On May 2 in Space History
Chronology
61 events
1945 May 2
Launch Vehicle: V-2.- Peenemuende rocket team contacts American forces - . Nation: Germany. Related Persons: von Braun. English-speaker Magnus Von Braun is sent to contact US forces in order to surrender the German rocket team to the Americans..
1949 May 2
- XS-1 Flight 111 - . Crew: Yeager. Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 68. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Yeager. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. AF flight 46. Partial engine malfunction, faulty engine ignition plug..
1955 May 2
LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan I.- Titan ICBM contractor selection. - . Hq USAF authorized AEDC to proceed with the selection of an alternate source for the development of the ICBM. The alternate airframe configuration was to be a two-stage missile, later dubbed Titan..
1955 May 2
LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan I.- Titan 1 begun. - . Nation: USA. USAF approved Western Development Division proposals to inaugurate a second ICBM airframe, which became the Titan ICBM (SM-68)..
1957 May 2
- Birth of Dominic Lee Pudwill Gorie - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Gorie. American test pilot astronaut 1994-2010. Flew 38 combat missions over Iraq. 4 spaceflights, 48.6 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-91 (1998), STS-99, STS-108, STS-123..
1958 May 2
Launch Vehicle: Thor.- Man-In-Space-Soonest plan to put American in orbit by October 1960. - .
Spacecraft: Man-In-Space-Soonest.
The missile division published its second Man-In-Space Development Plan. This plan concentrated on the first phase of the over-all manned lunar program, designated "Man-In-Space-Soonest". During this phase of project development the launch vehicles would be a Thor-Vanguard combination for instrumented tests, and a Thor fluorine second stage combination for the manned flights. This plan, if approved, would place a man in a 150 nautical mile orbit by October 1960 at an approximate cost of $120 million. (USAF Manned Military Space System Development Plan, 2 May 1958, prep by AFBMD)
1959 May 2
Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Stromboli. Launch Vehicle: OPd-56-39-22D.1960 May 2
- Proposed advanced manned spacecraft program presented to von Braun - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: von Braun.
Program: Apollo.
Spacecraft: Apollo CSM,
CSM Source Selection.
Members of STG presented the proposed advanced manned spacecraft program to Wernher von Braun and 25 of his staff at Marshall Space Flight Center. During the ensuing discussion, the merits of a completely automatic circumlunar mission were compared with those of a manually operated mission. Further discussions were scheduled.
1960 May 2
Launch Site: Ile du Levant. Launch Pad: CERES. LV Family: Stromboli. Launch Vehicle: OPd-56-39-22D.1961 May 2
LV Family: Redstone. Launch Vehicle: Redstone MRLV.- Mercury MR-3 postponed. - . Nation: USA. Flight: Mercury MR-3. Spacecraft: Mercury. Manned Mercury-Redstone (MR-3) launch postponed because of rain squalls in the recovery area..
1962 May 2
LV Family: Athena RTV.- Contract for 77 Athena missiles. - . A letter contract was awarded to Atlantic Research Corporation for development and production of 77 Athena missiles for use in Ballistic Systems Division's subscale reentry - systems R&D..
1962 May 2
22:53 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150.1962 May 2
23:44 GMT - . Launch Site: Johnston Island. Launch Complex: Johnston Island LE1. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor DSV-2E.1963 May 2
Launch Site: Cuxhaven. Launch Complex: Cuxhaven. Launch Vehicle: Seliger.- Seliger rocket reaches 120 km altitude. - .
Nation: Germany.
Related Persons: Seliger.
Seliger launched his 12.8 m long, three-stage rocket at an attempt to reach an altitude of 150 km. The effects of his contracts with the military were apparent. The 74th Panzer batallion at Altenwalde provided security, field communications, two jeeps as command posts, and a helicopter to search for the missile after the flight. The first launch of the day was that of a single-stage rocket to 50 km altitude. The mission was to measure high altitude winds and test the new parachute recovery system. The payload was successfully recovered in Wernerwald. Preparation of the three stage rocket took three hours, leading up to the planned 16:00 launch time. The 6 m long rocket lifted off at 16:03 but only reached an altitude of 120 km.
