 Magellan Probe on it's 4 year orbit around Venus. |
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Actually, it all started in 1957..... when the Soviets launched Sputnik. Or should we say the Sputniks! The Soviet Sputnik program actually consisted of 4 small satellites, 3 of which made orbits. The first Sputnik was launched October 4th, and had 4 small whip like antennas. It's transmitters operated for 3 weeks until the batteries died. It completed 1400 orbits. The second in the Sputnik series was launched November 3rd of that same year! It was made up of 2 sections, one for telemetry equipment and another compartment for Laika, the space dog. It remained in orbit until April 1958. (don't ask what happened to the dog..) Then NASA got into the game. The Soviets had already successfully launched 3 small satellites into low orbits, and we had to match it. It didn't take long. February 1, 1958-Explorer 1 was launched from what was known then as Cape Canaveral (Kennedy Space Center now). Data was gathered only when it was over just 17 receiving stations. Explorer 1 sent data back from the low powered transmitters until February 12th, and from the high powered transmitters until March 16th. It was an excellent start. BTW, Explorer 1 was launched on taylorj's 3rd birthday! NASA soon followed with Vanguard 1. Launched in March 1958, designed to test the launch capabilities of a three-stage launch vehicle. We were well on our way to better things....or were we? On to the moon! Both NASA and the Soviets said! Moon exploration before manned space travel? Well, they tried... NASA's Pioneer 0 was the next satellite launched..destination: Moon! Moon orbit, that is. It didn't make it. It didn't even make it to space, but instead, exploded on its way up. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Now it was the Soviets turn. Apparently they heard that NASA had tried the Lunar Orbit, and didn't make it. They wanted this first too! So, they launched Luna 1958A on September 23, 1958. But guess what? It underwent a structural failure and blew up 92 seconds after launch. Does this sound like a game of tennis or what? Keep on going, you will really think you just attended Wimbledon! The ball was back on NASA's court. On October 11, 1958 Pioneer 1 was launched. It made it into space, but malfunctioned. From the National Space Science Data Center Web Site " Due to a launch vehicle malfunction, the cylindrical spacecraft attained only a ballistic trajectory..." The spacecraft fell back to Earth just 2 days after it was launched. So who attempts next? The Soviets of course! Actually, just a few hours later on October 12, 1958 the Soviets launch Luna 1958B. It did a little better than the Luna1958A....it exploded 100 seconds after launch! So NASA goes next..again...told you it was a tennis match! Pioneer 2, launched November 8, 1958. Shortly after launch the third stage of the rocket separated, but failed to ignite. So, Pioneer 2 did not make it to the moon. It did however, manage to make it 963 miles up, so all was not a complete failure! We have to admit they are getting better at this! So now who's turn is it? You learn so fast! Luna 1958C launched by the Soviets (I didn't have to tell you that!) on December 4, 1958 made it even further than her sister space vehicles 1958A&B. This one failed 245 seconds after launch. And what's next? You got it! Pioneer 3! Launched December 3, 1958. She didn't make it to the moon either,
but made big strides in the attempt! She reached a maximum altitude of about We are seeing significant improvements in just a few short months! Meanwhile the Soviets... Launched Luna 1 on January 2, 1959. This was just a year and a half after Sputnik 1 was launched. Luna 1 not only made it to space, she also made it to the moon. Actually she flew past the moon, and went into orbit around the Sun, between the orbits of Earth and Mars. It has been said because the Luna 1 was loaded with all kinds of metallic emblems, most with the Soviet Coat of Arms, that her intended destination was to impact the moon. Instead, she passed within 5995 km. A failed destination, but a very successful mission. Everyone learned from it. Back in the USA Pioneer 4 was launched on March 3, 1959. It was the first successful US probe to break away from Earth's Gravity. The mission was to pass by the moon and take radiation environment experiment, however, it missed it's mark and flew past the moon, 60,000 km. away. It was too far for the photoelectric sensor to be triggered to start the experiment, so no data (concerning the mission) was taken. It was recorded however to still be in solar orbit in 1969. The Soviets respond with..... Luna 1959A launched on June 18, 1959. Believed to be yet another attempt at a lunar landing, it's guidance system failed, and it never reached an orbit. So they send Luna 2 up on September 12, 1959, and once again their target was a moon landing. This one made it. On September 14, just 33.5 hours after launch, all transmissions ceased. It had impacted the moon. Luna 3 was sent next. Launched October 4, 1959, just over 3 weeks after Luna 2, this lunar mission was not to impact the moon, but to do a 'fly-by' and take pictures of the moon and transmit back those pictures. On October 7, 1959, the Luna 3 sent back the first 'close up' photos of the moon, including the far side. Now the Soviets have made 2 successful Lunar expeditions, it was the US's turn. Pioneer 3 was launched next, on November 26, 1959. It's
mission was to be a lunar orbit probe (like Luna 3), but the payload shroud broke
away 45 seconds Soviets try again for bigger, better, faster, however... Luna 1960A was launched April 15 1960. It was to mirror Luna 3, but to get closer! However, it's stage 2 rocket had problems, and it never made it to earth orbit. Luna 1960B was launched April 18 1960. They only waited three days. At the launch site, there was a major malfunction, and the rocket essentially blew up on the launch pad. It caused considerable damage. So the US tries again..... Pioneer P-30 was launched on September 25, 1960. She carried lots of instruments, and her mission was to study the environment between the Earth and Moon. The second stage of the rocket failed and she never made it into orbit. Soviets now have made it to the moon, so on to bigger better things.... Marsnick 1 launched October 10, 1960. On to Mars! The Soviets added a 4th stage to their rocket, but it was a malfunction in the third stage that caused the problem. She went up (120 km) and she came down. Four days later, they launch Marsnick 2. (Boy, they don't waste time do they?) This probe was identical to the Marsnick 1 they had just launched. Same problems with the 3rd stage rocket. She went up (120 km) and she came down. Didn't we just see this? The US is still trying for the Moon! Pioneer-Z (P-31) launched December 15, 1960. It's mission was the same as Pioneer P-30. The first stage malfunctioned, and it blew up just 70 seconds after launch. Wanna know the rest of the story? Go to: Space
Exploration 1961 thru 1963! The race is on! This free space provided by |
