Vandenberg 576A1
Site · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Atlas soft launcher. Operational 26 October 1962 - 4 November 1963. Used for missile test launches Oct 26, 1962 to Nov 4, 1963 then used for space program from May 25, 1965 to Sep 8, 1974. Decommissioned/Stripped. Initially dedicated to ABM target payloads for Nike Zeus at Kwajalein. Upgraded for use as ABRES re-entry vehicle test program pad in 1965, and for BMRS program in 1971.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Launch Vehicles
- Atlas D, Atlas E, Atlas F, Atlas Burner 2
- Launch Sites
- Vandenberg
Chronology
36 events
1962 October 26
10:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP K-5 / Pod 20 Target - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). Atlas 159D was launched from Vandenberg AFB carrying the first payload in the Ballistic Systems Division's Nike Targets program in support of the Army's Nike-X anti-ballistic missile development effort. .
1962 December 22
09:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP K-7 / Pod 4 ABM sensor test / plume characterization mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 2,259 km (1,403 mi). K-7 Nike-Zeus intercept of Atlas ICBM..
1963 February 13
11:55 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP K-8 / NC20.133 ABM test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). K-8 Nike-Zeus intercept of Atlas ICBM..
1963 March 16
08:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: 1.- NTMP K-14/NC20.145 Target/Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).
1963 November 4
09:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES REX-III re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). The first Advanced Ballistic Reentry System (ABRES) program launch from Vandenberg was successfully completed when SAC's Atlas D booster (232D) carried the Chrysler-built REX-3 reentry vehicle down the Pacific Missile Range. .
1963 December 18
09:52 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-8 re-entry vehicle test flight - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF SAC.
Spacecraft: ABRES.
Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
Atlas 109F was the final Atlas research and development flight test missile to be launched. Since the first attempted launch of a Series A Atlas on 11 June 1957, 95 Atlas missiles had been used in the R&D program - eight As, nine Bs, six Cs, 32 Ds, 24 Es, and 16 Fs. All but 12 of these were launched from Cape Canaveral. Of the 95 launches, 57 were considered successful while 38 were failures.
1964 June 18
14:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-1 / Pod 31 Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1964 September 15
15:27 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-3 / Pod 26 Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1964 December 1
08:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-5 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1965 February 27
11:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-4 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1965 March 26
09:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-7 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1965 June 8
15:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- ABRES LORV-6 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1965 November 29
14:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP KX-33 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1966 February 10
09:48 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP KX-38 / Pod 32 Reentry test / plume mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1966 March 4
12:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: 1.- NTMP KX-35 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
1966 March 19
12:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP KX-43 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1966 May 3
10:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Failure. Failed Stage: 1.- NTMP KX-37 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).
1966 June 30
10:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas D.- NTMP KX-39 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).
1967 May 19
22:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES SBGRV-2 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1967 November 10
12:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES BGRV-1 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1968 February 26
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES BGRV-2 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi). The Boost Glide Re-entry Vehicle was launched from Vandenberg AFB, California to the area of Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean. It was launched from an Atlas missile booster and served to provide data on hypersonic manoeuvring flight characteristics..
1968 April 18
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas E.- ABRES RVTO-1A-1 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,600 km (900 mi).
1968 June 29
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES RVTO-1A-2 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1968 September 27
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- RVTO-1A-3 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1968 November 24
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- RVTO-1A-4 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1969 August 20
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES RVTO-1A-5 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1969 December 3
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES RVTO-1A-6 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1970 June 9
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES RVTO-1A-7 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1971 April 5
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES LAR-1 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1971 September 1
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- ABRES LAR-2 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Spacecraft: ABRES. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1972 October 2
20:09 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas Burner 2.- RADCAT - .
Payload: Radsat / Radcat / OPS 8180. Mass: 208 kg (458 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: US Army.
Class: Technology.
Type: Military technology satellite. Spacecraft: RADCAT.
Decay Date: 2012-08-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 6212 . COSPAR: 1972-076A. Apogee: 638 km (396 mi). Perigee: 627 km (389 mi). Inclination: 98.60 deg. Period: 97.40 min.
An Atlas F/Burner IIA launch vehicle, carrying SAMSO's Space Test Program Flight 72-1, was launched from Vandenberg. This was the first use of this booster/upper stage combination. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
- Radsat - .
Payload: P 72-1 / OPS 8180. Mass: 726 kg (1,600 lb). Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF.
Class: Technology.
Type: Military technology satellite. Spacecraft: Radsat.
USAF Sat Cat: 6217 . COSPAR: 1972-076B. Apogee: 705 km (438 mi). Perigee: 688 km (427 mi). Inclination: 98.70 deg. Period: 98.70 min.
An Atlas F/Burner IIA launch vehicle, carrying SAMSO's Space Test Program Flight 72-1, was launched from Vandenberg. This was the first use of this booster/upper stage combination. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
1973 September 30
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- BMRS ACE-1 re-entry vehicle test flight - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF AFSC.
Spacecraft: ABRES.
Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
Atlas 108F, carrying the Advanced Control Experiment 1 (ACE 1) vehicle, was launched from Vandenberg AFB and impacted in the Kwajalein area. The ACE 1 vehicle was to test the development of a preprototype of maneuvering reentry vehicle (MaRV) as part of the Advanced Ballistic Reentry Systems (ABRES) program.
1974 March 6
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- BMRS SFT-1 re-entry vehicle test flight - .
Nation: USA.
Agency: USAF AFSC.
Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
Atlas 73F was launched from Vandenberg and was the first mission in the Trident Supplemental Flight Test program (SFT-1), designated HAVE FLY. Managed by SAMSO's Deputy for Reentry Systems (RS), this reentry vehicle research and development program was conducted for the Navy's Strategic System Program Office (SSPO). The SFT missions were for the Trident missile system and were part of the joint-service Advanced Ballistic Reentry System (ABRES) program.
1974 May 1
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- BMRS SFT-2 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).
1974 June 28
Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg 576A1. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas F.- BMRS SFT-3 re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 1,400 km (800 mi).