1959 in spaceflight (January–June)
This article lists orbital and suborbital launches during the first half of the year 1959.
For all other spaceflight activities, see 1959 in spaceflight. For launches in the second half of 1959 see List of spaceflight launches in July–December 1959.[1][2]
Orbital launches
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) |
Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | |||
| Remarks | ||||||||
January | ||||||||
| 2 January 16:41:21[3] |
Luna (8K72) | B1-6 | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| Luna 1 (Mechta/Ye-1 №4) | MVS | Intended: HEO to Lunar impact Achieved: Heliocentric |
Lunar impactor | In orbit | Partial failure | |||
| Missed Moon due to premature cutoff of upper stage caused by control system malfunction. First spacecraft to be placed in Heliocentric orbit. | ||||||||
| 21 January[4] | Thor-DM18 Agena-A | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 | US Air Force | |||||
| Discovery (KH-1 Prototype) | ARPA | Planned: Low Earth | Technology demonstration | N/A | Destroyed prior to launch | |||
| Destroyed prior to launch. | ||||||||
February | ||||||||
| 17 February 15:55[5] |
Vanguard | SLV-4 | Cape Canaveral LC-18A | US Navy | ||||
| Vanguard 2 (Cloud Cover Satellite 2)[6] | NRL | Medium Earth | Atmospheric | In orbit | Partial spacecraft failure | |||
| Transmitted data for 19 days, poor quality data returned due to uncontrolled rotation of spacecraft. | ||||||||
| 28 February 21:41:16[7] |
Thor DM-18 Agena-A | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 | US Air Force | |||||
| Discoverer 1 (KH-1 prototype) | CIA DST | Low Earth (Polar) | Technology | 6 March | Successful | |||
| Maiden flight of Thor-Agena, first spacecraft to be placed in polar orbit. | ||||||||
March | ||||||||
| 3 March 05:10:56[9] |
Juno II | AM-14 | Cape Canaveral LC-5 | ABMA | ||||
| Pioneer 4 | NASA/ABMA | Heliocentric | Lunar flyby | In orbit | Partial launch failure | |||
| Second stage burned for longer than planned, resulting in more distant flyby than planned.[8] | ||||||||
April | ||||||||
| 13 April 21:18:39[10] |
Thor DM-18 Agena-A | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 | US Air Force | |||||
| Discoverer 2 (KH-1 prototype) | CIA DST | Low Earth | Technology | 26 April | Partial spacecraft failure | |||
| SRV | CIA DST | Low Earth | Technology | 26 April | Partial spacecraft failure | |||
| Capsule recovery failed due to timer error. May have been recovered by the Soviet Union, inspiring plot of 1963 Alistair MacLean novel Ice Station Zebra. | ||||||||
| 14 April 02:49:46[11] |
Vanguard | SLV-5 | Cape Canaveral LC-18A | US Navy | ||||
| Vanguard (Magnetometer Satellite)[6] | NRL | Intended: Medium Earth | Radiation | 14 April | Launch failure | |||
| Vanguard (30-inch sphere)[6] | NRL | Intended: Medium Earth | Air density | |||||
| Second stage damaged during separation, failed to reach orbit, first launch of multiple satellites on a single rocket. | ||||||||
June | ||||||||
| 3 June 20:09:20[12] |
Thor DM-18 Agena-A | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 | US Air Force | |||||
| Discoverer 3 (KH-1 Prototype) | CIA DST | Intended: Low Earth | Technology | 3 June | Launch failure | |||
| SRV | CIA DST | Low Earth | Technology | 3 June | Launch failure | |||
| Loss of signal after upper stage ignition. | ||||||||
| 18 June 08:08[13] |
Luna (8K72) | I1-7 | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| Luna E-1A №1 (Luna 1959A/Ye-1A №5) | MVS | Intended: Heliocentric | Lunar impactor | 18 June | Launch failure | |||
| Internal guidance system failed 153 seconds after launch. | ||||||||
| 22 June 20:16:09[14] |
Vanguard | SLV-6 | Cape Canaveral LC-18A | US Navy | ||||
| Vanguard (Radiation Balance Satellite)[6] | NRL | Intended: Medium Earth | Radiation | 22 June | Launch failure | |||
| Second stage propulsion system malfunctioned, failed to reach orbit. | ||||||||
| 25 June 22:47:45[15] |
Thor DM-18 Agena-A | Vandenberg LC-75-3-5 | US Air Force | |||||
| Discoverer 4 (KH-1 1/9001) | CIA DST | Intended: Low Earth | Optical imaging | 25 June | Launch failure | |||
| SRV 102 | CIA DST | Low Earth | Technology | 25 June | Launch failure | |||
| Upper stage underperformed, failed to reach orbit. | ||||||||
|
| ||||||||
For flights after 30 June, see 1959 in spaceflight (July-December)
| ||||||||
Suborbital flights
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) |
Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
| 10 January 11:00 |
A-1 | Ostrov Kheysa | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Ionospheric Aeronomy |
10 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 16 January 04:00 |
SM-65B Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-14 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 January | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 19 January 15:42 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 January | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 22 January 00:10 |
PGM-19 Jupiter | Cape Canaveral LC-5 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 23 January | Thor DM-18 Able-II | Cape Canaveral LC-17A | US Air Force | ||||
| RVX-1 | US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 23 January | Launch failure | ||
| 27 January 17:00 |
Daniel | CERES | ONERA | ||||
| ONERA | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 27 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi) | |||||||
| 27 January 23:34 |
