On April 1 in Space History
Chronology
120 events
1899 April 1
- Birth of James S McDonnell - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: McDonnell. American engineer, president of McDonnell Aircraft 1939-1972. His innovative fighter designs were initially unsuccessful, but the F-4 and F-15 were the premier US fighters after 1960. Contractor for the Mercury, Gemini , and MOL spacecraft..
1910 April 1
- Birth of Sergei Nikolayevich Anokhin - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Anokhin. Russian test pilot cosmonaut, 1966-1968..
1911 April 1
- Birth of Ernst Helmut Merk - . Nation: Germany. Related Persons: Merk. German expert in guided missiles during World War II. Arrived in America under Project Paperclip on 1945.11.16 aboard the Argentina from La Havre. As of January 1947, working at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland..
1924 April 1
LV Family: GIRD. Launch Vehicle: GIRD-09.- GiRD established. - . Nation: Russia. Central Committee for the Study of Rocket Propulsion (GIRD) established in the Soviet Union..
1945 April 1
- The end of the V-weapons. - .
Nation: Germany.
The V-weapon launch corps remained in service until the end of March. Then Kammler went to the Harz Mountains, to command a planned final effort to use the weapons to prevent a link-up of the American and Soviet forces - a plan that came to nothing. In all, 9,300 V-1's had been fired at Great Britain in its seven months of service, of which 6,000 reached the coast. 4,300 V-2's had been launched in combat, 1,500 at London, and 2,100 at Antwerp. 20% of these used the radio guidance system. The V-1's range had been extended in test models to 370 km, although only a few of these modifications had reached the front. On the other hand, the range of the V-2 had been extended to 350 km, and this was the version provided to the front-line troops in the last months. But at the end of March 1945 the Germans evacuated the V-weapon firing areas in Holland.
1945 April 1
- Death of Albin Sawatzki - . Nation: Germany. Related Persons: Sawatzki. German engineer, head of productionisation of the A4 missile, and technical director at Mittelwerk. His family believes that he was captured by the U.S. Army near the end of the war, perhaps tortured, and died in custody..
1945 April 1
LV Family: Private. Launch Vehicle: Private F.- Private F rockets tested. - . Nation: USA. 17 JPL Private F rockets were fired at Hueco Range, Fort Bliss, Tex..
1945 April 1
Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: Wallops Island.- Wallops Island authorized. - . Nation: USA. Supplemental appropriation passed by Congress authorized expanded research on guided missiles at NACA Langley Laboratory, including establishment of a rocket launch facility at Wallops Island, Va..
1946 April 1
- Birth of Dr William Frederick Fisher - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Fisher, William. American physician mission specialist astronaut 1980-1991. Was married to astronaut Anna Fisher. 1 spaceflight, 7.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-51I (1985)..
1947 April 1
Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Vehicle: Deacon.- Test launch - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First Deacon rocket launched at Wallops Island, which achieved a velocity of 4,200 feet per second..
1947 April 1
20:10 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC33. Launch Vehicle: V-2.- Solar ultraviolet / chemical release mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: APL, US Army. Apogee: 129 km (80 mi). Launched 13:10 local time. Reached 129.5 km. Carried cosmic and solar radiation, photo experiments for Applied Physics Lab, John Hopkins University..
1949 April 1
Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Vehicle: Deacon.1951 April 1
Launch Site: Vernon. LV Family: Veronique. Launch Vehicle: Veronique P2.1952 April 1
Launch Vehicle: Redstone.- Contractor to build Redstone rocket. - .
Nation: USA.
The Office, Chief of Ordnance (OCO) disapproved Redstone Arsenal's proposed development plan for what would become the Redstone missile. The arsenal had intended to implement the manufacturing program for these missiles by creating an assembly line in its own development shops. The OCO, however, required that the development effort be done by a prime contractor. Nonetheless, delays in the acquisition of production facilities for the prime contractor caused Redstone Arsenal to fabricate and assemble the first 12 Redstone missiles along with missiles 18 through 29.
1953 April 1
Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: Kapustin Yar V-2. Launch Vehicle: R-5.- Phase I state trials launch - . Nation: Russia. Agency: Korolev bureau. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi). Of the 8 rockets of the first production lot fired, 6 reached the target area..
