brant I - Canadian sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle using the Black Brant VA. Status: Retired 1963. First Launch: 1959-09-05. Last Launch: 1963-04-06. Number: 16 . Gross mass: 730 kg (1,600 lb). Payload: 68 kg (149 lb). Thrust: 111.00 kN (24,953 lbf).

Black Brant II - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle. Status: Retired 1974. First Launch: 1960-10-12. Last Launch: 1974-02-22. Number: 58 . Gross mass: 880 kg (1,940 lb). Payload: 68 kg (149 lb). Thrust: 89.00 kN (20,007 lbf).

Black Brant IIB - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1965. First Launch: 1964-10-06. Last Launch: 1965-01-25. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).

Black Brant III - Canadian sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Brant IIIA or IIIB. Status: Retired 1984. First Launch: 1962-06-15. Last Launch: 1984-05-11. Number: 55 . Gross mass: 286 kg (630 lb). Payload: 18 kg (39 lb). Thrust: 49.00 kN (11,015 lbf).

Black Brant IIIB - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1985. First Launch: 1969-02-28. Last Launch: 1985-05-06. Number: 14 . Gross mass: 300 kg (660 lb).

Black Brant IV - Canadian sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Brant VA + 1 x Black Brant IIIA or IIIB. Gross mass: 1,356 kg (2,989 lb). Payload: 18 kg (39 lb). Thrust: 111.00 kN (24,953 lbf).

Black Brant IVA - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1976. First Launch: 1964-06-24. Last Launch: 1976-03-10. Number: 35 . Gross mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb).

Black Brant IVB - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1981. First Launch: 1971-02-05. Last Launch: 1981-12-13. Number: 30 . Gross mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb).

Black Brant IX - Canadian sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Terrier Mk 70 + 1 x Black Brant VB. Status: Active. First Launch: 1982-03-16. Last Launch: 2018-12-18. Number: 269 . Gross mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb).

Black Brant IX Mod 2 - Canadian sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Terrier Mk 70 + 1 x Black Brant VC motor with extended cone. Status: Retired 2008. First Launch: 2008-01-11. Last Launch: 2008-01-11. Number: 1 .

Black Brant IXB - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1998. First Launch: 1985-02-15. Last Launch: 1998-04-28. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb).

Black Brant V - Canadian sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Brant VA, VB, or VC. Gross mass: 1,197 kg (2,638 lb). Payload: 68 kg (149 lb). Thrust: 111.00 kN (24,953 lbf).

Black Brant VA - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1999. First Launch: 1966-12-13. Last Launch: 1999-07-14. Number: 28 . Gross mass: 1,100 kg (2,400 lb).

Black Brant VB - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Three-fin version. The Black Brant VB provided slightly improved performance over the VC. The burnout roll rate for the Black Brant V was 4 cycles per second. Maximum longitudinal acceleration varied with payload weight; for a typical payload weight of 270 kg, maximum thrust axis acceleration is approximately 12g's. Status: Active. First Launch: 1965-06-12. Last Launch: 2002-02-21. Number: 66 . Gross mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb).

Black Brant VC - Canadian sounding rocket. Four-fin version. Status: Active. First Launch: 1970-04-04. Last Launch: 2013-07-04. Number: 107 . Gross mass: 1,300 kg (2,800 lb).

Black Brant VI - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle. Status: Retired 1979. First Launch: 1969-10-01. Last Launch: 1979-04-28. Number: 70 . Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Thrust: 7.00 kN (1,574 lbf).

Black Brant VII - Alternate designation for BB7.

Black Brant VII - Canadian single stage sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle. Status: Retired 1972. First Launch: 1970-12-15. Last Launch: 1972-01-27. Number: 20 . Payload: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb).

Black Brant X - Canadian sounding rocket. Three stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Terrier + 1 x Black Brant VB or VC + 1 x Nihka. Payload 90 kg to 1,200 km or 317 kg to 550 km. Status: Active. First Launch: 1981-08-14. Last Launch: 2018-12-07. Number: 32 . Gross mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb). Thrust: 257.00 kN (57,775 lbf).

Black Brant X-1 - Alternate name for X-256.

Black Brant XB - Canadian sounding rocket. Status: Retired 1989. First Launch: 1985-02-15. Last Launch: 1989-04-11. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb).

Black Brant XI - Canadian sounding rocket. Three stage vehicle. Payload weights of 320 kg to 500 km or 550 kg to 350 km altitude. Status: Active. First Launch: 1990-02-01. Last Launch: 2012-07-23. Number: 8 . Gross mass: 5,300 kg (11,600 lb).

Black Brant XII - Canadian sounding rocket. The Black Brant XII rocket system was a four stage system used primarily to carry a variety of payloads to high altitudes. Its development is a spin-off of the Black Brant X development. Four stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Talos + 1 x Taurus + 1 x Black Brant VB + 1 x Nihka. Payload 136 kg to 1,500 km or 522 kg to 500 km. Status: Active. First Launch: 1988-09-30. Last Launch: 2013-06-06. Number: 28 . Gross mass: 5,300 kg (11,600 lb).

Black Brant XIIA - American sounding rocket. First Launch: 2018-12-08. Last Launch: 2018-12-08. Number: 2 .

Black Colt - American manned single-crew spaceplane, follow-up to Black Horse concept. In comparison to Black Horse, used existing engines and a much more achievable mass fraction by only flying to half orbital speed. Status: Study 1993. Gross mass: 43,160 kg (95,150 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb). Thrust: 402.05 kN (90,385 lbf).

Black Colt AV - LOx/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Winged, first stage of a launch vehicle using aerial refueling and existing engines. Takes off from runway; rendezvous with tanker to load oxidizer; then flies to Mach 12/150 nm to release Star 48V second stage and 450 kg payload. 2 x F125 turbofans for flight to tanker, subsonic ferry, and go-around capability on return. Status: Study 1993. Gross mass: 40,482 kg (89,247 lb). Unfuelled mass: 8,283 kg (18,260 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb). Thrust: 402.05 kN (90,385 lbf). More at: Lox/Kerosene

Black Horse - American winged, single-crew, single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle using aerial refueling and lower performance, non-cryogenic propellants. Status: Study 1993. Gross mass: 84,100 kg (185,400 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb). Thrust: 443.19 kN (99,633 lbf).

Black Horse AV - H2O2/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Winged, single stage to orbit launch vehicle using aerial refueling and lower performance, non-cryogenic propellants. Takes off from runway at 48,452 lbs gross weight; rendezvous with tanker to load 146,870 lbs oxidizer; then flies to orbit. Status: Study 1993. Gross mass: 83,560 kg (184,210 lb). Unfuelled mass: 6,883 kg (15,174 lb). Thrust: 443.19 kN (99,633 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Black Knight - The Black Knight was a British test vehicle designed to test re-entry vehicles for the Blue Streak MRBM. It was subsequently used for a series of US-sponsored test of RV radar signatures. Status: Retired 1965. First Launch: 1958-09-07. Last Launch: 1965-11-25. Number: 22 .

Black Knight 1 - Technology satellite for U.S. Military Academy West Point, USA. Launched 2013. Cubesat 1U bus. First Launch: 2013-11-20. Last Launch: 2013-11-20. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb).

Black Knight 201 - British test vehicle. Single stage vehicle. Gross mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Thrust: 75.00 kN (16,860 lbf).

Black Knight 201/C - British test vehicle. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Knight 201 + 1 x Cuckoo IB Gross mass: 6,400 kg (14,100 lb). Thrust: 95.00 kN (21,356 lbf).

Black Knight 201/C2 - British test vehicle. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Knight 201 + 1 x Cuckoo II

Black Knight 201/C-2 - Alternate name for Cuckoo IB.

Black Knight 201/C2-2 - Alternate name for Cuckoo II.

Black Knight 201-1 - H2O2/Kerosene rocket stage. 75.00 kN (16,861 lbf) thrust. Mass 5,400 kg (11,905 lb). Status: Retired 1964. Gross mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Unfuelled mass: 540 kg (1,190 lb). Thrust: 75.00 kN (16,860 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Black Knight 301/C - British test vehicle. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Knight 301 + 1 x Cuckoo IB

Black Knight 301/C2 - British test vehicle. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Black Knight 301 + 1 x Cuckoo II

Black Knight 301/C2-1 - H2O2/Kerosene rocket stage. 75.00 kN (16,861 lbf) thrust. Mass 5,400 kg (11,905 lb). Status: Retired 1965. Gross mass: 5,400 kg (11,900 lb). Unfuelled mass: 540 kg (1,190 lb). Thrust: 75.00 kN (16,860 lbf). More at: H2O2/Kerosene

Black Mesa - Military testing range. First Launch: 1963-09-24. Last Launch: 1970-11-24. Number: 80 .

Black Rock Desert - Sounding rocket launch location. First Launch: 2000-09-29. Last Launch: 2004-05-17. Number: 3 .

Black Sea Launch Area - Naval military missile launch position. First Launch: 1960-05-01. Last Launch: 1961-10-01. Number: 3 .

Black Sparrow - Israeli air-launched ballistic missile target, designed to simulate short-range enemy missiles in tests of the Arrow ABM system. Status: Active. First Launch: 2000-09-14. Last Launch: 2011-11-15. Number: 6 .

BlackArrow - Alternate designation for Black Arrow.

Blackbird-350 - Kayser-Threde satellite bus used on the Temisat mission.

BlackSky Global 1, 2, 3, 4 - Earth Observation satellite built by Spaceflight Services (prime); Exelis (Imager) for BlackSky Global, USA. Launched 2016. Used SCOUT bus. First Launch: 2016-09-26. Last Launch: 2016-09-26. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 44 kg (97 lb).

Blackstar - American manned spaceplane. 2006 reports claimed it was flown covertly in the 1990s. If so, it may have derived from the Isinglass studies of the late 1960's. Status: Study 1990. Gross mass: 30,000 kg (66,000 lb).

Blagonravov, Anatoli Arkadyevich - Russian scientist. President, Academy Artillery Sciences 1946-1950, leading development of first Soviet sounding rockets. Soviet representative to UN COPUOS and negotiator with NASA on cooperative space projects in early 1960's. Born: 1894-06-01. Died: 1975-02-04.

Blagovest 1, 2, 3, 4 - Communication satellite built by ISS Reshetnev (prime); Thales Alenia Space (payload), Russia. Used the Ekspress-2000 bus.

Blaha, John Elmer - American test pilot astronaut 1980-1997. Flew 361 combat missions in Vietnam. Flight record: 5 spaceflights, 161.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-29 (1989), STS-33, STS-43, STS-58, STS-79.. Status: Inactive; Active 1980-1997. Born: 1942-08-26. Spaceflights: 5 . Total time in space: 161.11 days.

