WORLD SPACECRAFT DIGEST by Jos Heyman 1964 … · The 330 kg Elektron-1 satellite studied the inner...

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WORLD SPACECRAFT DIGEST by Jos Heyman 1964 Version: 20 August 2014 © Copyright Jos Heyman

Transcript of WORLD SPACECRAFT DIGEST by Jos Heyman 1964 … · The 330 kg Elektron-1 satellite studied the inner...

WORLD SPACECRAFT DIGEST by Jos Heyman 1964 Version: 20 August 2014 © Copyright Jos Heyman

1964 001A (00727) Name: Ferret-7 Country: USA Launch date: 11 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 905 x 934 km, inclination: 69.9o Military electronic intelligence gathering satellite as described for 1962 δ 1. It has not been possible to identify its objective.

1964 001B (00728) Name: GGSE-1 Country: USA Launch date: 11 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 898 x 942 km, inclination: 69.9o

1 = 2-axis stabilised version; 2 = 3 axis stabilised version

The Gravity Gradient Stabilisation Experiment (GGSE) satellite series studied the feasibility of the gravity gradient stabilisation technique for satellites. The satellites had a mass of 38 kg and came in two versions. One version was 2 axis stabilised with a single long boom, whilst the second type was three axis stabilised with three 18 m booms. The satellites were fitted with an eddy-current spherical damper with bar magnets joined at the centre to provide the magnetic coupling, diamagnetic suspension. The magnets also generated the eddy-currents. In 2012 the satellite was identified as one of the three Poppy-3 military electronic intelligence gathering satellites as described for 1962 βτ 1. It was also known as PL134. The satellite had a diameter of 51 cm and a mass of 38 kg.

1964 001C (00729) Name: Secor-1 Country: USA Launch date: 11 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 904 x 933 km, inclination: 69.9 o

The Sequential Collation of Range (Secor) series of satellites provided geodetic information on the Pacific islands. The US Army sponsored satellites, which were also known as Electronic Geodetic Ranging System (EGRS), carried two solid state transmitters which retransmitted signals from four positions, three of which were known and the fourth determined by the satellite data. The first four satellites in the series were rectangular shaped and built by ITT, whilst Secor-5 (1965 063A) and subsequent satellites were spherical shaped and had been built by Cubic Corp. The satellites had initially a mass of 18 kg, later increasing to 40 kg.

1964 001D (00730) Name: Solrad-7A Country: USA Launch date: 11 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 905 x 934 km, inclination: 69.9 o Scientific satellite as described for 1960 η 2. Solrad-7A, which had a mass of 45 kg, carried five photometers to measure X-ray emissions in overlapping bands between 2 and 60 Angstrom as well as a photometer to measure ultraviolet radiation in the 1225 to 1350 Angstrom region. The satellite transmitted until July 1966. In 2012 the satellite was identified as one of the three Poppy-3 military electronic intelligence gathering satellites as described for 1962 βτ 1. It was also known as PL124. The satellite had a diameter of 61 cm and a mass of 40 kg.

1964 001E (00731) Name: Solrad-5B Country: USA Launch date: 11 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 905 x 934 km, inclination: 69.9 o Scientific satellite as described for 1960 η 2. Solrad-5B, also known as Ferret-135 or PL135, specifically provided data on the basic minimum energy flux during the absence of solar flares. The payload consisted of five photometers to measure X-rays and one photometer to measure ultraviolet radiation. The data was used by sixteen countries. In 2005 the satellite was identified as on of the three Poppy-3 military electronic intelligence gathering satellites as described for 1962 βτ 1. The satellite had a diameter of 51 cm and a mass of 29.5 kg.

1964 002B (00734) Name: P35-6 Country: USA Launch date: 19 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Agena B Orbit: 801 x 830 km, inclination: 99.0 o The RCA Block 2 military meteorological satellites were a development of the Block 1 series as described for 1962 αο 1. The series was also known as AFP-43 and the satellites had a mass of 130 kg. They were fitted with two camera systems. P35-6 was also known as Ops-3367 and FTV-4187. The upper stage of the launch vehicle was designated as 1964 002A (00733).

1964 002C (00735) Name: P35-7 Country: USA Launch date: 19 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Agena B Orbit: 811 x 825 km, inclination: 99.1 o Military meteorological satellite as described for 1964 002B.

1964 003A (00737) Name: Relay-2 Country: USA Launch date: 21 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta DSV-3B Orbit: 2091 x 7411 km, inclination: 46.3 o Relay-2 continued the communications experiments conducted by Relay-1 as described for 1962 βυ 1. The 78 kg satellite was fitted with a single transponder operating in the 4.2/1.7 GHz range. It was also known as A-16 and remained operational until 26 September 1965.

1964 004A (00740) Name: Echo-2 Country: USA Launch date: 25 January 1964 Re-entry: 7 June 1969 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Agena B Orbit: 1029 x 1316 km, inclination: 81.5 o

The 248 kg Echo-2 was a passive communications satellite consisting of a 46 m diameter reflective mylar balloon. The satellite, also referred to as A-12, was used for joint experimental communications with the USSR proving that the use of passive satellites was unsuitable for communications due to the lack of amplification and the uncontrollable drift of the satellite. The upper stage of the launch vehicle carried a television camera which recorded the deployment of the balloon.

1964 005A (00744) Name: SA-5 Country: USA Launch date: 29 January 1964 Re-entry: 30 April 1966 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Saturn 1 Orbit: 264 x 760 km, inclination: 31.4 o

SA-5 was a test flight of the Saturn launch vehicle conducted as part of the Apollo programme as described for 1966 059A. The 17,100 kg second stage of the launch vehicle achieved orbit.

1964 006A (00746) Name: Elektron-1 Country: USSR Launch date: 30 January 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 394 x 7126 km, inclination: 60.8 o

The 330 kg Elektron-1 satellite studied the inner Van Allen belt. The satellite was equipped with: 1. an instrument to record corpuscular emissions; 2. a mass spectrometer; 3. a micrometeorite detector; 4. a proton detector; and 5. an instrument for the investigation of the energy spectrum of electrons in the radiation belt. A complementary programme was conducted by Elektron-2 (1964 006B) in the outer Van Allen belt.

1964 006B (00748) Name: Elektron-2 Country: USSR Launch date: 30 January 1964 Re-entry: 22 April 1997 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 441 x 67988 km, inclination: 60.9 o

The 445 kg Elektron-2 satellite studied the outer Van Allen belt. The satellite was equipped with: 1. magnetometers; 2. a spheric analyser for the investigation of the energy spectrum of low-energy particles; 3. instruments for the investigation of the chemical composition of cosmic rays; 4. a mass spectrometer; and 5. an instrument for the investigation of the energy spectrum of electrons in the radiation belt. A complementary programme was conducted by Elektron-1 (1964 006A) in the inner Van Allen belt.