SM-65C Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-12 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 990 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 28 January | Nike-Cajun | Wallops Island | ARPA | ||||
| Beacon Test 4 | ARPA/NASA | Suborbital | Technology | 28 January | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi) | |||||||
| 30 January 22:53 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-17B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 4 February 08:01 |
SM-65B Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-11 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 990 kilometres (620 mi), final flight of Atlas B | |||||||
| 5 February 14:45 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 5 February | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 212 kilometres (132 mi) | |||||||
| 6 February 21:22 |
HGM-25A Titan I | Cape Canaveral LC-15 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 February | Successful | |||
| Maiden flight of Titan I, battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 20 February 05:38 |
SM-65C Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-12 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 February | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 25 February 19:45 |
HGM-25A Titan I | Cape Canaveral LC-15 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 February | Successful | |||
| Battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 27 February 15:44 |
Aerobee | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Solar | 27 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 210 kilometres (130 mi) | |||||||
| 27 February 19:16 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 February | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) | |||||||
| 27 February 23:50 |
PGM-19 Jupiter | Cape Canaveral LC-26B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 28 February 07:58 |
Thor DM-18 Able-II | Cape Canaveral LC-17A | US Air Force | ||||
| RVX-1 | US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 28 February | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 3 March | Trailblazer 1 | Wallops Island | NASA | ||||
| NASA | Suborbital | REV test | 3 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 260 kilometres (160 mi) | |||||||
| 4 March 11:14 |
Skylark-2 | Woomera LA-2 | RAE | ||||
| RAE UCL Queen's |
Suborbital | Aeronomy | 4 March | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi) | |||||||
| 7 March 19:34 |
Véronique | Hammaguir Blandine | CASDN | ||||
| CASDN | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 7 March | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 35 kilometres (22 mi), released sodium | |||||||
| 10 March 18:40 |
Véronique | Hammaguir Blandine | CASDN | ||||
| CASDN | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 10 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 124 kilometres (77 mi), released sodium | |||||||
| 12 March 05:44 |
Véronique | Hammaguir Blandine | CASDN | ||||
| CASDN | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 12 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 174 kilometres (108 mi), released sodium | |||||||
| 12 March 10:50 |
Black Knight 201 | Woomera LA-5A | RAE | ||||
| RAE | Suborbital | Test flight | 12 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 537 kilometres (334 mi) | |||||||
| 12 March 15:44 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 12 March | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 210 kilometres (130 mi) | |||||||
| 13 March 13:50 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | ||||
| NRL | Suborbital | 13 March | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 170 kilometres (110 mi) | |||||||
| 17 March 01:46 |
R-7 Semyorka | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) | |||||||
| 17 March | Honest John-Nike-Nike-20"SM | Wallops Island | NASA | ||||
| NASA | Suborbital | Test flight | 17 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 1,380 kilometres (860 mi) | |||||||
| 19 March 00:59 |
SM-65C Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-12 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 March | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 21 March 06:19 |
Thor DM-18 Able-II | Cape Canaveral LC-17A | US Air Force | ||||
| RVX-1 | US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 21 March | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 22 March 00:58 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-18B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 25 March 05:25 |
R-7 Semyorka | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) | |||||||
| 27 March 04:02 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-17B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 30 March 15:01 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 30 March | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 201 kilometres (125 mi) | |||||||
| 30 March 16:45 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | ||||
| NRL | Suborbital | 30 March | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 238 kilometres (148 mi) | |||||||
| 30 March 22:53 |
R-7 Semyorka | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 March | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 30 March | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 3 April 17:11 |
HGM-25A Titan I | Cape Canaveral LC-15 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 April | Successful | |||
| Battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 4 April 00:34 |
