![]() Artist's impression of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, in orbit |
|
| Fact Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Orbital Launches | |
| First | 4 October |
| Last | 6 December |
| Total | 3 |
| Successes | 1 |
| Failures | 1 |
| Partial Failures | 1 |
| Catalogued | 2 |
| National Firsts | |
| Spaceflight | |
| Satellite | |
| Orbital Launch | |
| Rockets | |
| Maiden Flights | Sputnik-PS Vanguard |
| Retirements | Sputnik-PS |
Contents |
| ← Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec → |
| Date/Time (UTC) | Rocket | Launch site | LSP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
| Remarks | |||||||
January |
|||||||
| 8 January | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 8 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi) | |||||||
| 15 January | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 15 January | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 19 January | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Nuclear test | 19 January | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 26 January | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 January | Launch failure | |||
| Maiden launch of Thor missile, exploded on launch pad | |||||||
| 29 January | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 29 January | Launch failure | |||
February |
|||||||
| 2
February 08:05 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 2 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi) | |||||||
| 7 February | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 7 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 107 kilometres (66 mi) | |||||||
| 14 February | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 14 February | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 141 kilometres (88 mi) | |||||||
March |
|||||||
| 1
March 21:51 |
|||||||
| ABMA | Suborbital | Missile test | 1 March | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 14 kilometres (8.7 mi), maiden flight of Jupiter missile, overheated and disintegrated | |||||||
| 1 March | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 1 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi) | |||||||
| 11 March | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 11 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 134 kilometres (83 mi) | |||||||
| 21 March | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 21 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 103 kilometres (64 mi) | |||||||
| 25 March | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 March | Unknown | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 29
March 04:51 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | UV astronomy | 29 March | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 135 kilometres (84 mi) | |||||||
April |
|||||||
| 11
April 16:31 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Techonlogy | 11 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 204 kilometres (127 mi) | |||||||
| 11 April | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 April | Unknown | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 12 April | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 13 April | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 13 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 14 April | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 14 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 20
April 04:33 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 April | Launch failure | |||
| Destroyed by range safety after console error gave erronous indications that the missile was off course | |||||||
| 26
April 20:12 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 26 April | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 18 kilometres (11 mi) | |||||||
| 30
April 15:10 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Meteorite research | 30 April | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 289 kilometres (180 mi) | |||||||
| April | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Unknown | ||||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
May |
|||||||
| 1
May 06:29 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Technology | 1 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 195 kilometres (121 mi), final flight of Viking | |||||||
| 3
May 14:04 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Solar | 3 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 204 kilometres (127 mi) | |||||||
| 15
May 07:55 |
|||||||
| ABMA | Suborbital | REV test | 15 May | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 655 kilometres (407 mi), gyroscope malfunctioned 134 seconds after launch, missed landing point by 778 kilometres (483 mi) | |||||||
| 15
May 16:01 |
|||||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 15 May | Launch failure | |||
| Maiden flight of R-7 and first launch of an ICBM. Engine fire in Block D booster rocket at liftoff, followed by premature separation 98 seconds after launch. Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 16
May 02:14 |
|||||||
| OKB-1/AN | Suborbital | Missile test | 16 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 16
May 03:18 |
|||||||
| OKB-1/AN | Suborbital | Missile test Biological |
16 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 22
May 03:00 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 May | Launch failure | |||
| Exploded on pad after valve malfunction caused pressure build up | |||||||
| 24 May | |||||||
| OKB-1/AN | Suborbital | Missile test Biological |
24 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 31
May 18:08 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 31 May | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
June |
|||||||
| 7 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 7 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 10 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 10 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 11
June 19:37 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | +23 seconds | Launch failure | |||
| Maiden flight of Atlas missile, destroyed by range safety after fuel system malfunction, apogee: 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) | |||||||
| 18
June 14:00 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 18 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 171 kilometres (106 mi) | |||||||
| 22 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 22 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 22 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 22 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi), maiden flight of R-12 | |||||||
| 23 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 23 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 25
June 14:07 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 25 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 202 kilometres (126 mi) | |||||||
| 27 June | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 27 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 28 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 28 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 29 June | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 29 June | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
July |
|||||||
| 3
July 09:28 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Solar | 3 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
| 4
July 17:15:40 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 4 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 237 kilometres (147 mi) | |||||||
| 4 July | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 4 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 5
July 05:17:56 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 5 July | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) | |||||||
| 5 July | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Target | 5 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 12
July 12:53 |
|||||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 12 July | Launch failure | |||
| Control system short-circuited resulting in loss of control, boosters fell off 33 seconds after launch, apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi) | |||||||
| 15
July 14:23 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Solar | 15 July | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 28 kilometres (17 mi) | |||||||
| 16 July | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 16 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 16 July | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Meteorite research | 16 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 18 July | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Meteorite research | 18 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 19 July | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 19 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 22 July | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | REV test | 22 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi) | |||||||
| 23
July 16:29 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Solar | 23 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi) | |||||||
| 29
July 21:59 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 29 July | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 210 kilometres (130 mi) | |||||||
| 30
July 18:10 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 30 July | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 25 kilometres (16 mi) | |||||||
| July | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| July | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| July | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
August |
|||||||
| 5
August 11:53 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 5
August 11:53 |
Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 5
August 12:20 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Solar | 5 August | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) | |||||||