1964 007A (00747) Name: Ranger-6 Country: USA Launch date: 30 January 1964 Re-entry: 2 February 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena B Orbit: trans-lunar

The failure of the first five Ranger spacecraft (as described for 1962 α 1) led to a full re-evaluation of the programme and it was decided to delete the scientific instruments and concentrate on the photographic aspects of the programme only. Ranger-6 was equipped with six TV cameras arranged in a group of two cameras which had a full scan capability with a wide angle lens, and another group of four cameras with a partial scan capability and fitted with a narrow angle lens. The spacecraft impacted on the Moon on 2 February 1964 at 9 o 12'N, 21 o 31'E after a flight of 65 hours, 10 minutes but, as the cameras had inadvertently been switched on prior to or during the launch, the camera electronics had burned out and did not operate. Ranger-6, -7, -8 and -9 constituted the Block III spacecraft and had a mass of 362 kg. The Block IV series, which was to constitute three spacecraft, were to be fitted with a gamma ray spectrometer in addition to the TV system, whilst a Block V series of spacecraft were to retain the originally planned seismometer module. None of the Block IV and V spacecraft (to be known as Ranger-10/-24) were launched.

1964 008A (00752) Name: KH 4A-3 Country: USA Launch date: 15 February 1964 Re-entry: 9 March 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 179 x 444 km, inclination: 75.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3444 and mission 1004, a capsule was ejected on 23 February 1964

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 19 February 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya M Orbit: failed to orbit Satellite which failed to orbit. It was originally believed it was a Molniya 1 communications satellite as described for 1965 030A, but is now believed to have been a Venus fly-by spacecraft as described for 1964 016D.

1964 009A (00754) Name: KH 7-5 Country: USA Launch date: 25 February 1964 Re-entry: 1 March 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 173 x 190 km, inclination: 95.7 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-2432 and mission 4005.

1964 010A (00757) Name: Kosmos-25 Country: USSR Launch date: 27 February 1964 Re-entry: 21 November 1964 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 255 x 526 km, inclination: 49.0 o DS-P1 radar calibration satellite as described for 1962 αδ 1. The satellite also conducted studies of cosmic radiation. Also referred to as DS-P1 No.4.

1964 011A (00759) Name: Ferret-8 Country: USA Launch date: 28 February 1964 Re-entry: 19 February 1969 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 479 x 520 km, inclination: 82.0 o Military electronic intelligence gathering satellite as described for 1962 δ 1. Also known as Ops-3722 in was a Heavy Ferret-B.

1964 012A (00764) Name: KH 7-6 Country: USA Launch date: 11 March 1964 Re-entry: 16 March 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 163 x 203 km, inclination: 95.7 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-3435 and mission 4006.

1964 013A (00766) Name: Kosmos-26 Country: USSR Launch date: 18 March 1964 Re-entry: 28 September 1964 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 266 x 387 km, inclination: 49.0 o

DS-MG (MG: Magnitosfery = magnetospheric) scientific satellite as described for 1962 θ 1. The payload included a magnetometer to conduct magnetic field studies. The satellite had a mass of 285 kg. Failure of the Trap-P telemetry system resulted in an instrument malfunction after two weeks. Also referred to as DS-MG No.1.

--- Name: Explorer-S66 Country: USA Launch date: 19 March 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta DSV-3B Orbit: failed to orbit

Explorer-S66, which had a mass of 54 kg, was also known as Beacon-A and was to provide uncoded radio signals to 80 ground stations in 32 countries to provide data on the behaviour of the ionosphere and electron density, relationship between the behaviour of the ionosphere and the solar radiation and the geometry and distribution of irregularities in the ionosphere. It was also to conduct a laser and Doppler shift geodetic tracking experiment. The payload consisted of four transmitters. In addition it carried 360 fused silica reflectors for laser tracking. Due to a premature cut-off of the third stage after 22 seconds, the satellite failed to achieve orbit.

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 21 March 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya M Orbit: failed to orbit Type E-6 lunar soft landing spacecraft as described for 1963 008A which failed to achieve orbit.

--- Name: KH 4A-4 Country: USA Launch date: 24 March 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: failed to orbit Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3467 and mission 1003, the satellite failed to orbit due to a power failure in the Agena upper stage. The payload included the Orbiting Radio Beacon Ionospheric Satellite (Orbis) payload.

1964 014A (00770) Name: Kosmos-27 Country: USSR Launch date: 27 March 1964 Re-entry: 28 March 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya M Orbit: 167 x 198 km, inclination: 64.8 o Type 3MV-1 Venus fly-by spacecraft as described for 1964 016D and which failed to separate from the upper stage.

1964 015A (00771) Name: Ariel-2 Country: United Kingdom Launch date: 27 March 1964 Re-entry: 18 November 1967 Launch site: Wallops Island Launch vehicle: Scout X-3 Orbit: 285 x 1362 km, inclination: 51.6 o

The Ariel-2 satellite, which was called UK-2 before the launch, carried three experiments: 1. an instrument for the study of atmospheric and interplanetary space, in particular the vertical

distribution of ozone in the atmosphere; 2. a 40 m dipole extendable antenna and other antennas, which were used to measure the intensity of

galactic radio noise; and 3. two mylar and two aluminium foils detectors to measure micrometeorite fluxes. The satellite had a mass of 75 kg.

1964 016D (00785) Name: Zond-1 Country: USSR Launch date: 2 April 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya M Orbit: 0.652 x 1.001 AU, inclination: 3.7 o

Zond-1 was a type 3MV-1 Venus fly-by spacecraft, as described for 1963 044A, to test communication systems at long distances. The Venus fly-by failed and instead the spacecraft went into a solar orbit, the closest distance to Venus being 100,000 km on 19 July 1964. Communications failed on 14 May 1964. The spacecraft had a possible mass of 890 kg. 1964 016A to C (00776 to 00778) were the launch vehicle and parts thereof.

1964 017A (00779) Name: Kosmos-28 Country: USSR Launch date: 4 April 1964 Re-entry: 12 April 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 213 x 373 km, inclination: 65.0 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 018A (00782) Name: Gemini-1 Country: USA Launch date: 8 April 1964 Re-entry: 12 April 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Titan II Orbit: 154 x 299 km, inclination: 32.6 o

In 1960 NASA had initiated the Apollo lunar project with the intention of focusing initially on a circumlunar flight. However, on 26 May 1961, President Kennedy committed the USA to a target of landing a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. This mandate, and the decision to use the lunar orbit rendez-vous mode involving rendez-vous and docking of the lunar and command modules in lunar orbit, placed great urgency on the early mastery of rendez-vous, docking and stage assembly techniques. A scaled up, two-seat version of Mercury was seen as a logical and cost effective bridge over the technological gulf between Mercury and Apollo. The project was given the official go-ahead in December 1961 as Mercury Mark 2 but was renamed Gemini on 3 January 1962. The original objectives of the Gemini programme were relatively limited: to develop rendez-vous and docking techniques and conduct long duration flights with a crew of two, but by 1963 the programme had been broadened to six specific objectives: 1. long duration flight; 2. techniques of rendez-vous; 3. techniques of docking; 4. assembly of a propulsion stage for post-docking maneuvers; 5. guided re-entry to a particular target; and 6. extra vehicular capability. McDonnell Aircraft was selected to develop the Gemini capsule and the first mock-up was available for NASA inspection on 29 March 1962. Subsequently, on 2 April 1962 NASA ordered thirteen flight rated spacecraft, two mission simulator trainers and eight non-flying spacecraft for ground tests. The Gemini spacecraft comprised of two modules: 1. the re-entry module which was basically the well tried Mercury design scaled up 50% in cabin volume

to accommodate a crew of two. It was a cone shaped capsule 2.29 m in diameter at the base and 3.35 m high. The cylindrical neck at the top of the capsule contained the parachute systems and the rendez-vous and docking systems; and

2. the adapter module which was a cone shaped module 3.05 m in diameter at the base and 2.29 m high. This module contained two sections:

• the Equipment Section which housed the two fuel cell modules of 96 fuel cells each as well as the main oxygen storage and part of the Orbital Attitude and Maneuvering System (OAMS) which consisted of a total of sixteen thrusters, six facing forward and ten facing aft; and

• the Retrograde Section which housed the retro-rockets and the balance of the OAMS.