PGM-19 Jupiter | Cape Canaveral LC-26B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 4 April | WS-199B Bold Orion II | B-47, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 7 April 14:46 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | White Sands LC-35 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 7 April | Launch failure | ||||
| Apogee: 317 kilometres (197 mi) | |||||||
| 8 April 06:35 |
Thor DM-18 Able-II | Cape Canaveral LC-17A | US Air Force | ||||
| RVX-1 | US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 8 April | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 1,230 kilometres (760 mi) | |||||||
| 11 April | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 14 April 21:46 |
SM-65D Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-13 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 April | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) | |||||||
| 14 April | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 15 April 14:46 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 15 April | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 16 April 20:46 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Vandenberg LC-75-2-8 | Royal Air Force | ||||
| Royal Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 20 April 15:30 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 21 April 01:05 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 21 April | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 235 kilometres (146 mi) | |||||||
| 22 April 19:29 |
Nike-Cajun | Holloman | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 22 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 23 April 05:30 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-17B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 25 April 05:00 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-18B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 29 April | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 1 May | Terrier-ASROC-Cajun | Point Arguello | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Test flight | 1 May | Launch failure | |||
| 2 May | OPd-56-39-22D (Antares) | CERES | ONERA | ||||
| ONERA | Suborbital | REV test | 2 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |||||||
| 4 May 18:30 |
HGM-25A Titan I | Cape Canaveral LC-15 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 4 May | Successful | |||
| Battleship second stage, apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 5 May 01:45 |
Aerobee AJ10-34 | White Sands LC-35 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 5 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
| 7 May 01:47 |
PGM-19 Jupiter | Cape Canaveral LC-26B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 8 May 19:28 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 9 May 18:59 |
R-7 Semyorka | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 May | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 12 May 11:39 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 12 May | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi) | |||||||
| 12 May 17:35 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-17B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 12 May | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 14 May 05:52 |
PGM-19 Jupiter | Cape Canaveral LC-5 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 14 May | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 15 May 22:10 |
Arcon | Wallops Island | NASA | ||||
| NASA | Suborbital | Test flight | 15 May | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) | |||||||
| 15 May | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 18 May 23:16 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 May | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) | |||||||
| 19 May 04:30 |
SM-65D Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-14 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 May | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) | |||||||
| 21 May 06:40 |
Thor DM-18 Able-II | Cape Canaveral LC-17A | US Air Force | ||||
| RVX-1 | US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 21 May | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 22 May 11:15 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 22 May | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 23 May 02:42 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-18B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 27 May 04:51 |
Nike-Cajun | White Sands | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 27 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 169 kilometres (105 mi) | |||||||
| 27 May 19:55 |
Nike-Cajun | White Sands | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 27 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 177 kilometres (110 mi) | |||||||
| 28 May 07:35:02 |
PGM-19 Jupiter | Cape Canaveral LC-26B | US Air Force | ||||
| Bioflight 2 | US Air Force | Suborbital | Biological Missile test |
28 May | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 483 kilometres (300 mi) | |||||||
| 30 May 21:42 |
R-7 Semyorka | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 May | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 30 May | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| May | Long Tom | Woomera LA-2 | WRE | ||||
| WRE | Suborbital | Aeronomy | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 2 June | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 5 June 04:15 |
Trailblazer 1 | Wallops Island | NASA | ||||
| NASA | Suborbital | REV test | 6 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 260 kilometres (160 mi) | |||||||
| 6 June 17:39 |