| 5
August 16:59 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 5 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 6
August 10:52 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 6 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 116 kilometres (72 mi) | |||||||
| 6
August 15:30 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Solar | 6 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 143 kilometres (89 mi) | |||||||
| 6
August 16:03 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 6 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi) | |||||||
| 7
August 03:28 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 7 August | Launch failure | ||||
| 7
August 22:04 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 7 August | Launch failure | ||||
| 8
August 06:59 |
|||||||
| ABMA | Suborbital | REV test | 8 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 460 kilometres (290 mi), re-entry vehicle recovered | |||||||
| 8
August 07:17 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 8 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 132 kilometres (82 mi) | |||||||
| 8 August | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 August | Unknown | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 9 August | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 9 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 10
August 05:07 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 10 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi) | |||||||
| 11
August 05:16 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 11 August | Launch failure | ||||
| 11
August 20:30 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 11 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 12
August 07:48 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 12 August | Launch failure | ||||
| 12
August 13:55 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 12 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 13
August 01:58 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 13 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 13 August | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Solar | 13 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 14
August 08:06 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 14 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 14
August 20:00 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 14 August | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 130 kilometres (81 mi) | |||||||
| 16 August | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 16 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 21
August 21:25 |
|||||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 August | Successful | |||
| First successful R-7 launch. Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) | |||||||
| 23
August 21:54 |
|||||||
| BRL | Suborbital | Test flight | 23 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi) | |||||||
| 24
August 06:00 |
|||||||
| US Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 24 August | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) | |||||||
| 25
August 02:23 |
|||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 25 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 206 kilometres (128 mi) | |||||||
| 25
August 03:27 |
|||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 208 kilometres (129 mi) | |||||||
| 27
August 08:54 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Solar | 27 August | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) | |||||||
| 28
August 21:02 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 28 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 29
August 14:12 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Solar | 29 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
| 30 August | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | +92 seconds | Launch failure | |||
| Disintegrated 92 seconds after launch | |||||||
| 31
August 04:57 |
|||||||
| NRL | Suborbital | Auroral | 31 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 115 kilometres (71 mi) | |||||||
| 31
August 05:30 |
|||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Ionospheric Biological |
31 August | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 185 kilometres (115 mi) | |||||||
| August | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Unknown | ||||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| August | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
| August | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
September |
|||||||
| 1
September 22:28 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 1 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 160 kilometres (99 mi) | |||||||
| 2 September | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 2 September | Unknown | |||
| Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |||||||
| 3 September | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 3 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 7
September 11:39 |
|||||||
| MVS | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) | |||||||
| 9
September 15:50 |
|||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Ionospheric Biological |
9 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 212 kilometres (132 mi) | |||||||
| 12
September 16:20 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Solar | 12 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) | |||||||
| 15
September 13:27 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Solar | 15 September | Launch failure | |||
| 18
September 18:42 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Solar | 18 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 21 kilometres (13 mi) | |||||||
| 19
September 16:30 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 19 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), released caesium | |||||||
| 20 September | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 September | Successful | |||
| First successful Thor launch, apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 21 September | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 21 September | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 25
September 19:57 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 September | Launch failure | |||
| Destroyed by range safety following fuel system malfunction, apogee: 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) | |||||||
| 25 September | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 25 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi), maiden flight of Farside, stage zero malfunction | |||||||
| 26
September 17:05 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 26 September | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 26
September 20:00 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Test flight | 26 September | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) | |||||||
| 27
September 13:12 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 27 September | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 119 kilometres (74 mi) | |||||||
| September | |||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 402 kilometres (250 mi) | |||||||
October |
|||||||
| 1 October | |||||||
| WRE | Suborbital | Test flight | 1 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), maiden flight of Long Tom, first Australian spaceflight | |||||||
| 3
October 17:13 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 3 October | Launch failure | |||
| 3 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 3 October | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 800 kilometres (500 mi) | |||||||
| 4
October 19:16 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 4 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
| 4
October 19:28:34 |
|||||||
| MVS | Low Earth | Technology | 4 January 1958 | Successful | |||
| First orbital launch, first artificial satellite of Earth, maiden flight of Sputnik rocket | |||||||
| 7 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 7 October | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 700 kilometres (430 mi) | |||||||
| 11
October 16:33 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 11 October | Partial launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi), turbopump gearbox malfunctioned, still met primary test objectives | |||||||
| 11 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 11 October | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 30 kilometres (19 mi) | |||||||
| 13
October 18:15 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 13 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 14
October 01:04 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Meteorite research | 14 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 14
October 21:16 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 14 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
| 16
October 20:02 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 16 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 17
October 00:09 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 17 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 17
October 02:18 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 17 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 17
October 20:01 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 17 October | Launch failure | ||||
| Apogee: 41 kilometres (25 mi) | |||||||
| 17
October 23:44 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 17 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi) | |||||||
| 18
October 09:35 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 18 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 18
October 19:43 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 18 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 121 kilometres (75 mi) | |||||||
| 18
October 23:43 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 18 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 121 kilometres (75 mi) | |||||||