During re-entry the Equipment Section was jettisoned before firing the retro-rockets whilst the Retrograde Section was jettisoned immediately prior to re-entry. The complete spacecraft was 5.59 m long and, depending on the mission profile, had a mass from 3178 kg to 3814 kg. The superficial likeness to the Mercury spacecraft concealed some fundamental differences. Unlike Mercury, which was essentially an automated research vehicle with an astronaut as a systems back-up, Gemini was designed to be flown primarily by its crew. It was a sophisticated spacecraft with much more complex training requirements. Also the systems of the Gemini programme were designed to make testing, maintenance and assembly as easy as possible. Serviceability was essential for missions where more than one spacecraft was involved and the lengthy delays. which had been a feature of the Mercury programme, could not be tolerated. Spacecraft design therefore focused on individual assemblies which could be easily removed and replaced from outside the spacecraft and allow more than one person at a time to work on it. A third significant change was intended but did not eventuate. It was originally planned that Gemini would use a paraglider to make a controlled, accurate touchdown on land. A combination of development delays in the paraglider and NASA's reservations about the concept caused the paraglider system to be dropped from the programme in February 1964. The water landing system finally adopted differed from that used for Mercury in that the spacecraft landed on its side rather than on its base. The Gemini programme was comprised of twelve flights using the Titan II booster, supported by six flights of the Atlas Agena rendez-vous and docking target vehicle. Gemini crews, unlike their Mercury and Apollo counterparts, were not allowed to name their spacecraft and all missions, bar one, were designated by a simple numeral. The sole exception was Gemini-3 (1965 024A), where NASA gave semi-official recognition to the name adopted by Grissom: 'Molly Brown', taken from the stage play 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown', a joking reference to the sinking of Grissom's Mercury spacecraft in 1961. The objective of Gemini-1, consisting of a boiler plate model of the Gemini spacecraft, was to evaluate launch vehicle/spacecraft compatibility. The spacecraft was not programmed to separate from the Titan second stage and was not recovered. It carried flight monitoring equipment on two instrument panels and ballast to duplicate the normal spacecraft mass.

1964 019B (00784) Name: Polyot-2 Country: USSR Launch date: 12 April 1964 Re-entry: 8 June 1966 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Polyot Orbit: 242 x 485 km, inclination: 59.9 o

Spacecraft to test maneuvering techniques in orbit as described for 1963 043A. On the first day in orbit various maneuvers were made and eventually the orbit was changed to 310 x 500 km with a 58.1o inclination. It has been suggested the launch vehicle was a prototype of the Proton launch vehicle, designated as UR-200, rather than the Polyot launch vehicle. The launch vehicle was designated as 1964 019A (00783).

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 20 April 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya M Orbit: failed to orbit Type E-6 lunar soft landing spacecraft as described for 1963 008A which failed to achieve orbit.

--- Name: Transit-5BN3 Country: USA Launch date: 21 April 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: failed to orbit Military navigational satellite as described for 1963 038B. The satellite failed to orbit due to a human error by flight controllers.

--- Name: Radose-5E2 Country: USA Launch date: 21 April 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: failed to orbit Radiation satellite as described for 1963 038C. Also known as Ops-4368 and SN-40, the satellite failed to orbit due to a human error by flight controllers.

1964 020A (00786) Name: KH 7-7 Country: USA Launch date: 23 April 1964 Re-entry: 28 April 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 150 x 336 km, inclination: 103.6 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-3743 and mission 4007.

1964 021A (00791) Name: Kosmos-29 Country: USSR Launch date: 25 April 1964 Re-entry: 3 May 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 203 x 296 km, inclination: 65.0 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 022A (00796) Name: KH 4A-5 Country: USA Launch date: 27 April 1964 Re-entry: 26 May 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 178 x 446 km, inclination: 79.9 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-2921 and mission 1005, the film return capsule impacted in Venezuela.

--- Name: Apollo BP-12 Country: USA Launch date: 13 May 1964 Re-entry: 13 May 1964 Launch site: White Sands Launch vehicle: Little Joe II Orbit: sub-orbital to 7.3 km

The Apollo Transonic Abort sub-orbital flight in the Apollo programme as described for 1966 059A, tested the Apollo Launch Escape System (LES) under conditions of high dynamic pressures and transonic speed. Using an Apollo boiler plate model the flight reached an altitude of 7,315 m, when the destruct sequence was initiated.

1964 023A (00797) Name: Kosmos-30 Country: USSR Launch date: 18 May 1964 Re-entry: 26 May 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Voskhod Orbit: 206 x 366 km, inclination: 64.9 o Zenit 4 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 045A.

1964 024A (00799) Name: KH 7-8 Country: USA Launch date: 19 May 1964 Re-entry: 22 May 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 141 x 380 km, inclination: 101.1 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-3592 and mission 4008.

1964 025A (00800) Name: SA-6 Country: USA Launch date: 28 May 1964 Re-entry: 1 June 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Saturn 1 Orbit: 179 x 204 km, inclination: 31.7 o

SA-6 was a test flight of the Saturn launch vehicle conducted as part of the Apollo programme as described for 1966 059A. The 16,920 kg upper stage and the Apollo BP-13 boiler plate model achieved orbit. The objective of the flight was to evaluate the structural characteristics and compatibility of the spacecraft and the upper stage. The boiler plate model was fitted with telemetry instrumentation which transmitted over four orbits. It did not separate from the upper stage and the flight lasted 50 orbits.

1964 026A (00801) Name: Transit-5C1 Country: USA Launch date: 4 June 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 854 x 956 km, inclination: 90.4 o

Military navigational satellite fitted with a transmitter operating at 150 and 400 MHz. Also known as Ops-4412.

1964 027A (00802) Name: KH 4A-6 Country: USA Launch date: 4 June 1964 Re-entry: 18 June 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 149 x 429 km, inclination: 80.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3483 and mission 1006.

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 4 June 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya Orbit: failed to orbit Engineering test satellite for the Molniya 1 series of communications satellite as described for 1965 030A. A malfunction of the launch vehicle prevented the satellite to be placed in orbit.