SM-65D Atlas | Cape Canaveral LC-13 | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 6 June | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 80 kilometres (50 mi) | |||||||
| 8 June | WS-199B Bold Orion I | B-47, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 9 June 20:34 |
R-7 Semyorka | Baikonur Site 1/5 | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 9 June | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 10 June 16:40 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 10 June | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 225 kilometres (140 mi) | |||||||
| 11 June 06:44 |
Thor DM-18 Able-II | Cape Canaveral LC-17A | US Air Force | ||||
| RVX-1 | US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 11 June | Successful | ||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 11 June 13:03 |
Black Knight 201 | Woomera LA-5A | RAE | ||||
| RAE | Suborbital | Test flight | 11 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 803 kilometres (499 mi) | |||||||
| 12 June 18:57 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 June | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) | |||||||
| 15 June | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 16 June 21:45 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Vandenberg LC-75-2-7 | Royal Air Force | ||||
| Royal Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 June | Launch failure | |||
| Guidance system failed to engage as remove before flight safety wires had not been removed. Vehicle ascended vertically before being destroyed by range safety.[16] | |||||||
| 17 June | R-12 Dvina | Kapustin Yar | MVS | ||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 19 June | WS-199B Bold Orion I | B-47, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 21 June | R-5V Pobeda | Kapustin Yar | AN | ||||
| AN | Suborbital | Solar | 21 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 400 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| 22 June 14:32 |
Aerobee | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Solar | 22 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 110 kilometres (68 mi) | |||||||
| 23 June 01:26 |
Skylark-1 | Woomera LA-2 | RAE | ||||
| RAE | Suborbital | Test flight | 23 June | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 91 kilometres (57 mi) | |||||||
| 24 June 12:10 |
Aerobee-150 (Hi) | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | 24 June | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 26 June | PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-18B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 26 June | Terrier-ASROC-Cajun | Point Arguello | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | 26 June | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 29 June 11:33 |
Black Knight 201 | Woomera LA-5A | RAE | ||||
| RAE | Suborbital | Test flight | 29 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 442 kilometres (275 mi) | |||||||
| 30 June 02:37 |
PGM-17 Thor DM-18A | Cape Canaveral LC-17B | US Air Force | ||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |||||||
| 29 June 15:42 |
UGM-27 Polaris AX | Cape Canaveral LC-25A | US Navy | ||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| June | R-13 | Kapustin Yar | VMF | ||||
| VMF | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |||||||
Reference
- ^ "Worldwide Space Launches". Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Orbital Launches of 1959". Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Luna 8K72 - Luna-1". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Orbital Launches of 1959". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Vanguard - Vanguard 2". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d Krebs, Gunter. "Vanguard". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
- ^ "Thor DM-18 Agena-A - Discoverer 1". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ Lafleur, Claude. "Pioneer 4". Spacecrafts [sic] launched in 1959. The Spacecraft Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
- ^ "Juno II - Pioneer 4". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Thor DM-18 Agena-A - Discoverer 2". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Vanguard - Vanguard SLV-5". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Thor DM-18 Agena-A - Discoverer 3". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Luna 8K72 - E-1A n°1 (Luna-2)". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Vanguard - Vanguard SLV-6". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Thor DM-18 Agena-A - KH-1 1 (Discoverer 4)". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ Eleazer, Wayne (31 January 2011). "Launch failures: the "Oops!" factor". The Space Review. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
External links
- Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
- Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
- Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.
- Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
- Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report". Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "GCAT Orbital Launch Log".
- Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".
- Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".
- Webb, Brian. "Southwest Space Archive".
- Zak, Anatoly. "Russian Space Web".
- "ISS Calendar". Spaceflight 101.
- "NSSDCA Master Catalog". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
- "Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).
- "Rocket Launch Manifest". Next Spaceflight.
- "Space Launch Plans". Novosti Kosmonavtiki.