1963 May 2
Launch Site: Cuxhaven. Launch Vehicle: Seliger 1.1963 May 2
15:03 GMT - . Launch Site: Cuxhaven. LV Family: Seliger 1. Launch Vehicle: Seliger 3.1963 May 2
17:03 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC35. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 150.- Extreme ultraviolet Mon 2 / XR / RPA Solar ultraviolet mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 232 km (144 mi).
1963 May 2
17:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Mud Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 008.- X-15A APU,UVP,IR,flow Test/Ultraviolet Astronomy/Technolgy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 63 km (39 mi). Maximum Speed - 5612 kph. Maximum Altitude - 63820 m. Carried earth background radiation instrument in support of Midas reconnsat development. Air dropped in Mud Lake DZ..
1966 May 2
01:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Cajun.1966 May 2
01:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Natal. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Cajun.1966 May 2
02:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Fort Churchill. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Cajun.1966 May 2
20:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF02. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 1B.1967 May 2
- M2 Flight 15 - . Crew: Gentry. Payload: M2-F2 flight 15. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Gentry. Program: NASA Lifting Body. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spaceplane. Spacecraft: M2-F2. Maximum Speed - 661 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 231 sec..
1967 May 2
- NASA briefing to Manned Orbiting Laboratory staff on fire hazards - .
Nation: USA.
Program: Apollo.
Spacecraft: MOL.
The Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory Systems Program Office requested that MSC present a briefing to selected office and contractor personnel on NASA's progress in safety studies and tests associated with fire hazards aboard manned space vehicles. Information was requested for the MOL program to help formulate studies and activities that would not duplicate MSC efforts. The briefing was given at MSC May 10.
1968 May 2
Launch Site: Green River. Launch Complex: Green River Pad 1. LV Family: Athena RTV. Launch Vehicle: Athena RTV. FAILURE: Failure.1968 May 2
05:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Vehicle: Nike Iroquois.1968 May 2
06:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Eglin. Launch Vehicle: Nike Iroquois.1968 May 2
10:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Arecibo. Launch Complex: Arecibo VB. Launch Vehicle: Nike Iroquois.1969 May 2
01:46 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC3W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thorad SLV-2G Agena D.- KH-4A 1051 - . Payload: KH-4A s/n 1051 / Agena D 1649 / OPS 1101. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: CIA, NRO. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-4A. Decay Date: 1969-05-23 . USAF Sat Cat: 3914 . COSPAR: 1969-041A. Apogee: 325 km (201 mi). Perigee: 168 km (104 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 89.50 min. KH-4A. Imagery of both pan camera records is soft and lacks crispness and edge sharpness..
- SRV 739 - . Payload: SRV 1051-1. Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft Bus: P 11. Spacecraft: SSF. Decay Date: 1970-02-16 . USAF Sat Cat: 3915 . COSPAR: 1969-041xx. Apogee: 193 km (119 mi). Perigee: 177 km (109 mi). Inclination: 65.70 deg. Period: 88.20 min.
- OPS 1721 - . Payload: EHH B15. Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NRO, USAF. Spacecraft Bus: WS-117. Spacecraft: KH-4A. Decay Date: 1970-02-16 . USAF Sat Cat: 3915 . COSPAR: 1969-041B. Apogee: 470 km (290 mi). Perigee: 407 km (252 mi). Inclination: 65.70 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Radar monitoring..
1969 May 2
08:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF21. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 2.1972 May 2
16:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1974 May 2
- Development of Block R LH2/LOX stage begins - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Development of the Block Sr for the N1M cancelled; work on the smaller Block R LH2/LOX stage was resumed. This stage was eventually to have been used on the Buran / Vulkan launch vehicles..