--- Name: Europa F-1 Int. Agency: ELDO Launch date: 5 June 1964 Re-entry: 5 June 1964 Launch site: Woomera Launch vehicle: Europa 1 Orbit: sub-orbital to 157 km

Sub-orbital test flight of the first stage of the Europa 1 launch vehicle. The stage impacted 998 km downrange.

1964 028A (00803) Name: Kosmos-31 Country: USSR Launch date: 6 June 1964 Re-entry: 20 October 1964 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 222 x 492 km, inclination: 48.9 o DS-MT scientific satellite as described for 1962 θ 1 and the satellite which failed on 1 June 1963. The 325 kg satellite investigated cosmic rays. Also referred to as DS-MT No.2.

1964 029A (00807) Name: Kosmos-32 Country: USSR Launch date: 10 June 1964 Re-entry: 18 June 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 213 x 319 km, inclination: 51.2 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 030A (00811) Name: KH 5-11 Country: USA Launch date: 13 June 1964 Re-entry: 2 June 1965 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 350 x 364 km, inclination: 115.0 o Military reconnaissance as described for 1961 ε 1. Also known as mission 9063A and Ops-3236, the payload included the Starflash-1A experiment, a flashing light for geodetic purposes.

1964 031A (00812) Name: P35-8 Country: USA Launch date: 18 June 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Agena B Orbit: 828 x 842 km, inclination: 99.8 o Military meteorological satellite as described for 1964 002B. Also known as Ops-4467A and FTV-6218.

1964 031B (00813) Name: P35-9 Country: USA Launch date: 18 June 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Agena B Orbit: 828 x 842 km, inclination: 99.8 o Military meteorological satellite as described for 1964 002B. Also known as Ops-4467B and FTV-8099.

Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 18 June 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya Orbit: failed to orbit Possibly a lunar spacecraft tthat failed to orbit. The date has not been confirmed..

1964 032A (00814) Name: KH 4A-7 Country: USA Launch date: 19 June 1964 Re-entry: 16 July 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 176 x 462 km, inclination: 85.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3754 and mission 1007.

1964 033A (00816) Name: Kosmos-33 Country: USSR Launch date: 23 June 1964 Re-entry: 1 July 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 209 x 293 km, inclination: 65.0 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

--- Name: ERSS Country: USA Launch date: 25 June 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: failed to orbit The objective of the Environmental Research Science Satellite (ERSS), also known as Cambridge Research Laboratory (CRL)-2, was to collect radiation and micrometeorite data. The instrumentation carried by the 79 kg satellite included a micrometeorite detector, an electrostatic analyser as well as a Geiger-Mueller counter. The second stage of the launch vehicle exploded.

--- Name: AC-3 Country: USA Launch date: 30 June 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Centaur C Orbit: failed to orbit

Test flight of the Atlas Centaur (AC) combination as described for 1963 047A. The primary objectives of the flight were to test the nose and insulation panels, to verify the structural integrity of the launch vehicle, to demonstrate the guidance system, to demonstrate the launch in general terms and ignite and burn the engined of the second stage. The upper stage, with a mass of 4853 km was to have attained orbit but premature shutdown of the second stage prevented this. Most of the test objectives were, however attained.

1964 034A (00822) Name: Kosmos-34 Country: USSR Launch date: 1 July 1964 Re-entry: 9 July 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Voskhod Orbit: 202 x 348 km, inclination: 64.9 o Zenit 4 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 045A.

1964 035A (00824) Name: Ferret-9 Country: USA Launch date: 3 July 1964 Re-entry: 7 August 1969 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 501 x 529 km, inclination: 82.1 o Military electronic intelligence gathering satellite as described for 1962 δ 1. Also known as Ops-3395 it was a Heavy Ferret-B.

1964 036A (00825) Name: KH 7-9 Country: USA Launch date: 6 July 1964 Re-entry: 8 July 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 121 x 346 km, inclination: 92.9 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-3584 and mission 4009, a capsule was ejected on 8 July 1964 which may have been Hitchiker-5 (1964 036B).

1964 036B (00826) Name: Hitchiker-5 Country: USA Launch date: 8 July 1964 Re-entry: 3 January 1965 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 297 x 377 km, inclination: 92.9 o Secondary satellite as described for 1963 025B. Also known as Ops-4923, it is possible that this was the capsule ejected from KH 7-9 (1964 036A) on 8 July 1964.

1964 037A (00828) Name: KH 4A-8 Country: USA Launch date: 10 July 1964 Re-entry: 6 August 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 180 x 461 km, inclination: 85.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3491 and mission 1008.

1964 038A (00829) Name: Elektron-3 Country: USSR Launch date: 10 July 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 404 x 7025 km, iInclination: 60.8 o Elektron-3 was a scientific satellite similar to Elektron-1 as described for 1964 006A, to study the inner Van Allen belts in cooperation with Elektron-4 (1964 038B).

1964 038B (00830) Name: Elektron-4 Country: USSR Launch date: 10 July 1964 Re-entry: 12 October 1983 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 457 x 66261 km, inclination: 60.8 o

Elektron-4 was a scientific satellite similar to Elektron-2 as described for 1964 006B, to study the outer Van Allen belts in cooperation with Elektron-3 (1964 038A).

1964 039A (00833) Name: Kosmos-35 Country: USSR Launch date: 15 July 1964 Re-entry: 23 July 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 218 x 258 km, inclination: 51.2 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 040A (00836) Name: Vela-3 Country: USA Launch date: 17 July 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 101959 x 104591 km, inclination: 39.6 o Nuclear surveillance satellite as described for 1963 039A. Also known as Ops-3662.

1964 040B (00837) Name: Vela-4 Country: USA Launch date: 17 July 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 94436 x 111775 km, inclination: 40.9 o Nuclear surveillance satellite as described for 1963 039A. Also known as Ops-3674.

1964 040C (00838) Name: ERS-13 Country: USA Launch date: 17 July 1964 Re-entry: ? Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 220 x 105000 km, inclination: 36.7 o Scientific satellite as described for 1962 αχ 1. The 2 kg Environmental Research Satellite (ERS)-13, also known as Tetrahedron Research Satellite (TRS)-6, carried omni-directional radiation detectors to measure electron and proton levels in order to determine the intensity of charged particles in the magnetosphere. Although 1 July 1966 has been recorded as the 'administrative' re-entry date, the actual date of re-entry is not known.

--- Name: SERT-1 Country: USA Launch date: 20 July 1964 Re-entry: 20 July 1964 Launch site: Wallops Island Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: sub-orbital to 4029 km

The Space Electric Rocket Test (SERT)-1 flight was a sub-orbital flight which tested an electron bombardment ion engine for 30 minutes. The probe had a mass of 170 kg.

1964 041A (00842) Name: Ranger-7 Country: USA Launch date: 28 July 1964 Re-entry: 31 July 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: trans-lunar Lunar spacecraft as described for 1964 007A. After a flight of 68 hours, 35 minutes the spacecraft impacted on the Moon at 10 o 36'S, 20 o 36'W after transmitting 4316 pictures.