| 19
October 18:50 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 19 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi) | |||||||
| 20
October 01:06 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 20 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 104 kilometres (65 mi) | |||||||
| 20
October 03:57 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 20 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 20
October 20:11 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 20 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 20 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 20 October | Spacecraft failure | |||
| Apogee: 5,000 kilometres (3,100 mi), returned no data due to transmitter malfunction[1] | |||||||
| 22 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 22 October | Spacecraft failure | |||
| Apogee: 5,000 kilometres (3,100 mi), returned no data due to transmitter malfunction[1] | |||||||
| 22
October 22:31 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 22 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 23
October 01:07 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 23 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |||||||
| 23
October 19:22:54 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Test flight | 23 October | Successful | |||
| Maiden flight of Vanguard, battleship upper stages, apogee: 175 kilometres (109 mi) | |||||||
| 23 October | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 23 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 23 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 23 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 24
October 16:32 |
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| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 24 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 24 October | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 24 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 25 October | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 25 October | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 26
October 19:47 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 26 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 27
October 02:46 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 27 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 29
October 00:13 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 29 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 30
October 21:40 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 30 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 31
October 00:29 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 31 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 31
October 19:51 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 31 October | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
November |
|||||||
| 1
November 01:00 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 1 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 3
November 02:30:42 |
|||||||
| MVS | Low Earth | Biological | 14 April 1958 | Partial launch failure Partial spacecraft failure |
|||
| Carried Laika, the first animal in orbit. Spacecraft failed to separate from rocket and Laika died prior to completion of experiments. Final flight of Sputnik-PS. | |||||||
| 3
November 20:08 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 3 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 3
November 23:24 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 3 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 4
November 01:41 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 4 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi) | |||||||
| 4
November 03:47 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 4 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 4
November 07:16 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 4 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 4
November 18:52 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 4 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 5
November 01:25 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 5 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 5
November 21:59 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 5 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 7
November 16:05 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 7 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 8
November 14:57 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 8 November | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 8
November 20:43 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 8 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 110 kilometres (68 mi) | |||||||
| 8
November 23:15 |
|||||||
| SUI | Suborbital | 8 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 110 kilometres (68 mi) | |||||||
| 8 November | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 8 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 9
November 16:54 |
|||||||
| OKB-1 | Suborbital | Ionospheric Aeronomy |
9 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 330 kilometres (210 mi) | |||||||
| 10 November | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 10 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 13
November 11:52 |
|||||||
| RAE | Suborbital | 13 November | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi), first British spaceflight | |||||||
| 15 November | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 15 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 19
November 16:29:56 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 19 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 121 kilometres (75 mi), released potassium nitrate and aluminium | |||||||
| 26 November | |||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 26 November | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 27
November 02:10 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 November | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 20 kilometres (12 mi) | |||||||
December |
|||||||
| 6
December 16:44:35 |
|||||||
| 6.5in Satellite 1 | NRL | Intended: Medium Earth | Geodesy | +2 seconds | Launch failure | ||
| First all up Vanguard test, first US orbital launch attempt, and first outright orbital failure of an orbital launch attempt. Exploded on launch pad after loss of thrust | |||||||
| 7
December 22:11 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 7 December | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 10
December 17:35 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 10 December | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi) | |||||||
| 10
December 18:10 |
|||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | Test flight | 10 December | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 169 kilometres (105 mi) | |||||||
| 10
December 21:36 |
|||||||
| US Army | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 10 December | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) | |||||||
| 11 December | |||||||
| US Navy | Suborbital | REV test | 11 December | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| 16
December 00:38 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 16 December | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) | |||||||
| 17
December 17:39 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 17 December | Successful | |||
| First successful Atlas launch, apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi) | |||||||
| 19
December 00:07 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 27 November | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 92 kilometres (57 mi) | |||||||
| 19
December 20:12 |
|||||||
| US Air Force | Suborbital | Missile test | 19 December | Successful | |||
| Apogee: 520 kilometres (320 mi) | |||||||
| 23 December | |||||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Aeronomy Imaging |
23 December | Launch failure | |||
| Apogee: 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) | |||||||
| Unknown | |||||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Test flight | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| Unknown | |||||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Test flight | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| Unknown | |||||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Test flight | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
| Unknown | |||||||
| NACA | Suborbital | Test flight | Successful | ||||
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi) | |||||||
![]() |
|
|||||
| Orbital launch attempts by country in 1957 | ||||||
| Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | First orbital launch | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rocket | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sputnik-PS (8K71PS) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Maiden and final flights | |
| Vanguard | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight |
| Orbital regime | Launches | Successes | Failures | Accidentally Achieved |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed to orbit | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | |
| Low Earth | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Medium Earth | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Timeline of spaceflight | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | |||||||
| 1950s | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | |||
| 1960s | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | |||
| 1970s | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | |||
| 1980s | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |||
| 1990s | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |||
| 2000s | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |||
| 2010s | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |||
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