Blaik, Earl Henry 'Red' - American businessman. Vice president and director of Avco, 1959-60, then director and chairman of executive committee in 1960. Born: 1897-02-15. Died: 1989-05-05.

Blair, Clay D - American writer. Magazine correspondent and editor of Saturday Evening Post 1957-1964. Born: 1925-05-01. Died: 1998-12-17.

Blass, Josef - German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the Soviet Union thereafter. Engineer and German specialist in the Soviet Union. Born: 1901.

Blenck - German expert in aircraft design during World War II. Working at LFA Braunschweig after the war.

Blinov, Oleg Vladimirovich - Russian pilot cosmonaut 2012- on. Status: Active 2012-on. Born: 1978-08-17.

BLITS - Spherical glass lens for laser geodesy, built by the NII for Precision Instruments (NIIPP), Moscow. Technology, geodesy satellite for NII Pretsizionnogo Priborostroeniya (NIIPP), Russia. Launched 2009. Status: Operational 2009. First Launch: 2009-09-17. Last Launch: 2009-09-17. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 7.00 kg (15.40 lb).

BLITS-M - Technology, geodesy satellite for NII Pretsizionnogo Priborostroeniya (NIIPP), Russia. Gross mass: 17 kg (37 lb).

Blk Sparrow - Alternate designation for Black Sparrow.

Block 1 - Alternate designation for LK-700 Block 1.

Block 1 - American short range ballistic missile. In production. Advanced TACtical Missile System, Fire Support , Deep Attack Field Artillery, 1000 bomblets Gross mass: 1,659 kg (3,657 lb).

Block 11 - Alternate designation for LK-700 Block 11 manned spacecraft module.

Block 111 - Alternate designation for LK-700 Block 111 manned spacecraft module.

Block 1A - American short range ballistic missile. In production. Gross mass: 1,319 kg (2,907 lb).

Block 1V - Alternate designation for LK-700 Block 1V manned spacecraft module.

Block 2 - Alternate name of KH-8 Gambit-3 (Block 2).

Block 2 - Alternate name of FLTSATCOM 6, 7, 8 (Block 2).

Block 2 - American short range ballistic missile. In development. Gross mass: 1,515 kg (3,340 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb).

Block 3 - Alternate name of KH-8 Gambit-3 (Block 3).

Block 4 - Alternate name of KH-8 Gambit-3 (Block 4).

Block D - Alternate designation for Proton 11S824.

Block D - Alternate designation for Proton 11S824M.

Block D - Alternate designation for Proton 11S824F.

Block D - LOx/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Adaptation of Block D for Energia payload low earth orbital insertion. Used when Buran orbiter not carried. Status: Design 1987. Gross mass: 17,000 kg (37,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Thrust: 84.94 kN (19,094 lbf). More at: Lox/Kerosene

Block DM - Alternate name for Proton 17S40.

Block DM - Alternate name for Proton 11S861.

Block DM - Alternate name for Proton 11S861-01.

Block DM - Alternate name for Proton 11S86.

Block L - R-7 upper stage, originally developed for the Luna and Vostok payloads. Derivatives later used for the GR-1 ICBM and the escape stage for the Molniya launch vehicle.

Block V - Alternate designation for LK-700 VA manned spacecraft module.

Blohm, Rudolf - German Director of Blohm and Voss during World War II.

Blok SO-L - LOx/Kerosene rocket stage. 66.70 kN (14,995 lbf) thrust. Mass 6,200 kg (13,669 lb). Status: U. Gross mass: 6,200 kg (13,600 lb). Unfuelled mass: 999 kg (2,202 lb). Thrust: 66.70 kN (14,995 lbf). More at: Lox/Kerosene

Blok-A - Alternate designation for Soyuz-2-1V.

Bloka Skhoda s Orbiti - Alternate designation for TKS BSO manned spacecraft module.

Blokhin, Yuri Dmitryevich - Russian engineer. Head of Mikoyan KB space section. Worked on the Spiral spaceplane.

Blome, Kurt - German expert in biological warfare during World War II. Released from Project Dustbin in 1945.

Bloodhound - British surface-to-air missile. Status: Active.

Bloodhound Mk. 1 - British surface-to-air missile. Gross mass: 1,360 kg (2,990 lb). Thrust: 66.60 kN (14,972 lbf).

Bloodhound Mk. 2 - British surface-to-air missile. 4 wrap-around solid propellant boosters, ramjet sustainer. Program ended.

Bloodhound Mk.1 - Alternate designation for Bloodhound Mk. 1.

Bloom - American manufacturer of spacecraft. Bloom, USA.

Bloomfield, Michael John 'Bloomer' - American test pilot astronaut 1994-2007. Grew up in Lake Fenton, Michigan. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 32.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-86 (1997), STS-97, STS-110.. Status: Inactive; Active 1994-2007. Born: 1959-03-16. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 32.46 days.

Blowpipe - British surface-to-air missile. Man-portable, shoulder-fired. Status: Operational 1968. Gross mass: 11 kg (24 lb). Payload: 2.30 kg (5.00 lb).

BLU-106/B - American Boosted Kinetic Energy Penetrator, a rocket-boosted submunition for use against runways and hardened aircraft shelters.

Blue Eye AGM-79 - Martin Marietta air-to-surface missile. Radar-homing.

Blue Jay - Alternate name of Firestreak.

Blue Origin - Blue Origin was founded and funded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of amazon.com. Commercial space passenger service would be conducted from a private spaceport at the 165,000-acre Corn Ranch, 40 kilometers north of Van Horn, west Texas. The launch point would be 8 kilometers west of Highway 54. The spaceport included a vehicle processing facility, a launch complex, vehicle landing and recovery area, an astronaut training facility, lodging, and other support facilities. The launch pad covered 3,000 square meters; the landing pad would be located 6.1 km north of it. First Launch: 2006-11-13. Last Launch: 2006-11-13. Number: 1 .

Blue Scout 1 - Alternate designation for Blue Scout I.

Blue Scout 2 - Alternate designation for Blue Scout II.

Blue Scout ERCS - American strategic communications missile. USAF initial Emergency Rocket Communications System booster.

Blue Scout I - American suborbital launch vehicle. Air Force version of Scout used for suborbital tests. Status: Retired 1962. First Launch: 1961-01-07. Last Launch: 1962-04-12. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 16,738 kg (36,900 lb). Payload: 88 kg (194 lb). Thrust: 511.50 kN (114,990 lbf).

Blue Scout II - American all-solid orbital launch vehicle. Air Force version of Scout used for suborbital and orbital military tests. Status: Retired 1961. First Launch: 1961-03-03. Last Launch: 1961-11-01. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 16,874 kg (37,200 lb). Payload: 30 kg (66 lb). Thrust: 511.50 kN (114,990 lbf).

Blue Scout Jr - American suborbital launch vehicle. Four stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Castor + 1 x Antares + 1 x Alcor + 1 x Cetus Status: Retired 1965. First Launch: 1960-09-21. Last Launch: 1965-06-09. Number: 11 . Gross mass: 5,800 kg (12,700 lb). Thrust: 222.00 kN (49,907 lbf).

Blue Scout Jr 2 - American suborbital launch vehicle. Three stage version consisting of 1 x Castor + 1 x Antares + 1 x Alcor Gross mass: 5,800 kg (12,700 lb). Thrust: 222.00 kN (49,907 lbf).

Blue Scout Jr SLV-1B(m) - American all solid propellant suborbital launch vehicle. Status: Retired 1964. First Launch: 1962-12-19. Last Launch: 1964-12-22. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 5,800 kg (12,700 lb).

Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C - American all solid propellant suborbital launch vehicle. Status: Retired 1970. First Launch: 1962-05-31. Last Launch: 1970-11-25. Number: 8 . Gross mass: 5,800 kg (12,700 lb).

Blue Scout Junior - American suborbital launch vehicle. Smaller Air Force version of Scout used for suborbital military tests. Status: Out of production. Gross mass: 5,797 kg (12,780 lb). Payload: 10 kg (22 lb). Thrust: 222.40 kN (49,998 lbf).

Blue Sparrow - Israeli air-launched ballistic missile target, designed to simulate enemy shorter range missiles in tests of the Arrow ABM system. Shared a common warhead with the longer-range Silver Sparrow. Status: Active. First Launch: 2008-04-15. Last Launch: 2014-12-16. Number: 4 .

Blue Steel - British air-to-surface missile. Status: Retired. Gross mass: 6,800 kg (14,900 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb).

Blue Streak - Alternate designation for Europa-1.

Blue Streak - British intermediate range ballistic missile. Cancelled 1960, but formed the basis for the ELDO Europa space launch vehicle in the late 1960's. Status: Retired 1965. First Launch: 1964-06-04. Last Launch: 1965-03-21. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 90,000 kg (198,000 lb). Payload: 1,360 kg (2,990 lb). Thrust: 1,222.80 kN (274,896 lbf).

Blue Streak, ELDO-1 - Alternate designation for Europa-1 rocket stage.

Blue Water - British tactical ballistic missile. Cancelled 1962 Status: Cancelled 1962. First Launch: 1960-04-21. Last Launch: 1962-06-07. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 1,360 kg (2,990 lb).

Bluebell - American military target satellite. Calibration satellite operated by US Air Force, USA. Launched 1966. Status: Operational 1966. First Launch: 1966-02-15. Last Launch: 1966-02-15. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 7.00 kg (15.40 lb).

Bluebell 2C - Calibration satellite operated by US Air Force, USA. Launched 1966. First Launch: 1966-02-15. Last Launch: 1966-02-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb).

BLUEsat - Technology satellite for University of New South Wales, Australia. Used the AMSAT-NA Microsat bus. Gross mass: 13 kg (28 lb).

Bluford, Guion Stewart Jr 'Guy' - American engineer mission specialist astronaut 1978-1993. First African-American in space. Flew 144 combat missions in Vietnam. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 28.7 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-8 (1983), STS-61A, STS-39, STS-53.. Status: Inactive; Active 1978-1993. Born: 1942-11-22. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 28.69 days.

BM-25 - Alternate name of Hwasong 10.

BMDO - American agency overseeing development of spacecraft. Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (formerly SDIO), USA.

BMMD - Abbreviation for Body Mass Measurement Device

BMO - US Army Ballistic Missiles Office; or US Air Force Ballistic Missiles Office

BMRSA2 - Alternate name for Vandenberg 576A2.

BMRSA3 - Alternate name for Vandenberg 576A3.

BMTS MQR-13 - USAMICOM mobile surface-launched drone.

BMW - German manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. BMW, Germany.

BMW and Ruhrstahl AG - First name of BMW.

BNAS - Belarusian agency. Belarus Space Agency, Belarus.

BNSC - British National Space Center, UK.

BNSCSat - Alternate designation for MicroSat-100.

BNSCSat 1 - Alternate name of UK-DMC 1 (BNSCSat 1).

BO - Abbreviation for Living Module

BO 47/48 - Alternate name of Idefix (BreizhSAT, BO 47/48, BreizhSAT-OSCAR 47/48).

BOAR 30.5-inch Rocket MK 1 - NOTS 1950's US Navy unguided air-launched rocket; Navy.

Bobko, Karol Joseph 'Bo' - American pilot astronaut 1966-1989. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 16.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-6 (1983), STS-51D, STS-51J.. Status: Inactive; Active 1966-1989. Born: 1937-12-23. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 16.09 days.

Bode, Hendrik W - American engineer, vice president of military development and systems engineering at Bell Telephone Laboratories 1958-1967. Worked for Bell from 1926 to 1967. Born: 1905-12-24. Died: 1982-06-01.

Bodenstein - German rocket engineer in WW2; later worked in France at LRBA in the mechanics group in the automated control loop department 1947-1952.

Boe, Eric Allen - American pilot astronaut 2000-on. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 28.6 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-126 (2008), STS-133.. Status: Active 2000-on. Born: 1964-10-01. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 28.65 days.

Boehm, Josef Maria - Austrian-German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter. Born: 1908-08-07. Died: 1973-12-01.

Boehner, Otto - German Luftwaffe Me-163 test pilot. Captain, fighter pilot, shot down five allied aircraft on the Western Front, test pilot on the Me-163 rocket fighter, and Squadron Commander of Me-163 squadron 2./JG 400. Flew 16 Me-163 missions. As of 2008 member of DGLR and still living in Anweiler, Germany. Born: 1913-12-14. Died: 2010-11-20.

Boei-cho - Alternate name for JDA.

Boeing - American manufacturer of rockets, spacecraft, and rocket engines. Boeing Aerospace, Seattle, USA.

Boeing - Fourth name of Seal Beach.

Boeing - First name of Kent.

Boeing (1997-2008) - Fourth name of Convair.

Boeing Canoga Park - Fifth name of Rocketdyne.

Boeing EELV - American orbital launch vehicle. Boeing EELV as proposed in 1992. Status: Design 1992.

Boeing Huntington Beach - Third name of Douglas.

Boeing LES Rover - American manned lunar rover. Study 1963. The Boeing Lunar Exploration Systems lunar rover design of November 1963 was for a multipurpose rover with a range of 480 km with a crew of 2 on a 8 day traverse. The cabin had a volume of 4.95 cubic meters. Status: Study 1963. Gross mass: 2,920 kg (6,430 lb).

Boeing LSSM - American manned lunar rover. Study 1965. The Boeing LSSM lunar rover design of June 1965 had 4 wheels of 1.2 or 1.6 m diameter. and a range of 200 km with a crew of 2 on a 14 day traverse. Status: Study 1965. Gross mass: 2,040 kg (4,490 lb).

Boeing North American - Third name of Seal Beach.

Boeing North American - Second name of North American.

Boeing Palmdale - Third name of North American.

Boeing Reusable Space Systems - Fourth name of North American.

Boeing Rocketdyne (1996) - Fourth name of Rocketdyne.

Boeing Satellite Systems - Third name of El Segundo.

Boeing SDV - American orbital launch vehicle. The Boeing SDV Class I vehicle would lead to the Shuttle-C, using the shuttle aft fuselage with SSME engines to power a cargo canister into orbit. Status: Study 1977. Gross mass: 922,000 kg (2,032,000 lb). Payload: 91,000 kg (200,000 lb).

Boeing Space Tug - Alternate designation for Space Tug.

Boeing SPS SSTO - American SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. In 1977 Boeing produced a vehicle design for a 227 metric tons payload vertical takeoff launch vehicle to be used to launch components for the huge Satellite Solar Power platforms that NASA was promoting at the time. The booster would launch from the edge of a water-filled man-made lagoon and recover in the lagoon and used a water-cooled heat shield for reentry. Status: Design 1977. Payload: 227,000 kg (500,000 lb).

Boeing/ES - Boeing, El Segundo (formerly Hughes), USA

Boeing-CP - Boeing Rocketdyne, Canoga Park, USA

Boeing-HSV - Boeing Huntsville, USA

Boeing-K - Boeing, Kent/Seattle, USA

Boeing-NA - Boeing North American (formerly Rockwell), USA

Boeing-SB - Boeing North American, Seal Beach (formerly Rockwell), USA

Boeing-SL - Boeing Sea Launch, Seattle, USA

Boenisch, Friedrich - German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the Soviet Union, worked on rocket engine development in Glushko's design bureau from 1947 to 1952. Worked in Manufacturing; Dept. 61/Shop 55. Born: 1902-02-18.

Boergemann - German military instructor on the V-2 during World War II. Stayed in Germany after the war.

Boese - German rocket engineer in WW2. Later worked in France at LRBA as head of the Doppler tracking group of the flight mechanics and control department from 1947-1952.

Boesen, Dennis Lee 'Denny' - American engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1987-1990. Status: Inactive; Active 1987-1990. Born: 1942-08-09.

Boettcher, Friedrich - German designer on the V-2 during World War II. Stayed in Germany after the war.

Bofors Missiles - Swedish manufacturer. Bofors Missiles, Sweden.

Boggess, Nancy Weber - American scientist. Worked at NASA on IRAS and COBE infrared satellites.

Bogomolov, Aleksei Fedorovich - Russian engineer. Chief Designer 1954-1988 of OKB MEI. Born: 1913-06-02. Died: 2009-04-14.

Bogomolov, Vladislav Nikolayevich - Russian chief designer. Chief Designer 1971-1985 of Isayev rocket engine design bureau. Succeeded Isayev after his death. Born: 1919-09-14. Died: 1997-02-09.

Boguslavskiy, Yevgeni Yakovlevich - Russian engineer. Deputy Chief Designer 1950-1969 of Ryazanskiy design bureau. Specialized in spacecraft guidance systems. Born: 1917. Died: 1969-05-18.

Bohlen, Charles E 'Chip' - American diplomat. Career foreign service officer. Born: 1904-08-30. Died: 1974-01-01.

Bokov, Vsevolod Andreyevich - Russian officer. Major General, Chief of Directorate at GUKOS space forces 1970-1980. Born: 1921.

Bold Orion - American air-launched anti-ballistic missile. Dropped from B-47 medium bombers, the missile consisted of a Sergeant booster and Altair upper stage. Status: Retired 1959. First Launch: 1958-05-26. Last Launch: 1959-10-13. Number: 12 .

Bold Orion 1 - American anti-ballistic missile. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x B-47 Stratojet + 1 x Sergeant

Bold Orion 2 - American anti-ballistic missile. Three stage vehicle consisting of 1 x B-47 Stratojet + 1 x Sergeant + 1 x Altair

Bolden, Charles Frank Jr 'Charlie' - American test pilot astronaut 1980-1994. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 28.4 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-61C (1986), STS-31, STS-45, STS-60.. Status: Inactive; Active 1980-1994. Born: 1946-08-19. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 28.36 days.

Bolivia - Bolivia used Chinese assistance to launch a national communications satellite, together with the ground segment, in 2013.

Bolkhovitinov, Viktor Fedorovich - Russian engineer. Engineer at NII-1. Led early study of Soviet derivative of the Saenger-Bredt antipodal bomber. Soviet airplane technical designer. Born: 1889. Died: 1970-01-01.

Bollermann, Bruce I - American Chief Engineer of Space Data Corporation, developer of its sounding rockets, from 1963-1996. These included the Super Loki and Viper Dart. Born: February 1926.

Bolo - Alternate designation for SLAM.

Bolshoi, Amos Aleksandrovich - Russian officer. Department Chief of TsKIK. Led flight control teams for early missions.

Bomarc - Bomarc Mach 3 ramjet surface to air missile; the only surface-to-air missile ever deployed by the US Air Force. Its development in the 1950's played an important role in technological base for later missiles and launch vehicles. Later converted to target missiles and launched from Vandenberg AFB. Status: Retired 1982. First Launch: 1952-09-10. Last Launch: 1982-07-14. Number: 157 . Gross mass: 6,800 kg (14,900 lb).

Bomarc - Alternate designation for CIM-10A.

Bomarc B - Alternate designation for CIM-10B.

Bombardier Aerospace - Second name of Short Brothers.

Bomi - Bell manned skip-glide space bomber project of the early 1950's. Predecessor to Dynasoar. Status: Design 1956.

Bondar, Roberta Lynn - Canadian physician payload specialist astronaut 1983-1992. Neurologist. First Canadian female astronaut. IML-1 payload specialist. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 8.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-42 (1992).. Status: Inactive; Active 1983-1992. Born: 1945-12-04. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 8.05 days.

Bondarenko, Valentin Vasiliyevich - Ukrainian pilot cosmonaut, 1960-1961. Killed in a fire in a spacecraft simulator run using a pure oxygen atmosphere. His death had a profound effect on future design of Soviet spacecraft. Status: Deceased; Active 1960-1961. Born: 1937-02-16. Died: 1961-03-23.

Bondaryuk bureau - Russian manufacturer of ramjet and nuclear thermal engines.

Bondaryuk, Mikhail Makarovich - Russian chief designer. Chief Designer 1950-1969 of OKB-670. Specialized in ramjet engines, including the large systems designed for Burya and Buran. Born: 1908. Died: 1969-01-01.

Bonestell, Chesley - Renowned American architectural artist who achieved greater fame as the illustrator of von Braun's vision of human space exploration in the 1950's. His realistic paintings inspired a generation of engineers to make space travel a reality. Born: 1888. Died: 1986-06-11.

Bonnet, Roger M - French astronomer. Built first French space astronomy experiment, launched by Veronique 1967. Director of Stellar and Planetary Lab of CNRS 1969-1983. Director of the ESA Scientific Program, 1983-2001. Born: 1937-12-23.

Bonney, Walter T - American journalist. Worked for NACA from 1949. NASA Director of Public Relations, 1958-1960. Avco Director of Public Relations 1960-1971. Born: 1909-05-27. Died: 1975-05-01.

Bono Manned Mars Vehicle - American manned Mars expedition. Study 1960. In 1960 Philip Bono, then working at Boeing, proposed a single-launch Mars manned expedition. Bono's scenario was the classic trade-off of weight for risk. Status: Study 1960.

Bono Saucer - American manned spaceplane. Study 1963. In 1963 Phil Bono of Douglas Aircraft considered a lenticular configuration for a single-stage-to-orbit reusable booster. This was the largest application found to date for the lenticular concept. Status: Study 1963. Gross mass: 20,400,000 kg (44,900,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 1,940,000 kg (4,270,000 lb). Payload: 454,000 kg (1,000,000 lb). More at: Lox/LH2

Bono, Philip - In the 1960's Philip Bono proposed a series of innovative designs that would enable airline-like access to space. His single-stage-to-orbit vertical-takeoff-vertical-landing concepts would have transported passengers to any point in the world in 45 minutes or less, deployed an entire battalion of troops to crisis zones, and powered single-launch expeditions to the moon and Mars. Despite this promise, government was only backing conservative approaches. It is only in the 21st Century that Bono's concepts are finally becoming reality, at the hands of private enterprise. Born: 1921-01-13. Died: 1993-05-23.