1964 042A (00844) Name: Kosmos-36 Country: USSR Launch date: 30 July 1964 Re-entry: 28 February 1965 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 261 x 477 km, inclination: 49.0 o

Kosmos-36 was the first of the Dneprovskiy Sputnik (DS)-P1-Yu (Yu for Yustirovka = calibration) series of radar calibration satellites. The satellites, which had a mass of 240 kg, were built by KBYu as article 11F618. Also referred to as DS-P1-Yu No.1.

1964 043A (00846) Name: KH 4A-9 Country: USA Launch date: 5 August 1964 Re-entry: 31 August 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 182 x 436 km, inclination: 80.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3042 and mission 1009, a capsule was ejected on 14 August 1964.

1964 044A (00848) Name: Kosmos-37 Country: USSR Launch date: 14 August 1964 Re-entry: 22 August 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 207 x 287 km, inclination: 64.9 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 045A (00850) Name: KH 7-10 Country: USA Launch date: 14 August 1964 Re-entry: 23 August 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 149 x 307 km. inclination: 95.5 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-3802 and mission 4010.

1964 045B (00851) Name: Hitchiker-6 Country: USA Launch date: 14 August 1964 Re-entry: 8 March 1979 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 275 x 3748 km, inclination: 95.7 o Secondary satellite as described for 1963 025B. It was also known as Ops-3316.

1964 046A (00853) Name: Kosmos-38 Country: USSR Launch date: 18 August 1964 Re-entry: 8 November 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Kosmos 1 Orbit: 206 x 769 km, inclination: 56.1 o

Kosmos-38 was the first Strela 1 military communications satellites to test the feasibility of placing multiple satellites in orbit. The satellites had a mass of 50 kg and were also known as 11F610.

1964 046B (00854) Name: Kosmos-39 Country: USSR Launch date: 18 August 1964 Re-entry: 17 November 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Kosmos 1 Orbit: 206 x 798 km, inclination: 56.1 o Strela 1 military communications satellite as described for 1964 046A.

1964 046C (00855) Name: Kosmos-40 Country: USSR Launch date: 18 August 1964 Re-entry: 18 November 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Kosmos 1 Orbit: 206 x 740 km, inclination: 56.1 o Strela 1 military communications satellite as described for 1964 046A.

1964 047A (00858) Name: Syncom-3 Country: USA Launch date: 19 August 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta DSV-3D Orbit: 34191 x 36271 km, inclination: 0.1 o Experimental geostationary communications satellite as described for 1963 004A. Although the achieved orbit was not true geostationary, as it was 38 minutes short each day, the satellite was still used for military communications as well as to transmit TV images from the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo to the USA. It was also known as A-27 and was deactivated in April 1969.

1964 048A (00861) Name: KH 5-12 Country: USA Launch date: 21 August 1964 Re-entry: 31 March 1965 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 349 x 363 km, inclination: 115.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1961 ε 1. Also known as mission 9064A and Ops-2739, the satellite also carried the Starflash-1B experiment, a flashing light for geodetic purposes.

1964 049D (00869) Name: Kosmos-41 Country: USSR Launch date: 22 August 1964 Re-entry: 9 April 2004 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya Orbit: 426 x 39771 km, inclination: 64.9 o Kosmos-41 was an engineering test satellite for the Molniya 1 series of communications satellite as described for 1965 030A. Instead of a communications payload, it was fitted with instruments to study the geomagnetically trapped radiation. It had a mass of about 1000 kg. The launch vehicle and parts thereof, were designated as 1964 049A to 1964 049C (00863, 00865 and 00868).

1964 050A (00864) Name: Kosmos-42 Country: USSR Launch date: 22 August 1964 Re-entry: 19 December 1965 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 230 x 1113 km, inclination: 49.0 o Strela 1 military communications satellite as described for 1964 046A.

1964 050C (00867) Name: Kosmos-43 Country: USSR Launch date: 22 August 1964 Re-entry: 27 December 1965 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 227 x 1100 km, inclination: 49.0 o Strela 1 military communications satellite as described for 1964 046A. Based on other flights in this series it is possible that there was a third satellite which was not deployed. The launch vehicle was designated as 1964 050B (00866).

1964 051A (00870) Name: Explorer-20 Country: USA Launch date: 25 August 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 871 x 1018 km, inclination: 79.9 o

Explorer-20 made radio soundings of the upper atmosphere and returned data on the horizontal irregularities in the electron distribution of the ionosphere. The 44 kg satellite, also known as S-48, Ionospheric Explorer (IE)-A, TOPSI or Top Side Explorer, carried six transmitters for the sounding experiment as well as an ion mass spectrometer to provide ion density and temperature data. The programme, which was undertaken in collaboration with the Canadian Alouette-1 programme (1962 βα 1), provided important new data on the existence of sheets of field-aligned ionisation irregularities. Data was returned until July 1966.

1964 052A (00872) Name: Nimbus-1 Country: USA Launch date: 28 August 1964 Re-entry: 16 May 1974 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Agena B Orbit: 429 x 937 km, inclination: 98.7 o

The Nimbus programme consisted of a series experimental meteorological satellites funded by NASA. The overall objective of the programme was to demonstrate new and experimental equipment. Furthermore, the various experiments that were carried by the Nimbus satellites were not purely meteorological but had also applications in Earth resources and oceanography. Nimbus-1, which had a mass of 376 kg, carried the following experiments: 1. Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) experiment, which transmitted photographic data of synoptic

meteorological conditions; 2. Advanced Vidicon Camera Sub-system (AVCS) which recorded three pictures simultaneously with

overlapping field of view and a resolution of approximately 800 m; and 3. High Resolution Infrared Radiometer (HRIR) which provided night-time infrared coverage of the Earth

and cloud cover. Nimbus-1 returned 27,000 cloud cover pictures until 23 September 1964 when it shut down.

1964 053A (00876) Name: Kosmos-44 Country: USSR Launch date: 28 August 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 615 x 857 km, inclination: 65.0 o Because of its similarities with Kosmos-122 (1966 057A) it is believed Kosmos-44 was an experimental meteorological satellite. The tests probably involved new hardware and imaging equipment.

--- Name: Transtage-1 Country: USA Launch date: 1 September 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Titan IIIA Orbit: failed to orbit Test of Titan IIIA launch vehicle as described for 1964 081A. A premature transtage cut off after 13 minutes prevented orbit insertion.

1964 054A (00879) Name: OGO-1 Country: USA Launch date: 5 September 1964 Re-entry: 10 August 1980 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena B Orbit: 281 x 149385 km, inclination: 31.2 o

The Orbiting Geophysical Observatory (OGO) series of satellites conducted diversified but interrelated experiments in the Earth atmosphere and magnetosphere to gain a better understanding of the relationships between the Sun and the Earth. OGO data has provided better maps of the Earth's magnetic field and radiation belts. The satellites were either launched in a near-polar orbit or in a very eccentric orbit that took them one third on the way to the Moon. The first satellite in the series, OGO-1, was placed in an eccentric Earth orbit. It carried: 1. twelve particle study experiments; 2. two magnetic field studies experiments; 3. an instrument to measure interplanetary dust; 4. an electric field instrument; 5. a Lyman-alpha emission experiment; 6. an instrument to study solar light scattered by particles in space; and 7. instruments for the study of the atmospheric mass and radio astronomy phenomena. Problems with the three-axis stabilisation system and the power supplies caused the observation period to be limited. The satellite had a mass of 487 kg. The data provided by OGO-1 provided evidence of the thermal ion belts and indicated also that the source of the Van Allen belts' high radiation was the solar wind entering the magnetosphere through weak field lines in the magnetosphere tail on the side of the Earth opposite the Sun. The orbit was changed significantly since the launch and in June 1970 it was 45880 x 103837 km with an inclination of 58.8 o.

