On April 30 in Space History
Chronology
67 events
1945 April 30
- Birth of Michael John Smith - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Smith. American test pilot astronaut 1978-1986. Died in Challenger accident. 1 spaceflight..
1947 April 30
- XS-1 Flight 30 - . Crew: Goodlin. Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 14. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goodlin. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Bell flight 14. Handling qualities check. At Muroc Dry Lake, California..
1952 April 30
13:30 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee RTV-N-10.- Ultraviolet detectors Solar ultraviolet / chemical release mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 128 km (79 mi). Cosmic radiation, solar radiation research. Launched at 0630 local time. Reached 127.8 km..
1956 April 30
- X-1E Flight 5 - . Crew: Walker, Joseph. Payload: X-1E flight 5. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Walker, Joseph. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-1E. NACA flight 4. Turbopump did not start; no engine operation..
1957 April 30
- Development plan encompassing all hypersonic weapon systems. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Bomi, Brass Bell, Dynasoar, Hywards, Robo. Air Force headquarters directed the Air Research and Development Command to formulate a development plan encompassing all hypersonic weapon systems..
1957 April 30
- Birth of Duane Gene 'Digger' Carey - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Carey. American test pilot astronaut 1996-2004. 1 spaceflight, 10.9 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-109 (2002)..
1957 April 30
Launch Site: Akita. LV Family: Kappa. Launch Vehicle: Kappa 2.1957 April 30
15:10 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee Hi.- RV-N-13c test / meteorites mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 289 km (179 mi). Rocket performance flight test. Launched at 0810 local time. Reached 289 km..
1958 April 30
Launch Vehicle: Thor, Atlas.- AVCO-Convair proposal for a manned satellite at the earliest possible date. - .
Spacecraft: Man-In-Space-Soonest.
An AVCO-Convair contractor team submitted to the Air Force an unsolicited proposal for development of a manned satellite at the earliest possible date. The proposed system was built around an Atlas booster, no second stage, mounting a light double walled capsule which would rely on a steel mesh drag chute for deceleration and recovery. The proposal was analyzed by Air Force space specialists who concluded that the plan was feasible but offered little margin for error. Furthermore, weight estimates were optimistic, its orbital endurance and altitude were low and it possessed no growth potential although use of Atlas as a booster appeared to have merit. Air Force Ballistic Missile Division felt adoption of the proposal would only gain three or four months over the much more versatile Thor-fluorine combination vehicle which would also be free from the major limitations inherent in the AVCO-Convair proposal. (Memo, Col J. D. Lowe, AFBMD. to Col H. Evans, AFBMD, 16 May 1958, no subject.)
1960 April 30
Launch Site: Santa Barbara Channel DZ. Launch Pad: EAFB. Launch Platform: F-104. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: ALSOR.- Model A (F5) test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 62 km (38 mi). Air dropped in Santa Barbara Channel DZ..
1960 April 30
03:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC25A. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Polaris A1.1962 April 30
LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- Swimmer training for Mercury MA-7 - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Mercury. Swimmer training was started for the Mercury-Atlas 7 (MA-7) manned orbital mission recovery area. Instruction consisted of films, briefings, exercises in deploying the auxiliary flotation collar, and jumps from a helicopter..
1962 April 30
Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC38. LV Family: Spartan ABM. Launch Vehicle: Nike Zeus.1962 April 30
18:23 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Mud Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 008.- X-15A Alt, Low q, Aero test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 75 km (46 mi). Design altitude flight. Maximum Speed - 5614 kph. Maximum Altitude - 75190 m. Air dropped in Mud Lake DZ..
1963 April 30
- NASA / Department of Defense dispute over Gemini management responsibility. - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: McNamara,
Seamans.
Spacecraft: Gemini.
In a NASA position paper, stimulated by Secretary of Defense McNamara's testimony on the fiscal year 1964 budget and an article in Missiles and Rockets interpreting his statements, Robert C. Seamans, Jr., NASA Associate Administrator, stressed NASA's primary management responsibility in the Gemini program. McNamara's remarks had been interpreted as presaging an Air Force take-over of Project Gemini. Seamans recognized the vital role of the Department of Defense in Gemini management and operations but insisted that NASA had the final and overall responsibility for program success.
1963 April 30
Launch Site: Kindley. Launch Complex: Kindley COOP. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Deacon Judi.1963 April 30
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF03. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1A.1963 April 30
04:00 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150.- Ultraviolet Photometer Ultraviolet astronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NRL. Apogee: 197 km (122 mi).