1974 May 2
Launch Vehicle: N1.- N1-L3 program is cancelled - .
Nation: Russia.
Related Persons: Glushko,
Kozlov,
Mishin.
Program: Lunar L3.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned space station.
The N1 program was cancelled before the next test flight. Mishin was removed as head of NPO Energia. Kozlov is first asked to replace him, but he prefers to stay in Samara. Glushko is appointed as the second choice. Two fully assembled (serial numbers 8L and 9L), and four partially assembled rockets were available at time of cancellation. These would have been the first to use the new modernized series NK-33/NK-39 engines. 8L was planned for launch in the fourth quarter of 1974. Confidence was high that, based on the massive telemetry received on the 7L flight, that all problems would have been rectified. A total of 3.6 billion rubles was spent on the N1-L3 program, of which 2.4 billion rubles went into N1 development. Those on the project felt that they were within months of finally providing the Soviet Union with a heavy-lift booster. Instead the work was discarded, and Glushko began design of the RLA/Vulkan with entirely new configuration and engines.
1974 May 2
Launch Site: Kourou. LV Family: Arcas. Launch Vehicle: Super Arcas.1974 May 2
20:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Talos. Launch Vehicle: Tater.1974 May 2
22:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg LF02. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3.1975 May 2
Launch Vehicle: Alfa.- Alfa SLBM program cancelled - . Nation: Italy. Under US pressure Italy had signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty on 2 May 1975. Work on nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles ended..
1975 May 2
- Birth of Dorothy Marie 'Dottie' Metcalf-Lindenburger - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Metcalf-Lindenburger. American teacher mission specialist astronaut 2004-2013. 1 spaceflight, 15.1 days in space. Flew to orbit on STS-131 (2010)..
1975 May 2
Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VI.1977 May 2
LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: Minuteman 3.- Contract to Aerojet for Minuteman III Stage II motors. - . SAMSO awarded a FY 1977 contract to Aerojet Solid Propulsion Company for Production of Minuteman III Stage II motors. Production was limited to an initial increment of ten motors..
1977 May 2
14:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Antigua. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1978 May 2
LV Family: Peacekeeper.- Multiple Aimpoint Basing Study for Missile X. - . The results of a Multiple Aimpoint Basing Study for Missile X basing, conducted by SAMSO's ICBM Program Office, were briefed to the Defense Science Board..
1978 May 2
LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.- Report on Titan IIIC launch failure of 25 March 1978. - . Spacecraft: DSCS II. The AFSC Missile Mishap Investigation Board, investigating the failure of a Titan IIIC launch of DSCS II satellites on 25 March, submitted its final report..
1978 May 2
21:47 GMT - . Launch Site: Kwajalein. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1983 May 2
19:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Loki. Launch Vehicle: Loki Dart.1984 May 2
Launch Site: Balasore. LV Family: RH. Launch Vehicle: RH-200.1984 May 2
19:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Eareckson. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1988 May 2
04:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant 8B.1989 May 2
21:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.1990 May 2
- Death of Oleg Anatolyevich Yakovlev at Moscow, Russia. Heart attack during a tennis-match. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Yakovlev. Russian pilot cosmonaut, 1965-1973..
1990 May 2
Launch Site: Balasore. LV Family: RH. Launch Vehicle: RH-200.1995 May 2
05:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Improved Orion.1997 May 2
07:30 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC36. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant IX.- X-ray astronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).
1998 May 2
- STS-90 - Wakeup Song: Stir It Up - . Flight: STS-90. "Stir It Up" by Bob Marley and the Wailers CAPCOM: Bob Curbeam.