1964 055A (00880) Name: Kosmos-45 Country: USSR Launch date: 13 September 1964 Re-entry: 18 September 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Voskhod Orbit: 207 x 313 km, inclination: 64.9 o Zenit 4 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 045A. It carried a secondary meteorological payload capsule which measured the energy distribution in the Earth's thermal radiation using diffraction-scanning photometers and semi-conductor bolometers as well as infrared sensors. It also made photometric determinations of the cloud cover as well as measurements of the scattered solar ultraviolet radiation.

1964 056A (00882) Name: KH 4A-10 Country: USA Launch date: 14 September 1964 Re-entry: 6 October 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 172 x 466 km, inclination: 85.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3497 and mission 1010, a capsule was ejected on 25 September 1964. Some references sources have suggested that this was a military meteorological satellite as described for 1964 002B.

1964 057A (00883) Name: SA-7 Country: USA Launch date: 18 September 1964 Re-entry: 22 September 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Saturn 1 Orbit: 178 x 203 km, inclination: 31.7 o

SA-7 was a test flight conducted as part of the Apollo programme as described for 1966 059A, to verify the compatibility of the Saturn launch vehicle and the Apollo spacecraft. The entire vehicle had a mass of 16,647 kg and carried Apollo BP-15 boiler plate model which, along with the second stage, was fitted with 133 telemetry instruments to monitor the flight. The boiler plate model was not separated from the upper stage of the launch vehicle and when the vehicle re-entered after 59 orbits all objectives had been met.

1964 058A (00884) Name: KH 7-11 Country: USA Launch date: 23 September 1964 Re-entry: 28 September 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 145 x 303 km, inclination: 92.9 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-4262 and missions 4011. Some references sources have suggested that this was a military meteorological satellite as described for 1964 002B.

1964 059A (00885) Name: Kosmos-46 Country: USSR Launch date: 24 September 1964 Re-entry: 2 October 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 211 x 264 km, inclination: 51.3 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 26 September 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Vostok (?) Orbit: suborbital A mock up of the Soyuz spacecraft, as described for 1967 037A, was tested. It failed after 39 seconds.

1964 060A (00889) Name: Explorer-21 Country: USA Launch date: 4 October 1964 Re-entry: January 1966 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta DSV-3C Orbit: 190 x 95595 km, inclination: 33.5 o

Explorer-21 was the second satellite in the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP) programme as described for 1963 046A. The satellite was specifically designed to obtain magnetic field, radiation and solar wind data from the transition region between the magnetosphere and interplanetary space. The 62 kg satellite was equipped with: 1. a rubidium vapor magnetometer and two fluxgate magnetometers to measure the magnitude and

direction of magnetic fields; 2. a low-energy charged particle detector, three Geiger-Mueller counters and an ion chamber to

measure galactic and cosmic rays; and 3. a curved plate electrostatic analyser, grid device and thermal ion electron sensor to study the solar

wind. The desired apogee of 203538 km was not achieved and data was obtained within the magnetosphere only. The satellite remained operational until 13 October 1965 and the actual re-entry date is not known.

1964 061A (00890) Name: KH 4A-11 Country: USA Launch date: 5 October 1964 Re-entry: 26 October 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 182 x 440 km, inclination: 80.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Only one film return capsule was recovered. Also known as Ops-3333 and mission 1011.

1964 062A (00891) Name: Kosmos-47 Country: USSR Launch date: 6 October 1964 Re-entry: 7 October 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Voskhod Orbit: 174 x 383 km, inclination: 64.6 o Kosmos-47 is believed to have been a precursor flight of the Voskhod spacecraft as described for 1964 065A. The spacecraft, which carried dummy cosmonauts, made sixteen orbits.

1964 063B (00897) Name: NNSS-30010 Country: USA Launch date: 6 October 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: 1055 x 1085 km, inclination: 89.9 o

The Navy Navigational Satellite System (NNSS), also known as Transit-O or Oscar, provided navigational positioning facilities with an accuracy of 150 m, to submarines carrying Polaris missiles. Six satellites, which transmitted at the 150 MHz and 400 MHz frequencies, provided a operational constellation although in-orbit spares were also launched. The latter included the so called Stacked Oscar On Scout (SOOS) group launched in the 1985/88 period. The satellites had an initial mass of 32 kg and in total 32 were built by RCA. They have been identified by the third and fourth characters in the numeric designation whilst the meaning of the numeric '3' is not known. A number of the satellites were converted for other uses as Transat (#11) (1977 106A), P76-5 (#15) (1976 047A), Hilat (#16) (1983 063A) and Polar Bear (#17) (1986 088A). Spacecraft #22 was used in 1992 ground tests to assess the impact of aluminium projectiles bombarded onto the spacecraft structure. Of the remaining spacecraft #21, #26 and #28, one was given to Naval Post Graduate School and two went to the Applied Research Laboratory of the University of Texas, Austin. Of these three, one was destroyed in impact tests like spacecraft #22. NNSS-30010 was also known as Ops-5798 whilst the designation 1964 063A (00893) was assigned to the launch vehicle.

1964 063C (00900) Name: Calpshere-2 Country: USA Launch date: 6 October 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: 1054 x 1084 km, inclination: 89.9 o Radar calibration satellite as described for 1962 βτ 3. Calsphere-2 and -3 were also referred to as Dragsphere-1 and -2 and were small passive satellites to measure the effects of atmospheric drag. Both spheres had the same geometric dimensions, but had a different mass. Dragsphere-1 had a mass of only 0.9 kg, while Dragsphere-2 had a mass of 9.8 kg. By 2010 the orbit of Calsphere-2 had reduced to 976 x 1019 km whereas Calsphere-3 remained in the original orbit.

1964 063E (00902) Name: Calsphere-3 Country: USA Launch date: 6 October 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: 1056 x 1086 km, inclination: 90.0 o Radar calibration satellite as described for 1962 βτ 3 and 1964 063C.

--- Name: KH 7-12 Country: USA Launch date: 8 October 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: failed to orbit Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-4035 and mission 4012, the launch vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer.

1964 064A (00899) Name: Explorer-22 Country: USA Launch date: 10 October 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 889 x 1081 km, inclination: 79.7 o

The purpose of Explorer-22 was to provide data on variations in the ionospheric structure and to relate ionospheric behaviour to solar radiation. The 53 kg satellite was also known as Beacon-B. The payload consisted of four transmitters for the ionospheric experiments. In addition it included 360 silicon laser reflectors used in geodetic experiments. During its operational life 90 groundstations received signals from the satellite.

1964 065A (00904) Name: Voskhod-1 Country: USSR Launch date: 12 October 1964 Re-entry: 13 October 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Voskhod Orbit: 177 x 377 km, inclination: 64.9 o

More than any other programme, the Voskhod programme was designed for propaganda point scoring to the extent that the safety of the cosmonauts may have been compromised. The primary objective of the programme was to outdo the United States' Gemini programme by placing three, rather than two cosmonauts in orbit, and by making the first extra vehicular activity (EVA) or space walk. Once the propaganda value decreased through the fast pace with which the Gemini programme developed, coupled with changes in the political hierarchy in the USSR, the programme was dropped with, what must be considered, great haste. The Voskhod spacecraft was essentially similar to the Vostok spacecraft but had the ejection seat removed and the cabin reconfigured to accommodate three cosmonauts or two cosmonauts plus an inflateable airlock. The increased mass to 5300 kg resulted in the need to use a larger capacity launch vehicle whilst also the retro-rockets had to be improved to cope with the higher mass. Because of the deletion of the ejection seats, landing rockets were attached to the capsule to slow it down during descent and prior to the opening of the parachutes. Unlike the Vostok, the cosmonauts had to endure a landing in the capsule, although it is believed that the impact was within acceptable levels. To save further weight the provision for an early abort during the launch had also been deleted, whilst it was impossible for the cosmonauts to wear spacesuits when a crew of three was carried. Eventually only five were flown of which three were flown with the generic Kosmos title as Kosmos-47 (1964 062A), Kosmos-57 (1965 012A) and Kosmos-110 (1966 015A). The Voskhod-1 flight was crewed by V. Komarov, K. Feoktistov and B. Yegorov who made a 24 hours, 17 minutes flight. Their call sign was Rubin. Apart from being the first three crew flight, it was also the first time that non-pilots were carried as Feoktistov was a scientist-engineer, whilst Yegorov was a physician. The back-up crew consisted of B. Volynov, G. Katys and V. Lazarev whilst A. Sorokin was also in training. During the flight Komarov tested the attitude control system on the sixth and the seventh orbit and experimented with an electrostatic attitude control system. Feoktistov tested a horizon sensor navigational aid whereas Yegorov observed his fellow cosmonauts' reactions to weightlessness. The landing took place 312 km north east of Kustanai.

1964 066A (00908) Name: Kosmos-48 Country: USSR Launch date: 14 October 1964 Re-entry: 20 October 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 204 x 284 km, inclination: 65.1 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 067A (00911) Name: KH 4A-12 Country: USA Launch date: 17 October 1964 Re-entry: 4 November 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 189 x 416 km, inclination: 75.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3559 and mission 1012.

--- Name: Europa F-2 Int. Agency: ELDO Launch date: 20 October 1964 Re-entry: 20 October 1964 Launch site: Woomera Launch vehicle: Europa 1 Orbit: sub-orbital to 204 km

Sub-orbital test flight of the first stage of the Europa 1 launch vehicle. The stage impacted 1609 km downrange.

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 23 October 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Kosmos 1 Orbit: failed to orbit The flight was to launch three Strela 1 military communications satellite as described for 1964 046A which failed to orbit.

1964 068A (00912) Name: KH 7-13 Country: USA Launch date: 23 October 1964 Re-entry: 28 October 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 139 x 271 km, inclination: 95.6 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-4384 and mission 4013, a capsule was ejected on 27 October 1964 which may have been Hitchiker-7 (1964 068B).

1964 068B (00914) Name: Hitchiker-7 Country: USA Launch date: 27 October 1964 Re-entry: 23 February 1965 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 323 x 336 km, inclination: 95.5 o Secondary payload as described for 1963 025B. Also known as Ops-5063, this may have been the capsule ejected from KH 7-13 (1964 068A) on 27 October 1964.

1964 068D (00918) Name: Pickaback Country: USA Launch date: 23 October 1964 Re-entry: 29 October 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 286 x 312 km, inclination: 95.5 o Secondary payload as described for 1963 041B.

1964 069A (00913) Name: Kosmos-49 Country: USSR Launch date: 24 October 1964 Re-entry: 21 August 1965 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 264 x 466 km, inclination: 49.0 o DS-MG scientific satellite as described for 1962 θ 1 and 1964 013A. The objective of the 355 kg satellite was to study magnetic fields and ultraviolet radiation. Failure of the Trap-P telemetry system resulted in an instrument malfunction after two weeks. Also referred to as DS-MG No.2.

1964 070A (00919) Name: Kosmos-50 Country: USSR Launch date: 28 October 1964 Re-entry: 5 November 1964 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Vostok Orbit: 190 x 230 km, inclination: 51.2 o Zenit 2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1962 ξ 1.

1964 071A (00921) Name: KH 4A-13 Country: USA Launch date: 2 November 1964 Re-entry: 28 November 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 180 x 448 km, inclination: 80.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-5434 and mission 1013. Both cameras failed to operate.

1964 072A (00922) Name: Ferret-10 Country: USA Launch date: 4 November 1964 Re-entry: 5 November 1969 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 512 x 526 km, inclination: 82.0 o Military electronic intelligence gathering satellite as described for 1962 δ 1. Also known as Ops-3062 it was a Heavy Ferret-B.

1964 073A (00923) Name: Mariner-3 Country: USA Launch date: 5 November 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 0.983 x 1.311 AU, inclination: 0.52 o

The Mariner-3 spacecraft, which had a mass of 261 kg, was to perform a fly-by of Mars during which it was to take photos of the planet, undertake occultation studies and carry out other interplanetary experiments. It was equipped with: 1. a camera with a transmission device; 2. a solar plasma probe; 3. an ionisation chamber; 4. a radiation detector; 5. four Geiger-Mueller counters; 6. a helium vector magnetometer; 7. a cosmic ray telescope; and 8. two cosmic dust detectors. The shroud did not separate and the spacecraft went into an incorrect orbit. Transmissions ceased 9 hours after the launch.

1964 074A (00924) Name: Explorer-23 Country: USA Launch date: 6 November 1964 Re-entry: 29 June 1983 Launch site: Wallops Island Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 466 x 977 km, inclination: 52.0 o

Explorer-23 provided data on micrometeorite penetration and the resistance of various materials to penetration. For this purpose it carried 216 pressurised stainless steel half-cylinder detectors, 24 triangular aluminium sounding board impact detectors, two cadmium sulphide cells mounted beneath an aluminised mylar film and two capacitator detectors of stainless steel, mylar and copper. In addition the satellite tested various solar cells. The 134 kg satellite, which has also been referred to as Explorer S-55C, recorded 122 micrometeorite impacts during the first year of operation. It transmitted until July 1966.

1964 075A (00930) Name: KH 4A-14 Country: USA Launch date: 18 November 1964 Re-entry: 6 December 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 180 x 339 km, inclination: 70.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as mission 1014 and Ops-3360, the payload included the Orbiting Radio Beacon Ionospheric Satellite (Orbis) payload.

1964 076A (00931) Name: Explorer-24 Country: USA Launch date: 21 November 1964 Re-entry: 18 October 1968 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 525 x 2498 km, inclination: 81.4 o

The 9 kg Explorer-24 satellite was a 3.65 m diameter balloon with a tracking transmitter used to study the density of the atmosphere.

1964 076B (00932) Name: Explorer-25 Country: USA Launch date: 21 November 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 522 x 2494 km, inclination: 81.4 o

Also known as Injun-4 and Ionospheric Explorer (IE)-B, Explorer-25 studied the magnetosphere to obtain particle flux and energy data. The instruments consisted of: 1. sixteen radiation sensors including seven Geiger-Mueller counters; 2. two boom mounted spherical retarding potential analysers; 3. two scintillation counters; 4. five cadmium sulphide sensors; and 5. two Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory (AFCRL) low-energy particle detectors. The 41 kg satellite transmitted data until December 1966.

1964 077A (00938) Name: Mariner-4 Country: USA Launch date: 28 November 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 1.109 x 1.574 AU, inclination: 2.54 o

Mariner-4 was identical to Mariner-3 (1964 073A) and flew past Mars at a distance of 9789 km on 15 July 1965 and transmitted 21 photos of the Martian surface back to Earth. Unexpectedly, these photos showed many craters, a feature which was later proven to be an exception. There was no evidence of volcanic activity or water erosion. No magnetic field or radiation belt was found whilst a very thin atmosphere, consisting of 95% carbon dioxide, was detected.

1964 078C (00945) Name: Zond-2 Country: USSR Launch date: 30 November 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Molniya Orbit: 0.98 x 1.52 AU, inclination: 6.40 o

Zond-2, with an estimated mass of 898 kg, was a type 3MV-4A Mars spacecraft which was to test various systems. Communications failed after five months and the spacecraft passed Mars at a distance of 1500 km on 6 August 1965. Between 8 December and 18 December 1964 a plasma jet system was successfully tested. 1964 078A (00943) and 1964 078B (00944) were the launch vehicle and parts thereof.

--- Name: --- Country: USSR Launch date: 1 December 1964 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: failed to orbit DS-2 scientific satellite as described for 1962 θ 1 which failed to orbit as the payload shroud did not open. Also referred to as DS-2 No.2.

1964 079A (00946) Name: KH 7-14 Country: USA Launch date: 4 December 1964 Re-entry: 5 December 1964 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas Agena D Orbit: 158 x 357 km, inclination: 97.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 028A. Also known as Ops-4439 and mission 4014.

--- Name: Apollo BP-23 Country: USA Launch date: 8 December 1964 Re-entry: 8 December 1964 Launch site: White Sands Launch vehicle: Little Joe II Orbit: sub-orbital to 13 km

The Apollo Max Q Abort sub-orbital flight in the Apollo programme as described for 1966 059A, tested the Apollo launch abort system at abort altitude, especially testing the canard system to turn the spacecraft around and stabilise it. It used an Apollo boiler plate model and reached an altitude of 13 km, after that separation took place at 9,754 m.

1964 080A (00947) Name: Kosmos-51 Country: USSR Launch date: 9 December 1964 Re-entry: 14 November 1965 Launch site: Kapustin Yar Launch vehicle: Kosmos 2I Orbit: 262 x 533 km, inclination: 48.8 o DS-MT scientific satellite as described for 1962 θ 1 and the satellite which failed on 1 June 1963. The satellite, which had a mass of 350 kg, carried an ultraviolet photometer to study the luminosity of the stellar background. Also referred to as DS-MT No.3.

1964 081A (00949) Name: Transtage-2 Country: USA Launch date: 10 December 1964 Re-entry: 13 December 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Titan IIIA Orbit: 157 x 170 km, inclination: 32.2 o

The flight tested the Titan IIIA launch vehicle and in particular the performance of the Transtage, a stage that incorporated a multiple start-stop-restart capability to transfer payloads into a higher orbit. The flight did not launch a satellite and the reference is to a part of the launch vehicle.

1964 082A (00951) Name: AC-4 Country: USA Launch date: 11 December 1964 Re-entry: 12 December 1964 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas Centaur C Orbit: 165 x 178 km, inclination: 30.7 o

Test flight of the Atlas Centaur (AC) as described for 1963 047A. The flight carried a dummy Surveyor spacecraft (SD-1) which was not separated.

1964 083C (00959) Name: Radose-5E5 Country: USA Launch date: 12 December 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: 1027 x 1086 km, inclination: 90.0 o Radiation studies satellite as described for 1963 038C. The payload consisted of: 1. a rubidium vapor magnetometer which returned magnetic field and celestial ultraviolet data; 2. a flux-gate magnetometer; 3. an ultraviolet telescope; and 4. omnidirectional particle detectors. The 78 kg satellite was also known as SN-43 and transmitted data until June 1965. 1964 083A (00953) and 1964 083B (00956) were the launch vehicle and parts thereof.

1964 083D (00965) Name: NNSS-30020 Country: USA Launch date: 12 December 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Thor Ablestar Orbit: 1025 x 1084 km, inclination: 89.9 o Military navigational satellite as described for 1964 063B. Also known as Ops-6582.

1964 084A (00957) Name: San Marco-1 Country: Italy Launch date: 15 December 1964 Re-entry: 11 September 1965 Launch site: Wallops Island Launch vehicle: Scout X-4 Orbit: 198 x 846 km, inclination: 37.8 o

The first Italian satellite carried an instrument to study the density of the upper atmosphere by measuring the braking effect on the satellite and an instrument to study the degree of ionisation of the upper atmosphere and the ionosphere by measuring the characteristics of radio waves emitted by the satellite. The satellite had a mass of 114 kg.

1964 085A (00961) Name: KH 4A-15 Country: USA Launch date: 19 December 1964 Re-entry: 14 January 1965 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 183 x 410 km, inclination: 75.0 o Military reconnaissance satellite as described for 1963 034A. Also known as Ops-3358 and mission 1015.

1964 086A (00963) Name: Explorer-26 Country: USA Launch date: 21 December 1964 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta DSV-3C Orbit: 316 x 26191 km, inclination: 20.1 o

The 46 kg Explorer-26, also known as S-3c, studied energetic particles to determine how these particles are injected, trapped and eventually lost in the Van Allen belts. The instrumentation consisted of: 1. solid state detectors to measure the spatial and angular distribution and energy spectra of electrons

and protons; 2. a fluxgate magnetometer to measure the magnetic field magnitude and direction from 9000 km to

apogee; 3. a scintillation detector for data on low-energy particles; and 4. a solar cell damage project.

1964 087A (00964) Name: Ferret-11 Country: USA Launch date: 21 December 1964 Re-entry: 11 January 1965 Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: TAT Agena D Orbit: 238 x 264 km, inclination: 70.1 o

Military electronic intelligence gathering satellite as described for 1962 δ 1. Also known as Ops-3762, P40 and Quill, the satellite was the world’s first imaging radar satellite. The satellite had been built by Lockheed and was based on the Agena whereas Goodyear provided the KP-II synthetic aperture radar (SAR) which was a modified AN/UPQ-102 pulsed-Doppler system.