1964 April 30
LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas SLV-3 Agena D.- First Agena D for the Gemini program. - .
Nation: USA.
Flight: Gemini 12.
Spacecraft: Gemini,
Gemini Radar,
Gemini Agena Target Vehicle.
Air Force Space Systems Division (SSD) accepted the first Agena D (AD-71) for the Gemini program. The Agena D was a production-line vehicle procured from Lockheed by SSD for NASA through routine procedures. Following minor retrofit operations, the vehicle, now designated Gemini Agena target vehicle 5001, entered the manufacturing final assembly area at the Lockheed plant on May 14. There began the conversion of the Agena D into a target vehicle for Gemini rendezvous missions. Major modifications were installation of a target docking adapter (supplied by McDonnell), an auxiliary equipment rack, external status displays, a secondary propulsion system, and an L-band tracking radar.
1965 April 30
19:05 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 395-D. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan II.1965 April 30
22:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF03. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1B.1966 April 30
10:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Kagoshima. Launch Vehicle: MT-135.1967 April 30
01:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Point Barrow. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Cajun.1968 April 30
- Soyuz program review. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Mishin. Program: Soyuz. Mishin's 'corps de ballet' dance the dance and walk the walk in a Soyuz program review..
1968 April 30
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF22. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 2.- GIANT BLADE 1 demonstration and shakedown operations launch - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,300 km (800 mi).
1968 April 30
Launch Site: Fort Bliss. LV Family: Pershing. Launch Vehicle: Pershing 1.1968 April 30
07:49 GMT - . Launch Site: Fort Churchill. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk. FAILURE: Failure.1970 April 30
- Pressure on cosmonauts for more public relations tasks. - .
Nation: Russia.
Related Persons: Berezovoi,
Dedkov,
Dzhanibekov,
Fefelov,
Illarionov,
Isaulov,
Kozlov, Vladimir,
Popov,
Romanenko.
Kamanin notes that the 27 April decree has selected only nine new cosmonauts from 300 pilot and 100 engineer candidates. He believes at least 30 should have been selected. Currently there are only 18 active cosmonauts, but Kamanin feels he needs at least 100, just to cover all the public relations appearance demands made on them.
1971 April 30
06:08 GMT - . Launch Site: Thumba. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Apache.1972 April 30
- Shower for use on Skylab - .
Nation: USA.
Program: Skylab.
Spacecraft: Skylab.
A compact shower assembly for use on Skylab Earth-orbital missions was designed and built at MSFC. The shower remained stored on the floor when not in use. Astronauts would step inside a ring on the floor and raise a fireproof beta cloth curtain on a hoop and attach it to the ceiling. A flexible hose with push-button shower nozzle could spray 2.8 liters of water from the personal hygiene tank during each bath. Used water would be vacuumed from the shower enclosure into a disposable bag and deposited in the waste tank.
1973 April 30
17:37 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1974 April 30
LV Family: Peacekeeper.- The Missile X Upper Stage motor awarded to Aerojet. - . The Missile X Upper Stage motor development program contractor selections were made. Contract F04701-73-C-0423 went to the Aerojet Solid Propulsion Company, Sacramento, California..
1974 April 30
LV Family: Peacekeeper.- Peackeeper Lower Stage Nozzle awarded to UTC. - . The Minuteman System Program Office awarded the Missile X Lower Stage Nozzle Development Program contract F04701-74-C-0215 to United Technology Center, Sunnyvale, California..
1974 April 30
- X-24 Flight 38 - . Crew: Love, Michael. Payload: X-24B flight 10. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Love, Michael. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Spacecraft Bus: X-24. Spacecraft: X-24B. Maximum Speed - 930 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15860 m. Flight Time - 419 sec..
1974 April 30
16:55 GMT - . Launch Site: South Uist. Launch Vehicle: Petrel.1976 April 30
04:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Fort Churchill. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Paiute Tomahawk.1976 April 30
19:12 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC3W. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F/MSD.- NOSS 1 (Whitecloud 1) - . Payload: PARCAE 1 / OPS 6431. Mass: 700 kg (1,540 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval SIGINT. Spacecraft: NOSS. USAF Sat Cat: 8818 . COSPAR: 1976-038A. Apogee: 1,128 km (700 mi). Perigee: 1,092 km (678 mi). Inclination: 63.50 deg. Period: 107.50 min. Ocean surveillance; aka White Cloud type spacecraft; Navy Ocean Surveillance Satellite; PARCAE..
- SSU 3 (NOSS 1) - . Payload: NOSS-Subsat 1-3. Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval SIGINT. Spacecraft Bus: NOSS. Spacecraft: NOSS-Subsat. USAF Sat Cat: 8884 . COSPAR: 1976-038J. Apogee: 1,324 km (822 mi). Perigee: 893 km (554 mi). Inclination: 63.40 deg. Period: 107.40 min. Deployed from NOSS 1..
- SSU 2 (NOSS 1) - . Payload: NOSS-Subsat 1-2. Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval SIGINT. Spacecraft Bus: NOSS. Spacecraft: NOSS-Subsat. USAF Sat Cat: 8836 . COSPAR: 1976-038D. Apogee: 1,286 km (799 mi). Perigee: 931 km (578 mi). Inclination: 63.40 deg. Period: 107.40 min. Deployed from NOSS 1..
- SSU 1 (NOSS 1) - . Payload: NOSS-Subsat 1-1. Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval SIGINT. Spacecraft Bus: NOSS. Spacecraft: NOSS-Subsat. USAF Sat Cat: 8835 . COSPAR: 1976-038C. Apogee: 1,284 km (797 mi). Perigee: 932 km (579 mi). Inclination: 63.40 deg. Period: 107.40 min. Deployed from NOSS 1..
1977 April 30
Launch Site: , Vandenberg.- The master control station for the Global Positioning System was delivered to Vandenberg AFB, California. - . Spacecraft: Navstar. The master control station for the Global Positioning System was delivered to Vandenberg AFB, California..
1977 April 30
11:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Sea Launch Area. Launch Pad: UNKO. Launch Platform: VOLNA. Launch Vehicle: MMR-06.1979 April 30
18:00 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1981 April 30
06:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Complex: Kiruna S. LV Family: Skylark. Launch Vehicle: Skylark 7.1982 April 30
Launch Site: Yellow Sea Launch Area. Launch Pad: 35.0 N x 125.0 E. Launch Platform: HULU. LV Family: DF-21. Launch Vehicle: JL-1.1984 April 30
18:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Eareckson. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1986 April 30
Launch Site: Balasore. LV Family: RH. Launch Vehicle: RH-200.1986 April 30
04:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Complex: Kiruna S. LV Family: Skylark. Launch Vehicle: Skylark 7.1987 April 30
20:44 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC46. LV Family: Trident. Launch Vehicle: Trident D-5.1989 April 30
03:48 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Complex: Kiruna S. LV Family: Skylark. Launch Vehicle: Skylark 7.1990 April 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 642. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Poseidon C3.- DASO-61 demonstration and shakedown operations launch - . Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
1992 April 30
02:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Ryori. LV Family: MT-135. Launch Vehicle: MT-135P.1996 April 30
04:31 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC36B. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas I.- Beppo SAX - . Payload: BeppoSAX. Nation: Italy. Agency: ASI. Class: Astronomy. Type: X-ray astronomy satellite. Spacecraft: SAX. Decay Date: 2003-04-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 23857 . COSPAR: 1996-027A. Apogee: 601 km (373 mi). Perigee: 584 km (362 mi). Inclination: 4.00 deg. Period: 96.50 min. LEO. Satellite per Astronomia a raggi X; X-ray celestial observatory Launch vehicle put payload into low earth orbit with IFR trajectory option. 100th Atlas-Centaur flight..
1997 April 30
- Teledesic satellite contract issued to Boeing. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Teledesic. The constellation was revised to 12 planes x 24 satellites - $ 9 billion for 288 units. Boeing awarded satellite contract April 30 1997..
1997 April 30
Launch Site: Sriharikota. LV Family: RH. Launch Vehicle: RH-560/300 Mk II.1998 April 30
- STS-90 - Wakeup Song: Cruise Control - . Flight: STS-90. "Cruise Control" by Bruce Hornsby CAPCOM: Bill McArthur.
1999 April 30
16:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 401B/Centaur. FAILURE: Centaur software programming error.. Failed Stage: U.- USA 143 - .
Payload: Milstar-2 F1 / DFS 3. Mass: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF.
Manufacturer: Lockheed.
Class: Communications.
Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: Milstar.
USAF Sat Cat: 25724 . COSPAR: 1999-023A. Apogee: 5,149 km (3,199 mi). Perigee: 1,097 km (681 mi). Inclination: 28.20 deg.
The Titan core vehicle operated correctly, but a software error in the Centaur stage resulted in all three planned burns being made at the wrong times, during the first orbit instead of over a six hour period. The three burns planned to place Milstar successively in a 170 x 190 km parking orbit, a geostationary transfer orbit, and finally geosynchronous orbit. Instead, at 19:00 GMT, several hours before the scheduled third burn, Milstar separated into a useless 740 km x 5000 km orbit. Milstar-2 F1 was the first upgraded Milstar with an extra Medium Data Rate payload with a higher throughput. The payload included EHF (44 GHz), SHF (20 GHz) and UHF communications transponders and satellite-to-satellite crosslinks, with narrow beams to avoid jamming.
2000 April 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 742. LV Family: Trident. Launch Vehicle: Trident D-5.2000 April 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral ETR. Launch Platform: SSBN 742. LV Family: Trident. Launch Vehicle: Trident D-5.2001 April 30
- STS-100 Mission Status Report #23 - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Ashby,
Baturin,
Guidoni,
Hadfield,
Helms,
Lonchakov,
Musabayev,
Parazynski,
Phillips,
Rominger,
Tito,
Voss.
Program: ISS.
Flight: Soyuz TM-32 ISS EP-1,
STS-100,
STS-102 ISS EO-2.
A replacement Soyuz spacecraft successfully docked to the International Space Station early Monday, providing the station crew with a new "lifeboat" should an unexpected return to Earth become necessary. The docking occurred at 2:58 a.m. as the station orbited over south-central Russia near the Mongolian border. Additional Details: here....
2001 April 30
- STS-100 - Wakeup Song: Gladiator - . Flight: STS-100. "Gladiator" (5:41 GMT).
2001 April 30
- STS-100 - Wakeup Song: Big Arm on His Ship - . Flight: STS-100. "Big Arm on His Ship" - Robinson, etc..
2002 April 30
18:20 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC36. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant IX.- MSSTA III Solar extreme ultraviolet mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 270 km (160 mi).
2003 April 30
2004 April 30
- Landing of Soyuz TMA-3 - .
Return Crew: Foale,
Kaleri,
Kuipers.
Nation: Russia.
Related Persons: Foale,
Kaleri,
Kuipers.
Program: ISS.
Flight: Soyuz TMA-3,
Soyuz TMA-4,
Soyuz TMA-4 Delta.
The ISS EO-8 crew of Kaleri and Foale, together with the ESA Delta mission astronaut Kuipers, undocked Soyuz TMA-3 from the International Space Station at 20:52 GMT on 29 April. There was minor concern due to a helium leak in the Soyuz engine pressurisation system. The Soyuz capsule made a soft landing at 00:11 GMT on 30 April near the city of Arkalyk. The recovery forces consisted of 160 people, eight helicopters, two aircraft and two all-terrain vehicles.The EO-9 crew of Fincke and Padalka remained aboard the ISS on a six-month caretaking mission.
2004 April 30
Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. LV Family: S-300. Launch Vehicle: S-300PMU-1 48N6E.2005 April 30
00:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. Launch Pad: SLC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 405B.- USA 182 - . Mass: 14,500 kg (31,900 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NRO. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military Radarsat. Spacecraft: Lacrosse satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 28646 . COSPAR: 2005-016A. Apogee: 705 km (438 mi). Perigee: 481 km (298 mi). Inclination: 57.00 deg. Last East Coast Titan launch. Delayed from December 18, 2001; July 3, 2002; October 2004; February 20, April 6, 10 and 11, 2005. Amateur observors believed this to be the fifth in the Lacrosse/Onyx radar spy satellite series built by Lockheed Martin..
2006 April 30
2008 April 30
- ISS On-Orbit Status 04/30/08 - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Kononenko,
Love,
Reisman,
Volkov, Sergey.
Program: ISS.
Flight: Soyuz TMA-12,
STS-122,
STS-123 ISS EO-16,
STS-124.
Upon wake-up, FE-1 Kononenko terminated his first MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session, started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground. Additional Details: here....
2014 April 30
01:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELV. Launch Vehicle: Vega.- KazEOSat-1 - . Mass: 830 kg (1,820 lb). Nation: Kazakhstan. Manufacturer: Surrey. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. Spacecraft: Leostar-2. USAF Sat Cat: 39731 . COSPAR: 2014-024A. Apogee: 753 km (467 mi). Perigee: 751 km (466 mi). Inclination: 98.52 deg. Period: 99.86 min. Kazakh high resolution imaging satellite; built by Airbus Defense and Space Toulouse, based on the Astrosat bus and had an imager with 1 metre resolution. The third launch of Europe's Vega light launch vehicle..