1954 April 1
- Bell contract for an advanced, bomber-reconnaissance weapon system. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Bomi, Dynasoar. The Air Force and the Bell Aircraft Company arranged a contract for the study of an advanced, bomber-reconnaissance weapon system..
1954 April 1
Launch Site: Edwards. LV Family: Navaho. Launch Vehicle: Navaho X-10.1955 April 1
Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: Kapustin Yar V-2. LV Family: R-5. Launch Vehicle: R-5M.- ZI test - . Nation: Russia. Agency: Korolev bureau. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
1955 April 1
Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: Kapustin Yar V-2. LV Family: R-5. Launch Vehicle: R-5M.- ZI test - . Nation: Russia. Agency: Korolev bureau. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
1956 April 1
- Army Ballistic Missile Agency requested permission to use its Jupiter C missile to launch a satellite. - .
Spacecraft: Man-In-Space-Soonest.
Army Ballistic Missile Agency requested permission to use its Jupiter C missile to launch a satellite. The Army Ballistic Missile Agency requested that the Department of Defense grant permission to use its Jupiter C missile to launch a satellite, "in view of Vanguard delays and increasing evidence that the Soviets would be first in space--an event certain to inflict 'serious damage' to the prestige of the United States. The Army's proposal was rejected by the Department of Defense, presumably in line with the policy announced by the President on 29 July 1955, that the United States would remain strictly within its International Geophysical Year satellite commitment without using military missiles, thus clearly demonstrating United States intent to explore space for peaceful purposes. (Bowen, Threshold of Space, pp, 10-11.)
1957 April 1
LV Family: Minuteman.- Responsibility for the Minuteman solid-propellant missile given to the Western Development Division. - . Headquarters, Air Research and Development Command assigned responsibility for weapon system planning and management for the solid-propellant missile to the Western Development Division..
1957 April 1
- Van Allen heads research panel. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Van Allen. Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Panel was renamed the Rocket and Satellite Research Panel. Its chairman was James A. Van Allen of the State university of Iowa..
1957 April 1
Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: R-11M.- Test mission - . Nation: Russia. Agency: Korolev bureau. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).
1958 April 1
Launch Vehicle: R-11.- R-11M accepted into military service. - . Nation: Russia. Decree 'On adoption of the R-11M into armaments' was issued..
1958 April 1
- Lunar photographic atlas begun - .
Nation: USA.
Program: Lunex.
A $61,000 contract was signed by the Yerkes Observatory, University of Chicago, and the Air Force. Gerard P. Kuiper, principal investigator, was to produce a new lunar photographic atlas. The moon's visible surface would be divided into 44 areas, and each would be represented by at least four photographs taken under varying lighting conditions. Additional Details: here....
1959 April 1
- Two-man Mercury capsule proposed. - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Goett.
Spacecraft: Gemini.
H. Kurt Strass of the Space Task Group (STG) at Langley Field, Virginia described some preliminary ideas of STG planners regarding a follow-on to Mercury: (1) an enlarged Mercury capsule to place two men in orbit for three days; (2) a two-man Mercury capsule and a large cylindrical structure to support a two-week mission. (In its 1960 budget, NASA had requested $2 million to study methods of constructing a manned orbiting laboratory or converting the Mercury spacecraft into a two-man laboratory for extended space missions.) Additional Details: here....
1959 April 1
LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: R-7A.- R-7A ICBM production approved. - . Nation: Russia. Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On production of the R-7A missile at Plant No. 1001 at Krasnoyarsk-26 and establishment of a branch' was issued..
1960 April 1
- USAF Dynasoar Astronaut Training Group selected. - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Gordon, Henry,
Knight,
Rogers,
Thompson,
Wood.
The group was selected to provide pilots for X-20A Dyna-Soar spaceplane flights.. Qualifications: Assigned from pool of active USAF and NASA Test Pilots.. Ten test pilots (7 USAF, 3 NASA) underwent physical examinations in August 1959. Seven were secretly selected in April 1960.
1960 April 1
- Mercury astronauts complete centrifuge training. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Mercury. Seven Mercury astronauts completed training session at the Navy Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory, Johnsville, Pa..
1960 April 1
Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Sergeant. Launch Vehicle: Shotput.- E60 Echo spacecraft test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 400 km (240 mi).
1960 April 1
11:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17A. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Able II.- Tiros 1 - .