BONUM - BONUM satellites provide domestic Russian television service for Media Most, a Moscow media enterprise.

Bonum 1 - Communication (direct broadcasting) satellite built by Hughes for Bonum (Media Most) > RSCC, Russia. Launched 1998. Used the HS-376HP bus. First Launch: 1998-11-22. Last Launch: 1998-11-22. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1,425 kg (3,141 lb).

Booen, Michael Warren - American engineer military spaceflight engineer astronaut, 1982-1987. Status: Inactive; Active 1982-1987. Born: 1957-05-30.

Boojum - Intercontinental supersonic cruise missile. A follow-on to the Snark that was Northrop's competitor with the North American Navaho. Never reached development stage and no details available. Name obviously derived from the punch line of Lewis Carroll's poem: "...for the Snark was a Boojum, you see..." Status: Design 1949.

Boone, Walter F - American USN Officer. Walter F. Boone was an admiral, who after retiring from the Navy, became the NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Defense Affairs. He held this post until retiring from NASA in 1968.

Boost Glide Re-entry Vehicle - American re-entry vehicle technology satellite. The Boost Glide Re-entry Vehicle investigated related technological problems, particularly hypersonic maneuvering after re-entry into the atmosphere. Status: Operational 1968.

Boost Vehicle Plus - Alternate designation for GbI BV-Plus.

Boosted Arcas - American sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of a booster + 1 x Arcas second stage. Status: Retired 1972. First Launch: 1961-01-01. Last Launch: 1972-11-02. Number: 55 . Thrust: 1.00 kN (225 lbf).

Boosted Arcas 2 - American sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x MARC 42A1 + 1 x Arcas Status: Retired 1971. First Launch: 1966-07-25. Last Launch: 1971-10-13. Number: 25 .

Boosted Arcas 2-1 - Alternate name for MARC 42A1.

Boosted Arcas 2-2 - Alternate name for MARC 2B1.

Boosted Arcas-1 - Alternate name for MARC 14A1.

Boosted Dart - American sounding rocket. Single stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Loki-Dart Status: Operational 1966. First Launch: 1966-01-12. Last Launch: 1968-08-28.

Booster Engine One - Alternate designation for XLR43-NA-1 LOx-Alcohol rocket engine.

Boost-glide -

BOR - Unpiloted Orbital Rocket-Glider (Russian abbreviation)

BOR-1 - Russian spaceplane built by Molniya, USSR for suborbital aerodynamic and heating tests of the Spiral lifting body shape.

BOR-2 - Russian spaceplane built by Molniya, USSR for suborbital aerodynamic and heating tests of the Spiral lifting body shape.

BOR-3 - Russian spaceplane built by Molniya, USSR for suborbital aerodynamic and heating tests of the Spiral lifting body shape.

BOR-4 - Russian spaceplane. BOR-4 were subscale test versions of the Spiral manned spaceplanes. Built by Molniya, Russia. Launched 1982 - 1984. Status: Operational 1982. First Launch: 1982-06-03. Last Launch: 1984-12-19. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb).

BOR-5 - Russian spaceplane. The aerodynamic characteristics of Buran at hypersonic speeds were validated by the BOR-5 1:8 sub-scale model of Buran. Status: Operational 1984. First Launch: 1984-07-05. Last Launch: 1988-06-21. Number: 5 . Gross mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb).

BORD 1 - Manufacturer's designation of P320 LOx-LH2 rocket engine.

BORE - Optical radiation test. Satellite in the USAF OV1 technology series.

Boreas - Ionospheric and auroral investigations; lower than planned orbit. Used ESRO satellite bus.

boresighting - A process of parallel alignment of the lines of sight of two instruments by an optical procedure.

Boris Chimp 504 - Russian phantom cosmonaut. Fictional lunar landing chimpanzee, subject of Dwayne Allen Day satire of Soviet space history research articles. Died: 1969-07-20.

Borisenko, Andrei Ivanovich - Russian engineer cosmonaut 2003-on. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 337.4 days in space.. Status: Active 2003-on. Born: 1964-04-17. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 337.37 days.

Borisenko, Mikhail Ivanovich - Russian designer of missile radio control systems, 1946-1975 developed radio control systems for R-1, R-2, R-5, and R-7 missiles and satellites at the Moscow Scientific Research Radio Technical Institute (MPSS). Director of MPSS 1975-1984. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 337.4 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TMA-21 (2011), Soyuz MS-02.. Born: 1917. Died: 1984-01-01. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 337.37 days.

Borisyuk, Nikolai Andreyevich - Russian officer. Lieutenant General, First Deputy Commander of VKS space forces from 1993. Born: 1941. Died: 1984-01-01.

Borkum - First Launch: 1934-12-19. Last Launch: 1934-12-20. Number: 2 .

Borman, Frank Frederick II - American test pilot astronaut 1962-1970. Member of first crew to rendezvous in space, and first to orbit the moon. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 19.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on Gemini 7 (1965), Apollo 8.. Status: Inactive; Active 1962-1970. Born: 1928-03-14. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 19.90 days.

Bornscheuer - German professor, rocket expert in WW2; later worked in France, heading the structures group at LRBA from 1946 to 1950. Returned to teach at the University of Stuttgart.

Borodai, Aleksei Sergeyevich - Ukrainian test pilot cosmonaut, 1979-1993. Status: Inactive; Active 1979-1993. Born: 1947-07-28.

Borodin, Aleksandr Viktorovich - Russian physician cosmonaut, 1978-1993. Civilian Physician, Institute of Medical Biological Problems. Cosmonaut training from October 1979 - July 1980. Worked again at IMBP. Status: Inactive; Active 1978-1993. Born: 1953-03-03.

Borodin, Sergei Aleksandrovich - Russian engineer. Chief Designer after 1975 of the Special OKB of the Gromov LII. Designed spacecraft simulators and cockpit consoles. Born: 1935.

Borzenkova - Russian engineer cosmonaut candidate, 1962. In March 1962 selected as cosmonaut, but the selection was not confirmed by the government commission. Status: Inactive.

BOSS - Biomedical Orbiting Satellite System - USAF primate biosatellite

Bossart, Karel Jan 'Charlie' - Belgian-American Chief Designer of the Atlas rocket. Conceived many innovative features - balloon propellant tanks, common fuel/oxidizer bulkheads, jettisonable booster engines, separable nose cone, and gimbaled engines. Born: 1904-02-09. Died: 1975-08-03.

Boston - Boston University Center for Space Physics.

Boston Defense Area - Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.

Bottenhorn, Hermann - German expert in rolling mill designer during World War II. Worked in America at Wright Field after the war.

Bowen, Stephen Gerard - American engineer mission specialist astronaut 2000-on. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 40.4 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-126 (2008), STS-132, STS-133.. Status: Active 2000-on. Born: 1964-02-13. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 40.42 days.

Bowers, Jack L 'John' - American engineer. Convair corporate officer in charge of Atlas development during the peak of its development phase. Born: 1920-08-25. Died: 2000-09-09.

Bowersox, Kenneth Dwane 'Sox' - American test pilot astronaut 1987-2006. Flight record: 5 spaceflights, 211.6 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-50 (1992), STS-61, STS-73, STS-82, STS-113.. Status: Inactive; Active 1987-2006. Born: 1956-11-14. Spaceflights: 5 . Total time in space: 211.59 days.

Boyd, Albert - American test pilot, commanded Edwards AFB 1949-1951. Status: Deceased. Born: 1906. Died: 1976-10-01.

Boyle, Anthony Hugh - British-American engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1984. Status: Deceased; Active 1984-1984. Born: 1941-01-18. Died: 2011-10-25.

Boyles Law Suit - American pressure suit, tested 1966. Concept by Otto Schueller, patented by Davis, Moore, Ritzinger and Whitmore at USAFSAM. Status: tested 1966.

BPA 1, 2, 3 - Technology satellite for Hartron-Arkos, Ukraine. Launched 2010-2013. First Launch: 2010-06-15. Last Launch: 2013-11-21. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 1,910 kg (4,210 lb).

BPD - Italian manufacturer of rocket engines. BPD, Italy.

BPD Difesa e Spazio - Alternate name for BPD.

BPT engine series - Series of Redmond Hall-thruster electric engines.

BPT-2000 - Redmond electric/xenon rocket engine. In Production. Hall effect thruster. Nominal power input 2200 W at 350 V. Status: In Production. Unfuelled mass: 5.20 kg (11.40 lb). Thrust: 0.12 N (0.03 lbf). More at: Electric/Xenon

BPT-4000 - Redmond electric/xenon rocket engine. In Production. Hall effect thruster. Nominal power input 4500 W at 350 V. Status: In Production. Unfuelled mass: 7.50 kg (16.50 lb). Thrust: 0.27 N (0.06 lbf). More at: Electric/Xenon

BPT-600k - Redmond electric/xenon rocket engine. In Development, 2005-2006. Began as 1995 contract for 600kWe Hall thruster electric propulsion system designed for future interplanetary manned spacecraft. Status: In Development, 2005-2006. Thrust: 30 N (6 lbf). More at: Electric/Xenon

BQ - American intermediate range cruise missile family.

BQ-1 - Alternate name of BQ-2.

BQ-1/BQ-2 - Alternate name of BQ-2.

BQ-1/BQ-2 - Alternate designation for BQ-1-BQ-2.

BQ-2 - American intermediate range cruise missile. In March 1942, the USAAF initiated a program to develop radio-controlled assault drones, frequently called "aerial torpedoes" at that time. Status: Cancelled 1944.

BQ-3 - American intermediate range cruise missile. In October 1942, Fairchild received a contract to build two XBQ-3 prototype unmanned assault drones based on the AT-21 Gunner twin-engined trainer design. Status: Cancelled 1944.

BQ-4 - Alternate name of TD3R.

BQ-4-TDR - Early family of American unmanned remotely-controlled aircraft for use in combat. Status: Cancelled 1944.

BQ-5 - Alternate name of TD3R.

BQ-6 - Alternate name of TD3R.

BQ-7 - Alternate designation for Aphrodite.

BQ-8 - American intermediate range cruise missile. In 1944 the USAAF intended to convert some worn-out Consolidated B-24D/J Liberator bombers to BQ-8 radio-controlled assault drones for use against heavily defended targets on Japanese islands in the Pacific. The concept was the same as used for the B-17 Flying Fortress conversions in the BQ-7 Aphrodite project. Status: Cancelled 1945.

BQM-108 - NWC ground-launched drone.