1998 May 2
09:16 GMT - . Launch Site: Taiyuan. Launch Complex: Taiyuan LC1. LV Family: CZ. Launch Vehicle: Chang Zheng 2C-III/SD.- Iridium 69 - . Payload: Iridium s/n SV069. Mass: 689 kg (1,518 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Iridium. Manufacturer: Lockheed, Motorola. Program: Iridium. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: LM 700. USAF Sat Cat: 25319 . COSPAR: 1998-026A. Apogee: 783 km (486 mi). Perigee: 777 km (482 mi). Inclination: 86.40 deg. Period: 100.46 min. Plane 2. Ascending node 199.4 degrees. Not in service..
- Iridium 71 - . Payload: Iridium s/n SV071. Mass: 689 kg (1,518 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Iridium. Manufacturer: Lockheed, Motorola. Program: Iridium. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: LM 700. USAF Sat Cat: 25320 . COSPAR: 1998-026B. Apogee: 778 km (483 mi). Perigee: 775 km (481 mi). Inclination: 86.40 deg. Period: 100.40 min. Plane 2. Ascending node 199.3 degrees. Not in service..
2001 May 2
- Starchaser 5 subscale tests. - . Nation: UK. Program: X-Prize. Spacecraft Bus: X-Prize. Spacecraft: Starchaser 5. Starchaser Industries (Hyde, England, UK) successfully launches SHARP 1 vehicle..
2003 May 2
Launch Site: Mojave. Launch Complex: Mojave. LV Family: SpaceShip. Launch Vehicle: Spaceship One.- White Knight Flight 23 - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Melvill.
Program: X-Prize.
Spacecraft Bus: SpaceShip.
Spacecraft: Spaceship One.
Flight Time: 2.3 hours Pilot: Melvill Copilot: Rick Aldrich. Objectives: Engine performance at altitude. New pilot masks and ECS airflow routing. Regulated bleed air control of the aft cabin temperature (to test the capability to heat SpaceShipOne's nitrous oxidizer. Appraisal of new traffic alert system. Results: Engines showed much improved performance up to 50,000 feet. ECS changes confirmed to assure clear windows for landing. Successful bleed air heating test: good control and sufficient energy for SS1 propellant heating.
2005 May 2
05:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. Launch Complex: Kiruna S. LV Family: Skylark. Launch Vehicle: Skylark 7.- MASER 10 Microgravity mission - . Nation: Sweden. Agency: SSC. Apogee: 252 km (156 mi). Final flight of Skylark suborbital rocket. MASER 10 carried two biology experiments and three fluid physics experiments. The payload spent six minutes in microgravity and worked perfectly during the flight..
2006 May 2
06:16 GMT - . Launch Site: Kiruna. LV Family: Castor 4A. Launch Vehicle: Maxus.- Maxus 7 - .
Nation: Europe.
Agency: ESA,
SSC.
Apogee: 702 km (436 mi).
Suborbital microgravity mission. Kaiser-Threde developed a new payload service system for MAXUS 7, providing 2 independent TV-links with 2 high power HF transmitters and GPS. The recovery system was a BAL ORSA system, modified by Kaiser-Threde, including parachute from DLR.
2008 May 2
- ISS On-Orbit Status 05/02/08 - .
Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Kononenko,
Love,
Reisman,
Volkov, Sergey.
Program: ISS.
Flight: Soyuz TMA-12,
STS-123 ISS EO-16,
STS-124.
CDR Sergey Volkov conducted the periodic auditing and restocking of the Russian SSVP (Docking and Internal Transfer System) accessory kits, located in the Soyuz BO (Orbital Compartment), FGB GA (Pressurized Adapter), FGB PGO (Instrumentation Cargo Compartment), Service Module PrK (SM Transfer Compartment), and DC1 (Docking Compartment). Additional Details: here....
2015 May 2
08:30 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant IX.- NASA 36.292UH - . Nation: USA. Apogee: 272 km (169 mi). Carried University of Iowa's OGRESS, an X-ray grating spectrograph instrument, on a suborbital flight to observe the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant..