| astronautix.com | May 10 |
1946 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: White Sands . Launch Complex: LC33. Launch Vehicle: V-2. LV Configuration: V-2 number 3.
Launched 14:15 local time. Reached 112.9 km. Carried cosmic radiation (Applied Physics Lab, John Hopkins University) experiments for General Electric.
1949 - Nation: USSR. Launch Vehicle: R-1.
Test of separable warhead. Range achieved 279.6 km. Ballistic launch. Expected range 210 km. Launched at 1857 local time. References: 283 , 344 .
1957 - Nation: USSR.
USSR Supreme Soviet Decree 'On Future Improvements in the Organisational Control of Industry and Construction-- abolishing the branch ministry system' was issued. References: 474 .
1958 - Nation: USA.
1959 - Nation: Russia. Launch Vehicle: R-5M.
The first extended field deployment of the R-5M from a field location was undertaken during Army exercises at Simferopol. This was the first field deployment with nuclear weapons in Soviet history and verified the ability of the ballistic missile systems to operate in an integrated manner with the ground forces. The R-5M was formally accepted into military service in 1960. The missile continued in service until 1968.
1960 - Nation: Russia. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78.
The original design was intended for launch of unmanned probes toward Mars, but it had universal uses.
1962 - - 12:07 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Thor Able-Star. LV Configuration: Thor Ablestar s/n 314 AB011. FAILURE: Able-Star failed to ignite.
USN, USAF, US Army, NASA joint program. References: 5 , 126 .
1963 - Nation: USA.
1963 - Nation: Canada.
1967 - Nation: USA.
Landing accident. Maximum Speed - 648 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 223 sec. References: 49 , 97 .
1971 - - 16:58 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC81L. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S824. LV Configuration: Proton 8K82K s/n 253-01 / 11S824 . FAILURE: No Block D ignition due wrong timer setting.
Mars probe intended to enter Martian orbit and comprehensively photograph Mars. Rocket block failed to reignite in Earth Orbit. It is widely believed this spacecraft was launched with the primary purpose of overtaking Mariner 8, which had been launched (unsuccessfully, as it turned out) two days earlier, and becoming the first Mars orbiter. The Proton booster successfully put the spacecraft into low (174 km x 159 km) Earth parking orbit with an inclination of 51.4 degrees, but the Block D stage 4 failed to function due to a bad ignition timer setting (the timer, which was supposed to start ignition 1.5 hours after orbit was erroneously set for 1.5 years.) The orbit decayed and the spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere 2 days later on 12 May 1971. The mission was designated Cosmos 419. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 118 , 274 , 296 .
1979 - Nation: USA.
Deliver right-hand OMS/RCS from McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis, to KSC, Columbia (OV-102) References: 15 .
1989 - - 19:47 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC40. Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D. LV Configuration: Titan 34D/Transtage s/n 34D-16 (05D-6).
Chalet ELINT satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
1992 - Nation: USA.
Attempted capture of Intelsat V1. References: 66 .
1999 - - 01:33 GMT. Nation: China. Launch Site: Taiyuan . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: CZ-4B. LV Configuration: CZ-4B s/n CZ4B-1.
Weather satellite. First launch of stretched CZ-4B booster.
Research satellite carried as a secondary payload to study the radiation belts.