BQM-126 - Beech ground-launched drone. Gross mass: 640 kg (1,410 lb).

BQM-6C - American intermediate range cruise drone. Drone version.

BQM-90 - American ground-launched drone. Anti-Ship Missile Target, USN project, canceled 1973. Also refered to as ZBQ-90A..

BRAC Onnesha - Alternate name of Bird B, G, J, M, N (BRAC Onnesha, ANUSAT 1, NUMSAT 1).

Brackett, Ernest W - American bureaucrat. Director of NASA Procurement 1960-1968. Born: 1909-06-19. Died: 1991-05-10.

Brady, Charles Eldon Jr - American physician mission specialist astronaut 1992-2002. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 16.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-78 (1996).. Status: Deceased; Active 1992-2002. Born: 1951-08-12. Died: 2006-07-23. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 16.91 days.

Brand, Vance DeVoe - American test pilot astronaut 1966-1992. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 31.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on ASTP (1975), STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35.. Status: Inactive; Active 1966-1992. Born: 1931-05-09. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 31.08 days.

Brandenstein, Daniel Charles - American test pilot astronaut 1978-1992. Flew 192 combat missions in Vietnam. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 32.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-8 (1983), STS-51G, STS-32, STS-49.. Status: Inactive; Active 1978-1992. Born: 1943-01-17. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 32.88 days.

Branscomb, Lewis M - American Engineer. Lewis M. Branscomb is a Harvard University-trained physicist who served in a variety of university and public service posts before the chief scientist of the IBM Corp Born: 1926-08-17.

Brasilsat - Geosynchronous communications satellite series of the Brazilian communications company Embratel.

Brasilsat A 1, 2 - Communication satellite built by Spar Aerospace (prime), Hughes (bus) for EMBRATEL, Brazil. Launched 1985 - 1986. Used the HS-376 bus. First Launch: 1985-02-08. Last Launch: 1986-03-28. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,195 kg (2,634 lb).

Brasilsat B 1, 2, 3, 4 - Communication satellite built by Hughes for EMBRATEL, Brazil. Launched 1994 - 2000. Used the HS-376W bus. First Launch: 1994-08-10. Last Launch: 2000-08-17. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 1,757 kg (3,873 lb).

Brass Bell - American manned combat spacecraft. Study 1956. Hypersonic manned reconnaissance spaceplane project of the 1950's. Predecessor to Dynasoar. Status: Study 1956.

Brave 3000 - American drone missile. Multi-purpose drone, USAF

Brave Zoo - Alternate name of Pave Tiger/Seek Spinner CGM-121.

Brazil - Brazil

Brazil astronaut group, 1998 -

Brazilian AF - Brazilian AF.

Brazo - American air-to-air missile. American guided missile, full scale development begun 1974, project cancelled in 1978. Status: Operational 1978.

Brede, Hans - German expert in jet propulsion during World War II. Worked in America at Wright Field after the war.

Bredt, Irene - German engineer. Wife of Eugen Saenger and co-designer of the Silverbird spaceplane Born: 1911-04-24. Died: 1983-10-20.

BreizhSAT, BO 47 - Alternate name of Idefix (BreizhSAT, BO 47/48, BreizhSAT-OSCAR 47/48).

BreizhSAT-OSCAR 47 - Alternate name of Idefix (BreizhSAT, BO 47/48, BreizhSAT-OSCAR 47/48).

Bremen - German manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. OHB System GmbH, Germany.

BremSat - German re-entry vehicle technology satellite. Atomic oxygen, dust particle, microgravity, reentry experiments. Science, atmosphere satellite built by ZARM for DARA, ZARM, Germany. Launched 1994. Status: Operational 1994. First Launch: 1994-02-03. Last Launch: 1994-02-03. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 63 kg (138 lb).

Bresnik, Randolph James - American test pilot astronaut, 2004-on. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 149.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-129 (2009), Soyuz MS-05.. Status: Active 2004-on. Born: 1967-09-11. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 149.51 days.

Brezhnev, Leonid I - Russian politician. Leader of the Soviet Union between 1965 and 1982. Born: 1912-12-19. Died: 1982-11-10.

Brezhnev, Mikhail Aleksandrovich - Russian politician. Deputy Minister of General Machine Building. Responsible for guidance systems industry.

Brezhnev, Valentin Mikhailovich - Russian officer. Major General, Chief Director of GUKOS space forces 1985-1991. Higher officer training 1952-1954, entered TsUKOS in 1966, then reached ascending positions within the space forces. Retired in 1991. Born: 1934.

BrF5 - Bromine Pentafluoride was another of the extremely reactive and toxic oxidizers tested in the United States in the late 1950's. As in the other cases, it was found that the handling problems and safety risks if the toxic chemical outweighed the performance benefits.

BrF5/Hydrazine - BrF5/Hydrazine propellant. No engines reached the operational stage using this storable propellant combination. The handling problems and safety risks of the toxic bromine pentafluoride oxidizer outweighed the performance benefits. Hydrazine (N2H4) found early use as a rocket fuel, but it was quickly replaced by UDMH in most applications.

BrF5/Hydyne - BrF5/Hydyne propellant. No engines reached the operational stage using this storable propellant combination. The handling problems and safety risks of the toxic bromine pentafluoride oxidizer outweighed the performance benefits. Hydyne was a propellant blend pushed rather vigorously by the Redstone arsenal in the late 1950's, but it found little application.

BrF5/MMH - BrF5/MMH propellant. No engines reached the operational stage using this storable propellant combination. The handling problems and safety risks of the toxic bromine pentafluoride oxidizer outweighed the performance benefits. Monomethylhydrazine (CH3NHNH2) is a storable liquid fuel that found favor in the United States for use in orbital spacecraft engines. Its advantages in comparison to UDMH are higher density and slightly higher performance.

BrF5/UDMH - BrF5/UDMH propellant. No engines reached the operational stage using this storable propellant combination. The handling problems and safety risks of the toxic bromine pentafluoride oxidizer outweighed the performance benefits. Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine ((CH3)2NNH2) became the storable liquid fuel of choice by the mid-1950's.

BRICSat 1 / NO 83 / Naval Academy-OSCAR 83 - Alternate name of BRICSat-P (BRICSat 1 / NO 83 / Naval Academy-OSCAR 83).

BRICSat 2 - Technology, Communication satellite for US Naval Academy Satellite Lab, George Washington University, USA. Cubesat 1.5U bus.

BRICSat-P - Technology, Communication satellite for US Naval Academy Satellite Lab, George Washington University, USA. Launched 2015. Cubesat 1.5U bus. First Launch: 2015-05-20. Last Launch: 2015-05-20. Number: 1 .

Bridgeman, William Barton - American test pilot, 1949-1960. Flew the D-558-2 rocketplane and X-3. Declared the latest "The Fastest Man Alive" in 1951. Status: Deceased. Born: 1916. Died: 1968-09-29.

Bridgeport Defense Area - Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks.

Bridges, Roy Dunbard Jr - American test pilot astronaut 1980-1986. Grew up in Gainesville, Georgia. Flew 226 combat missions in Vietnam. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 7.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51F (1985).. Status: Inactive; Active 1980-1986. Born: 1943-07-19. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 7.95 days.

Briggs, Geoffrey A - American scientist. Led Mars imaging teams for JPL Mariner and Viking missions 1969-1977. Deputy Director and Director, NASA HQ Solar System Exploration Division 1977-1990. Scientific Director, Ames Center for Mars Exploration, 1992-1997.

Brightman, Sarah - British classical and crossover pop singer and space tourist astronaut, trained 2012-2015 but did not fly.

Brilliant Pebbles - American anti-ballistic missile. ABM-missiles, SDIO/BMDO project Status: Cancelled 1991.

Bringer, Karl-Heinz - German engineer. Developer of the Viking engine and propulsion leader of the German Rocket Team in France after WW2. Born: 1908-06-16. Died: 1999-01-02.

BRIsat - Communication satellite built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Indonesia. Launched 2016. Used the SSL-1300 bus. First Launch: 2016-06-18. Last Launch: 2016-06-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 3,540 kg (7,800 lb).

Bristol - Canadian manufacturer of rocket engines and rockets. Bristol Aerospace Limited, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Bristol 120 - Alternate designation for 9KS1660.

Bristol 260 stage series - Bristol solid rocket engine series used on the Black Brant sounding rockets.

Bristol 440 - Alternate name for Nihka.

Bristol 440 - Solid rocket motor series developed by Bristol for the Black Brant sounding rocket.

Bristol 90 - Alternate designation for BB7.

Bristol Aerojet - British manufacturer. Bristol Aerojet, UK.

Bristol Siddeley - British manufacturer of rocket engines. Bristol Siddeley, UK.

Bristol Spaceplanes - British manufacturer of rockets and spacecraft. Bristol Spaceplanes, UK.

BRITE - Satellite using the Toronto GNB bus carrying the BRITE-PL astronomical photometry payload for the Polish Academy of Sciences.

BRITE-Austria - Alternate name of TUGsat 1 (BRITE-Austria, CanX 3B).

BRITE-CA 1, 2 - Astronomy / Technology satellite built by UTIAS for UTIAS (University of Toronto, Institute for Aerospace Studies), Canada. Launched 2014. Used Generic Nanosatellite Bus (GNB). First Launch: 2014-06-19. Last Launch: 2014-06-19. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 10 kg (22 lb).

BRITE-PL, PL2 - Astronomy / Technology satellite built by UTIAS (bus) for BRITE-PL consortium, Poland. Launched 2013 - 2014. Used Generic Nanosatellite Bus (GNB). First Launch: 2013-11-21. Last Launch: 2014-08-19. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 10 kg (22 lb).

BRITE-Toronto, BRITE-Montreal - Alternate name of BRITE-CA 1, 2 (BRITE-Toronto, BRITE-Montreal / CanX 3E, 3F).

British Aerospace - British manufacturer of rockets. British Aerospace, UK.

British Aerospace Space Station - European manned space station. Study 1990. British Aerospace Ltd. (BAe) investigated alternate European space station designs for the European Space Agency. Status: Study 1990.

British Aircraft Corp. - Alternate name for BAC.

British Army - British Army.

Briz K - Alternate designation for Rokot-3 Briz rocket stage.

Briz M - Alternate designation for Proton KM-4 Briz M rocket stage.

Briz stage series - Family of Russian maneuverable storable propellant upper stages based on a common core with supplemental propellant tanks providing greater capability.

Briz-KM - N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Briz KM differs from Briz K in having 'compact' components, special payload truss for Globalstar dispenser. The truss is 1.8 m in diameter and has a volume of 8.8 m3. Status: Active. Gross mass: 6,700 kg (14,700 lb). Unfuelled mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Thrust: 19.60 kN (4,406 lbf). More at: N2O4/UDMH

BRL - American agency. Ballistic Research Laboratory (renamed Army Research Laboratory), USA.

Broadsword MQM-171 - Griffon Aerospace mobile surface-launched drone.

Brode, Wallace Reed - American scientist. Associate director of the National Bureau of Standards 1947-1958. Born: 1900-06-12. Died: 1974-08-10.

Brodie, Bernard - American scientist. Political scientist, specialized in Cold War strategy, member of Rand. Born: 1910-05-20. Died: 1978-11-01.

Broetler, Hugo - German welding engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the Soviet Union, worked on rocket engine development in Glushko's design bureau from 1947 to 1952. Worked in Oxygen Plant; Shop 55. Born: 1898-11-09.

Broglio, Luigi - Italian engineer. Leading Italian space engineer. Chairman of the Italian National Committee on Space Research. Conceived and directed the San Marco orbital launch platform off the coast of Kenya, 1964-1988. Born: 1911-11-11. Died: 2001-01-14.

Bronk, Detlev W - American scientist, president of the National Academy of Sciences, 1950-1962, and a member of the National Aeronautics and Space Council. President of Johns Hopkins University, 1949-1953, and Rockefeller University, 1953-1968. Born: 1897-08-13. Died: 1975-11-01.

Bronwell, Arthur B - American electrical engineer, professor at Northwestern University, then president of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 1955-1962, then the dean of engineering at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Born: 1909-08-18. Died: 1985-05-01.

Brown, Curtis Lee Jr 'Curt' - American test pilot astronaut 1987-1999. Flew in space six times. Flight record: 6 spaceflights, 57.6 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-47 (1992), STS-66, STS-77, STS-85, STS-95, STS-103.. Status: Inactive; Active 1987-1999. Born: 1956-03-11. Spaceflights: 6 . Total time in space: 57.63 days.

Brown, David McDowell - American physician mission specialist astronaut 1996-2003. Perished in Columbia shuttle disintegration during re-entry. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 15.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-107 (2003).. Status: Deceased; Active 1996-2003. Born: 1956-04-16. Died: 2003-02-01. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 15.93 days.

Brown, Mark Neil - American engineer mission specialist astronaut 1984-1993. Flight record: 2 spaceflights, 10.4 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-28 (1989), STS-48.. Status: Inactive; Active 1984-1993. Born: 1951-11-18. Spaceflights: 2 . Total time in space: 10.39 days.

Browse - Browse the encyclopedia - by topic, or check out popular articles

Brucker, Wilber M - American politician. Secretary of the Army 1955-1961. Born: 1894. Died: 1968-01-01.

Bruemmer, Renate Luise - Swiss engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1987-1993. Meteorologist. Status: Inactive; Active 1987-1993. Born: 1955-05-04.

Bruenecke, Erhardt - German engineer and expert in guided missiles in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter.

Brunswick - American manufacturer. Brunswick, USA.

BS - Designation of series of communications satellites launched by Japanese BS telecom. Medium-scale broadcasting satellites for experimental purposes and communications to Japanese home islands.

BS (Russian abbreviation) - Lateral stabilization (Russian abbreviation)

BS 2x, 3h - Communication satellite built by RCA Astro => GE Astro for TSCJ, Japan. Launched 1990 - 1991. Used the AS-3000 bus. First Launch: 1990-02-22. Last Launch: 1991-04-18. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,250 kg (2,750 lb).

BS 3a, 3b, 3n - Communication satellite built by NEC, RCA Astro → GE Astro → Martin Marietta (Bus), Japan. Launched 1990 - 1994. Used the AS-3000 bus. First Launch: 1990-08-28. Last Launch: 1994-07-08. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 1,100 kg (2,400 lb).

BSAT - Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.

BSat 1a, 1b - Communication satellite built by Hughes for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation of Tokyo (B-SAT), Japan. Launched 1997 - 1998. Used the HS-376 bus. First Launch: 1997-04-16. Last Launch: 1998-04-28. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,236 kg (2,724 lb).

BSat 2a, 2b - Communication satellite built by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT), Japan. Launched 2001. Used the Star-1 bus. First Launch: 2001-03-08. Last Launch: 2001-07-12. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,292 kg (2,848 lb).

BSat 2c - Communication satellite built by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT), Japan. Launched 2003. Used the Star-1 bus. First Launch: 2003-06-11. Last Launch: 2003-06-11. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1,275 kg (2,810 lb).

BSat 3a, 3b - Communication satellite built by Lockheed Martin for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT), Japan. Launched 2007 - 2010. Used the A2100A bus. First Launch: 2007-08-14. Last Launch: 2010-10-28. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,967 kg (4,336 lb).

BSat 3c - Communication satellite built by Lockheed Martin for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT), SKY Perfect JSAT, Japan. Launched 2011. Used the A2100A bus. First Launch: 2011-08-06. Last Launch: 2011-08-06. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2,910 kg (6,410 lb).

BSat 4a - Communicationsatellite built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT). Used the SSL-1300 bus. Gross mass: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb).

BSB - British Satellite Broadcasting Ltd, direct broadcasting system owner/operator.

BSB 1, 2 - Alternate name of Marco Polo 1, 2 (BSB 1, 2) / Sirius 1 / Thor 1.

BSD - Ballistic Systems Division, Air Force

BSE - Broadcasting Satellite for Experimental purposes. Alternate name for Yuri.

BSE, BS 2a, 2b - Communication satellite built by RCA Astro, Japan. Launched 1978 - 1986. Used the AS-3000 bus. First Launch: 1978-04-07. Last Launch: 1986-02-12. Number: 3 .

BSS - Designation of satellite bus series by Boeing Satellite Systems (formally HS series from Hughes Satellite, acquired by Boeing).

BSTS - The American Boost Surveillance Tracking System was to monitor the launch of enemy missiles and cue anti-ballistic missile measures. Cancelled due to escalating costs and a reduced threat after the fall of the Soviet Union.

BSU-V - TKS manned capsule guidance system (Russian abbreviation)

BT-310 - Japanese single stage sounding rocket. Derivative of S-310. Status: Retired 1966. First Launch: 1966-04-28. Last Launch: 1966-08-06. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 700 kg (1,540 lb). More at: Solid

BT-4 - Pressure-fed liquid propellant engine developoed by IHI Aerospace of Japan. Originally developed for the cancelled LUNAR-A, later adopted internationally for use as the apogee engine for geostationary communications satellites (A2100 and GEOStar-2 buses), and the HTV and Cygnus automated cargo spacecraft. The thruster was built on the technology base from license build of the second stage attitude control system for the N-1 rocket in the 1970's, followed by the first indigenous-design Japanese thrusters for the ETS-4 (Kiku-3) satellite in the 1980's. Gross mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb). Thrust: 500 N (110 lbf). More at: N2O4/N2H4

BTDS - American anti-ballistic missile. SDIO/BMDO project, Baseline Terminal Defense System (ex-LoADS), with Sentry Status: Study.

BTTN - Butanetrioltrinitrate, a highly oxygenated energetic plasticizer

BTU - Abbreviation for British thermal unit

BTW - Abbreviation for By The Way

BU - Boston University, USA

Buccaneer RRM - Technology satellite built by UNSW, DSTO; Pumpkin (bus) for UNSW, DSTO, Australia. Cubesat 3U bus. Gross mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb).

Bucher, Erich - German expert in guided missiles during World War II.

Buchhold, Theodore - German professor, expert in guided missiles during WW2. Member of the German Rocket Team in the United States thereafter. Born: 1900-07-10. Died: 1984-01-01.

Buchholz, Otto - German expert in aircraft designer during World War II. Stayed in Germany after the war.

Buchli, James Frederick - American test pilot mission specialist astronaut 1978-1992. Grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 20.4 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51C (1985), STS-61A, STS-29, STS-48.. Status: Inactive; Active 1978-1992. Born: 1945-06-20. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 20.43 days.

Buck Duck GAM-71 - Convair 1950's USAF air-to-surface missile; air-launched decoy for B-36.

Buckey, Jay Clark Jr - American physician payload specialist astronaut 1991-1998. Active Payload Specialist Trainee for Shuttle STS-90 Neurolab Mission; he had been Alternate Payload Specialist for STS-58 Mission SLS-2. Flight record: 1 spaceflight, 15.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-90 (1998).. Status: Inactive; Active 1991-1998. Born: 1956-06-06. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 15.91 days.

Buckley, Edmond C - American engineer. Instrumentation and tracking expert at NASA, 1930 - 1969. Senior NASA official for tracking operations during the moon race, 1959-1969. Born: 1904. Died: 1977-01-01.

Budarin, Nikolai Mikhailovich - Russian engineer cosmonaut 1989-2004. 444 cumulative days in space. Civilian Engineer, Energia NPO Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 444.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-71 (1995), Soyuz TM-27, STS-113.. Status: Inactive; Active 1989-2004. Born: 1953-04-29. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 444.06 days.

Budnik, Vasili Sergeyevich - Russian engineer. First Deputy Designer of KB Yuzhnoye 1954-1972. Born: 1913-06-24. Died: 2007-03-08.

Buechner - German professor, rocket expert in WW2; later worked in France as head of chemistry group at LRBA from 1947-1953. Then returned to professor post in Germany.

Bugayskiy, Viktor Nikifirovich - Russian engineer. Headed Chelomei design bureau Filial 1 1960-1973. Specialized in rockets and spacecraft.

Bugrov, Vladimir Yevgrafovich - Russian engineer cosmonaut, 1966-1968. Status: Inactive; Active 1966-1968. Born: 1933-01-18.

Bugs - Alternate name of NASA-18 astronaut group, 2000.

Bugsat - Technology testbed for components for a planned constellation of earth observation satellites by Satellogic SA. Status: Operational 2014. First Launch: 2014-06-19. Last Launch: 2014-06-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 22 kg (48 lb).

BugSat 1 - Technology, earth observation satellite for Satellogic S.A., Argentina. Launched 2014. First Launch: 2014-06-19. Last Launch: 2014-06-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 22 kg (48 lb).

Buhl - German engineer, member of Rocket Team in France after WW2. Engineer and German rocket technician; later worked in France as part of the ballistics group at LRBA from 1947 until retirement in 1984. Remained in Vernon, France.

Bui Thanh Liem - Vietnamese pilot cosmonaut 1979-1980. Graduated from Gagarin Military Academy, Monino, 1978 Captain and fighter pilot, Vietnam Air Force. Flew many combat missions during the Vietnam War. Continued service in Vietnamese Air Force. Died in the crash of a MiG-21UTI trainer. Status: Deceased; Active 1979-1980. Born: 1949-06-30. Died: 1981-09-01.

Buinovski, Eduard Ivanovich - Russian engineer cosmonaut, 1963-1964. Status: Inactive; Active 1963-1964. Born: 1936-02-26.

Buk - Russian surface-to-air missile. Mobile surface-to-air missile system, back-compatible with Kub. Status: Operational 1980. Gross mass: 690 kg (1,520 lb). Payload: 70 kg (154 lb).

Buk 9K37M - Russian surface-to-air missile. Improved Buk. Gross mass: 690 kg (1,520 lb).

Buk 9K37M1 - Russian surface-to-air missile. Export version, designated 'Gang'. Status: Operational 1984.

Buk SAR - Alternate name of Buk 9K37M1.

Buk-1M - Alternate name of Buk 9K37M.

Bukguekseong - North Korean solid propellant intermediate range ballistic missile. Status: In development 2017. First Launch: 2016-08-23. Last Launch: 2017-05-21. Number: 3 .

Buk-M1 - Russian surface-to-air missile. Improved version of Buk with highly-secret anti-missile capability. Status: Operational 1983. Gross mass: 690 kg (1,520 lb). Payload: 70 kg (154 lb).

Buk-M1-2 - Russian surface-to-air missile. Universal multimodal surface-to-air missile complex for use by the PVO, PRO, and coastal defence units, capable of intercepting highly manoeuvrable tactical and strategic aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, naval vessels, fixed land targets, and air-to-surface missiles. Status: Operational 1997. Gross mass: 710 kg (1,560 lb). Payload: 70 kg (154 lb).

Buk-M1-2 Smerch - Russian surface-to-air missile. Naval version of Buk-M1-2. Gross mass: 720 kg (1,580 lb).

Bukreyev, Viktor Ivanovich - Russian test pilot cosmonaut, 1977. Flew for Gromov Institute. Selected as a cosmonaut for the Buran program, but the selection was not confirmed by the government commission. Died in an aircraft crash. Status: Deceased. Born: 1949. Died: 1977-05-17.

Bulava - Russian solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile, equipped with up to ten multiple independently targeted warheads. The first post-Soviet Russian ballistic missile, it was designed to provide Russia's submarine-launched deterrent by the third decade of the 21st Century. Status: Active. First Launch: 2004-09-23. Last Launch: 2018-05-22. Number: 33 . Gross mass: 36,800 kg (81,100 lb).

Bulganin, Nikolai Aleksandrovich - Russian Minister of Defense 1947-1949 and 1953-1955. Chaired Special Committee 2 1947-1949. Chairman of the Soviet Council of Ministers, and heavily involved in the negotiations over freedom of space issue for overflight of territories. Born: 1895-06-11. Died: 1975-02-24.

Bulgaria - Bulgaria

Bulgaria 1300 - Alternate name of Interkosmos 22 (Bulgaria 1300, 11F65).

Bulgaria astronaut group, 1987 - Requirement: pilot from Bulgaria to visit Mir space station for propaganda purposes on Soyuz ferry-exchange mission. This was compensation mission due to failure to deliver Bulgarian cosmonaut on earlier mission to Salyut. Date: 1987.

Bulgarian AF - Bulgarian AF.

BulgariaSat 1 - Communication satellite built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Bulgaria Sat. Used the SSL-1300 bus. Gross mass: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb).

Bull - Canadian manufacturer of rockets, spacecraft, and rocket engines. Bull, Canada.

Bull Goose-1 - Air/Kerosene rocket stage. Status: Retired 1958. More at: Air/Kerosene

Bull, John Sumter - American test pilot astronaut, 1966-1968. Status: Deceased; Active 1966-1968. Born: 1934-09-25. Died: 2008-11-08.

Bulldog AGM-83 - Texas Instruments air-to-surface missile. American air-to-surface missile, development started in 1969. Program cancelled in 1974.. Gross mass: 270 kg (590 lb).

BullGoose - Alternate designation for Goose.

Bullpup - Multi-source solid rocket engine. Bullpup Apache first stage. Status: Retired 1972. Gross mass: 300 kg (660 lb). Thrust: 111.00 kN (24,953 lbf). More at: Solid

Bullpup AGM-12 - Martin 1950's USAF air-to-surface missile.

Bullpup AGM-12A - American air-to-surface missile.

Bullpup AGM-12B - American air-to-surface missile. Status: Operational 1959. Gross mass: 259 kg (570 lb). Payload: 110 kg (240 lb). Thrust: 52.90 kN (11,892 lbf).

Bullpup AGM-12C - American air-to-surface missile. Status: Operational 1965. Gross mass: 809 kg (1,783 lb). Payload: 450 kg (990 lb). Thrust: 147.00 kN (33,046 lbf).

Bullpup AGM-12D - American air-to-surface missile.

Bullpup AGM-12E - American air-to-surface missile.

Bullpup Apache - American sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Bullpup + 1 x Apache Status: Retired 1972. First Launch: 1970-11-24. Last Launch: 1972-03-29. Number: 4 . Gross mass: 400 kg (880 lb). Thrust: 111.00 kN (24,953 lbf).

Bullpup Apache-1 - Alternate name for Bullpup.

Bullpup B - Alternate name of Bullpup AGM-12D.

Bullpup B - Alternate name of Bullpup AGM-12C.

Bullpup Cajun - American sounding rocket. Two stage vehicle consisting of 1 x Bullpup + 1 x Cajun Status: Retired 1970. First Launch: 1970-01-16. Last Launch: 1970-01-16. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 400 kg (880 lb). Thrust: 111.00 kN (24,953 lbf).

Bululkov, Vladimir Alekseyevich - Russian officer. Major General, Deputy Chief of the Mozhaiskiy Military Engineering Institute 1984-1989. Born: 1929.

Bulychev, Ivan Timofeyevich - Russian officer. Chief of Communications Directorate, Ministry of Defense, 1956-1958.

Bumblebee BTV - Applied Physics Lab 1950's US Navy propulsion test vehicle; Burner Test Vehicle.

Bumblebee STV - American test vehicle in the 1940's. The primary goal of the U.S. Navy's Bumblebee missile program was to develop a ramjet-powered surface-to-air missile. Bumblebee test vehicles and technologies led to the operational Terrier and Talos missile of the 1950's. Status: Cancelled 1948.

Bumblebee XPM RTV-N-6 - Applied Physics Lab 1950's US Navy research test vehicle; Experimental Prototype Missile.

Bumper - German V-2 with a 700-pound Army-JPL Wac Corporal.

Bumper-WAC - German short range ballistic test vehicle. Pioneering US demonstration of a two stage launch vehicle, coupling a V-2 with a WAC Corporal. The first ballistic missile fired from Cape Canaveral. Status: Retired 1950. First Launch: 1948-05-13. Last Launch: 1950-07-29. Number: 8 . Gross mass: 12,862 kg (28,355 lb). Thrust: 267.00 kN (60,023 lbf).

Bundesamt fur Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung - Alternate name for BWB.

Bundespost - German agency. Bundespost, Germany.

Bundy, McGeorge - American Bureaucrat. McGeorge Bundy was a professor of government before serving as the national security adviser to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson from 1961-1966. Born: 1919-03-30. Died: 1996-09-16.

Buran - Russian manned spaceplane which represented a huge leap in Soviet space technology and project management. Buran flew only once, in 1988. The cost of Buran - 14.5 billion rubles - was a significant part of the effort to maintain strategic and technical parity with the United States. In the end it contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union and thus the demise of Buran itself. Status: Operational 1988. First Launch: 1988-11-15. Last Launch: 1988-11-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 105,000 kg (231,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 90,400 kg (199,200 lb). Payload: 30,000 kg (66,000 lb). Thrust: 172.50 kN (38,780 lbf). More at: Lox/Sintin

Buran (Snowstorm ) - Alternate name for Soyuz 7.

Buran (Snowstorm ) - Alternate name for Soyuz 16.

Buran (Snowstorm) - Alternate designation for Soyuz 7.

Buran (Snowstorm) - Alternate designation for Soyuz 16.

Buran 5 - Cancelled Buran Flight 5 (3K1) would have been the first flight of the third orbiter. It would be the first manned Buran flight; the third orbiter was the first outfitted with life support systems and ejection seats. Launched: 1994 Late or Early 1995. Number crew: 2 .

Buran Analogue - Russian manned spaceplane. This Buran OK-GLI 'Analogue' was a version of the Buran spaceplane equipped with jet engines to allow it to be flown in handling and landing system tests at subsonic speed in the earth's atmosphere. Status: Operational 1985.

Buran launch vehicle - Design version of Energia, with the reusable Buran manned spaceplane mounted to the side of the core. Status: Retired 1988. First Launch: 1988-11-15. Last Launch: 1988-11-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2,524,000 kg (5,564,000 lb). Thrust: 88,000.00 kN (19,783,000 lbf).

Buran M - Russian intercontinental cruise missile. A government decree on 20 May 1954 authorized the Myasishchev aircraft design bureau to proceed with full-scale development of the Buran trisonic intercontinental cruise missile. The competing Burya design of Lavochkin was launched in July 1957, but the development of unstoppable ICBM's had made intercontinental cruise missiles obsolete. The equivalent American Navaho project was cancelled ten days later. Korolev's R-7 ICBM completed its first successful test flight in August. Buran was being prepared for its first flight when Myasishchev's project was cancelled on November 1957. In an attempt to continue the project, two manned variants were proposed as follow-on projects, to no avail.

Buran M-40 - Russian intercontinental cruise missile, consisting of four M-41 liquid propellant booster stages, and a Mach 3 M-42 ramjet cruise stage. Status: Cancelled 1957. Gross mass: 125,000 kg (275,000 lb). Thrust: 2,156.00 kN (484,688 lbf).

Buran M-41 - Nitric acid/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Booster for Buran missile. Four used to boost ramjet second stage to ignition conditions. Masses estimated based on missile known total mass. Specific impulse estimated. Status: Development ended 1957. Gross mass: 18,000 kg (39,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Thrust: 755.00 kN (169,730 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/Kerosene

Buran M-42 - Russian intercontinental cruise missile. Cancelled 1957. Several variants of the Myasishchev Buran trisonic intercontinental cruise missile M-42 cruise stage were studied, including a piloted version. Status: Cancelled 1957. Gross mass: 50,000 kg (110,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 12,000 kg (26,000 lb). Payload: 2,300 kg (5,000 lb). Thrust: 103.90 kN (23,358 lbf). More at: Air/Kerosene

Buran M-42 stage - Ramjet missile stage. Boosted by 4 x Glushko-engined boosters. 8,500 km cruise at Mach 3.1 at 18-20 km altitude with 3,500 kg warhead. Wing area 98 square meters; diameter of ramjet 2.0 m. Never reached flight test. Masses estimated based on missile known total mass. Status: Development ended 1957. Gross mass: 53,000 kg (116,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 15,000 kg (33,000 lb). Payload: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb). Thrust: 103.90 kN (23,358 lbf). More at: Air/Kerosene

Buran M-44 - Russian manned ramjet-powered research aircraft. Study 1958. Air-launched derivative of the Buran Mach 3 high altitude cruise missile system, proposed for use as an unmanned high speed research vehicle. Status: Study 1958. Gross mass: 50,000 kg (110,000 lb). Payload: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Thrust: 103.90 kN (23,358 lbf). More at: Air/Kerosene

Buran M-48 - Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1958. In 1958 the VVS (Soviet Air Force) requested development as quickly as possible of high-speed aerospace vehicles. Status: Study 1958. Gross mass: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). Unfuelled mass: 4,300 kg (9,400 lb). Thrust: 15.60 kN (3,507 lbf).

Buran RSS-52 - Russian air-launched test vehicle. Hypersonic ramjet-powered research vehicle proposed by Myasishchev in 1958. This version of the cancelled Buran intercontinental cruise missile would have been air-launched at supersonic speed from a derivative of the M-50 bomber. It would then use its own ramjet to accelerate to hypersonic velocity. Status: Cancelled 1957. Gross mass: 50,000 kg (110,000 lb). Thrust: 104.00 kN (23,380 lbf).

Buran-T - Fully recoverable version of Energia launch vehicle, with four winged boosters and a winged core stage. Status: Design 1989.

Burbank, Daniel Christopher - American engineer mission specialist astronaut 1996-2018. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 188.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-106 (2000), STS-115, Soyuz TMA-22.. Status: Inactive; Active 1996-2018.. Born: 1961-07-27. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 188.91 days.

Burdayev, Mikhail Nikolayevich - Russian engineer cosmonaut 1967-1983. Graduated from Air Force Engineering Academy, doctorate degree, 1987. Cosmonaut training from May 1967 - 18 August 1969. Worked as trainer at the Gagarin Center. Professor in space ballistics from 1994. Status: Inactive; Active 1967-1983. Born: 1932-08-27.

Burden, William AM - American engineer. Aviation consultant, served on the National Aeronautics and Space Council 1958-1959. Born: 1906-04-08. Died: 1984-10-01.

Bureau of Standards - American agency. Bureau of Standards, USA.

Burial - Category of spacecraft.

Burkan 2H - Longer-range version of the Iranian Qiam-1 Scud derivative, assembled in Yemen with Iranian assistance. First Launch: 2017-11-04. Last Launch: 2018-05-08. Number: 8 .

Burke, Arleigh A - American officer. Chief of Naval Operations, 1955-1961, during development of the Polaris SLBM. Born: 1901-10-19. Died: 1996-01-01.

Burlak - Alternate name of Soyuz TMA-20M.

Burlak - Russian air-launched winged orbital launch vehicle. Burlak air-launched satellite launcher was proposed in 1992 and studied by Germany in 1992-1994. Evidently based on secret anti-satellite missile. Air launched from Tu-160 bomber, released at 13,500 m altitude and Mach 1.7. Development estimated to cost only DM 50 million, but not proceeded with. Burlak/Diana variant would have been launched from Concorde. Status: Cancelled 1992. Gross mass: 27,400 kg (60,400 lb). Payload: 1,100 kg (2,400 lb). Thrust: 302.00 kN (67,892 lbf).

Burlak Stage 1 - N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Masses, thrust, specific impulse estimated based on total vehicle mass of 28.5 metric tons and first stage burn time of 140 seconds. Air launched from Tu-160 at 13,500 m, Mach 1.7 release conditions. Status: Development ended 1992. Gross mass: 18,000 kg (39,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 1,800 kg (3,900 lb). Thrust: 357.90 kN (80,459 lbf). More at: N2O4/UDMH

Burlak Stage 2 - N2O4/UDMH propellant rocket stage. Masses, thrust, specific impulse estimated based on total vehicle mass of 28.5 metric tons and first stage burn time of 140 seconds. Air launched from Tu-160 at 13,500 m, Mach 1.7 release conditions. Status: Development ended 1992. Gross mass: 9,400 kg (20,700 lb). Unfuelled mass: 900 kg (1,980 lb). Thrust: 98.00 kN (22,031 lbf). More at: N2O4/UDMH

Burnazyan, Avetik Ignatyevich - Russian bureaucrat. Deputy Minister of Health from 1947. Involved in Voskhod crew selection. Born: 1906-04-20. Died: 1981-10-25.

Burner 2 - Alternate name for Star 37.

Burner 2A - Alternate designation for Star 26.

Burner 2A - Solid propellant rocket stage. Burner II was a launch vehicle upper stage developed by Boeing for the Air Force Space Systems Division. It was the first solid-fuel upper stage with full control and guidance capability developed for general space applications. Status: In Production. Gross mass: 353 kg (778 lb). Unfuelled mass: 115 kg (253 lb). Thrust: 39.15 kN (8,801 lbf). More at: Solid

Burner 2A - Government designation of Star 26B Solid rocket engine.

Burner 3 - Alternate name for Star 37X.

Burose, Walter W B - German-American expert in guided missiles during World War II. Thereafter with the rocket team at Fort Bliss, White Stands, and then at Huntsville. Died at Huntsville, Alabama. Born: 1906-10-04. Died: 1983-04-22.

Bursch, Daniel Wheeler - American test pilot mission specialist astronaut 1990-2005. Flight record: 4 spaceflights, 226.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51 (1993), STS-68, STS-77, STS-108.. Status: Inactive; Active 1990-2005. Born: 1957-07-25. Spaceflights: 4 . Total time in space: 226.93 days.

Burya - Alternate name of Kh-22N.

Burya - Ramjet missile stage. Boosted by 2 x R-11 derivative boosters. 6,500 km tested, 8,000 km specified, cruise at Mach 3.2 at 18-20 km altitude with 2,350 kg warhead. Flight tested 1957 - 1960. Wing area 60 square meters; diameter of ramjet inlet 1.7 m. Total missile mass 97,215 kg; gross masses prorated, empty masses estimated. Status: Retired 1960. Gross mass: 40,865 kg (90,091 lb). Unfuelled mass: 13,000 kg (28,000 lb). Payload: 2,350 kg (5,180 lb). Thrust: 76.00 kN (17,085 lbf). More at: Air/Kerosene

Burya booster - Nitric acid/Amine propellant rocket stage. Booster for Burya missile. Two used to boost ramjet second stage to ignition conditions. Engines developed by Isayev from R-11 S2.253 engine. Early Buryas had S2.1100 engine. Masses estimated based on known total vehicle mass. Status: Retired 1960. Gross mass: 27,000 kg (59,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb). Thrust: 771.70 kN (173,485 lbf). More at: Nitric acid/Amine

Burya La-350 - A government decree on 20 May 1954 authorized the Lavochkin aircraft design bureau to proceed with full-scale development of the Burya trisonic intercontinental cruise missile. Burya launches began in July 1957. The project was cancelled, but the team was allowed final tests in 1961 that demonstrated a 6,500 km range at Mach 3.2 with the 2,350 kg payload. In cancelling Burya the Russians gave up technology that Lavochkin planned to evolve into a manned shuttle-like recoverable launch vehicle. Status: Retired 1960. First Launch: 1957-08-01. Last Launch: 1960-12-16. Number: 18 . Gross mass: 94,865 kg (209,141 lb). Thrust: 1,346.00 kN (302,592 lbf).

BUSAT 1 - Technology, atmosphere satellite for Beihang University, China. Cubesat 2U bus. Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

Busemann, Adolf - German expert in dynamics during World War II, working for the Luftwaffe at Braunschweig-Voelkenrode. Went to the USA after the war. In the early 1960's active at NASA's Langley Research Center, working on deployable space station concepts. Born: 1901-04-20. Died: 1986-11-03.

Bush, George H W - American Politician. George H.W. Bush served as president of the United States between 1989 and 1993. Before that time he had been a diplomat, director of the CIA, and vice president under Ronald Reagan Born: 1924-06-12. Died: 2018-11-30.

Bush, Vannevar - American engineer, primary scientific adviser to Roosevelt and Truman, immensely influential in plans for nuclear weapons, missiles, aviation, and advanced propulsion 1939-1949. Discouraged early development of the ICBM. Born: 1890-03-11. Died: 1974-06-28.

Bushuyev, Konstantin Davidovich - Russian engineer. Deputy Chief Designer to Korolev, 1954-1975. Born: 1914-05-23. Died: 1978-10-26.

Bussmann, Enno - German expert in remote control of rockets during World War II. Stayed in Germany after the war.

Buster - American portable mini-UAV.

Butchart, S P - American test pilot, flew D-558-1, D-558-2, X-4, X-5. Status: Inactive. Born: 1922-03-11. Died: 2007-10-01.

Butoma, Boris Yevstafyevich - Russian bureaucrat. Minister of Shipbuilding Industry 1957-1976. Born: 1907-05-01. Died: 1976-07-11.

Butterfly - Alternate designation for Schmetterling.

Butterworth, Louis William - American engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1984-1986. Status: Inactive; Active 1984-1986. Born: 1948-07-17.

Buzz Bomb LTV-A-1 - Willys-Overland 1950's USAF launch test vehicle.

BVK - Analogue computer, used during Almaz flights

BWB - German manufacturer of spacecraft. BWB, Germany.

BX - Alternate name for Ban Xing.

BX 1 - Alternate name of BanXing 1 (BX 1).

BX 2 - Alternate name of BanXing 2 (BX 2).

By Gemini to Mars! - In the 1960's many considered use of the cramped two-man Gemini reentry vehicle for journeys to the moon problematic. But there was even a proposal for use of Gemini on a mission to Mars… Status: Study 1963. Gross mass: 880,000 kg (1,940,000 lb). Unfuelled mass: 268,000 kg (590,000 lb). Payload: 88,000 kg (194,000 lb). Thrust: 580.00 kN (130,380 lbf). More at: Nuclear/LH2

BY70-1 - Technology, amateur communication satellite for CAST, Beijing Bayi High School, China. Launched 2016. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2016-12-28. Last Launch: 2016-12-28. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

Bykov, Yuri Sergeyevich - Russian engineer. Chief Designer 1959-1970 of Nll-95. Specialized in communications systems for piloted spacecraft. Born: 1916. Died: 1970-01-01.

Bykovsky, Valeri Fyodorovich - Russian pilot cosmonaut 1960-1982. Flight record: 3 spaceflights, 20.7 days in space. Flew to orbit on Vostok 5 (1963), Soyuz 22, Soyuz 31.. Status: Inactive; Active 1960-1982. Born: 1934-08-02. Spaceflights: 3 . Total time in space: 20.74 days.

Bynolzovo - Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1961-on. IRBM base. Perhaps operated R-12 missiles.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz 7K-T BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz ASTP BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz 7K-LOK BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz 7K-MF6 BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz 7K-OK BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz 7K-OKS BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz A BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz TMA BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Alternate designation for Soyuz T BO.

Bytovoy otsek - Russian name (living module) for Soyuz TM BO manned spacecraft module.

Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z