Payload: Tiros A (A-1). Mass: 120 kg (260 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: NASA.
Program: Tiros.
Class: Earth.
Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft: Tiros.
USAF Sat Cat: 29 . COSPAR: 1960-Beta-2. Apogee: 696 km (432 mi). Perigee: 656 km (407 mi). Inclination: 48.40 deg. Period: 98.30 min.
A Thor/Able II booster placed NASA's Television and Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) weather satellite into the most accurate orbit yet achieved by any U.S. satellite. TIROS I opened a new era in meteorology by transmitting nearly 23,000 pictures of global cloud cover from 450 miles in space and providing the first glimpse of global cloud structure data. TIROS I completed 1,302 orbits before its operational life ceased on 29 June 1960. TV and Infrared Observation Satellite; returned 22952 cloud cover photos. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).
1961 April 1
03:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Akita. LV Family: Kappa. Launch Vehicle: Kappa 9L.1962 April 1
Launch Site: Little Rock AFB. Launch Complex: Little Rock AFB. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan II.- Little Rock AFB - . Nation: USA. Titan 2 308th SMW and 373rd SMS (9 missiles) activated at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.
1963 April 1
LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan II.- POGO problems in the Titan II. - .
Nation: USA.
The Titan II-Gemini Coordination Committee was established to direct efforts to reduce longitudinal vibration (POGO) in the Titan II and to improve engine reliability. Air Force Space Systems Division (SSD) and Aerospace had presented to NASA and the Air Force a series of briefings on the POGO problem that culminated in a briefing to the Gemini Program Planning Board. The main problem was that POGO level satisfactory in the weapon system was too high to meet NASA standards for the Gemini program, and further reduction in the POGO level required a much more elaborate and extensive analytic and experimental program than had so far been considered necessary. The board approved the SSD/Aerospace proposals and established a committee to oversee work toward a POGO remedy. The high-level committee was composed of officials from Air Force Ballistic Systems Division, SSD, Space Technology Laboratories, and Aerospace.
1963 April 1
Launch Site: Kerguelen. LV Family: Belier. Launch Vehicle: Centaure.1963 April 1
23:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D.- KH-4 9053 - . Payload: KH-4 s/n 9053 / Agena D 1160 / OPS 0720. Mass: 1,150 kg (2,530 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: CIA, NRO. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-4. Decay Date: 1963-04-26 . USAF Sat Cat: 562 . COSPAR: 1963-007A. Apogee: 408 km (253 mi). Perigee: 198 km (123 mi). Inclination: 74.90 deg. Period: 90.50 min. KH-4; film capsule recovered 3.1 days later. Best imagery to date..
1964 April 1
- Contract for 27 prototype Apollo space suits - . Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: A7L. MSC negotiated a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract, valued at $1.65 million, with Hamilton Standard for 27 prototype Apollo space suits and 12 pairs of gloves..
1964 April 1
- Barmin's design bureau named lead for all space launch pad designs. - . Nation: Russia. Decree 'On appointing KB TM as main space launch pad design organization' was issued..
1964 April 1
Launch Site: Little Carter Bay. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150.- TSRA-2 Infrared Astronomy/Ultraviolet Astronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NOTS. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).
1964 April 1
Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Pad: SLBM Launch Area. Launch Platform: EAG-154. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Polaris A3.1964 April 1
03:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Kagoshima. LV Family: Kappa. Launch Vehicle: Kappa 8L.1964 April 1
20:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC11. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES WAC-2 / Pod 2 Reentry test / plume mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi). The last of four Atlas F (137F) ABRES test missiles was flown down the Atlantic Missile Range from Cape Canaveral. .
1965 April 1
LV Family: Saturn I. Launch Vehicle: Saturn IB.- First stage of the Saturn IB first static firing at MSFC - .
Nation: USA.
Program: Apollo.
The first stage of the Saturn IB booster (the S-IB-1) underwent its first static firing at Huntsville, Alabama. The stage's eight uprated H-1 engines produced about 71,168-kilonewtons (1.6 million lbs) thrust. On April 23, Marshall and Rocketdyne announced that the uprated H-1 had passed qualification testing and was ready for flight.
1965 April 1
- All-battery electrical power system for the Apollo LEM - .
Nation: USA.
Program: Apollo.
Spacecraft: Apollo LM,
LM Electrical.
Grumman presented to MSC its recommendations for an all-battery electrical power system for the LEM:
- Two batteries in the ascent stage
- Four batteries in the descent stage
- A new power distribution system
- Active cooling for the descent batteries and electrical control assemblies
1965 April 1
- HY missile development - . Nation: China. Shenguan is authorised to develop and produce a missile based on the Soviet P-15 ('Styx') cruise missile (later designated Haiyang)..
1965 April 1
Launch Site: Mountain Home AFB. Launch Complex: Mountain Home AFB. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan I.- Last Titan I ICBM off alert status - . Nation: USA. Last Titan I ICBM taken off alert status at Mountain Home AFB.
1965 April 1
Launch Site: Natal. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 1.1965 April 1
02:07 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Apache.1966 April 1
- Voskhod 4 to 6 in jeopardy - .
Nation: Russia.
Program: Voskhod.
Flight: Voskhod 4,
Voskhod 5,
Voskhod 6.
Spacecraft Bus: Vostok.
Spacecraft: Voskhod.
In a meeting of Soviet Ministers, it is revealed that Voskhod s/n 7, 8, and 9 will likely not be completed. Kamanin objects - he wants these flights to be used for manned test of military equipment in space. He does not trust waiting even further for the availability of the untested and unflown 7K-OK spacecraft.
1966 April 1
- Ministry of Defense directive laid out the production rate for both the L1, Block D, and 7K-OK for the podsadka program. - .
Related Persons: Mishin.
Spacecraft: Block D,
Soyuz,
Soyuz 7K-L1,
Soyuz 7K-OK.
Ministry of Defense directive laid out the production rate for both the L1, Block D, and 7K-OK for the podsadka program. Ministry of Defense directive (Mishin Diaries 1-234) laid out the production rate for both the L1, Block D, and 7K-OK for the podsadka program:
7K-L1: one unit per month beginning 15 Sept 66
7K-OK for podsadka delivery of crews to L1: 1 unit per month beginning Oct 66
Block D deliveries: 1 unit 15 Sept; 1 unit 15 Oct; 1 further unit in October; and 1 unit per month thereafter.(Mishin Diaries 1-234)
1966 April 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC31B. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 2.1966 April 1
13:57 GMT - . Launch Site: Fort Churchill. LV Family: Arcas. Launch Vehicle: Sidewinder-Arcas.1967 April 1
- Manual docking for Soyuz 1/2 - .
Nation: Russia.
Related Persons: Komarov,
Ustinov.
Program: Soyuz.
Flight: Soyuz 1,
Soyuz 2A.
Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz.
Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-OK.
Ustinov reviews the cosmonauts. Kamanin urges that a manual docking be allowed on the Soyuz 1/2 mission - he had argued the same point with Korolev before his death. Komarov say he can accomplish a manual docking from 350 km range (once the Igla automatic system has brought him there from 23 km range). There follows a discussion of an all-female flight. Four female cosmonauts would be assigned to the mission, and Kamanin would need 5 to 6 months to complete there training. The mission is designated 'Voskhod-6'.
1967 April 1
- Death of Holger N Toftoy - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Toftoy. American Army officer, expert in ordnance, responsible for transferring von Braun's rocket technology to the US in 1945. Commanded Huntsville 1954-1956. Held other rocket development posts until retirement in 1960..
1967 April 1
- Ye-8 proposed with a life support system to allow a lunar cosmonaut to wait on the moon for a rescue expedition - .
Related Persons: Mishin,
Babakin,
.
Spacecraft: ,
LK,
LKR,
Luna Ye-8.
Ye-8 proposed with a life support system to allow a lunar cosmonaut to remain on the moon until a rescue expedition could be launched with an LKR. As an alternative to a 2-launch scenario, the possibility was raised of the Ye-8 being equipped with a life support system to allow the cosmonaut to remain on the moon until a rescue expedition could be launched with an LKR. But Ye-8 chief designer Babakin said at that time that this was not feasible (Mishin Diaries 2-60; 2-62).
1967 April 1
Launch Site: Nenoksa. LV Family: R-27. Launch Vehicle: Zyb.1967 April 1
Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Aurore. Launch Vehicle: Belenos.1967 April 1
03:40 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150.- Ultraviolet stellar photom Ultraviolet astronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 139 km (86 mi).
1968 April 1
03:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Kerguelen. LV Family: Belier. Launch Vehicle: Dragon 2B.1969 April 1
- Death of Kurt Paul Erich Patt - . Nation: Germany, USA. Related Persons: Patt. German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter..
1969 April 1
- Death of Nicholas E Golovin - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Golovin. American physicist. NRL, 1946-1948; NBS 1949-1958; NASA 1960. Chaired seminal NASA-DOD large launch vehicle planning group 1961. White House technical advisor for aviation and space 1962-1968..
1969 April 1
04:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Fort Churchill. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VB.1969 April 1
09:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 SL. Launch Vehicle: Skylark.1970 April 1
LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1B.- Safeguard Systems Test Targets Program - .
SAMSO's Minuteman Booster Program Office was integrated into the Ballistic Missile Defense Targets Division of the Deputy for Reentry Systems. The merger combined all SAMSO activities supporting the Army's Safeguard Systems Test Targets Program (SSTTP) under the Deputy for Reentry Systems.
1970 April 1
Launch Site: , Vandenberg.- SAMTEC activated at Vandenberg AFB. - .
Headquarters Air Force Western Test Range (AFWTR) was inactivated and Headquarters Space and Missile Test Center (SAMTEC) was activated at Vandenberg AFB. The 6595th Aerospace Test Wing at Vandenberg was reassigned from SAMSO to SAMTEC. The 6555th Aerospace Test Wing at Patrick AFB, Florida, was redesignated the 6555th Aerospace Test Group and assigned to the 6595th Aerospace Test Wing as part of the reorganization that brought AFSC range and launch operations at Vandenberg under a single command for the first time.
1970 April 1
Launch Site: Woomera. Launch Complex: Woomera LA2. Launch Pad: LA2 HRV. LV Family: Rook. Launch Vehicle: Jabiru 2.- Test mission - . Nation: UK. Agency: Royal Aerospace Establishment. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi).
1971 April 1
02:57 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC2E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Delta E1.- Isis 2 - . Payload: Isis B. Mass: 264 kg (582 lb). Nation: Canada. Agency: CRCSS. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft: Isis. USAF Sat Cat: 5104 . COSPAR: 1971-024A. Apogee: 1,424 km (884 mi). Perigee: 1,358 km (843 mi). Inclination: 88.20 deg. Period: 113.60 min. Ionospheric research. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .
1971 April 1
08:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF05. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 2.1971 April 1
11:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.- Cosmos 402 - . Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MO. Program: RORSAT. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval Radarsat. Spacecraft Bus: Kosmoplan. Spacecraft: US-A. Decay Date: 1971-05-06 . USAF Sat Cat: 5107 . COSPAR: 1971-025B. Apogee: 1,011 km (628 mi). Perigee: 965 km (599 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 104.90 min. Ocean surveillance; probably used chemical batteries..
1972 April 1
Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Temp-2S.1972 April 1
03:47 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150.1972 April 1
05:05 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 170.1973 April 1
- Death of Bruno Heusinger - . Nation: Germany, USA. Related Persons: Heusinger. German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter..
1973 April 1
- Birth of Sergey Aleksandrovich Volkov - . Nation: Ukraine. Related Persons: Volkov, Sergey. Ukrainian pilot cosmonaut 1997-2017. 547 cumulative days in space. Son of cosmonaut Aleksandr Volkov. 3 spaceflights, 547.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz TMA-12 (2008), Soyuz TMA-02M, Soyuz TMA-18M..
1973 April 1
Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Apache.1974 April 1
LV Family: N1, R-7, N11, Molniya 8K78L.- Mishin records his final list of planned spacecraft. - .
Related Persons: Mishin.
Spacecraft: ,
MKBS.
MOK-1 stages.
Booster R-7M - Payload to sun-synchronous ~ 12 tons. It will deliver the following to the MKBS:
1) MTKK Space Shuttle - manned version for delivery and return of the crew of astronauts on the MKBS.
2) MTKK Space Shuttle - cargo version.
3) SM Special Module - a non-returnable, autonomous and dockable with the MKBS (all-weather reconnaissance)
4) MSK - the inter-satellite ship - automatic and manned. Launch vehicle - N-11 Payload = 18 tons (23 tons)
MKBS-1 in sun-synchronous orbit.
(Mishin Diaries 3-184)
1974 April 1
Launch Site: Woomera.- Det 2, HQ SAMSO, inactivated at Woomera, Australia. - .
1974 April 1
22:37 GMT - . Launch Site: South Uist. Launch Vehicle: Petrel.1974 April 1
22:56 GMT - . Launch Site: South Uist. Launch Vehicle: Petrel.1975 April 1
12:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Plesetsk. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8A92M.- Meteor 1-21 - . Payload: Meteor M no. 21. Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Meteor. Spacecraft: Meteor M 11F614. USAF Sat Cat: 7714 . COSPAR: 1975-023A. Apogee: 884 km (549 mi). Perigee: 853 km (530 mi). Inclination: 81.20 deg. Period: 102.30 min. Acquisition of meteorological information needed for use by the weather service. .
1976 April 1
Launch Site: Kourou. LV Family: Arcas. Launch Vehicle: Super Arcas.1976 April 1
08:05 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. Launch Vehicle: Sergeant.1976 April 1
09:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. LV Family: Hydac. Launch Vehicle: HJ Hydac.1977 April 1
1978 April 1
16:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Sea Launch Area. Launch Pad: UNKO. Launch Platform: USHAKOV. Launch Vehicle: MMR-06.1979 April 1
- Intercosmos Cosmonaut Training Group selected. - . Nation: Vietnam. Related Persons: Liem, Tuan. Training group of potential Vietnamese 'guest cosmonauts' for propaganda flights to the Salyut space station. The 'guests', from states allied to the Soviet Union, would be flown on Soyuz lifeboat changeout missions to the station..
1979 April 1
10:31 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Taurus Tomahawk.1980 April 1
LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.- Shuttle ejection seat tests - . Nation: USA. Another series of tests of the shuttle ejection seat are held at Holloman AFB in support of the first shuttle orbital flights..
1980 April 1
08:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. Launch Pad: LC1 or LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.- Cosmos 1170 - . Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Vostok. Spacecraft: Zenit-4MKM. Duration: 11.00 days. Decay Date: 1980-04-12 . USAF Sat Cat: 11747 . COSPAR: 1980-025A. Apogee: 379 km (235 mi). Perigee: 178 km (110 mi). Inclination: 70.40 deg. Period: 90.10 min. High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; maneuverable..
1980 April 1
12:36 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 658. LV Family: Trident. Launch Vehicle: Trident C-4.1981 April 1
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF04. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3.1981 April 1
Launch Site: Kartaly. LV Family: R-36M. Launch Vehicle: R-36M 15A14.- ICBM operational test launch from missile base silo - . Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
1981 April 1
09:04 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Taurus Tomahawk.1981 April 1
09:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 641. LV Family: Trident. Launch Vehicle: Trident C-4.- DASO-7? demonstration and shakedown operations launch - . Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
1982 April 1
Launch Pad: Atlantic Ocean, 68.0 N x 30.0 W. Launch Platform: VISE. Launch Vehicle: MR-12.- Nation: Russia. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).
1983 April 1
- Strategic Air Command (SAC) transferred Peterson AFB, Colorado, to Space Command. - . Nation: USA.
1984 April 1
Launch Site: Gitdaeryung. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Hwasong 5.- Test mission - . Nation: Korea North. Agency: Choson. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).
1984 April 1
07:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant X.1985 April 1
- Death of Ralph E Ulmer at Washington, DC. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Ulmer. American engineer, at NASA 1938-1973, budget officer and program analyst..
1985 April 1
16:57 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Orion.1986 April 1
08:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Poker Flat. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant X.1988 April 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 628. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Poseidon C3.1988 April 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 628. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Poseidon C3.1988 April 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 628. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Poseidon C3.1988 April 1
20:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 628. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Poseidon C3.1992 April 1
14:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: Plesetsk LC16/2. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U-PVB.- Cosmos 2182 - . Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Yantar. Spacecraft: Yantar-4K1. Duration: 59.00 days. Decay Date: 1992-05-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 21920 . COSPAR: 1992-016A. Apogee: 284 km (176 mi). Perigee: 166 km (103 mi). Inclination: 67.10 deg. Period: 89.00 min. High resolution photo reconnaissance; returned film in two small SpK capsules during the mission and with the main capsule at completion of the mission..
1993 April 1
18:57 GMT - . Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: Plesetsk LC133/3. LV Family: R-14. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M.- Cosmos 2239 - . Mass: 825 kg (1,818 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MO. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft Bus: KAUR-1. Spacecraft: Parus. USAF Sat Cat: 22590 . COSPAR: 1993-020A. Apogee: 997 km (619 mi). Perigee: 966 km (600 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.70 min. Military navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 4 of constellation. Replaced Cosmos 2173..
1994 April 1
- Energia Engineer Cosmonaut Training Group 12 selected. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Kuzhelnaya, Tyurin.
1995 April 1
09:33 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC36. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant IX.1998 April 1
13:35 GMT - .- EVA Mir EO-25-2 - . Crew: Budarin, Musabayev. EVA Duration: 0.28 days. Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Budarin, Musabayev. Program: Mir. Class: Manned. Type: Manned space station. Flight: Soyuz TM-27, STS-89 Mir NASA-6. Spacecraft: Mir. The Kvant-2 hatch had been fixed from within and was used for the EVA. Objective was to repair the damaged Spektr solar panel. Handrails were installed near the panel but the crew could not complete the work before the scheduled time ran out..
1999 April 1
Launch Site: Barents Sea Launch Area. Launch Pad: 69.5 N x 34.2 E. Launch Platform: PLBR. LV Family: R-29. Launch Vehicle: Volna.2000 April 1
Launch Site: Sriharikota. LV Family: RH. Launch Vehicle: RH-200.2002 April 1
- Death of Martin Schilling - . Nation: Germany, USA. Related Persons: Schilling. German engineer in WW2, member of the Rocket Team in the United States thereafter..
2002 April 1
22:07 GMT - . Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: Plesetsk LC16/2. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.- Cosmos 2388 - .
Mass: 1,900 kg (4,100 lb). Nation: Russia.
Agency: KVR.
Manufacturer: Lavochkin bureau.
Class: Surveillance.
Type: Early warning satellite. Spacecraft: Oko.
Decay Date: 2011-09-14 . USAF Sat Cat: 27409 . COSPAR: 2002-017A. Apogee: 39,178 km (24,344 mi). Perigee: 519 km (322 mi). Inclination: 62.93 deg.
The Blok-I upper stage and Oko satellite were placed in a 231 x 490 km x 62.8 deg parking orbit. Following the stage burn the Lavochkin US-KS (Oko) elliptical orbit early warning satellite built by Lavochkin was not tracked immediately, but later was reported to be in the correct standard orbit.
2003 April 1
06:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Castor 4A. Launch Vehicle: Maxus.- Maxus 5 Microgravity mission - . Nation: Europe. Agency: ESA, SSC. Apogee: 701 km (435 mi). Suborbital microgravity payload. Launch delayed from 31 March..
2004 April 1
2005 April 1
- International Space Station Status Report #05-17 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Chiao, Krikalyov, Phillips, Sharipov, Vittori. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-5, Soyuz TMA-6, Soyuz TMA-6 Eneide, STS-114. Following their second spacewalk and nearing the end of a six-month flight, Expedition 10 crew members conducted science experiments, prepared for the arrival of their replacements and readied the Station for the first post-Columbia Shuttle mission.. Additional Details: here....
2006 April 1
- International Space Station Status Report: SS06-014 - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: McArthur, Pontes, Tokarev, Vinogradov, Williams, Jeffrey. Program: ISS. Flight: Soyuz TMA-7, Soyuz TMA-8, Soyuz TMA-8 ISS EP-10. A new crew pulled into port at the International Space Station late Friday to start a six-month mission.. Additional Details: here....
2008 April 1
- ISS On-Orbit Status 04/01/08 - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Malenchenko,
Reisman,
Whitson.
Program: ISS.
Flight: Soyuz TMA-11,
Soyuz TMA-12 ISS EP-14,
STS-123,
STS-123 ISS EO-16.
From the US voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast CDR Whitson and FE-2 Reisman downloaded the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data from their Actiwatches to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop, changed the lithium battery in Peggy's Actiwatch and initialized both their watches. Additional Details: here....