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P-35-7 / DAPP 7 Spacecraft:  OPS 3367B / AFP-43 / DSAP-1 F7 DAPP stands for Data Acquisition and Processing Program. DSAP-1 stands for Defense Satellite Application Program Block 1. Chronologies: 1964 payload #7 ; 1964-002C ; 359th spacecraft, 735th space object catalogued. Type: Technology Sponsor: National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 19 January 1964 At 11h00 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2A 384 / Agena D 2303). Orbit: 791 km x 815 km x 99.0° x 100.90 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “This U.S. Air Force spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg AFB aboard a Thor-Agena D rocket.” Mass: 130 kg. ”USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster from Vandenberg AFB with unidentified satellite. It was later disclosed that two satellites were placed in orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: The DSAP-1 satellites series, also known as P-35, were 45- to 55-kg (or 130 kg?) meteorologal satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Smaller and lighter than the original TIROS, these TIROS-derived craft were a 10-sided polyhedron shape, 58-cm across and 53-cm high. The RCA television camera (a photosensitive vidicon tube) was pointed directly at the Earth once each time the satellite rotated and took a picture of an 2,000-suare-kilometers area below. The image was recorded on tape for later transmission. The DASP-1 system would provide 100 percent daily coverage of the Northern Hemisphere at latitudes above 60 degrees, and 55 percent coverage at the equator. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-002C ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 17 ; Gunter's DSAP-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Relay 2 Spacecraft:  Relay B (A-16) Chronologies: 1964 payload #8 ; 1964-003A ; 360th spacecraft, 737th space object catalogued. Type: Communications Sponsor: • NASA-Office of Space Science Applications Launch: 21 January 1964 at 21h15 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-17B, by a Delta DSV-3B (Thor Delta B 373 / Delta 23). Orbit: 2,088 km x 2,411 km x 46.3° x 195 min. 1,961 km x 7,540 km x 46.4° x 194.70 min  Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Relay II is a 183.5-kg (or 78 kg?) active communications satellite that continues communications tests of Relay I and provides evaluation of improvements in the new comsat. The spacecraft was equipped for transmitting one-way wideband communications (one-way TV, 300 one-way voice channels or high-speed data) or two-way narrow-band communications (12 two-way telephone conversations or teletype, photo-facsimile and data). Unlike its predecesor, It has no automatic cutoff device and was equipped with solar cells with greater resistance to radiation than Relay 1’s cells. Although principally a communications satellite, Relay 2 carried particle experiments designed to map the trapped radiation belt.      Relay II completed its first communications test during its first orbit, receiving radio signals and TV test pattern from Mojave, Calif., ground station and beaming them back to Earth. First intercontinental communications tests conducted with Relay II, on 22 January 1964, were successful: NASA officials described the satellite’s performance as “excellent.” The tests were conducted between ground stations at Nutley, N.J., and Raisting, West Germany, consisted of voice transmissions and radio signals.       On 29 January 1964, Relay II transmitted portions of Soviet-American championship hockey game of the 1964 Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria, to the U.S., the first public demonstration of Relay II. By this time numerous communications tests of the satellite had been made, and NASA scientists said that all communications experiments were of excellent quality. The satellite was also sending back information on radiation collected by onboard instrumentation.      On 25 March 1964, first TV transmission from Japan to U.S. was made, using Relay II. Quality of the live pictures as well as the sound was excellent. In the telecast Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda offered his country’s apologies directly to the U.S. for the “unfortunate coincidence” of the stabbing of U.S. Ambassador Edwin Reischauer by a deranged Japanese youth the previous day. The eight-minute telecast was seen simultaneously on the three national networks.            First two-way telephone call between U.S. and Japan via a communications satellite was conducted on 21 May 1964 by personnel of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Radio Research Laboratory Station, in Japan, using Relay II. Current overview: Relay 2 was physically similar to Relay 1 but but it improved its performance to the point where response to spurious commands was essentially eliminated. One of the two onboard transponders operated normally until 20 November 1966. From that time until its failure on 20 January 1967, it required a longer time than normal to come on. The other transponder continued to operate until 9 June 1967, when it too failed to operate normally.  Notes: Relay II was 22nd straight launch success for the Thor-Delta launch vehicle. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-003A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 19-20, 22, 32, 115, 185 ; Gunter's Relay 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Echo 2 Spacecraft: Echo C (A-12) Chronologies: 1964 payload #9 ; 1964-004A ; 361st spacecraft, 740th space object catalogued. Type: Communications Sponsor: NASA Office of Space Science Applications  Launch: 25 January 1964 at 13h59 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Agena B (Thor 397 / Agena B 6301 (TA2)). Orbit: 1,033 km x 1,313 km x 81.5° x 109 min. 1,030 km x 1,315 km x 81.5° x 108.80 min Decayed: 7 June 1969. Mission: Echo II is a 243-kg (or 256 kg) passive communications satellite, a 41-metre diameter, laminated mylar plastic and aluminum balloon. for testing propagation, tracking, and communication techniques. Instrumentation included a beacon telemetry system that provided a tracking signal, monitored spacecraft skin temperature and internal pressure. (Skin temperature were mesaure between -120 °C and +16 °C.)      Early telemetry and radar reports indicated Echo II appeared to be losing its spherical shape and high reflectivity, NASA spokesman announced. Telemetry showed Echo II pressure “has decreased more rapidly than anticipated.” However, “optical observations tell us we have a beautiful balloon.” Analysis of TV photographs taken by camera mounted on Agena stage showed sphere had inflated properly; but inflating gas apparently leaked out after two hours instead of lasting for 20 hours as planned. However, quality of radio signals between Rome, N.Y., and reported to be good. Spokesman indicated telemetry reports of pressure decrease could be false due to possible error in the observations.      On 29 January 1964, NASA spokesman said Echo II was still operating with “great success” despite preliminary radar reports that it was deflating and losing its reflectivity. On 29 February 1964, Echo II  was used for transmission of two radiophotos between Britain’s Jodrell Bank Experimental Station at Manchester and Gorki University’s radioastronomy observatory at Zimenki. A third space telegram was sent from Jodrell Bank to Zimenki via the moon, and its quality was comparable to those received via Echo II. The U.S. satellite was termed by TASS commentator “the Friendship Sputnik.”       In addition to fulfilling its communications mission, the spacecraft was used for global geometric geodesy: Soviet ground stations were tracking Echo II, in first joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. space experiment. The spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere on 7 June 1969.      An articIe published in The New Scientist on 30 January 1965 reported that experts at the Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern, England, believed that Echo II had been pierced by its own launching canister shortly after injection into orbit. According to The New Scientist, the shape of Echo II after launching was flabby and elongated rather than the perfect sphere wanted for some of its communication experiments. Analysis of Malvern’s radar tracks on the satellite revealed writhing echoes that, according to their theory, arose when the very short radar pulses entered a hole and rebounded from the aluminum-coated interior of the balloon. The Malvern team thought the balloon had a puncture about 46 cm long and 69 cm wide in one side.       NASA spokesmen said they did not believe Echo II had been punctured by either its launching canister or its launching vehicle and that sightings from more than a dozen radar stations had contradicted the Malvern theory. They added that Echo II’s ability to reflect radio signals had not been seriously impaired and many messages had been bounced off in the last year.       On 17 February 1965, Dr. Hugh L. Dryden. NASA Deputy Administrator reports that “the project involving the observation and use of Echo II in cooperation with the Soviet is completed. The Soviet side observed the critical inflation phase of the satellite optically and forwarded the data to us; although not including radar data, which would have been most desirable. Communications via Echo II between the U.K. and the U.S.S.R. were carried out in only one direction instead of two, at less interesting frequencies than we would have liked, and with some technical limitations at the ground terminals used. On the other hand, the Soviets provided very complete recordings and other data of their reception of the transmissions.” Notes: On 12 August 1963, NASA announced G.C. Schieldahl Co. had been selected to build Echo II satellite, scheduled to be placed in orbit during the 1963-64 winter. Under $362,000 contract, Schieldahl would build three models, one for static-inflation tests, one for orbital flight. and one for back-up. Echo II would be larger and more rigid than its predecessor, Echo 1. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-004A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1963, p. 305 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 24, 27, 30, 33, 85 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 41-2, 76 ; Gunter's Echo 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Saturn SA-5 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #10 ; 1964-005A ; 362nd spacecraft, 744th space object catalogued. Type: Technology Sponsor: NASA Office of Manned Space Flight  Launch: 29 January 1964 at 16h25 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-37B, by a Saturn I (SA-5). Orbit: 274 km x 740 km x 31.4° x 94.80 min. Decayed: 30 April 1966. Mission: Saturn I SA-5 was a launch vehicle development test. It was the fifth flight of a Saturn rocket and the first of the Block II Saturn. It was also the first live flight of the LOX/LH2 fueled second stage (S-IV). More than 11,000 measurements were taken. (Mass: 17,554.2 kg)       Saturn I SA-5 was first successful flight test of both stages of the rocket. The 680-ton-thrust S-I stage performed as planned and the 40-ton-thrust upper stage (S-IV) powered by six liquid-hydrogen RL-10 engines separated and burned properly for eight minutes, attaining orbital speed. The orbited body (spent S-IV stage, instrument unit, payload adapter, Jupiter nose cone, and 5,200 kg of sand ballast) weighed 17,100 kg, nearly 9,000 kg of which was payload.       As the first of the Block II Saturn I’s, SA-5 was first flight test of both Saturn stages and only the second flight test of a liquid-hydrogen powered rocket stage (after Centaur AC-2, on 27 November 1963). The five Block II Saturn 1’s differ from Block I predecessors in that they have live upper stages, S-I propellant tanks are extended to provide 45,000 kg usable propellant, and tail fins are added for stability.       During the flight eight onboard motion picture cameras photographed various operations of the rocket and a TV camera provided real-time photographs of separation and ignition of S-IV stage. Shortly after S-I burnout, the motion picture cameras were ejected, impacting downrange where pararescue men recovered seven of them.       This test of the world’s largest known rocket proved flight capability of Saturn I’s liquid-hydrogen, clustered-engine upper stage and demonstrated the vehicle’s capability to orbit 9-ton payload.      Preliminary evaluation of Saturn I SA-5 flight indicated there was “no significant deviation or malfunction.” Because insertion velocity was slightly greater than predicted, the 19,100-kg orbiting body was in an Earth orbit slightly higher than expected: apogee 100-km higher than expected and perigee 10=km higher than expected. Timing of all significant actions in the launch sequence vaned no more than half a second from prediction. First stage cutoff occurred after slightly more than 146 sec., S-IV stage ignited at 148 sec., and insertion into orbit occurred at 639 sec. [10 min. 39 sec].       Following successful launching of Saturn I two-stage SA-5, President Johnson issued statement saying U.S. had now “proved we have the capability of putting great payloads into space.… We have come a long way from the 14-kg of Explorer I on January 31, 1958, to the some 16,700-kg which has just been placed into orbit by Saturn I.  We have demonstrated not only enormous boost capability, but we have proved the effectiveness and the practical use of liquid hydrogen as a rocket fuel for space flight…”      NASA Associate Administrator, Dr. Robert C. Seamans stated, “There is little question that it took us ahead of the Russians in our capability.” He noted that payload equivalent of SA-5’s orbiting body was between 8,600 to 9,000 kg, far exceeding the 6,482 kg reported for heaviest Soviet satellites.      Rep. J. Edward Roush (D.-Ind.) said in the House: “On Wednesday, we saw the successful launching of the Saturn rocket carrying into orbit around the Earth 18 tons. This included the largest payload ever placed in orbit by man and exceeds the largest Russian payload by 11 tons. For several years now this Nation has been plagued with the uncomfortable knowledge that the Russians were ahead of us in the space effort. This has been based primarily on the fact that they had a greater lift capability. The United States is now ahead in lift capability and in every other phase of the space program.…” Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-005A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 32, 35, 49 ; Gunter'sSaturn SA-5 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Elektron 1 Spacecraft:  2D No. 1 Chronologies: 1964 payload #11 ; 1964-006A ; 363rd spacecraft, 716th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 30 January 1964 at 9h45 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome‘s LC-1, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 406 km x 7,100 km x 61° x 2-hr. 49 min. 413 km x 6,439 km x 60.9° x 161.00 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Elektron 1 was a 329-kg Earth/space sciences satellite which studied Earth's inner and outer radiation belts, cosmic rays and upper atmosphere. It was launched with Electron 2 by a single launch vehicle in order to perform simultaneous investigations of the external and internal zones of the Earth's radiation belt. Soviet news agency TASS said the satellites were studying “the internal and external radiation belts of the Earth and physical phenomena connected with them.” The 350-kg spacecraft had a cylindrical body that was 0.75 m in diameter and 1.3 m long and from which antennas and six solar cell panels were extended. The spacecraft was placed into an eccentric orbit that enabled it to study the internal zone of the radiation belt. It was equipped with micrometeorite detectors, a mass spectrometer, a proton detector, and instruments for recording the corpuscular emission and energy spectrum of electrons. A memory device was included so that observations over several orbits could be obtained by Soviet telemetry stations when the satellite was within communications range.      On 2 February 1964, TASS announced Electron I and Electron II scientific satellites were continuing their elliptical orbits of the Earth. By 6:00 p.m. Moscow time Feb. 1, Electron I had passed repeatedly through the inner radation belt in its 19 orbits and Electron II had moved four times through the outer radiation belt in its two orbits. TASS said the following studies were being made with aid of onboard equipment: outer and inner radiation belts; charged particles having low energy; concentrations of electrons and positive ions; magnetic fields and radiation belts of the earth; nuclear component of cosmic radiation; shortwave solar radiation; propagation of radio waves; radio-radiation of galaxies; and densities of meteoritic material. TASS said the studies, being accomplished under a unified program in various areas of outer space, were being conducted for the first time. These studies were important for conducting the program of the IQSY and for permitting collection of data to assure radiation safety of manned space flights. TASS said all onboard equipment was functioning normally and ground stations were receiving scientific data from the satellites.       In July 1965, Electron I and Electron II were among the new exhibits in the “Kosmos” Pavillion at the Soviet exposition on achievements of the U.S.S.R. national economy. These satellites were said to have made it possible for Soviet scientists to safeguard the cosmonauts during their flights in this region. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-006A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 35, 43, 54, 62 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p.  ; Gunter's Elektron 1, 3 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Elektron 2 Spacecraft:  2D No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #12 ; 1964-006B ; 364th spacecraft, 748th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 30 January 1964 at 9h45 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome‘s LC-1, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 460 km x 68,200 km x 61° x 22-hr. 40 min. Decayed: 20 April 1997. Mission: Elektron 2 was a 444-kg Earth/space science satellite which studied Earth's inner and outer radiation belts, cosmic rays and outer space. It was launched with Electron 1 by a single launch vehicle in order to perform simultaneous investigations of the external and internal zones of the Earth's radiation belt. Soviet news agency TASS said the satellites were studying “the internal and external radiation belts of the earth and physical phenomena connected with them.” The 445-kg spacecraft had a cylindrical body that was 0.75 m in diameter and 1.3 m long and from which antennas and six solar cell panels were extended. The spacecraft was placed into an eccentric orbit that enabled it to study the internal zone of the radiation belt. It was equipped with micrometeorite detectors, a mass spectrometer, a proton detector, and instruments for recording the corpuscular emission and energy spectrum of electrons. A memory device was included so that observations over several orbits could be obtained by Soviet telemetry stations when the satellite was within communications range.      On 2 February 1964, TASS announced Electron I and Electron II scientific satellites were continuing their elliptical orbits of the earth. By 6:00 p.m. Moscow time Feb. 1, Electron I had passed repeatedly through the inner radation belt in its 19 orbits and Electron II had moved four times through the outer radiation belt in its two orbits. TASS said the following studies were being made with aid of onboard equipment: outer and inner radiation belts; charged particles having low energy; concentrations of electrons and positive ions; magnetic fields and radiation belts of the earth; nuclear component of cosmic radiation; shortwave solar radiation; propagation of radio waves; radio-radiation of galaxies; and densities of meteoritic material. TASS said the studies, being accomplished under a unified program in various areas of outer space, were being conducted for the first time. These studies were important for conducting the program of the IQSY and for permitting collection of data to assure radiation safety of manned space flights. TASS said all onboard equipment was functioning normally and ground stations were receiving scientific data from the satellites.       In July 1965, Electron I and Electron II were among the new exhibits in the “Kosmos” Pavillion at the Soviet exposition on achievements of the U.S.S.R. national economy. These satellites were said to have made it possible for Soviet scientists to safeguard the cosmonauts during their flights in this region. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-006B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 35, 43, 54, 62 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 360 ; Gunter's Elektron 2, 4 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Ranger 6 Spacecraft:  P-53 / Ranger-A (RA-6) Chronologies: 1964 payload #13 ; 1964-007A ; 365th spacecraft, 747th space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Moon) Sponsor: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photo: NASA Launch: 30 January 1964 at 15h49 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-12, by an Atlas-Agena B (Atlas LV-3A 199D / Agena B 6008). Orbit: Earth-Moon trajectory until impact on the Moon. impacted on the Moon: 2 February 1964. Mission: Historical reports: Ranger VI was a 365-kg lunar probe that would impact the lunar surface. The only scientific instruments onboard spacecraft were six TV cameras, designed to provide more than 3,000 photographs of the lunar surface during the last 10 min. of the 66-hr. flight. This was the first Ranger launch since October 1962, when extensive review of the Ranger project was undertaken because of previous Ranger failures. For Ranger VI, changes were made in subsystems to improve reliability and provide redundancy in some areas; also, sterilization requirements for Ranger spacecraft were relaxed, since excessive heat was suspected of causing some previous malfunctions. Target for the lunar spacecraft: Sea of Tranquility.      On 2 February 1964, Ranger VI crashed onto the moon on target in the Sea of Tranquility, but its onboard camera system failed to return TV photographs of the lunar surface. Indications were that the two TV systems responded to Central Computer and Sequencer (CCS~Sc) command to warm up, but the cameras did not complete the warm-up to picture taking. Ranger VI’s cameras (two wide-angle and four narrow-angle) were to have made more than 3,000 photographs during its last 10 min. The photographs were to have provided scientific data on lunar topography and supported the Surveyor unmanned soft-landing spacecraft and Apollo manned lunar landing program.       Ranger VI impacted the Moon withing 30-km of its target and within one third of a second of the predicted afrival time.  Sir Bernard Lovell, Director of Jodrell Bank Experimental Station which tracked Ranger VI on its course to the Moon, said of the spacecraft’s accurate impact of the Moon: “I think this represents a very great achievement for American rocket engineers. “This achievement is underlined by the fact that it is now four and a half years since either the Russians or the Americans have made a direct hit of this nature on the lunar surface, despite repeated attempts.” (NASA planned three more Ranger TV flights this year.)      On 2 April 1964, NASA Administrator, James E. Webb, detailed possible causes of failure of Ranger VI. Although not yet identified any specific cause for failure were identified, Mr. Webb outlined five major faults in the spacecraft: 1. The two oaboard TV systems “were more complex than required and were not completely redundant. They included a number of common components in which a single failure would lead to disablement of both television systems.” 2. “Possibilities of failure… increased as a result of practices employed in the design and construction of the spacecraft.…” 3. Preflight ground testing “may have obscured potentially dangerous situations which could have enhanced accidental triggering of critical control circuits.” 4. The antenna for transmitting the lunar photographs had never been tested with the TV transmitters. 5. “Because of reluctance to risk possible damage to the space vehicle, pre-launch systems verification was not complete.…”      On 27 April 1964, Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Sciences and Applications, said before House Subcommittee on NASA Oversight about Project Ranger: ”… From the outset, the concept was advanced. It was conceived to seize the initiative in space exploration from the Soviet as well as to obtain important information about the moon. Had it succeeded, it certainly would have been a major first for this country, and it may still obtain that objective. The spacecraft itself is quite complex.… It is comparable to the most sophisticated launch vehicles in terms of electromechanical system complexity. Launch vehicles developed in this country have typically taken 20 or more flights to achieve 50% reliability. Some have not done much better than this after many more firings. Indeed, we have read recently that last year there were 13 consecutive failures of the Atlas. In addition, the Discoverer project took 13 attempts to recover its first payload from orbit. Polaris experienced 5 initial failures before its first success. Skybolt experienced 5 flights without achieving complete mission success. In each of these projects, partial success in early flights helped improve later flights. Although I believe Skybolt was dropped for other reasons, Atlas, Discoverer, and Polaris all went on to become vital elements in the defense posture of this country.       “Ranger is going through this same process. We have solved some of our launch vehicle problems to the point where the reliability is improving appreciably. The basic spacecraft bus has been retained and has now demonstrated its capabiIity to deliver a payload to a precise spot on the lunar surface. We now must make the payload work. The payload also is pushing the state of the art in high power television telemetry. This was necessary to obtain high resolution photographs… Our reviews of the Ranger system continue to convince us of its capability of performing the mission. While we how we cannot have100% reliability with launch vehicle, spacecraft, or payload, we expect to achieve at least one complete success with the remaining three flights.…  “Ranger is a tough job. Although success has eluded us, it is within our grasp. We must have the fortitude to proceed. Space will only be conquered by those who do have such fortitude. It might be well to point out that our competitors in this area of exploration are not lacking in this respect. It is reported that the Soviet Union has failed in from 15 to 20 consecutive lunar and planetary mission attempts since Lunik IIIphotographed the back side of the moon in 1959.  “Even should subsequent Rangers fail through unforeseen causes, we must move ahead. We must look at the totality of the space program. … The over-all picture is very good and is most convincing of this country’s capability to successfully complete these undertakings. The trends are all in our favor.…”  * * * * * Current overview: Ranger VI was a 365-kg (or 362 or 381 kg) lunar probe designed to transmit high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface during the final minutes of flight up to its impact. The spacecraft carried six television cameras, 2 full-scan cameras (one wide-angle and one narrow-angle) and 4 partial scan cameras (two wide-angle, two narrow-angle). The cameras were arranged in two separate chains, each self-contained with separate power supplies, timers and transmitters so as to afford the greatest reliability and probability of obtaining high-quality pictures. No other experiments were carried on the spacecraft.      Rangers 6 was the first of the so-called Block III versions of the Ranger spacecraft. It consisted of a hexagonal aluminum frame base, 1.5 meter across, on which was mounted the propulsion and power units, topped by a truncated conical tower which held the TV cameras. Two solar panel wings, each 73.9 cm wide by 153.7 cm long, extended from opposite edges of the base with a full span of 4.6 meters, and a pointable high gain dish antenna. A cylindrical antenna was seated on top of the conical tower. The overall height of the spacecraft was 3.6 meters. (Total research, development, launch, and support costs for the Ranger series of spacecraft (Rangers 1 through 9) was approximately $170 million. )      Ranger 6 was injected on a lunar trajectory and the midcourse trajectory correction was accomplished. On 2 February 1964, 65.5 hours after launch, Ranger 6 impacted the Moon on the eastern edge of Sea of Tranquility at 9.358° North, 21.480° East. Unfortunately, no video signal was received and no camera data obtained. A review board determined the most likely cause of failure was due to an arc-over in the TV power system when it inadvertently turned on for 67 seconds approximately 2 minutes after launch during the period of booster-engine separation. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-007A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 34-5, 36, 41, 61, 126, 150-1 ; Gunter's Ranger Block III ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 41 ;

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Discoverer 72 / KH-4A 3 / CORONA 76 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1004 /  CORONA J-5 / OPS 3444 Chronologies: 1964 payload #14 ; 1964-008A ; 366th spacecraft, 752nd space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 15 February 1964 at 21h38 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 389 / Agena D 1174). Orbit: 172 km x 429 km x 74.9° x 90.50 min. Recovered: 9 March 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster from Vandenberg AFB with an unidentified satellite.” * * * * * Current overview: This third KH-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km.  It was reported that this KH-4A “main cameras operated satisfactorily. Minor degradations were due to static and light leaks.” Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-008A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 66 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Zond / 3MV-1A #2 Spacecraft:  3MV-1 No. 2 SA (+ Spuskaemiy apparat 3MV-1 No. 2 SA) Chronologies: 1964 payload #15 ; 1964 1st loss ; 367th spacecraft. Type: Venus probe Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 19 February 1964 at 5h47 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78M). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 19 February 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R.’s unsuccessful attempts to send payloads to Venus Feb. 26 and Mar. 4 were reported in the U.S. press on 30 March 1964. Failures were attributed by U.S. military officials to difliculties with upper-stage rocket supposed to send the spacecraft out of parking orbit and onto its interplanetary course.” [Note: no Soviet probe were launched around 4 March, but one on 27 March: see Kosmos 27 below.] * * * * * Current overview: Spacecraft 3MV-1A (no. 4A), weighing around 800 kg, was another Soviet deep space probe that failed to accomplish its mission to fly by Venus. It failed to reach Earth orbit due to a malfunction in the ‘Molniya’ launch vehicle’s third stage. Later investigation indicated that a liquid oxygen leak through an unpressurized valve seal froze propellant in the main pipeline. As a result, the pipeline cracked, leading to an explosion in the third stage.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 120, ; Gunter's Zond ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 41 ;

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KH-7 5 / Gambit-1 5 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 5 / GAMBIT SV 955 / OPS 2423 ; AFP-206 SV 955 Chronologies: 1964 payload #16 ; 1964-009A ; 368th spacecraft, 754th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 25 February 1964 at 19h00 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 285D / Agena D S01A 4803). Orbit: 173 km x 190 km x 95.7°  135 km x 135 km x 95.6° x 87.20 min. Recovered: 1st March 1964 (1 day). Mission: Historical reports: ”USAF launched Atlas-Agena D combination from Vandenberg AFB with undisclosed payload.” * * * * * Current overview: Fifth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-009A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 79 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 25 / DS-P1 #4 Spacecraft:  DS-P1 No. 4 Chronologies: 1964 payload #17 ; 1964-010A ; 369th spacecraft, 757th space object catalogued. Type: Military Science & Technology Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 27 February 1964 at 13h26 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 272 km x 526 km x 49° x 92.27 min. 260 km x 495 km x 49.1° x 92.10 min.  Decayed: 21 November 1964. Mission: Historical reports: ”Cosmos XXV scientific earth satellite was orbited from unidentified site in Soviet Union. Scientific equipment and communication systems onboard the satellite were said to be functioning normally.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 25 was a 355-kg satellite which served as a prototype for anti-ballistic missile (ABM) radar target and supported development of ABM systems.  It was a DS type: DS-P1 serial number 4. These “Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik” were small satellites built by OKB-586 / KB Yuzhnoye of Ukraine and used for a wide range of military and scientific research as well as component proving tests.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-010A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 82 ; Gunter's DS-P1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Ferret 5 Spacecraft:  OPS 3722 Chronologies: 1964 payload #18 ; 1964-011A ; 370th spacecraft, 759th space object catalogued. Type: Electronic intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force  Launch: 28 February 1964 at 3h20 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-5, by a Thor-AgenaD (Thor 2C 402 / Agena D 2316). Orbit: 491 km x 516 km x 82.1°x 94.70 min. Decayed: 19 February 1969. Mission: Historical reports: ”USAF launched Thor-Agena D launch vehicle from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: This electronic intelligence satellite is sometime called Ferret 4 or Ferret 5, "Heavy Ferrets" or Samos-F3. It was reportedly the first of three Samos-F3, which weight around 1,500 kg and served to catalogued Soviet air defence radars, eavesdropped on voice communications and taped missile and satellite telemetry. (It also could be a “military naval signals reconnaisance satellite.”)  The Samos-F3 satellites were known for decades as "Heavy Ferrets" and were an improved version of the preceding Samos-F2 series based on the improved Agena-D stage. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-011A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 85 ; Gunter's Samos-F3 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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KH-7 6 / Gambit-1 6 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 6 / GAMBIT SV 956 / OPS 3435 ; AFP-206 SV 956 Chronologies: 1964 payload #19 ; 1964-012A ; 371st spacecraft, 764th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 11 March 1964 at 20h14UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 296D / Agena D S01A 4804). Orbit: 163 km x 203 km x 95.7°  163 km x 203 km x 95.7° x 88.20 min. Recovered: 16 March 1964 (4.3 days). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF announced Atlas-Agena D launch from Pt. Arguello, Calif., with undisclosed satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: Sixth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-012A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 102 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 26 / DS-MG #1 Spacecraft:  DS-MG No. 1 Chronologies: 1964 payload #20 ; 1964-013A ; 372nd spacecraft, 766th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 18 March 1964 at 15h07 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 271 km x 403 km x 49° x 91 min. 268 km x 376 km x 48.9° x 91.00 min. Decayed: 28 September 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Soviet news agency TASS said Cosmos XXVI scientific Earth satellite’s onboard scientific equipment, radio system and instrumentation were functioning normally.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 26 was a 365-kg science and technology satellite, developed to test electric gyrodyne orientation systems and to obtaine radiation data. It studied Earth's geomagnetic field and, along with Kosmos 49, represented Soviet contribution to the International Quiet Sun Year (IQSY) World Magnetic Survey. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-013A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 102 ; Gunter's DS-MG ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Beacon Explorer A Spacecraft:  BE-A / S-66 Chronologies: 1964 payload #21 ; 1964 2nd loss ; 373rd spacecraft. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 19 March 1964 at 11h13 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-17A, by a Delta DSV-3B (Thor Delta B 391 / Delta 24). Orbit: n/a Destroyed: 19 March 1964. Mission: Beacon Explorer A (5-66) was a 55-kg satellite designed to transmit data on the ionosphere directly to worldwide network of ground stations. In addition to making major ionosphere studies, the satellite was to have served as test bed for two geodesic experiments: reflection of a laser beam directed from Wallops Island, Va., and transmission on two frequencies permitting ground stations to study Doppler method of satellite tracking and influence of ionosphere on Doppler tracking. Unfortunately, its launch failed when third stage of Delta launch vehicle burned for only 22 sec. instead of normal 40. This was only the second Delta failure and followed 22 consecutive successes. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's EXP-66A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 109 ; Gunter's Explorer: BE ;

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Luna / Ye-6 #4 Spacecraft:  E-6 No. 4 SA (+ ALS E-6 No. 6 SA) Chronologies: 1964 payload #22 ; 1964 3rd loss ; 374th spacecraft. Type: Planetary Probe (Moon) Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 21 March 1964 at 8h16 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78M T15000-20). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 21 March 1964 Mission: This Ye-6 (no. 6), weighing around 1,420 kg, was the fourth Soviet attempt to land a craft on the Moon.  The probe failed to reach Earth orbit because the ‘Molniya’ launcher’s third-stage engine’s main liquid oxygen valve failed to open when the valve rod broke off. As a result, the third-stage engine never reached full thrust and eventually cut off prematurely at 8 minutes and 9 seconds into the flight. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ;; Gunter's Luna Ye-6 ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 42 ;

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Discoverer 73 / KH-4A 4 / CORONA 77 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1003 / CORONA J-6 / OPS 3467 Chronologies: 1964 payload #23 ; 1964 4th loss ; 375th spacecraft. Type: Military Earth Surveillance (NRO) Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office Launch: 24 March 1964 at 22h23 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 396 / Agena D 1175). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 24 March 1964 Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena booster combination from Pt. Arguello with unidentified payload.”  * * * * * Current overview: This fourth KH-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance   satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. This KH-4A failed to reach orbit. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's NNN6401 ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 114 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ;

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ORBIS 1 Spacecraft:  LPARL Aurora 1964 Chronologies: 1964 payload #24 ; 1964 5th loss ; 376th spacecraft. Type: Technology? Sponsor: U.S. Air Force? Launch: 24 March 1964 at LPARL Aurora 1964, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 396 / Agena D 1175). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 24 March 1964 Mission: The Thor-Agena D boostger failed for an undisclosed reason and its payload failed to reach orbit. This mission also carried the LPARL Aurora 1964 (ORBIS 1) payload. [No data available about the ORBIS mission goals.] Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's ORBIS1 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ;

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Kosmos 27 / 3MV-1 #1 Spacecraft: 3MV-1 No. 3 SA (+ Spuskaemiy apparat 3MV-1 No. 3 SA) Chronologies: 1964 payload #25 ; 1964-014A ; 377th spacecraft, 772nd space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Venus) Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 27 March 1964 at 3h25 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78M T15000-22). Orbit: 192 km X 237 km x 64.8° x 88.7 min. 197 km x 209 km x 64.8° x 88.50 min. Decayed: 29 March 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Soviet news agency TASS said that Cosmos XXVII carried scientific instrumentation intended for the “further study of outer space in accordance with the program announced by TASS, March 16, 1962, as well as radio transmitter and telemetering systems. All onboard equipment was functioning normally.”     “U.S.S.R.’s unsuccessful attempts to send payloads to Venus Feb. 26 and Mar. 4 were reported in the U.S. press on 30 March 1964. Failures were attributed by U.S. military officials to difliculties with upper-stage rocket supposed to send the spacecraft out of parking orbit and onto its interplanetary course.” * * * * * Current overview: This 3MV-1 (no. 5), weighing 948 kg (or 890 kg), was designed for atmospheric entry into Venus.  It reached Earth orbit but failed to leave for planetary cruise when, during the coast in parking orbit, the ‘Molniya’ launcher’s escape stage (Block L) lost stable attitude due to a loss of the power circuit of the pneumatic valves of the attitude control and stabilization system. The failure, disguise as a Kosmos scientific satellite, burned up in Earth’s atmosphere the following day. Notes: “Beginning in 1962, the name Cosmos was given to Soviet spacecraft which remained in Earth orbit, regardless of whether that was their intended final destination. The designation of this mission as an intended planetary probe is based on evidence from Soviet and non-Soviet sources and historical documents. Typically Soviet planetary missions were initially put into an Earth parking orbit as a launch platform with a rocket engine and attached probe. The probes were then launched toward their targets with an engine burn with a duration of roughly 4 minutes. If the engine misfired or the burn was not completed, the probes would be left in Earth orbit and given a Cosmos designation.” Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-014A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 114, 120 ; Gunter's Zond 1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 42 ;

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Ariel 2 Spacecraft: UK-C Chronologies: 1964 payload #26 ; 1964-015A ; 378th spacecraft, 771st space object catalogued. Type: eARTH/SPACE sCIENCES Sponsor: United Kingdom Launch: 27 March 1964 at 17h25 UT, from Wallops Island's LA-3, by a Scout (X-3 S127R). Orbit: 290 km X 1,356 km x 52° x 101 min. 287 km x 1,349 km x 51.7° x 101.30 min. Decayed: 18 November 1967. Mission: Ariel 2 is a 68-kg satellites which carried 3 British experiments to measure galactic radio noise. ItI is the second in series of three U.S.-U.K. Earth sciences satellites. Under overall administrative responsibility of the British Office of the Minister for Science, the three onboard experiments were designed and built by the U.K. to measure vertical distribution of ozone in the upper atmosphere, measure galactic radio noise, and detect micrometeoroids encountered by the satellite. The experiments were chosen by the British National Committee on Space Research, chaired by Sir Harrie Massey, in consultation with NASA. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center built and tested the spacecraft and contracted with Westinghouse Electric Corp. for subsystems.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-015A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 114 ; Gunter's Ariel 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Zond 1 / 3MV-1 #2     Spacecraft:  3MV-1 No. 4 SA (+ Spuskaemiy apparat 3MV-1 No. 4 SA) Chronologies: 1964 payload #27 ; 1964-016A ; 379th spacecraft, 785th space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Venus) Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 2 April 1964 at 2h42 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome’s LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78M T15000-23). Orbit: Solar orbit. Decayed: Forever in space. Mission: Historical reports: U.S.S.R. launched Zond I space probe “for the purppose of developing a space system for distant interplanetary flights.” Final stage of “improved booster rocket” placed an Earth satellite into parking orbit; then a rocket took off from the satellite and propelled the Zond I to escape velocity, sending it into flight trajectory “close to the computed one.” There was no indication as to what the computed course was, and no details of the probe’s weight, size, or destination were given.  The probe was said to be in a flight trajectory corresponding “with a high degree of accuracy” to the predetermined program. Soviet scientist Sergei Vernon said at Moscow press conference that the Zond I space probe was launched to study radiation hazards in space. The probe would “provide information about more remote areas of space we know little about.”      On 15 April 1964, Soviet news agency TASS said 25 communication sessions had been held with Zond I since April 2, and a great deal of “interesting experimental data” on the operation of onboard systems and individual units had been obtained. By 6:00 pm., Moscow time, Zond I had reached 4,250,000 km from Earth.      On 14 May 1964, Zond I made a course correction maneuver 13 million km from Earth, according to Soviet news agency TASS, boosting the spacecraft’s speed by about 180 km/h. TASS said the maneuvers of the “test session” were performed successfully, “thereby allowing the solution of problems connected with the prmise correction of trajeotory of the automatic cosmic apparatuses.”      On 11 July 1964, Sir Bernard Lovell, director of Jodrell Bank Radio Experimental Station, reported that it was probable that Zond I was nearing Venus and would try to send back the first close-up television pictures of that planet. British scientists at the Jodrell Bank radio astronomy station were reported searching the skies for Zond I which was believed to be approaching Venus. The Russians had never revealed the precise mission of the probe and refused to supply the Jodrell Bank scientists with the radio frequencies on which it was operating, but it was believed that the probe would closely approach Venus during the 72-hr. period beginning July 17.      On 25 July 1964, it was reported that Zond I apparently was unsuccessful in its mission to land on or fly by Venus, according to unidentified official in Washington. Western scientists had predicted Zond I would reach Venus between July 18 and 25, but no Soviet announcement had been made. * * * * * Current overview: This 3MV-1 (no. 4), weighing 948 kg was a Venus impact probe that was successfully sent toward Venus from a rocket’s upper stage, a “Tyazheliy Sputnik” (1964-016A). The spacecraft consisted of a fly-by probe and a 90-cm spherical landing capsule, containing experiments for chemical analysis of the atmosphere, gamma-ray measurements of surface rocks, a photometer, temperature and pressure gauges, and a motion/rocking sensor in case it landed in a liquid. Dut during its coast to the planet, ground controllers discovered a series of major malfunctions in the spacecraft. These included depressurization of the main spacecraft bus when the glass cover of a solar-stellar attitude-control sensor cracked. Additionally, the internal radio transmitters of the spacecraft were automatically switched on at the wrong time, during depressurization, when the gas discharge created high-voltage currents that shorted out the system.       Contact was maintained with the still-pressurized 290-kilogram lander module until 25 May 1964, by which time controllers had managed to conduct two major course corrections (at 560,000 kilometers and at 13 to 14 million kilometers from Earth, respectively), the first time such actions had been performed on a Soviet interplanetary spacecraft. The inert spacecraft eventually flew by Venus on 14 July 1964 at a range of 110,000 kilometers and is in a Solar orbit. The Soviets later published some data on cosmic-ray flux measured by Zond 1. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-016A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 124, 127, 128, 131, 138, 165, 176, 199, 249, 253, 262 ; Gunter's Zond 1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 42-2 ;

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Kosmos 28 / Zenit-2 #16 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 16 Chronologies: 1964 payload #28 ; 1964-017A ; 380th spacecraft, 779th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 4 April 1964 at 9h36 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 209 km x 395 km x 65°x 90.38 min. 213 km x 373 km x 65.0° x 90.40 min. Recovered: 12 April 1964 (8.00 days). Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. announced routine launching of Cosmos XXVIII. Scientific equipment onboard the satellite was “intended for the further exploration of outer space in accordance with the program announced by TASS on March 16, 1962.” In addition, the satellite contained radio transmitter and telemetering system. All instrumentation was functioning normally.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 28 was a 4,730-kg craft, the sixteenth first-generation, low-resolution photo surveillance satellite. Its film capsule was recovered after 8 days. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-017A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 128 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Gemini 1 / GT-1 Spacecraft:  GT-1 / Gemini-Titan I ; Gemini spacecraft No. 1. Chronologies: 1964 payload #29 ; 1964-018A ; 381st spacecraft, 782nd space object catalogued. Type: Piloted Spaceship Test Sponsor: NASA Launch: 8 April 1964 at 16h00 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-19, by a Titan 2 (GLV GT-1). (First Titan (first Titan 2) ever launched.) Orbit: 160 km x 328 km x 89.27 min. 154 km x 299 km x 32.6° x 89.00 min. Decayed: 12 April 1964. Mission: Historical reports: Titan II launched unmanned Gemini spacecraft into orbit in first Project Gemini flight (GT-1), a test of Titan II launch vehicle system, Gemini spacecraft structural integrity, and spacecraft-launch vehicle compatibility. After an uninterrupted countdown at Cape Kennedy, the Titan II lifted off and placed the spacecraft in orbit. Walter C. Willianis said all systems functioned “well within manned tolerances.” Only imperfection in the flight was Titan II’s 22.5 km/h excess speed (28,212 instead of 28,190 km/h), sending spacecraft 34 km higher than planned. However, this was within tolerance and, on manned flight, crewmen could easily correct the extra height. The 3,200-kg spacecraft was not separated from the spent rocket casing. It re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere on 12 April 1964 and disintegrated midway between South America and Africa. * * * * * Current overview: Gemini 1 is a 5,170-kg (or 3,187 kg or 3,851 kg) piloted spaceship (unmanned), the first production Gemini spacecraft. The mission's primary purpose was to verify the structural integrity of the Titan II and the Gemini capsule, as well as to demonstrate the launcher's ability to place the spacecraft into a prescribed Earth orbit. However, an excess speed at launch of 22.5 km/h. sent the Gemini capsule 33.6 km higher than planned. Mission plans did not include separation of spacecraft from the Titan second stage, so both orbited as a single unit. The planned mission included only three orbits and ended about 4 hours 50 minutes after launch with the third pass over Cape Kennedy. The spacecraft was tracked until it reentered the atmosphere and disintegrated on the 64th orbital pass over the southern Atlantic on 12 April 1964. The systems functioned well within planned tolerances and the mission was deemed a successful test. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-018A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 128, 134 ; Gunter'sGemini 1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Polyot 2 Spacecraft:  I-1B No. 112 Chronologies: 1964 payload #30 ; 1964-019A ; 382nd spacecraft, 784th space object catalogued. Type: Technology (ASAT) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 12 April 1964 at 9h30 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's’s LC-31, by a Polyot (11A59). Orbit: 303 km x 479 km x 58.1° x 92.30 min. Decayed: 8 June 1966. Mission: Historical reports: Purposes of the steerable Polet II spacecraft were said to be to “further improve space vehicles capable of maneuvering extensively in all directions, and to work out questions concerning the problem of space rendezvous.” After being placed in initial orbit, Polet II was maneuvered in various directions by means of special engine system. “As a result of one of these maneuvers in the area of the equator, the space vehicle substantially changed the angle of inclination of its orbital plane.” After the programed space maneuvers, Polet II was in a 310 x 500 km orbit, inclined at 58.06 degrees to the equator, and with an orbital period of 92.4 min. * * * * *      Late in 1963 and again in 1964, the Russians flew payloads with the name Polet, and these were heralded as but the first ones of a large series. In actual fact, no more flights occurred with exactly the same characteristics, and the name itself was not used again.      What was distinctive about these flights was that they came early enough in the Soviet program and were ambitious enough in performance for their being an application of the A vehicle. They were launched from Tyuratam. Each was advertised to have made extensive changes of altitude and also of orbital plane. However, the amount of plane change was not specified, and it is doubtful that it was very large. Neither flight left a separated carrier rocket in orbit as a guide to how extreme the subsequent maneuvers were of the final payload. So, apparently the A-l or A-2 were not used for these launches, but some experimental maneuvering stage which remained attached to the payload. Either this combination did not work out as hoped, or the "m" stage subsequently has been incorporated into other hardware, to be discussed later. SSP, 1976 * * * * * Current overview: Polyot 2 was a 600-kg (or 1,400-kg) technology satellite. It was the second of two craft fitted with control systems for maneuverability experiments in space. The craft was able to change inclination as well as apogee and perigee of its orbit. Polyot 2 also carried scientific instruments, a telemetry system and radio transmitters. It was in fact a mission to test the propulsion system of the I2P anti-satellite spacecraft, but it did not conduct any interception. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-019A; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 134 ; Congression Reseach Service, Soviet Space Program, 1971-75, 1976, p. 52 ; Gunter's Polyot 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Luna / Ye-6 #5 Spacecraft: ALS / E-6 No. 5 SA (+ALS E-6 No. 5 SA) Chronologies: 1964 payload #31 ; 1964 6th loss ; 383rd spacecraft. Type: Planetary Probe (Moon) Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 20 April 1964 at 8h08 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78M T15000-21). Orbit: n/a Destroyed: 20 April 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Unnamed NASA officials were quoted in New York Times as saying U.S. had detected Soviet failure within the last week in an attempt to launch a probe to the Moon. Failure was said to have occurred within minutes after rocket booster rose from launch pad near the Aral Sea.” * * * * * Current overview: This Ye-6 (no. 5), weighing around 1,420 kg, was the fifth Soviet attempt at a lunar soft-landing. The mission was aborted early when, during the ascent to Earth orbit, the ‘Molniya’ launch vehicle’s third-stage engine prematurely shut down (at 5 minutes and 40 seconds into the flight). A subsequent investigation indicated that the engine cut off due to loss of power when a circuit between a battery in the fourth stage (which powered the third-stage engine and the I-100 guidance unit) was broken.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 156 ; Gunter's Luna Ye-6 ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 43 ;

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Transit 5BN3 Spacecraft:  Transit VBN-3 Chronologies: 1964 payload #32 ; 1964 7th loss ; 384th spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: U.S. Navy Launch: 21 April 1964 at 18h50 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 379 AB014). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 21 April 1964. Mission: Transit 5BN-3 was a 75-kg experimental navigation satellite that was lost following an undisclosed Delta launch failure. it carried a SNAP-9A nuclear power source and, after this launch failure, it was decided that operational Transits would be solar-powered only.      On 7 May 1964, the Atomic Energy Commission announced a satellite carrying small SNAP-9A atomic generator had been launched on Thor-Able-Star booster from Vandenberg AFB last April 21, but it did not go into orbit. Preliminary data indicated the satellite burned up upon re-entry into Earth‘s atmosphere. AEC spokesman said about 1 kg of plutonium 238 had been lost over the west coast of Africa. Onboard as fuel for SNAP-9A generator, the plutonium apparently vaporized on re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere and now was dispersed in very fine particles at the edge of space, where it would gradually lose its radioactivity. It posed “no health hazard to the world’s population.”      On 7 January 1965, AEC report said that nuclear fuel aboard the spacecraft which failed to go into orbit had burned up harmlessly at high altitude. This was a reply to Russian and other critics who had accused the U.S. of causing radiation hazards by putting atomic generators aboard spacecraft. Note: From the early stages of the Transit program, it was recognized that nuclear power provided an alternative to solar power for satellites, but it was not clear which would be better for the Transit satellites. Nuclear power, tested on Transit 4A and 4B, showed good results, so it was decided to have two series of prototype operational satellites. The Transit 5A series, which evolved into the Transit 5C-1, had solar power, whereas the Transit 5B series had nuclear power. Three 5B series satellites were launched by Thor-Able-Star rockets with piggyback Transit-5E series satellites. The 5E series were launched to obtain environmental data in the vicinity of the operational orbit of Transit satellites and used solar power. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 173, 188 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 4 ; Gunter's Transit-5BN 1, 2, 3 ;

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Transit 5E2 Spacecraft:  Transit VE-2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #33 ; 1964 8th loss ; 385th spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: U.S. Navy Launch: 21 April 1964 at 18h50 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 379 AB014). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 21 April 1964. Mission: Three 70-kg Transit-5E satellites were launched to obtain environmental data in the vicinity of the operational orbit of Transit satellites and used solar power. The objectives of Transit-5E 2 were: to map, to a high accuracy, the Earth's magnetic field at orbital altitude; to map the celestial sphere in the ultraviolet region; to demonstrate operation of a new digital solar attitude detection system; and to determine sublimation rates of cadmium, magnesium, and silver-plated cadmium. But the satellite failed to reach orbit. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Gunter's Transit-5E 2 ;

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KH-7 7 / Gambit-1 7 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 7 / GAMBIT SV 957 / OPS 3743 ;  AFP-206 SV 957  Chronologies: 1964 payload #34 ; 1964-020A ; 386th spacecraft, 786th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 23 April 1964 at 16h48 UT, from Vendenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC-2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 351D / Agena D S01A 4805). Orbit: 150 km x 336 km x 103.6° 150 km x 336 km x 103.6° x 89.40 min Recovered: 29 April 1964 (5.2 days). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Atlas-Agena D booster combination from Point Arguello, Calif., with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: Seventh KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-020A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 143 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 29 / Zenit-2 #17 Spacecraft: Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 19 Chronologies: 1964 payload #35 ; 1964-021A ; 387th spacecraft, 791st space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 25 April 1964 at 10h19 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 204 km x 309 km x 65,4° x 89.52 min. 203 km x 292 km x 65.0° x 89.50 min. Recovered: 2 May 1964 (7 days). Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R launched Cosmos XXIX into orbit from unspecified site. Soviet press agency TASS said scientific equipment, radio systems, and onboard instrumentation were functionhg normally, and ground station was processing incoming information.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 29 was a 4,780-kg craft, the seventeenth first-generation, low-resolution photo surveillance satellite. Its film capsule was recovered after 8 days. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-021A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 149 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 74 / KH-4A 5 / CORONA 78 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1005 / CORONA J-8 / OPS 2921 Chronologies: 1964 payload #36 ; 1964-022A ; 388th spacecraft, 796th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 27 April 1964 at 23h24 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 395 / Agena D 1604). Orbit: 175 km x 445 km x 79.9° x 90.80 min. Recovered: 26 May 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster combination from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: This fifth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. This KH-4A mission failed since the recovery capsule impacted in Venezuela. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-022A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Space Review 18 Feb 08 ;  Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 151 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 30 / Zenit-4 #2 Spacecraft:  Zenit-4 No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #37 ; 1964-023A ; 389th spacecraft, 797th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 18 May 1964 at 9h50 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2/"Voskhod" (11A57). Orbit: 206.6 km x 383.1 km x 64.94° x 90.24 min. 206 km x 366 km x 64.9° x 90.30 min. Recovered: 26 May 1964. Mission: Historical reports: ”U.S.S.R. announced routine launching of Cosmos XXX satellite.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 30 was a 4,730-kg (or 6,300-kg) craft, the second second-generation, high-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. The film capsule was presumably recovered. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-023A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 180 ; Gunter's Zenit-4 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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KH-7 8 / Gambit-1 8 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 8 / GAMBIT SV 958 / OPS 3592 ; AFP-206 SV 958 Chronologies: 1964 payload #38 ; 1964-024A ; 390th spacecraft, 799th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 19 May 1964 at 19h21 UT, from Vendenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC-2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 350D / Agena D S01A 4806)). Orbit: 141 km x 380 km x 101.1° 141 km x 380 km x 101.1° x 89.70 min. Recovered: 22 May 1964 (2.9 days). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched an unidentified satellite aboard an Atlas-Agena D booster from Point Arguello, Calif.” * * * * * Current overview: Eighth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-024A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 182 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Apollo SA-5 Spacecraft:  Apollo BP-13 Chronologies: 1964 payload #39 ; 1964-025A ; 391stspacecraft, 800th space object catalogued. Type: Piloted Spaceship test Sponsor: NASA Launch: 28 May 1964 at 17h07 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-37B, by a Saturn I (SA-6). Orbit: 199.4 km x 225 km x 31.8° x 88.5 min. 179 km x 204 km x 31.7° x 88.20 min. Decayed: 31 May 1964 / 1 June 1964. Mission: Historical reports: Apollo SA-6 was an unmanned Saturn I launch vehicle development test flight, the first flight of a boilerplate model of an Apollo spacecraft. The primary objective was further qualification of the Saturn I launch vehicle and continued development of the technology necessary to build the more powerful Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles.      The Saturn 1 was a two-stage booster with an Apollo boilerplate (BP-13) Command and Service Module (CSM) attached to the S-IV second stage. The Command Module was an aluminum structure simulating the size, weight, shape, and center of gravity of a crewed Apollo capsule. It was a roughly 3.4 meters high conical structure with a base diameter of 3.9 meters, and was covered with cork insulation to prevent overheating. The Service Module was a 3.9-meter-diameter, 3.1-meter-long aluminum structure mounted beneath the Command Module. BP-13 remained to the S-IV second stage. It had a mass of 7,700 kg; the entire payload had a mass of 16,900 kg in orbit and was 24.4 meters long. The spacecraft was instrumented for 116 measurements such as strain, pressure, and acceleration and carried three telemetry systems.      After launch, one of the eight first-stage H-1 engines shut off 24 seconds early, but the remaining seven engines burned an additional two seconds to compensate, and the guidance system corrected for course deviations. The final orbital parameters for the upper stage and attached Apollo spacecraft were very close to those predicted. All spacecraft systems operated as planned during flight and telemetry was obtained from 106 measurements until end of battery life on the fourth orbit. Eight movie cameras, mounted on the Saturn I recorded propulsion and fuel operations, were ejected and recovered. The spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 June 1964 on its 50th orbit. * * * * * Current overview: Saturn I SA-4 flight was conducted successfully from Cape Kennedy, the huge two-stage launch vehicle boosting into orbit an Apollo boilerplate spacecraft attached to the S-IV second stage. Main purpose of the flight was further qualification of the Saturn I launch vehicle and continued development of technology necessary to build the more powerful Saturn IB and V launch vehicles,      The one malfunction in the flight was premature shutdown of one of the eight first-stage engines, cutting off 24 sec. early. Preliminary analysis of telemetry data indicated that the remaining seven H-1 engines burned additional two sec. to compensate for lost thrust of the eighth engine, and the Saturn 1’s guidance system corrected course deviations caused by the shutoff engine, so that orbital parameters came very close to those predicted.=      This was first Saturn I flight test of active guidance system to inject upper stage and attached Apollo spacecraft into orbit. Eight movie cameras mounted on the Saturn I to photograph propulsion and fuel operations were ejected and recovered.       The Saturn I SA-4 payloads, consisting of boilerplate Apollo spacecraft and S-IV second stage of the Saturn I vehicle, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Western Pacific Ocean on 31 May 1964 at about 20:30 EDT, during its 50th orbit of the eaith. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-025A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 192-3, 196 ; Gunter's Saturn SA-6, 7 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Transit 5C1 Spacecraft:  Transit VC, OPS 4412  Chronologies: 1964 payload #40 ; 1964-026A ; 393rd spacecraft, 801st space object catalogued. Type: Navigation Sponsor: U.S. Navy Source: A. Parsch Launch: 4 June 1964 at 3h51 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Point-Arguelto)'s LC-D, by a Scout (X-4 S125R). Orbit: 825 km x 898 km x 90.5° x 102.20 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched unidentified satellite payload aboard a Scout vehicle from Pt. Arguelto, Calif. Purpose of the shot was not announced.” * * * * * Current overview: Transit 5C-1 was a 54-kg navigation satellite which carried a nuclear power source. This “operational prototype”, similar to the 5A series but with some redesign to improve performance, operated successfully until 23 August 1965. The Transit system, also known as the Navy Navigation Satellite (NNS), was developed for updating the inertial navigation systems onboard U.S. Navy Polaris submarines.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-026A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 202 ; Gunter's Transit-5C 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Molniya-1 #1 Spacecraft:  Molniya-1 No 2 ; First Molniya ever launched. Chronologies: 1964 payload #41 ; 1964 9th loss ; 392nd sspacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 4 June 1964 at 5h00 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78 R103-34). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 4 June 1964. Mission: This first Molniya communications satellite, which are 1,600-kg spacecraft to be placed on highly eccentric, high-inclination orbit to provide services to high latitudes, failed to reach orbit. The ‘Molniya’ (8K78) launcher’s Block A main-core stage failed 104 seconds after lift-off, due to jamming of the servo-motored throttle and break down of the motor's circuit. The launcher and its payload were destroyed on impact downrange from the launch pad. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica 's 1964 Chronology ; Gunter's Molniya-1 ;

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Discoverer 75 / KH-4A 6 / CORONA 79 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1006 / CORONA J-9 / OPS 3483 Chronologies: 1964 payload #42 ; 1964-027A ; 394th spacecraft, 802nd space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 4 June 1964 at 22h59 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 403 / Agena D 1176). Orbit: 149 km X 429 km x 80.0° x 90.30 min. Recovered: 18 June 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched an unidentified satellite aboard a Thor-Agena D booster from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. ” * * * * * Current overview: This sixth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. This craft “produced the highest quality imagery attained to date from the KH-4 system.” Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-027A ; NRO's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 205 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT(1964) ;

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Kosmos 31 / DS-MT #2 Spacecraft:  DS-MT No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #43 ; 1964-028A ; 395th spacecraft, 803rd space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Spnsor: Soviet Union Launch: 6 June 1964 at 6h00 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 228 km x 508 km x 49° x 91.6 min. 221 km X 485 km x 48.9° x 91.70 min. Decayed: 20 Ocober 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. launched Earth satellite Cosmos XXXI.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 31 was a 325-kg DS-type satellites which were used for a wide range of military and scientific research and component proving tests. This DS-MT was developed to test electric gyrodyne orientation systems and to study variations in the intensity of cosmic rays. Completed operations date: 23 June 1964. The DS (‘Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik’) were small satellites built by Yangel's OKB-586 / KB Yuzhnoye in the Ukraine for launch by the same KB's Kosmos launch vehicles.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-028A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 205 ; Gunter's DS-MT ; NORAD's SATCAT(1964) ;

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Kosmos 32 / Zenit-2 #18 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 18 Chronologies: 1964 payload #44 ; 1964-029A ; 396th spacecraft, 807th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 10 June 1964 at 10h48 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 209 km x 333 km x 51.28° x 89.78 min  205 km x 322 km x 51.3° x 89.80 min. Recovered: 18 June 1964. Mission: Historical reports:  “TASS reported Soviet Union had launched Cosmos XXXII, latest satellite in series of launches initiated in March 1962. The satellite re-entered Earth’s atmosphere June 18.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 32 was a 4,730-kg craft, the eighteenth first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. It was recovered on 18 June 1964, after a 8-day flight.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-029A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 210 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 76 / KH-5 11 / CORONA 80 / ARGON 11 Spacecraft:  KH-5 9065A / ARGON 21 / OPS 3236 Chronologies: 1964 payload #45 ; 1964-030A ; 397th spacecraft, 811th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 13 June 1964 at 15h47 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 408 / Agena D 1606). Orbit: 352 km x 362 km x 114.9° x 91.70 min. Decayed: 2 June 1965. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster combination with unidentified satellite payload into a polar orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: The eleventh of the 1,500-kg KH-5 Argon series, which was the area survey component of the Corona program. Its camera has a ground resolution of 140 metres. The spacecraft remained fixed to the Agena stage, which provided three axis control and propulsion during the mission. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-030A; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 213 ; Gunter's KH-5 Argon ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Starflash 1A Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #46 ; 1964-030A ; 398th spacecraft, 811th space object catalogued. Type: Military Science & Technology? Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 13 June 1964 at 15h47 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 408 / Agena D 1606). Orbit: Decayed: 2 June 1965. Mission: Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-030A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 216 ; Gunter's KH-5 Argon ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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P-35-8 / DAPP 8 Spacecraft: OPS 4467A ; AFP-43 DAPP stands for Data Acquisition and Processing Program DSAP-1 stands for Defense Satellite Application Program Block 1 Chronologies: 1964 payload #47 ; 1964-031A ; 399th spacecraft, 812th space object catalogued. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense Launch: 18 June 1964 at 4h56 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2A 407 / Agena D 2304). Orbit: 812 km X 820 km s 99.8° x 101.20 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster from WTR with unidentified satellite payload. It was later disclosed that two satellites were orbited with one launch vehicle.” * * * * * Current overview: The DSAP-1 satellites series, also known as DAPP and P-35, was the first series of military meteorological satellites. Smaller and lighter than the original TIROS, these 130-kg TIROS-derived satellite were shaped like a 10-sided polyhedron, 58-cm across and 60-cm high. A vidicon camera would take a picture of a 2,000-kilometer-square area of the surface below, with the image recorded on tape for later transmission to the ground. The system provided 100 percent daily coverage of the Northern Hemisphere at latitudes above 60 degrees, and 55 percent coverage at the equator.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-031A ; JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 216 ; Gunter's DSAP-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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P-35-9 / DAPP 9 Spacecraft: OPS 4467B ; AFP-43 Data Acquisition and Processing Program Chronologies: 1964 payload #48 ; 1964-031C ; 400th spacecraft, 813th space object catalogued. Type: Technology Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense Launch: 18 June 1964 at 4h56 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2A 407 / Agena D 2304). Orbit: 814 km x 822 km x 99.8° x 101.30 min.  Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster from WTR with unidentified satellite payload. It was later disclosed that two satellites were orbited with one launch vehicle.”  * * * * * Current overview: The DSAP-1 satellites series, also known as DAPP and P-35, was the first series of military meteorological satellites. Smaller and lighter than the original TIROS, these 130-kg TIROS-derived satellite were shaped like a 10-sided polyhedron, 58-cm across and 60-cm high. A vidicon camera would take a picture of a 2,000-kilometer-square area of the surface below, with the image recorded on tape for later transmission to the ground. The system provided 100 percent daily coverage of the Northern Hemisphere at latitudes above 60 degrees, and 55 percent coverage at the equator.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-031C; JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 216 ; Gunter's DSAP-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 77 / KH-4A 7 / CORONA 81 Spacecraft: KH-4A 1007 / CORONA J-7 / OPS 3754 Chronologies: 1964 payload #49 ; 1964-032A ; 401st spacecraft, 814th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 19 June 1964 at 23h18 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 410 / Agena D 1609). Orbit: 180 km x 451 km x 85.0° x 90.90 min. Recovered: 16 July 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster from WTR with undisclosed satellite.” * * * * * Current overview: This seventh KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. There were some out of focus areas on some of the film. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-032A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 218 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 33 / Zenit-2 #19 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 20 Chronologies: 1964 payload #50 ; 1964-033A ; 402nd spacecraft, 816th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 23 June 1964 at 10h19 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 209 km x 293 km x 65° x 89.38 min. 205 km x 279 km x 64.9° x 89.40 min. Recovered: 1 or 2 July 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “TASS said Cosmos XXXIII carried scientific apparatus designed for investigation of space in accordance with program announced March 16, 1962, and onboard instrumentation was operating normally.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 33 was a 4,730-kg craft, the nineteenth first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. Its film capsule was recovered after 8 days. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-033A; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 220 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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ESRS / AFCRL B Spacecraft: ESRS stands for Environmental Sciences Research Satellite AFCLR stand for Air Force Cambridge Research Lab. Chronologies: 1964 payload #51 ; 1964 10th loss ; 403rd spacecraft. Type: Military Science & Technology Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Cambridge Research Lab Launch: 25 June 1964 at 1h40 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC-D, by a Scout (X-4 S128R). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 25 June 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Scout rocket launched by USAF from Pt. Arguello, Calif., exploded in flight.” * * * * * Current overview: ESRS was a 79-kg magnetospheric research satellite.  It failed to reach orbit when the second stage of the launch vehicle exploded.      Although details remain sketchy, it appears as if an experimental radar satellite program was started during the Kennedy administration. This program, known as Quill, produced three satellites: two flight models and a test model. One satellite was launched in 1964. It used a radar that was probably built by Raytheon to take images of the ground which were stored on magnetic tape. Quill used the same recovery system as the Corona reconnaissance satellite, returning the magnetic tape to Earth in a recoverable capsule that was caught in mid-air by an aircraft.      Apparently, the flight and the mission were successful, but the program was not continued. It is easy to speculate why. The satellite’s relatively low power and early technology undoubtedly limited its capabilities, particularly the size of objects it could spot. Quill could probably not spot anything smaller than a naval vessel. In addition, the data retrieval technique meant that information was not processed until long after it had been collected. The intelligence value was therefore probably too limited to justify further efforts. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's ENSAT ; Space Review's 22 Jan 07 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 222 ; Gunter's ESRS ;

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AC-3 / Atlas-Centaur 3 Spacecraft:  Centaur 1C Chronologies: 1964 payload #52 ; 1964 11th loss ; 404th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: NASA Launch: 30 June 1964 at 14h04 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-36A, by an Atlas-Centaur (Atlas LV-3C AC-3 / Centaur D 135D). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 30 June 1964. Mission: Third test flight of Atlas-Centaur, AC-3, failed to recah orbit because of the Centaur shorter engine burn, Atas-Centaur 3 reached speed of only 18,383 km/h instead of the 30,000 km/h which would have put it into orbit. (Payload mass was 4,815 kg.) Spent stage re-entered and impacted in Atlantic Ocean 4,354 km from Cape Kennedy.      However, NASA officials termed the test flight “highly successful from an engineering point of view.” Five of the six primary objectives were fully achieved: nose fairing and insulation panels withstood flight-loads and jettisoned properly; structural integrity of Atlas and Centaur stages during all phases of flight were verified; Atlas-Centaur separation operated satisfactorily; operation of the guidance system was demonstrated; and capability of Atlas-Centaur to be launched at scheduled time was demonstrated, the vehicle lifting off only four minutes after pre-planned launch time.       The sixth, partially-achieved objective was ignition and burn of Centaur stage’s two RL-10A3 liquid hydrogen engines: they ignited properly but cut off 127 sec. before programed 380 sec. burn time. Four seconds after engine ignition, hydraulic pump to engine actuators had failed, so that hydraulic system did not actuate the engine swiveling mechanism to maintain control of the stage during powered flight. The Centaur began to roll. Increasing roll motion forced propellant to side of propellant tanks, uncovering feed-line outlets; engine cut off after 253 sec. because of lack of fuel. Stage maintained its trajectory, however, and at programed cutoff time thk stage attitude control system regained roll control and remaining inflight events occurred as planned.       Grant Hansen, vice-preident of General Dynamics/Astronautics, which built Centaur, said examination of instrument readings from the flight indicated failure of a nylon coupling which joined two shafts in hydraulic system associated with one of Centaur’s two engines. Coupling seemed to have failed about four seconds after Centaur stage ignited. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's ATCEN3 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 234 ; Gunter's Centaur AC-1, 2, 3 ;

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Kosmos 34 / Zenit-4 #3 Spacecraft:  Zenit-4 No. 3 Chronologies: 1964 payload #53 ; 1964-034A ; 405th spacecraft, 822nd space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 1st July 1964 at 11h16 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2/"Voskhod" (11A57). Orbit: 205 km x 360 km x 64.96°x 90 min. 201 km x 342 km x 64.9° x 89.90 min. Recovered: 9 July 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Soviets launched Cosmos XXXIV artificial Earth satellite equipped for scientific study of outer space. It was part of program announced by TASS on March 16, 1962.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 34 was a 4,730-kg (or 6,300-kg) craft, the third second-generation, high-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. The film capsule was presumably recovered after 8 days. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-034A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 234 ; Gunter's Zenit-4; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Ferret 6 Spacecraft: OPS 3395 Chronologies: 1964 payload #54 ; 1964-035A ; 406th spacecraft, 824th space object catalogued. Type: Electronic intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 2 July 1964 at 23h59:56 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-5, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 409 / Agena D 2315). Orbit: 502 km x 520 km x 82.1° x 94.90 min. Decayed: 7 August 1969. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D space booster from WTR with undisclosed satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: A 1,500-kg electronic intelligence satellite (naval signals reconnaisance satellite). This ELINT satellites series, known for decades only as "Heavy Ferrets", are now known to be a program associated with the Samos (Satellite and Missile Observation System) project. This second series of Heavy Ferrets was called Samos-F3. The exact objective of these satellites is still unknown. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-035A; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 238 ; Gunter's Samos-F3 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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KH-7 9 / Gambit-1 9 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 9 / GAMBIT SV 959 / OPS 3684 ; AFP-206 SV 959 Chronologies: 1964 payload #55 ; 1964-036A ; 407th spacecraft, 825th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 6 July 1964 at 18h51 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC-2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 352D / Agena D S01A 4807). Orbit: 121 km x 346 km x 92.9° 121 km X 345 km x 92.9° x 89.10 min. Recovered: 8 July 1964 (2.0 days). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Atlas-Agena D space booster from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., with unidentified payload.” * * * * * Current overview: Ninth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Capsule presumably recovered after 2 days. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-036A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ;  Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 239 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD'sSATCAT (1964) ;

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Hitchhiker 5 / P-11 4301 Spacecraft:  OPS 4923 / EHH A3 / P-11 No. 4301  Chronologies: 1964 payload #56 ; 1964-036B ; 408th spacecraft, 826th space object catalogued. Type: Electronic intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 6 July 1964 at 18h51 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Point Arguello)'s LC-2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 352D / Agena D S01A 4807). Orbit: 156 km x 505 km x 92.9° x 91.10 min. Decayed: 3 January 1965. Mission: This 80-kg (or 60-kg) electronic intelligence satellite performed radar monitoring.  This is the fourth of the first series of so-called "Subsatellite Ferrets", low orbit ELINT satellites to pinpoint and characterize different radar emitters in the Soviet Union and Warsaw pact states. As the proper name of these satellite has not been disclosed yet, they are referred to as "Subsatellite Ferret A" (SSF-A). This series was also known as Program 11 or P-11. Note: “Reported in Astronuutics and Aerospace Engineering that a 'hitchhiker' satellite called Satar (Satellite-Aerospace Research) would be built and tested by General Dynamics. A bullet-shaped spacecraft 3.7-metre long and 75 cm in diameter, Satar would be incorporated in Atlas missiles used for training missions. It would consist of a payload section capable of accommodating “several hundred pounds of experiments” and a propulsion section including a solid-propellant motor, guidance, attitude control, and related equipment. Satar would be released after Atlas burnout and about 15 min. before its own engine ignited to send it into orbit. First flight was scheduled for next spring.” (A&A 1963, p. 455) Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-036B ; Gunter's P-11 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Elektron 3 Spacecraft:  2D No. 3 Chronologies: 1964 payload #57 ; 1964-038A ; 409th spacecraft, 829th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 10 July 1964 at 21h51 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 405 km x 7,040 km x 60.86°x 2 hr. 48 min. 408 km X 6,302 km x 60.9° x 159.30 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “Soviet news agency TASS said Electron III and Electron IV were studying the Earth‘s magnetic field and radiation belts, radiation arriving from deep space, and the physical conditions in the upper atmospheric layers.” * * * * * Current overview: Elektron 3 was a 350-kg Earth/space sciences satellite similar to Elektron 1. It was launched with Elektron 4 in order to perform simultaneous investigation of the external and internal zones of the Earth's radiation belt. Electron 3 was placed into an eccentric orbit that enabled it to study the internal zone of the radiation belt. The spacecraft had a cylindrical body that was 0.75 m in diameter and 1.3 m long and from which antennas and solar cell panels were extended. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-038A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 245 ; Gunter's Elektron 1, 3 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Elektron 4 Spacecraft:  2D No. 4 Chronologies: 1964 payload #58 ; 1964-038B ; 410th spacecraft, 830th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 10 July 1964 at 21h51 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 459 km x 66,235 km x 60.86° x 21 hr. 54 min. 447 km x 66,269 km x 60.8° x 1,313.80 min. Decayed: 12 October 1983. Mission: Historical reports: “Soviet news agency TASS said Electron III and Electron IV were studying the Earth‘s magnetic field and radiation belts, radiation arriving from deep space, and the physical conditions in the upper atmospheric layers.” * * * * * Current overview: Elektron 4 was a 445-kg Earth/space sciences satellite similar to Elektron 2. It was launched with Elektron 3 in order to perform simultaneous investigation of the external and internal zones of the Earth's radiation belt. Electron 4 was placed into an eccentric orbit that enabled it to study the internal zone of the radiation belt. The spacecraft had a cylindrical body that was 0.75 m in diameter and 1.3 m long and from which antennas and solar cell panels were extended. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-038B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 245 ; Gunter's Elektron 2, 4 ; NORAD's SATCAT(1964) ;

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Discoverer 78 / KH-4A 8 / CORONA 82 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1008 / CORONA J-10 / OPS 3491 Chronologies: 1964 payload #59 ; 1964-037A ; 411th spacecraft, 828th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 10 July 1964 at 23h15 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 404 / Agena D 1177). Orbit: 173 km x 346 km x 84.9° x 89.70 min. Recovered: 6 August 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched unidentified satellite toward polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB with Thor-Agena D launch vehicle.” * * * * * Current overview: This eighth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. The cameras operated satisfactorily, but some light leaks occurred. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-037A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona :  Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 244 ; Gunter's KH-5 Argon ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 35 / Zenit-2 #20 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 21 Chronologies: 1964 payload #60 ; 1964-039A ; 412th spacecraft, 833rd space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 15 July 1964 at 11h31 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodroem's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 217 km x 268 km x 51.3° x 89.2 min. 218 km x 258 km s 51.3° x 89.20 min. Recovered: 23 July 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Cosmos XXXV, carrying scientific equipment for space studies, was reported to be functioning normally.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 35 was a 4,730-kg craft, the twentieth first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. Its film was presumably recovered after 8 days. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-039A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 249 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Vela Hotel 3 / Vela 2A Spacecraft:  OPS 3662 ; Vela means "watchman" in Spanish. Chronologies: 1964 payload #61 ; 1964-040A ; 413th spacecraft, 836th space object catalogued. Type: Nuclear explosion monitoring Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 17 July 1964 at 8h22 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-13, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 216D / Agena D 1802). Orbit: 101,872 km s 104,448 km 102,500 km x 104,101 km x 39.1° x 6,024.80 min. (4.18 days) Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Atlas-Agena D booster from Cape Kennedy with triple-satellite payload. Press sources reported the booster orbited two DOD Nuclear Radiation Detection Satellites (NRDS) and a 2-kg tetrahedral satellite. The three satellites were reported to be injected initially into elliptical orbits ranging from 190 to 105,000 km altitudes. Ground command signal maneuvered one NRDS into 105,000 km circular orbit, and similar maneuver was planned for the other NRDS two days later. Unofficially nicknamed ”Sentries,” the twin radiation detectors were said to be similar, with minor exceptions, to the first pair, reported to have been successfully launched October 1963.”      On 18 August 1964, ARPA Director Dr. R. L. Sproull said the nuclear detection satellites were operating “without a hitch.” He described the sateIlites as “experimental”, said they were being used “to determine the most appropriate sensors and the most attractive modes of processing information from them.” He said the success of first launch (October 1963) enabled ARPA to revise the program with fewer launches. The satellites were still operating “excellently” and providing information on radiation.      On 29 January 1965, AEC said in its Annual Report to Congress that the United States now had four Vela satellites in distant orbits to detect nuclear explosions in space. Two more would be launched this year. * * * * * Current overview: Vela 2A was one of two 144-kg (or 220-kg) satellites which monitor nuclear weapons explosions in space, designed to monitor worldwide compliance with the 1963 nuclear test ban treaty. They were the second pair in a series of six Vela spacecraft launched. The orbits of the Vela were circular at about 17 Earth radii and spaced 180° apart. The spacecraft were 20-sided polyhedrons with body-mounted solar cells and 12 external X-ray detectors and 18 internal neutron and gamma-ray detectors. The satellites also studied x-rays, gamma-rays, neutrons, magnetic fields and charged particles over a wide range of energies from solar wind to cosmic ray as the satellites passed through interplanetary space, the bow shock, the magnetosheath and the magnetotail. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-040A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 252-3, 262, 290 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 39-40 ; Gunter's Vela 1 to 6 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Vela Hotel 4 / Vela 2B Spacecraft:  OPS 3674 ; Vela means "watchman" in Spanish. Chronologies: 1964 payload #62 ; 1964-040B ; 414th spacecraft, 837th space object catalogued. Type: Nuclear explosion monitoring Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 17 July 1964 at 8h22 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-13, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 216D / Agena D 1802). Orbit: 94,425 km x 111,644 km 92,103 km x 114,000 km x 40.8° x 6,004.30 min. (4.17 days) Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Atlas-Agena D booster from Cape Kennedy with triple-satellite payload. Press sources reported the booster orbited two DOD Nuclear Radiation Detection Satellites (NRDS) and a 2-kg tetrahedral satellite. The three satellites were reported to be injected initially into elliptical orbits ranging from 190 to 105,000 km altitudes. Ground command signal maneuvered one NRDS into 105,000 km circular orbit, and similar maneuver was planned for the other NRDS two days later. Unofficially nicknamed ”Sentries,” the twin radiation detectors were said to be similar, with minor exceptions, to the first pair, reported to have been successfully launched October 1963.”      On 18 August 1964, ARPA Director Dr. R. L. Sproull said the nuclear detection satellites were operating “without a hitch.” He described the sateIlites as “experimental”, said they were being used “to determine the most appropriate sensors and the most attractive modes of processing information from them.” He said the success of first launch (October 1963) enabled ARPA to revise the program with fewer launches. The satellites were still operating “excellently” and providing information on radiation.      On 29 January 1965, AEC said in its Annual Report to Congress that the United States now had four Vela satellites in distant orbits to detect nuclear explosions in space. Two more would be launched this year. * * * * * Current overview: Vela 2B was one of two 144-kg (or 220-kg) satellites which monitor nuclear weapons explosions in space, designed to monitor worldwide compliance with the 1963 nuclear test ban treaty. They were the second pair in a series of six Vela spacecraft launched. The orbits of the Vela were circular at about 17 Earth radii and spaced 180° apart. The spacecraft were 20-sided polyhedrons with body-mounted solar cells and 12 external X-ray detectors and 18 internal neutron and gamma-ray detectors. The satellites also studied x-rays, gamma-rays, neutrons, magnetic fields and charged particles over a wide range of energies from solar wind to cosmic ray as the satellites passed through interplanetary space, the bow shock, the magnetosheath and the magnetotail. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-040B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 252-3, 255, 262, 290 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 39-40 ; Gunter's Vela 1 to 6 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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ERS 13 / TRS 6 Spacecraft:  TRS 2(B) / TRS Mk.2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #63 ; 1964-040C ; 415th spacecraft, 838th space object catalogued. Type: Military Science & Technology Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 17 July 1964 at 8h22 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-13, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 216D / Agena D 1802). Orbit: 217 km x 104,665 km x 36.7° x 2,366.20 min. (1.6 day) Decayed: 1 July 1966? Mission: Historical reports: “Press sources reported the booster orbited two DOD Nuclear Radiation Detection Satellites (NRDS) and a 2-kg tetrahedral satellite. The three satellites were reported to be injected initially into elliptical orbits ranging from 190 to 105,000 km altitudes where the “Pygmy,” designed to measure electrons in the Van Allen belts, continued to orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: TRS 6 / ERS 13 was a 12-kg navigation technology satellite. From 1962, the U.S. Air Force launched a series very small technology satellites called ERS (Environmental Research Satellites) and built by TRW Systems Group for the United States Air Force Office of Aerospace Research (AFOAR). ERS 13 carried omni-directional radiation detectors to measure electron and proton levels in order to determine the intensity of charged particles in the magnetosphere. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-040C ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1964, p. 252-3 ; Gunter's TRS Mk.2 (ERS) ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Ranger 7 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #64 ; 1964-041A ; 416th spacecraft, 842nd space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Moon) Sponsor: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Launch: 28 July 1964 at 16h50 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-12, by an Atlas-Agena B (Atlas LV-3A 250D / Agena B 6009). Orbit: Earth-Moon trajectory. Impacted on the Moon: 31 July 1964.  Mission: Historical reports: Ranger VII is a 365-kg lunar probe which carried six television cameras to take closeup pictures of the Moon. Earth-Moon flight took 68 hours and 36 minutes, with the pictures taken during the last 15 minutes before craft impacted. Ranger VII’s launching was so accurate that, even without the standard midcourse correction maneuver, the probe would had hit the Moon. However, scientists wanted pictures of the Sea of Clouds region and made on 29 July a midcourse correction to put the craft on its final collision course.      On 31 July 1964, Ranger VII successfully completed an historic mission by taking 4,316 high-quality close-range photographs of the Moon, in an area northwest of the Sea of Clouds. The closest pictures were snapped 2.3 sec. before impact, at 10.7° south latitude and 20.7° longitude. All six onboard cameras worked properly, sending back photographs of the Moon that improved the resolution of lunar detail as seen from the Earth by a factor of a thousand.      After 68.6 hours of flight, Ranger 7 impacted in an area between Mare Nubium and Oceanus Procellarum  at 10.63° South latitude and 20.60° West longitude. Impact occurred at 13:25:48.82 UT at a velocity of 9,500 km/h. The spacecraft performance was excellent, returning 4,308 photos.      At news conference on preliminary results, Dr. Gerard P. Kuiper, principal experimenter, said: “I would say, in summing up, that the new region of knowledge is in a true sense an extension of the earlier knowledge. I think it shows that the craters continue to occur down to sizes of about three feet [one meter] in diameter, about one foot [30 cm] depth. This clearly implies that we are not dealing here with enormous layers of dust, of very. loose dust, that is, very loose material, where one would not expect any small features to be visible at all. It is not like sand, in other words.…” (See the 1964 video “Lunar Bridgehead: The Ranger 7 Story”.)      On 1st August 1964, Homer Newell, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, reports that Ranger 7’s principal investigators, Dr. Gerard Kuiper and Dr. Eugene M. Shoemaker, had tentatively concluded that “because there exists such sharp little craters here on the surface, this indicates that there is not a deep layer of dust in this area. There would be expected to be a layer of dust on the lunar surface… there has been much speculation about how deep it would be.… Some people had speculated as much as a thousand feet [300 meters]. Many as much as 30 or 4o feet [10 meters]. Others had said no, it can’t be. And those who said no, it can’t be, Dr. Shoemaker now thinks were right. At least as far as this area is concerned.”  He adds that: “… as far as the Apollo Program is concerned, it confirms that the basic assumptions that they were making about the sort of surface we are going to have to land on is probably correct.”  Dr. Newell also stated that Ranger 7 “amounts to a big jump in lunar science equivalent to the jump that occurred when Galileo turned the telescope on the heavens.”      Ranger 7 marked the first successful mission from the United States to explore the moon and produced the first close-up photos of the Moon. The achievement was an important step in the ‘space race’ between the United States and Soviet Union because, for the first time, U.S. feels ahead of U.S.S.R. in an important aspect of the race.  President Johnson echoed this sentiment when he declared:    “We started behind in space. We were making many apologies just a few years ago. We had our failures, but we kept our faith in the ways of freedom, and we did not follow the easy or the inexpensive course. We know this morning that the United States has achieved fully the leadership we have sought for free men… I think we can say this morning that this is a victory for peaceful civilian international cooperation in this hour of frustration, when so many people are getting upset at some minor disappointments.”      On a 5 August 1964 briefing, Dr. Gerard Kuiper adds about the nature of the lunar surface: “It is not just a loose pile of sand, dust. It has considerable stiffness. it is sort of like snow or a biscuit, a cracker. N evertheless, it looks as if the Moon may have considerable bearing strength. That, however, is something which must be measured with separate equipment. However, we can say that there are not enormous depths, which would simply not have permitted formation of the sharp little craters as we observe them.”      On 28 August 1964, NASA presented Ranger VII press briefing in which refined flight data were announced.  Ranger VII impaced on the moon within 19 sec. and 10 km of the planned time and target.  It launded in one of the rays from the crater Tycho. Dr. Eugene M. Shoemaker and Dr. Gerard P. Kuiper expressed opinion that the crater rays were lava flows.  Dr. Kuiper stated the impact area was not typical of the lunar surface. Of the Ranger VII lunar photographs, he revealed that the photographs resolved objects down to 25-to 40 cm, and the resolution was considered 1,000 times better than the very best Earth-based observation and 5,000 times better than routine Earth-based observation. On the question of the nature of the lunar surface, no firm conclusion was drawn.      Responding to criticism, Dr. Gerard P. Kuiper, director of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory of the Univ. of Arizona and principal scientific investigator on the Ranger project, replied: “Ranger was the U.S. pioneering program of deep-space research and accomplished much more than getting the 4,300 lunar photographs. It established the worth and feasibility of the ‘parking orbit’ and other concepts of space ballistics, power supply, and communication, as well as preparation for Mars and Venus probes… The cost of the 4,300 lunar records is therefore not the full $270 million (which moreover includes Rangers VIII and IX, not yet flown) but, say, $50-$100 million. No ground-based effort, even with the 7½-10-m telescope costing over $100 million, would, even in the absence of our disturbing atmosphere, have yielded 100th of the magnification (resolution) obtained in Ranger VII. I definitely know of no better and cheaper way to get high-resolution photographs…”      On 18 February 1965, Dr. George E. hlueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, reports: “Regarding the lunar surface. the data from Ranger VII have been very helpful. The large area photography has indicated the probability that there are many areas of the moon’s surface where the design of the lunar excursion module is adequate with respect to surface slope and roughness…”  Notes: Total research, development, launch, and support costs for the Ranger series of spacecraft (Rangers 1 through 9) was approximately $170 million. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-041A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 263, 264, 267, 271-2, 275-6, 298-9 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 4, 80 ; Videos: “Lunar Bridgehead: The Ranger 7 Story” & “Ranger 7 'Meets' the Moon” (1964) ; Gunter's Block III ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 43 ;

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Kosmos 36 / DS-P1-Yu #1 Spacecraft:  DS-P1-Yu No. 1 Chronologies: 1964 payload #65 ; 1964-042A ; 417th spacecraft, 844th space object catalogued. Type: Radar Calibration Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 30 July 1964 at 3h36 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 259 km x 503 km x 49° x 91.9 min. 253 km x 488 km x 49.0° x 92.00 min. Decayed: 28 February 1965. Mission: Historical reports: “The U.S.S.R. launched another Earth satellite, Cosmos XXXVI.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 36 was a 325-kg target satellite used to calibrate space surveillance and early warning radars. The DS-P1-Yu series was the operational follow-on of the DS-P1. They were used to calibrate the Dnestr space surveillance and early warning radars. They were built on a dodecahedral structure, which carried solar cells and were covered by a spherical mesh reflector transparent for light-region waves and non-transparent for decimetric and metric radio waves. Kosmos 36 was the first of the 79 DS-P1-Yu satellites that were launched between 1964 and 1976. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-042A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 265 ; Gunter's DS-P1-Yu ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 79 / KH-4A 9 / CORONA 83 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1009 / CORONA J-12 / OPS 3042 Chronologies: 1964 payload #66 ; 1964-043A ; 418th sspacecraft, 846th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 5 August 1964 at 23h1 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 413 / Agena D 1605). Orbit: 182 km x 436 km x 80.0° x 90.70 min. Recovered: 1 September 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF announced launching of Thor-Agena D space booster from Vandenberg AFB with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: This ninth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. Spacecraft’s cameras operated successfully and film capsule was presumably recovered after four weeks. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-043A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 265 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 37 / Zenit-2 #21 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 22 Chronologies: 1964 payload #67 ; 1964-044A ; 419th spacecraft, 848th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry (NROP Launch: 14 August 1964 at 9h36 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 205 km x 300 km x 65° x  89.45 min. 208 km x 240 km x 64.9°x 88.90 min. Recovered: 22 August 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “TASS said Cosmos XXXVII contained scientific equipment intended for carrying on space research according to program announced March 16, 1962.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 37 was a 4,730-kg craft, the twenty-first first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. Its film was presumably recovered. The film capsule was recovered after 8 days. The program was partially complete because there was a break in the film of the SA-10 camera. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-044A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 294 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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KH-7 10 / Gambit-1 10 Spacecraft: KH-7 no. 10 / GAMBIT SV 960 / OPS 3802 ; AFP-206 SV 960 Chronologies: 1964 payload #68 ; 1964-045A ; 420th spacecraft, 850th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office Launch: 14 August 1964 at 22h00 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-2-4, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas 7101 / Agena D S01A 4808). Orbit: 149 km x 307 km x 95.5°  165 km x 300 km x 95.4° x 89.10 min. Recovered: 23 August 1964 (8.8 days). Mission: Historical reports: “Two satellites were orbited with a single Atlas-Agena D booster, launched by USAF from WTR.” * * * * * Current overview: Tenth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-045A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 227, 281-2, 294 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Hitchhiker 6  / P-11 4202 Spacecraft: OPS 3316 / P-11 No. 4202 Chronologies: 1964 payload #69 ; 1964-045B ; 421st spacecraft, 851st space object catalogued. Type: Electronic Intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 14 August 1964 at 22h00 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-2-4, by an Atlas-AgenaD (Atlas 7101 / Agena D S01A 4808). Orbit: 272 km x 3,751 km x 95.7° x 127.40 min. Decayed: 8 March 1979. Mission: Historical reports: “Two satellites were orbited with single Atlas-Agena D booster, launched by USAF from WTR.” * * * * Current overview: This P 11 was a 79-kg satellite which carried six experiments, including spectrometers and Geiger tubes to measure electrons and protons in various energy ranges, a Faraday cup, a VLF experiment and a magnetometer. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-045B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 294 ; Gunter's P-11 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 38 / Strela-1 #1 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #70 ; 1964-046A ; 422nd spacecraft, 853rd space object catalogued. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 18 August 1964 at 9h21 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-41, by a Kosmos C-1 (65S3). (First Kosmos C ever launched.) Orbit: 210 km x 876 km x 56.16° x 95.2 min. 203 km x 766 km x 56.1° x 94.30 min. Decayed: 8 November 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. launched into orbit three Earth satellites - Cosmos XXXVIII, Cosmos XXXIX, and Cosmos XL - with a single booster rocket of a new type,” TASS said. [It was actually the first launch of the ‘Kosmos C’ booster and of Strela communications sateliites.] * * * * * Current overview: First trio of 50-kg (or 70-kg) Strela-1 store/dump satellites devoted to military and government communications. The system was use to relay traffic between the Russian Federation and overseas stations or forces. Strela recorded radio messages transmitted by Russian intelligence agents worldwide and relayed them when flying over Moscow.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-046A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 290 ; Gunter's Stela-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 39 / Strela-1 #2 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #71 ; 1964-046B ; 423rd spacecraft, 854th space object catalogued. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 18 August 1964 at 9h21 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-41, by a Kosmos C-1 (65S3). (First Kosmos C ever launched.) Orbit: 210 km x 876 km x 56.16° x 95.2 min. 205 km X 792 km X 56.1° X 94.60 min. Decayed: 17 November 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. launched into orbit three Earth satellites - Cosmos XXXVIII, Cosmos XXXIX, and Cosmos XL - with a single booster rocket of a new type,” TASS said. [It was actually the first launch of the ‘Kosmos C’ booster and of Strela communications sateliites.] * * * * * Current overview: First trio of 50-kg (or 70-kg) Strela-1 store/dump satellites devoted to military and government communications. The system was use to relay traffic between the Russian Federation and overseas stations or forces. Strela recorded radio messages transmitted by Russian intelligence agents worldwide and relayed them when flying over Moscow.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-046B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 290  Gunter's Stela-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 40 / Strela-1 #3 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #72 ; 1964-046C ; 424th spacecraft, 855th space object catalogued. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 18 August 1964 at 9h21 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-41, by a Kosmos C-1 (65S3). (First Kosmos C ever launched.) Orbit: 210 km x 876 km x 56.16° x 95.2 min. 206 km x 737 km x 56.1° x 94.10 min. Decayed: 18 November 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. launched into orbit three Earth satellites - Cosmos XXXVIII, Cosmos XXXIX, and Cosmos XL - with a single booster rocket of a new type,” TASS said. [It was actually the first launch of the ‘Kosmos C’ booster and of Strela communications sateliites.] * * * * * Current overview: First trio of 50-kg (or 70-kg) Strela-1 store/dump satellites devoted to military and government communications. The system was use to relay traffic between the Russian Federation and overseas stations or forces. Strela recorded radio messages transmitted by Russian intelligence agents worldwide and relayed them when flying over Moscow. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-046C ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 290 ; Gunter's Stela-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Syncom 3 Spacecraft:  Syncom C Syncom is the contraction of synchronous-orbit communications satellite. Chronologies: 1964 payload #73 ; 1964-047A ; 425th spacecraft, 858th space object catalogued. Type: Communications Sponsor: NASA Launch: 19 August 1964 at 12h15 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-17A, by a DeltaDSV-3D (Thor Delta D 417 / Delta 25). Orbit: Geosynchronous at 180° East longitude (over the Pacific). Initial: 1,118 km x 38,093 km x 16° x 11 hr. 35 min. 20 Aug 64: 34,167 km x 37,892 km x 0,25° x 24 hr. 9 mm. Operating: 35,792 km x 35,792 km x 0.1° x 1,436.20 min. 23 Sep 64: 35,662 km x 35,898 km x 0.095° x 1,436.158 min.  Decayed: Forever in orbit. Mission: Historical reports: Syncom 3 was a 68-kg communications satellite, the first true geostationary satellite. (The earlier geosynchronous Syncom 2 had an orbit inclined to the equator as all contact with Syncom 1 was lost as it reached geoyncrhonous orbit.)      Four hours after its launch, Syncom III received and sent back a test recording of music of “The Star Spangled Banner” as well as test voice and teletype message. Work was underway to make it possible to transmit the 1964 Olympic Games from Tokyo via Syncom III in October 1964.      On 2 September 1964, Syncom II and Syncom III crossed paths at the equator at about 162° East longitude over the Pacific Ocean. Syncom III was drifting toward International Date Line, at rate of 3.3° per day as Syncom II was moving in figure-8 pattern 33° north and south of the equator.      On 10 September 1964, Syncom III arrived at is geosynchronous position, reaching the International Date Line (180’). On 11 September,the satellite was positioned into near-perfect stationary orbit over the Pacific Ocean. Final corrective maneuvers were completed, and the communications satellite appeared to hang motionless in space above the equator and International Date Line, where it could transmit radio and television signals between Japan and California.      On 23 September 1964, NASA announced Syncom III was now in such a precise orbit that its rotational speed was only five seconds slower than that of the Earth. Positioned over the equator at 35,900 km altitude, the satellite drifted less than 1/100th of a degree per day. Spokesman for Communications Satellite Corp. announced Syncom III was successfully relaying test pictures across the Pacific and their quality was “much better than expected.”       On 7 October 1964, inauguration of Syncom III communications link from Tokyo to receiving station at Pt. Mugu, Calif., for transmission to U.S. television stations. Special program featured pre-taped appearances by President Lyndon B. Johnson who called the new comsat link an opening of “new vistas of friendship and understanding in the fields of education, cultural exchange, business and entertainment.” ComSatCorp officials were said to be pleased with quality of reception.      On 10 October 1964, opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Tokyo were telecast live in U.S. via ComSatCorp’s communications link using Syncom III. Telecast was deIayed on West Coast and taped for later showing by NBC, which said it was avoiding interference with commercial programing. Japan was reported to have expressed disappointment to U.S. State Dept., and State Dept. in turn was said to be “deeply concerned” over the procedure.      On 1st January 1965, operation of Syncom II and Syncom III communications satellites was transferred to DOD by NASA, which had completed its R&D experiments. Telemetry and command stations and range and rangerate equipment operated by NASA for the Syncom program would be transferred to DOD along with the satellites. DOD had furnished the communications ground stations used to relay transmissions via the two Syncoms for the past two years and would provide NASA with certain telemetry and ranging data of continuing scientific and engineering interest. Syncom III was to prove useful in DOD’s Vietnam communications.      On 3 January 1965, NASA reports that more than 50 million Europeans -- including viewers behind the Iron Curtain -- had received same-day transmission of the Tokyo Olympic Games via U.S. satellites Syncom III and Relay I in October 1964.      On 19 February 1965, Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, reports: “Having completed our experiments with Syncoms II and III, we are turning them over to the Department of Defense… If required, full-time communications could be provided between the United States and southeast Asia by Syncom III…”      Transfer of control of Syncom II and Syncom III from NASA to DOD was completed on 8 July 1965, under direction of the Defense Communications Agency. Syncom II would be maintained at a position between 60° and 80° east longitude; Syncom III would be positioned between 170° and 174° east longitude. NASA would continue to receive reports on the telemetry from the two satellites from DOD and would continuously evaluate their performance in space. ***** Current overview: Syncom 3 was an experimental satellite placed over the equator at 180° longitude in the Pacific Ocean. It provided live television coverage of the 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan and conducted various communications tests. The Syncom satellites were 71 cm diameter, 39 cm high cylinders and, fully fueled, it has a mass of 68 kg. Its exterior was covered with 3840 solar cells which 29 watts.      Syncom 3 was used in a variety of communications tests, including the transmission of the Olympics, transmissions between the Philippines, USNS Kingsport, and Camp Roberts, California, and teletype transmissions to an aircraft on the San Francisco-Honolulu route. Satellite operations were turned over to the Department of Defense on 1 January 1965 and it was operated by the DoD through 1966. It was turned off in April 1969. The craft completed is operations Date on 29 December 1974.      Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 64° West in 1964, than at 180°  East in 1964; than at 25° West in 1965 and at 165° East in 1966-1969. Last known longitude (6 December 1974): 6.08° West, drifting at 0.188° West per day. Notes: Syncom III was launched by the first Thrust-Augmented Delta (TAD). It was injected into an elliptical orbit inclined 16° to the equator. Its apogee motor was fired to remove most of the remaining inclination and to provide a circular near-synchronous orbit of 35,670 km x 35,908 km. The spacecraft next carried out a series of attitude and velocity maneuvers to align itself with the equator at an inclination of 0.1° and to slow its speed so it drifted West to the planned location at 180 degrees longitude where its speed at altitude was synchronized with the Earth. These maneuvers were completed by 23 September 1964. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-047A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 291, 292, 294, 198, 305, 311, 314, 326, 343, 347 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 1, 3, 85, 319 ; Gunter's Syncom 1, 2, 3 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 80 / KH-5 / CORONA 84 / ARGON 12 Spacecraft:  KH-5 9066A / ARGON 22 / OPS 2739 Chronologies: 1964 payload #74 ; 1964-048A ; 426th spacecraft, 864st space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 21 August 1964 at 15h45 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 412 / Agena D 1603). Orbit: 351 km x 363 km x 114.9° x 91.70 min. 351 km x 363 km x 114.9° x 91.70 min. Recovered: 31 March 1965. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF announced it had launched Thor-Agena D satellite booster from Vandenbergm.” * * * * * Current overview: The twenfth and last of the 1,500-kg KH-5 Argon series, which was the area survey component of the Corona program. Its camera has a ground resolution of 140 metres. The spacecraft remained fixed to the Agena stage, which provided three axis control and propulsion during the mission. The area survey function was later into the KH-4B satellites. Fifteen percent of the stellar film was degraded by flare. There was image smearing on the leading edge of the main camera film. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-048A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  294 ; Gunter's KH-5 Argon ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Starflash 1B Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #75 ; 1964-048B ; 427th spacecraft. Type: Military Science & Technology? Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 21 August 1964 at 15h45 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 412 / Agena D 1603). Orbit: 196 km x 200 km x 115.0° x 88.50 min. Decayed: Mission: Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-048B ; Gunter's KH-5 Argon ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 41 / Molniya-1 #2 Spacecraft:  Molniya-1 (Second Molniya launched) Chronologies: 1964 payload #76 ; 1964-049E ; 428th spacecraft, 898th space object catalogued. Type: Communications Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 22 August 1964 at 7h12 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78 R103-36). Orbit: 394 km x 39,855 km x 64°x 11 hr. 55 min. 1,023 km x 39,169 km x 68.4° x 714.50 min. Decayed: 9 April or 7 May 2004. Mission: Current overview: First successful launch of the 1,500-kg communictions satellite that was placed into an ingenious, highly eccentric, 12-hr., high inclnation orbit that Is now called a ‘Molniya-type orbit’ and which provided about 8 hours of visibility for virtually all of the Soviet Union and polar latitudes. Unfortunately, the failure of the antennae to deploy means the spacecraft was only be tested in a limited manner and couln't be used for the planned relay of television.      The Molniya launch started with the orbiting of a Tyazheliy Sputnik (TS), an orbital platform used for deep space missions. As the TS approached Africa on the first revolution, it was fired to place Molniya into an elliptical orbit which allowed it to pass close to the Earth in the Southern Hemisphere but to climb at a slowing rate over the Soviet Union. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-049D ; Spacewarn No. 606 &  607 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  294 ; Gunter's Molniya-1 ; NORAD'sSATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 42 / Strela-1 #4 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #77 ; 1964-050A ; 429th spacecraft, 864th space object catalogued. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union Defense ministry Launch: 22 August 1964 at 11h02 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 232-km x 1,099 km x 49° x 97.8 min. 228 km x 1,105 km x 48.9° x 98.10 min. Decayed: 19 December 1965. Mission: Current overview: First of the two 50-kg store/dump satellites devoted to military and government communications. The system was use to relay traffic between the Russian Federation and overseas stations or forces. Strela recorded radio messages transmitted by Russian intelligence agents worldwide and relayed them when flying over Moscow. Source: Jonathan McDowell'sMaster List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-050A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  294 ; Gunter's Stela-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 43 / Strela-1 #5 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #78 ; 1964-050B ; 430th spacecraft, 867th space object catalogued. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 22 August 1964 at 11h02 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 232-km x 1,099 km x 49° x 97.8 min. 227 km x 1,093 km x 48.9° x 98.00 min. Decayed: 27 December 1965. Mission: Current overview: Second of the two 50-kg store/dump satellites devoted to military and government communications. The system was use to relay traffic between the Russian Federation and overseas stations or forces. Strela recorded radio messages transmitted by Russian intelligence agents worldwide and relayed them when flying over Moscow. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-050B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  294 ; Gunter's Stela-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Explorer 20 / IE-A / TOPSI Spacecraft:  NASA S-48  IE A stands for Ionospheric Explorer A and TOPSI stands for Top Side Explorer. Chronologies: 1964 payload #79 ; 1964-051A ; 431st spacecraft, 867th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 25 August 1964 at 13h43 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-D, by a Scout (X-4 S134R). Orbit: 870 km x 1,005 km x 80°x 104 min. 857 km x 999 km x 79.9° x 103.60 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: Explorer XX, the ionosphere Explorer satellite nicknamed “Topsi,” immediately began mapping the ionosphere and sending data back to Earth. The findings of this satellite would be compared with those obtained by Alouette, the Canadian-developed “topside sounder.”      On 23 October 1964, NASA launched a Javelin (Argo D-4) sounding rocket from Wallop Island, Va., with 40 kg of payload containing instrumentation to measure low-level cosmic radio noise. The experiment was timed to coincide with passage of Explorer XX, which investigated cosmic noise source at wavelengths which do not penetrate to Earth because of shielding effect of ionosphere. The Javelin was sent up through the region of the satellite about 15 minutes after Explorer XX had passed through the area at about 1,050 km altitude. During the flight, 18 min. of scientific data were telemetered from rocket payload, which reached 1,060 km altitude before impacting in the ocean. Preliminary analysis indicated flight results were good. * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 20 was a 44-kg Earth/space sciences satellite for Ionospheric research. It was designed to measure electron distribution, ion density and temperature, and to estimate cosmic noise levels between 2 and 7 MHz. It carried a six-frequency ionospheric sounder, an ion probe and a cosmic noise experiment used the noise signal from the sounder receivers. The satellite consisted of a short cylinder terminated on either end by truncated cones. The ion probe, mounted on a short boom, extended from the upper cone. The six sounding antennas (3 dipoles) extended from the satellite equator. One pair of 18.28 meters antennas formed the dipole used for the low frequencies, and the other two dipoles consisted of four 9.14 meters antennas.       Even though there were problems with telemetry and interference, the experiments operated satisfactorily for about 16 months. A large spacecraft plasma sheath prevented the ion probe data from being useful in spite of attempts to compensate. For this spacecraft, the 1-yr automatic satellite turnoff was disconnected just prior to launch. The satellite responses to command signals were not dependable after December 20, 1965, and the satellite transmitter, which was often spuriously turned on, did not respond to a turnoff command.  Source: Jonathan McDowell'sMaster List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-051A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  296, 360-1 ; Gunter's Explorer: IE A ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Nimbus 1 Spacecraft:  Nimbus A Chronologies: 1964 payload #80 ; 1964-052A ; 432nd spacecraft, 872nd space object catalogued. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: NASA Launch: 28 August 1964 at 7h57 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Agena B (Thor 399 / Agena B 6201 (TA3)). Orbit: 405 km x 930 km x 81° x 98 min. 429 km x 937 km x 98.7° x 98.40 min. Decayed: 16 May 1974. Mission: Historical reports: On its sixth orbit after launch, the 377-kg Nimbus I meteorological satellite began transmitting weather photographs which were called “the best pictures ever” from space. Orbit of the satellite had been planned as circular 925 km altitude orbit; Agena B engines burned for only 0.84 sec. instead of the 3.8 sec. expected for injection burn, so the satellite was orbiting with 405 km x 930 km orbit.       Nimbus I was Earth-oriented and stabilized in all three axes. It contained Advanced Vidicon Camera System and Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) System, both of which operate during daylight portion of each orbit; as well as a High Resolution Infrared Radiometer, first to be flown on NASA meteorological satellite, provided first high-resolution night-time cloud-cover pictures and cloud-top temperatures taken from a satellite. About 62 APT stations, including those in 12 foreign countries and 4 owned privately, participated in Nimbus I picture reception. The APT system was designed for Nimbus and was first tested, successfully, on TIROS VIII launched in December 1963.      On 2 September 1964, Goddard Space Flight Center officials said Nimbus I was peiforming successfully and sending back cloud cover photographs of unexpectedly good quality. First nighttime pictures of cloud cover, made with the satellite's infrared sensor, were comparable in quality and resolution to the TV pictures made by TIROS meteorological satellites. Unplanned orbit-eccentric rather than circular-reduced the satellite's Earth coverage from 100% every 24 hours to about 70%.      On 23 September 1964, Nimbus I ceased operating, after producing more than 27,000 remarkably sharp weather photographs. As result of several days’ buildup of friction in motor that turned satellite’s solar paddles, the solar paddles locked, preventing them from rotating toward sun. Lacking adequate solar power to recharge batteries, the sateIlite control system, three camera systems, and associated electronic equipment could no longer function. Nimbus I surpassed all expectations both as a research spacecraft and as a storm-spotter. During its 380-orbit lifetime, it provided the first satellite pictures of night-time cloud-cover and photographed Hurricanes Dora, Ethel, and Florence, Typhoons Ruby and Sally.      On 8 December 1964, Nimbus I revived and was returning useful engineering data. Its solar paddles, which had been locked, had apparently directed themselves at the Sun long enough to recharge the spacecraft’s batteries, but the gas for stabilization had been exhausted and the craft was tumbling at about 15 rpm. This caused photographs to be fuzzy and useless.      On 22 March 1965, NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Homer E. Newell, said that since success of any program was measured by the nature of the data provided, Nimbus I had more than achieved design objectives: “… during its three and one-half weeks of life, Nimbus took 12,131 individual frames of AVCS pictures, an estimated 1.930 APT cycles, and over 6,880 minutes of HRIR data. Hurricanes Cleo, Dora, Ethel. and Florence were observed and Typhoons Ruby and Sally in the Pacific were located by this spacecraft…       “The launch and successful operation of Nimbus I has proved the success of the basic Nimbus spacecraft design. It has also given NASA a better insight as to what additional modifications will be required in the system design for the next Nimbus flight. As mentioned previously, the primary limitation of the first Nimbus flight was the result of the failure of the Agena B vehicle to inject the spacecraft in the proper polar, near-circular orbit and the failure in the spacecraft solar paddle rotation mechanism. The first of these failures resulted in less than complete global cloud coverage and the second reduced spacecraft lifetime…”       Data were summarized from Nimbus I, which had provided first high-resolution. nighttime, cloud-cover pictures and cloud-top temperatures taken from a satellite. Circular 925-km-altitude orbit had been planned for the spacecraft, but short burn of the Agena stage-resulting when about 45 kg of fuel which should have been loaded on board the Agena had escaped through a faulty valve prior to launch-had injected Nimbus I into an elliptical orbit.      Results from High Resolution Infrared Radiometer (HRIR) data had demonstrated: (1) feasibility of complete nighttime surveillance of surface and land features on a global scale; (2) detailed vertical structure of intertropical convergence zone and formation of tropical storms and of frontal zones; (3) capability to detect temperature gradients over Earth’s surface under clear skies; (4) applicability of high-resolution radiometry for glaciology, geology, and oceanography.       Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) system experiments provided almost instantaneous data on clouds for thousands of square miles around Apt ground stations, demonstrating that the system could provide cloud-cover data for almost all local forecast requirements; thus, it would be a basic element in the Tiros Operational Satellite program.       Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS) experiment provided first near-global, relatively high-resolution cloud pictures ever assembled. Proved capabilities of camera assembly and confirmed decision to use it as basis for first operational meteorological satellite system.       On 3 September 1964, during 381st orbit, Nimbus I stopped operating. Deterioration of the bearing grease at high temperatures had caused the paddles in the solar array drive system to lock.       Final contact with Nimbus I occurred 20 November 1964. Data revealed that (1) all batteries were in trickle charge; (2) voltage regulation had failed; (3) both Pcm and command clock subsystems were operable; (4) spacecraft tape recorders were not operating; and (5) controls power supply had failed.  * * * * * Current overview: Nimbus 1 was a 374.4-kg meteorological satellite, the first in a series of second-generation meteosat R&D satellites. It was designed to serve for testing advanced meteorological sensor systems and for collecting meteorological data. The craft was nearly 3.7 meters tall, 1.5 meter in diameter at the base, and about 3 meters across with solar paddles extended. It carried an advanced vidicon camera system (AVCS), an automatic picture transmission (APT) camera for providing real-time cloudcover pictures, and a high-resolution infrared radiometer (HRIR) to complement the daytime TV coverage and to measure nighttime radiative temperatures of cloud tops and surface terrain.  A short second-stage burn resulted in an unplanned eccentric orbit. Otherwise, the spacecraft and its experiments operated successfully until 22 September 1964 (four weekds) and transmitte 27,000 cloud cover images. The solar paddles became locked in position, resulting in inadequate electrical power to continue operations. The spacecraft and experiments performed normally after launch until 26 July 1966, when the spacecraft tape recorder failed. Its function was taken over by the HRIR tape recorder until 15 November 1966, when it also failed. Some real-time data were collected until 17 January 1969, when the spacecraft mission was terminated owing to deterioration of the horizon scanner used for earth reference. Notes: Rep. George P. Miller (D.-Calif.) said at Nimbus I news conference on 27 August 1964: “… This much is certain: We are way ahead of the rest of the world. I am certain that if nothing came out of the space effort but the communications satellite, the weather satellite, and the navigational satellites, which will soon be flying, in a limited number of years, it would more than pay back all of the investment that has been made in space.” Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-052A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  296, 305, 326, 411 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 142, 409 ; Gunter's Nimbus 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 44 / Meteor-1 #1 Spacecraft:  Meteor 11F614 No. 1 (First Soviet's 'Meteor' launched.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #81 ; 1964-053A ; 433rd spacecraft, 876th space object catalogued. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 28 August 1964 at 16h19 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 618 km X 860 km x 65° x 99.5 min. 599 km x 778 km x 65.1° x 98.50 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “Cosmos XLIV was said to be carrying on the Cosmos program announced March 16, 1962.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 44 was a 4,730-kg meteorological satellite, the third Russian experimental meteosat, after Kosmos 14 and Kosmos 23 (Omega-1 1 and 2). It was the first of a series of prototype satellites that eventually led to the orbiting of Russia's first announced experimental weather satellite: Kosmos 122, in 1966. No official description of Kosmos 44 flight has ever been released but its orbital parameters and configuration were so similar to those of Kosmos 122 that it is generally assumed that this spacecraft was a precursor to the satellites of the experimental Meteor system.       Meteor was a cylinder 3 meters long and 1 meter in diameter with two solar panels attached to the sides ans with a steerable antenna, also mounted on the side. The primary objective of the flight probably was to test the basic spacecraft hardware. Tests were probably also made on crude TV and IR cloud cameras and actinometric instruments, which may have failed to operate properly. Similar flights were made by Kosmos 58, Kosmos 100, and Kosmos 118 launched in 1965 and 1966.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-053A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  299 ; Gunter's Meteor-1 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Transtage Spacecraft:  Transtage 2 (“Titan 3A Fairing Lead Dummy Payload”) Chronologies: 1964 payload #82 ; 1964 12th loss ; 434th spacecraft. Type: Military Science & Technology Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 1st September 1964 at 15h00 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base's LC-20, by a Titan 3A (3A-2) (First Titan 3A launched). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 1st September 1964. Mission: Historical reports: USAF launched Titan III-A space booster from Cape Kennedy. The first two stages burned perfectly; however, because Transtage engines shut down prematurely, the Titan III-A fell slightly short of orbiting its 1,700-kg dummy lead payload.  Preliminary investigation showed malfunction of onboard helium pressure valve was to blame for the shortened burn time from programed 406 sec. to about 391 sec. AFSC’s Brig Gen. Joseph Bleymaier said the test was 95% successful: all primary objectives and most secondary objectives had been met. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's TRANSG ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  304 ; Gunter's Transtage 1, 2, 5 ;

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OGO 1 / EOGO 1 Spacecraft: OGO A ; OGO stands for Orbiting Geophysical Observatories Chronologies: 1964 payload #83 ; 1964-054A ; 435th spacecraft, 879th space object catalogued. Type: Geophysics Sponsor: NASA Launch: 5 September 1964 at 1h23 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-12, by an Atlas-Agena B (Atlas LV-3A 195D / Agena B 6501). Orbit: 282 km x 149,188 km x 31° x 621.5 min. 21,446 km x 127,394 km x 44.6° x 3,809.50 min.  Decayed: 10 August 1980. Mission: Historical reports: The huge (487 kg) OGO I satellite carried 20 experiments, inaugurating new “space bus” series of standardized observatories capable of conducting many related space experiments simultaneously in space. However, one of OGO I’s long booms and one short boom, including the omnidirectional radio antenna, did not deploy. This resulted in abnormal operation of the automatic control system, and most of the control gas was used in attempting to lock the satellite into its Earth-stabilized orbit. Project officials attributed the satellite’s inability to lock onto the Earth to the fact that its Earth-seeking sensor was obscured by one of the undeployed booms. Scientists decided not to attempt turning on experiments for several days while calculating contingency operations for a spin-stabilized satellite.      On 7 September 1964, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center scientists succeeded in turning on 14 of the experiments onboard OGO I and received scientific data transmitted from the satellite. Power level in the NASA “space bus” was said to be satisfactory. OGO I was obtaining less than half the power it needed for full-time operation of its 20 experiments, because it was spinning slowly in space instead of having its solar panels constantly aimed at the sun.       On 10 September 1964, NASA scientists turn on 15 experiments to confirm their operation. Signals were weaker than previously received, because OGO 1’s solar panels were not locked onto the Sun. Tthe satellite’s solar panels were successfully commanded to turn 42° into a more favorable Sun angle, thus ensuring satisfactory power levels. As of this date, 19 of the 20 onboard scientific experiments had been turned on and had transmitted data, which were being evaluated by experimenters.      On 16 September 1964, it was reported that all of OGO-1’s 20 experiments had been turned on and had transmitted data, but only 17 were sending back useful information. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Director Dr. Harry J. Goett said that OGO I would obtain 5O%, and perhaps as much as 75%, of planned scientific data. Although the satellite was “crippled,” Dr. Goett said, “we have quite a vigorous cripple.” For example, the satellite was transmitting 10 times morc data bits than ever received from the most advanced Explorer-class scientific satellite.       During September 1964, acceptable data were received over 70% of the orbital path. By June 1969, data acquisition was limited to 10% of the orbital path. Spacecraft operation was restricted to Spring and Fall due to power supply limitations. There were 11 such 3-month periods prior to the spacecraft being put into stand-by mode on 25 November 1969. By April 1970 the spacecraft perigee had increased to 46,000 km and the inclination had increased to 58.8 deg. All support was terminated November 1, 1971.      On 4 March 1965, OGO I had received ground-administered “shock treatments” to correct faulty inverter. Continued malfunctioning of inverter, which supplied power for rotation of solar panels to maintain proper angle to the Sun, would have shortened OGO I’s lifetime for lack of electric power. All other systems were functioning normally except attitude control. OGO I was still spin-stabilized in orbit; apparently horizon scanners were obscured by experiment boom only partially deployed. 19 of the 20 scientific experiments were returning usable scientific data.      Dr. Homer E. Newell. NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, reports on 15 March 1965 that, although OGO I had not functioned as planned, “it has proven that the basic spacecraft design is adequate and that large numbers of experiments can be integrated and operated from a single satellite. Furthermore, should OGO I continue to transmit data for a reasonable period, it is expected that the results will contribute substantially to studies of the Earth-Sun relationships.       “Investigation of the OGO I failure indicated there was no common cause for failure, but as a result of the investigation, design modifications and additional tests are planned for future OGO spacecraft. The modifications include: (1) relocation of the horizon scanner and certain boom appendages to assure a clear field of view for the horizon scanners; (2) the use of a new type development spring and the addition of separate appendage ‘kick-off springs; and (3) the relocation of the omnidirectional antenna.”      On 14 April 1965, NASA launched from Wallops Island a four-stage Journeyman (Argo D-8) sounding rocket with 60-kg Univ. of Minnesota payload. Firing was timed to correspond closely with passage of the OGO I satellite in an unsuccessful attempt to compare and correlate radiation belt electron and proton measurements. Telemetry indicated proper functioning of instrumentation during the 26-minutes flight, but no useful data were returned because the nose cone covering the payload failed to eject and the experiment package was not exposed to energetic particles in the radiation belt. The sounding rocket reached peak altitude of 1,660 km; experiment package impacted in the Atlantic Ocean about1,900 km downrange. Notes: On 21 December 1960, Space Technology Labora¬tories was selected by NASA for contract negotiations for an orbiting geophysical observatory (OGO) satellite program. To be managed by GSFC, OGO will be NASA's first standardized satellite, often referred to as the "streetcar" satellite, capable of placing 50 different geophysi¬cal experiments on any one flight. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-054A ; ; Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1915-1960, p. 134 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 306, 208, 311, 319 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 184 ; Spacewarn No. 550 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 107, 126 ; Gunter's OGO 1 to 6 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 45 / Zenit-4 #4 Spacecraft: Zenit-4 No. 5 Chronologies: 1964 payload #84 ; 1964-055A ; 436th spacecraft, 880th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 13 September 1964 at 9h50 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2/"Voskhod" (11A57). Orbit: 206 km x 327 km x 64.54 x 89.69 min. 203 km x 311 km x 64.9° x 89.60 min. Recovered: 18 September 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “Cosmos XLV was carrying scientific equipment to continue the space research program begun in March 1962.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 45 was a 4,730-kg (or 6,300-kg) craft, the fourth second-generation, high-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. The satellite reentered the atmosphere after nearly 5 days in orbit and was successfully recovered. Similar flights were made by Kosmos 65 and Kosmos 92, launched in 1965.       Kosmos 45 also carried supplemental experiments to test meteorological sensors and to obtain data in support of the operational weather satellite development program. The instrumentation included a cloud-cover photometer to measure the brightness characteristics of clouds; a scanning infrared radiometer to determine the angular, spectral, and latitudinal distribution of terrestrial IR radiation; an ultraviolet spectrophotometer to measure the solar UV radiation reflected and scatterd by the earth's atmosphere; and a colorimeter to measure the radiation characteristics of the night airglow. Notes: The Voskhod variant rocket was launched a day ahead of schedule, performing perfectly and thus confirming its readiness for the Voskhod piloted flight. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-055A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 315-6 ; Gunter's Zenit-4 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 81 / KH-4A 10 / CORONA 85 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1010 / CORONA J-11 / OPS 3497  Chronologies: 1964 payload #85 ; 1964-056A ; 437th spacecraft, 882nd space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 14 September 1964 at 22h53 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 405 / Agena D 1178). Orbit: 174 km x 455 km x 84.9° x 90.90 min. Recovered: 6 October 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D satellite booster with unidentified payload from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.” * * * * * Current overview: This tenth KH-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. Small out of focus areas on both cameras at random times throughout the mission. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-056A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 316 ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT(1964) ;

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Apollo SA-7 Spacecraft:  Apollo BP-15 Chronologies: 1964 payload #86 ; 1964-057A ; 438th spacecraft, 883rd space object catalogued. Type: Piloted Spaceship Test Sponsor: NASA Launch: 18 September 1964 at 11h23 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-37B, by a SaturnI (SA-7). Orbit: 180 km x 235 km x 88.6 min. 181 km x 215 km x 31.7° x 88.50 min. Decayed: 22 September 1964. Mission: Historical reports: Saturn I SA-7 two-stage rocket placed in orbit nearly 16,800 kg of payload consisting of boilerplate Apollo spacecraft and spent S-IV stage, The orbit was similar to the interim orbit for future three-man Apollo lunar missions. All major test objectives were met: final development testing of Saturn I propulsion, structural, guidance and flight control systems; and development testing of ApolIo spacecraft. Except for minor changes in Saturn I vehicle, test was similar to Saturn I SA-6.       For third time, elaborate system of eight motion picture cameras and one TV camera was mounted in S-I stage to record such flight events as S-IV stage separation and ignition of S-IV engines. The eight motion picture cameras were ejected following S-I powered flight, but Hurricane Gladys was located about 500 km from camera impact point, so the recovery ship had to leave the area the previous day and recovery was not attempted.      The Apollo spacecraft re-entered Earth‘s atmosphere on 22 September over the Indian Ocean. It was in its 59th orbit and had been in flight for3 days, 19 hrs. and 37 min.      A camera capsule from the Saturn I SA-7 was found in May 1965 in shallow waters off San Salvador in the Bahamas. Color film in the capsule had deteriorated and was not usable. The capsule was the third one found of the eight flown on the SA-7. The first two were found in November 1964, near San Salvador and Eleuthera Islands. Film in these capsules was in good condition.  * * * * * Current overview: Saturn 1 SA-7 was the third orbital demonstration and spacecraft compatibility test. It carried a boilerplate Apollo model (BP-15) of a Command and Service Module (CSM).  The CSM was an aluminum structure simulating the size, weight, shape, and center of gravity of a crewed Apollo spacecraft (see SA-6). It was attached to the Saturn 1’s S-IV second stage. The boilerplate had a mass of 7,800 kg and the entire payload had a mass of 16,650 kg in orbit and was 24.4 meters long. The spacecraft was instrumented for 133 measurements such as heat rates, temperatures, aerodynamics, and static loads.       The Saturn 1 placed its payload in an Earth orbit similar to the interim orbit planned for future Apollo piloted missions. Eight motion picture cameras and one TV camera were mounted on the S-1 stage to record flight events. The motion picture cameras were ejected following the S-1 powered flight but were not recovered. The spacecraft orbit decayed on September 22 after 59 orbits. Telemetry was obtained from 131 separate and continuous measurements. All test objectives were met, including final verification of the Saturn 1 propulsion, guidance, and structural systems, development testing of the Apollo spacecraft during atmospheric exit, test jettisoning of the CSM launch escape system, and compatibility of the CSM with the launch system.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-057A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 321, 325 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 261 ;  Gunter's Saturn SA-6, 7 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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KH-7 11 / Gambit-1 11 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 11 / GAMBIT SV 962 / OPS 4262 ; AFP-206 SV 962 Chronologies: 1964 payload #87 ; 1964-058A ; 439th spacecraft, 884th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 23 September 1964 at 20h06 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-2-4, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas 7102 / Agena D). Orbit: 145 km x 303 km x 92.9° 143 km x 303 km x 92.9° x  88.90 min. Recovered: 28 September 1964 (4.8 days). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Atlas-Agena D satellite booster from Vandenberg AFB with an undisclosed payload.” * * * * * Current overview: Eleventh KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-058A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 326 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 46 / Zenit-2 #22 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 23 Chronologies: 1964 payload #88 ; 1964-059A ; 440th spacecraft, 885th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 24 September 1964 at 12h00 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 215 km x 271 krn x 51.3° x 89.2 min. 211 km x 264 km x 51.3° x 89.20 min. Recovered: 2 October 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. announced routine launching of Cosmos XLVI into Earth orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 46 was a 4,730-kg craft, the twenty-second first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. Its film was presumably recovered after 8 days. The launcn of Kosmos 46 was witnessed by Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-059A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 327 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Explorer 21 / IMP 2 Spacecraft:  IMP B Chronologies: 1964 payload #89 ; 1964-060A ; 441st spacecraft, 889th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Launch: 4 October 1964 at 3h45 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-17A, by a Delta DSV-3C (Thor Delta C 392 / Delta 26). Orbit: 195 km x 95,575 km x 33°53’ x 34-hr. 57 min. 191 km x 95,590 km x 33.5° x 2,097.00 min. Decayed: 31 December 1965 / 30 January 1966. Mission: Historical reports: Explorer XXI is a scientific satellite. Onboard instrumentation was working excellently, but the satellite’s orbit fell far short of the intended deep-space path which would have enabled this Interplanetary Monitoring Platform to measure magnetic fields, cosmic rays, and solar winds in interplanetary space. Planned apogee was 259,000 km. Robert H. Gray, Director of Goddard Launch Operations, said minimum apogee required for mission success was about 157,300 km. As in launch of Explorer XVIII (IMP A), the Delta rocket used higher-thrust third-stage motor, the X-258, to give the satellite its final boost into orbital injection. Preliminary tracking data indicated this stage had not provided the required thrust. Designed and built by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Explorer XXI contained nine experiments, five of these were provided by GSFC researchers and four by experimenters at Univ. of Chicago, Univ. of California, NASA Ames Research Center, and MIT respectively * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 21 was a 62-kg (or 134-kg?) Earth/space sciences spacecraft instrumented for interplanetary and distant magnetospheric studies of energetic particles, cosmic rays, magnetic fields and plasmas. Unfortunately, a significant deviation of the spin rate of the spacecraft and the achievement of an apogee of less than half the planned value adversely affected data usefulness. Otherwise, spacecraft systems performed well, with nearly complete data transmission for the first four months and for the sixth month after launch. Data transmission was intermittent for other times, and the final transmission occurred on 13 October 1965. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-060A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 339 ; Gunter's Explorer: IMP A, B, C ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 82 / KH-4A 11 / CORONA 86 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1011 / CORONA J-3 / OPS 3333 Chronologies: 1964 payload #90 ; 1964-061A ; 442nd spacecraft, 890th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 5 October 1964 at 21h50 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 421 / Agena D SS-01A 1170). Orbit: 182 km x 440 km x 80.0° x 90.80 min. Recovered: 26 October 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D booster rocket from Vandenberg AFB with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview: This eleventh KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. The primary mode of recovery failed on the second portion of the mission (1011-2). There were small out-of-focus areas present at random on both cameras.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-061A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 340 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 47 / Voskhod #1 Spacecraft:  Voskhod 3KV No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #91 ; 1964-062A ; 443rd spacecraft, 891st space object catalogued. Type: Piloted Spaceship Test Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 6 October 1964 at 7h12 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2/"Voskhod" (11A57). Orbit: 177 km x 413 km x 64.77° x 90 min. 174 km x 383 km x 64.6° x 90.10 min. Recovered: 7 October 1964 at 7h28 UT. Mission: Historical reports: U.S.S.R. announced routine launching of Cosmos XLVII artificial Earth satellite “for the further investigation of cosmic space.”  It deorbited on 7 October. * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 47 was a 5,320-kg piloted spacecraft, the first unmanned test flight of a 3-person Voskhod spaceship. The spacecraft was successfully recovered on 7 October at 7h28 UT, after a flight of 1 day and 16 minutes. Officially, Kosmos 47 was launched for the “investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space” (as all other Kosmos satellites). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-062A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 341 ; Gunter's Voskhod-3KV ; NORAD's SATCAT(1964) ;

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Transit O-1 / NNS O-1 Spacecraft:  Transit 5B-4 / NNS 30010 / OPS 5798  Chronologies: 1964 payload #92 ; 1964-063A ; 444th spacecraft, 897th space object catalogued. Type: Navigation Sponsor: U.S. Navy Source: A. Parsch Launch: 6 October 1964 at 17h04 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 423 AB016). Orbit: 1,046 km x 1,077 km x 90.2° x 106.40 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Able-Star rocket toward polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., but did not disclose payload or mission. It later was revealed that the Thor-Able-Star placed three satellites in orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: Transit 5B4 was a 60-kg navigation satellite, also know as the Navy Navigation Satellite (NNS). The Transit-O series, that closely followed the design of Transit 5C-1, were also called “Oscars” (the phonetic alphabet for “O”), i. e., Operational. NSS O-1 failed after a few days operation. The first NNS O satellites were built by the Naval Avionics Facility at Indianapolis but, after O-1 and O-2 failed to operate more than a few days, APL refurbished the following ones and built new ones. The Transit series was developed for updating the inertial navigation systems on board U.S. Navy Polaris submarines. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-063A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 342 ; Gunter's Transit-O ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Calsphere 1 / Dragsphere 1 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #93 ; 1964-063B ; 445th spacecraft, 900th space object catalogued. Type: Radar Calibration Sponsor: U.S. Air Force & U.S. Navy Launch: 6 October 1964 at 17h04 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 423 AB016). Orbit: 997 km x 1,034 km x 90.1° x 105.50 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Able-Star rocket toward polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., but did not disclose payload or mission. It later was revealed that the Thor-Able-Star placed three satellites in orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: The two Calsphere / Dragsphere were small passive satellites measure the effects of atmospheric drag. Both spheres had the same geometric dimensions, but had a different mass; the first had only 0.9 kg, while the second had a mass of 9.5 kg. After 30 years, the orbit, the more massive craft remained nearly unchanged while the light craft orbit was lowered by about 50 km. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-063B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 342 ; Gunter's Dragsphere 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Calsphere 2 / Dragsphere 2 Spacecraft: Chronologies: 1964 payload #94 ; 1964-063C ; 446th spacecraft, 902nd space object catalogued. Type: Radar Calibration Sponsor: U.S. Air Force & U.S. Navy Launch: 6 October 1964 at 17h04 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 423 AB016). Orbit: 1,049 km x 1,078 km x 90.2° x 106.50 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Able-Star rocket toward polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., but did not disclose payload or mission. It later was revealed that the Thor-Able-Star placed three satellites in orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: The two Calsphere / Dragsphere were small passive satellites measure the effects of atmospheric drag. Both spheres had the same geometric dimensions, but had a different mass; the first had only 0.9 kg, while the second had a mass of 9.5 kg. After 30 years, the orbit, the more massive craft remained nearly unchanged while the light craft orbit was lowered by about 50 km. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-063C ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 342 ; Gunter's Dragsphere 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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KH-7 12 / Gambit-1 12 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 12 / GAMBIT SV 961 / OPS 4036 ; AFP-206 SV 961 Chronologies: 1964 payload #95 ; 1964 13th loss ; 447th spacecraft. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 7 October 1964 at 19h30 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base'S PALC-2-4, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas SLV-3 7103 / Agena D). Orbit: n/a Destroyed: 7 October 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF Atlas-Agena D space booster was launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., with undisclosed payload.” * * * * * Current overview: Twelfth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's NNN6402 ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 342 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ;

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Hitchhiker / P-11 4102 Spacecraft:  P-11 No. 4102 Chronologies: 1964 payload #96 ; 1964 14th loss ; 448th spacecraft. Type: Electronic Intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 7 October 1964 at 19h30 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base'S PALC-2-4, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas SLV-3 7103 / Agena D). Orbit: N/a Destroyed: 7 October 1964. Mission: This 80-kg (or 60-kg) electronic intelligence satellite performed radar monitoring. This is the fourth of the first series of so-called "Subsatellite Ferrets", low orbit ELINT satellites to pinpoint and characterize different radar emitters in the Soviet Union and Warsaw pact states. As the proper name of these satellite has not been disclosed yet, they are referred to as "Subsatellite Ferret A" (SSF-A). This series was also known as Program 11 or P-11. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-036B ; Gunter's P-11 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Explorer 22 / BE-B Spacecraft:  Beacon Explorer B Chronologies: 1964 payload #97 ; 1964-064A ; 449th spacecraft, 899th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 10 October 1964 at 3h00 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-D, by a Scout (X-4 S123R). Orbit: 883 km x 1,076 km x 80° x 104.7 min. 872 km x 1,053 km x 79.7° x 104.30 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: Explorer XXII was last of five satellites in first phase of NASA’s ionosphere exploration and first of five satellites in NASA’s geodetic satellite series. Ionosphere experiment involved satellite’s transmitting radio signals down through the ionosphere. Ground stations around the world acquiring the signals measured electron distribution by the Doppler shift method and the Faraday rotation method, The international scientific effort with Explorer XXII was the most extensive ever for a U.S. space project: network of more than 80 ground stations was being operated by some 50 scientific groups in 32 countries. Geodetic experiment involved laser beams sent from NASA Wallops Station to the satellite, on which were mounted 360 2,5-cm “cube-corner” reflectors to return the light. In addition a small supporting experiment, electrostatic probe, measured electron density and temperature in immediate vicinity of the satellite.      On 21 January 1965, laser beam was bounced off Explorer XXII and photographed by Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories scientists. This was first such photo and was important verification of feasibility of use of laser for both satellite tracking and geodetic purposes. When such laser reflections off satellites were photographed against a star background from two ground stations of known locations and other ground stations in the field, triangulation of the simultaneous photos would locate the position of field stations with an accuracy hitherto not possible by other means. This success with Largos (Laser Activated Reflecting Geodetic Optical Satellite) also set a distance record for photo or photoelectric detection of reflected laser signals; slant range to satellite was 1,500 km. * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 22 was a 52.6-kg Earth/space sciences satellite which provided laser reflectors for geodetic measurements as well as measured the electron density in the ionosphere. This ionospheric research satellite carried an electrostatic probe, a radio beacon, a passive laser tracking reflector, and a Doppler navigation experiment. Its objective was to obtain worldwide observations of total electron content between the spacecraft and the Earth. In August 1968, data acquisition from the satellite telemetry channels was discontinued. In July 1969, tracking and world map production were discontinued by NASA’s GSFC, and world map production was subsequently assumed by ESRO. The satellite failed in February 1970. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-064A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 346, 407 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 4 ; Gunter's Explorer: BE A, B, C ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Voskhod / Voskhod #2 Spacecraft:  Voskhod 3KV No. 3 ; Mission call sign: Rubin (ruby). Chronologies: 1964 payload #98 ; 1964-065A ; 450th spacecraft, 904th space object catalogued. Type: Piloted Spaceship Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 12 October 1964 at 7h30 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2/"Voskhod" (11A57). Orbit: 178 km x 409 km x 65° x 90.1min. 178 km x 336 km x 64.7° x 89.60 min. Recovered: 13 October 1964. Mission: Historical reports: On 4 October 1964, the seventh anniversary of orbiting Sputnik, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin said in Trud interview that U.S.S.R. was preparing a manned space flight: “We are working and making studies and are preparing for a new launching. It is not our custom to advertise, but I’ll tell you that new and more complicated research work is in store for us.”      On 12 October 1964, U.S.S.R. launched Voskhod I spacecraft with three-man crew: pilot-cosmonaut, Eng. Col. Vladimir Komarov; scientific co-worker cosmonaut, Candidate of Technical Sciences, KonstantinFeoktistov; and physician-cosmonaut, Boris Yegorov. This was history’s first multi-manned space flight and marked the entry into space of a scientist and a physician. TASS announced purposes of the space flight were to: test new multiseat manned spacecraft; investigate work capability and interrelationship, in flight, of a group of cosmonauts consisting of specialists from various branches of science and technology; conduct scientific physico-technical research under actual spaceflight conditions; continue study of effects of spaceflight conditions on human organism; and conduct expanded medicobiological investigations under conditions of prolonged flight.       Television photographs of the cosmonauts, wearing lightweight woolen suits rather than spacesuits, were received in U.S.S.R. and transmitted both taped and live by TV stations during the day. On its eighth orbit, as the spacecraft passed over U.S., the crew radioed greeting: “From aboard the spaceship Voskhod we convey our best wishes to the industrious American people. We wish the people of the United States peace and happiness.”      Prof. Leonid I. Sedov, Soviet space official, said in Izvestia interview that success of Voskhod I “opens up new horizons” in space. It now made realistic any plans about building an “orbiting space platform, a flying space institute,” which could serve as a “springboard for further interplanetary expeditions.” And Lt. Col. Cosmonaut Pavel Popovich said in TASS interview that flight of Voskhod I was of great significance “because our aim is to send space stations to distant planets.” Dr. N. M. Sissakian, member of presidium of Soviet Academy of Sciences, said in Paris that U.S.S.R. hoped to present scientific results of Voskhod I space flight to international symposium on manned space flight in Paris next June.      British Labor party leader Harold Wilson said Soviet Voskhod I spacecraft was forerunner of missile-launching satellites that would make Polaris missile obsolete. Such space-based weapons, he said, “would mean that the all-American deterrent on which Sir Alex Douglas-Home hases his defense argument, will soon be made obsolete by space missile development.” (British election was three days away.)      On 13 October, Voskhod I landed safely after orbiting the Earth for 24 hrs., 17 min. (16 orbits). All three crewmen were reported to be in good condition after Voskhod I landed at the “pre-arranged spot.” Indications were that the men remained inside the craft to completion of landing. Official announcement asserted that Voskhod I had completed its task before landing and was landing according to schedule. Soviet news report indicated the crew had requested permission to continue the flight “for another 24 hours,” but Chief Designer had replied that “we shall stay within the program.”      Speculation about why Soviet Voskhod I space flight was terminated after 24 hours was proferred by experts around the world. U.S. space engineers generally indicated Soviets operated according to plan by terminating flight when they did. However, officials of other Western countries speculated Voskhod I was brought down prematurely, for reasons variously given as illness among the crew, faulty radio transmitter, and improper orbit. Sen. Clinton P. Anderson (D.-N. Mex.), Chairman of Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, said, “We knew the shot was coming and we had information it would involve a week - that’s why they had the doctor along.” He suggested technical problems had caused premature ending of trip. Some sources pointed to Soviets’ own announcement the previous day, which referred to “conditions of prolonged flight” At least one press analysis, in retrospect, said Voskhod I was perhaps ordered back to Earth because of political events in the Soviet Union - Soviet Premier N. Khrushchev was being removed from office by Presidium of the Communist Party Central Committee -, an occurrence not made public until 15 October 1964 (see Notes below).      Analyzing impact of Voskhod I flight, John Finney said feeling of U.S. Government officials was that Voskhod I “probably was the prelude to a longer flight sometime soon and to the unveiling of a more powerful rocket for launchings.” In itself, Voskhod I flight was considered of more psychological than technical significance.      On 19 October 1964, during the first public appearance of new U.S.S.R. leadership, the principal address was given by CPSU First Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, who said: “The Soviet Union has still further outstripped the United States of America in the ‘space race’.… [We] do not regard our space research as an end in itself, as some kind of ‘race.‘ In the great and serious cause of the exploration and development of outer space, the spirit of the frantic gamblers is alien to us. We see in this cause part and parcel of the tremendous constructive work of the Soviet people… in conformity with the general line of our party in all spheres of the economy, science and culture in the name of man, for the sake of man.…”      On 19 October 1964, NASA Administrator James E. Webb said that he had predicted in 1961 that U.S.S.R. could launch a multi-manned spacecraft on a lunar-orbiting mission - “and this might still be attempted soon.” He added: “Nothing that occurred during the recent three-man flight has caused me to deviate from the prediction I made in 1961.”      On 21 October 1964, Mstislav V. Keldysh, president of Soviet Academy of Sciences, said in Moscow press conference that vehicle used to launch Voskhod I was more powerful “than that used before to put into orbit any instruments or astronauts.” He said Voskhod I was first of a series but revealed nothing about future flights.      On his part, cosmonaut Konstantin Feoktistov revealed he had made astronomical observations during the space flight, practicing “aeronavigation by means of a sextant.” He predicted that on interplanetary flights “it will be possible to fix the spaceship’s position autonomously on board the spaceship.” Feoktistov also disclosed Voskhod 1’s attitude control system was based on ion propulsion engine. He described its return to Earth as a “featherbed landing.” Of the spacecraft’s landing system, Vladimir Komarov said after parachutes were opened, a second retrorocket was fired to achieve the soft landing. Boris Yegorov disclosed that “sharp movements of the head caused slight dizzy sensations, sensations of general discomfort” for both him and Feoktistov.      On 8 November 1964,Pravda disclosed that the three crew members onboard Voskhod I never used seat straps during their 24-hour flight except during the launching and landing stages. These men also said that their craft was equipped with a new control system that made it possible to orient the vehicle even when it was flying on the dark side of the earth.      The same day, Dr. Thomas B. Weber, formerly at Aerospace Medical Center, Brooks AFB, Tex., said that all space-cabin simulation experiments so far have had to be called off within a few days because of accumulation of toxic elements in the closed atmospheres. “This may be the reason Russia’s recent three-man space flight, which was expected to last several days, ended after only 24 hours.” Dr. Weber continued.      On 15 January 1965, the U.S.S.R. filed a brief report with the International Aviation Federation on the flight of Voskhod I for confirmation of the flight achievements as absolute world records, and of world records in the orbital flight class in multi-seat spacecraft: duration of flight: 24 hrs., 17 min., 0.3 sec.; flight distance: 669,784,027 km; flight height: 408 km; and maximum weight raised to the flight height: 5,320 kg.      In January 1965, Dr. John M. Keshishian, associate in surgery on the George Washington University School of Medicine faculty, said, following his visit to Russia at the invitation of the Soviet Academy of Science: “It is not generally known that just before Voskhod was ordered into reentry, the pulse rate of one cosmonaut dropped to 40. When your pulse rate drops below 40 heartbeats a minute, you’re in trouble.  The Russians haven’t said anything about this … but it could be another one of the problems their space medicine is encountering for which there seems to be no ready solutions.       “For example, some Russian cosmonauts have suffered severe. hallucinations, both in flight and afterwards. Others have suffered equally severe and, thus far, inexplicable vertigo during which they can’t be certain whether the floor’s coming up to meet them or vice versa, or whether they’re spinning, or the room is. And Russian physicians have found that , . . space flight environment -- possibly weightlessness -- draws calcium from the blood and expels it in the urine.”      In March 1965, Dr. Boris Yegorov reported nothing about any ill effects of spaceflight conditions, but did say: “Several times, we tried to break away from the chair and hang a bit in the cabin. I must tell you that it’s far from a pleasant sensation. It’s also entirely inconvenient to sleep thus. One tries rather to lean on something: either with his head against ceiling or with his feet against the chair. During weightlessness, it’s much more pleasant to be tied to the chair…  During the time, we worked none of us had any unpleasant sensations because of weightlessness: we felt fine.” * * * * * Current overview: Voskhod 1 was a 5,320-kg piloted spaceship which carried the first three-men crew into space.  (It was the first multi-manned flight and first to carry a scientist and a physician into space.) Crew members were Vladimir Komarov, command pilot, Boris Yegorov, physician, and Konstatin Feoktisov, scientist. This mission was designed to test the new multi-seat spacecraft, to investigate the capacity of a group of cosmonauts who were specialists in different disciplines of science and engineering, to conduct physical and technical experiments, and to perform an extensive medical-biological investigation program. During the flight, live TV pictures were returned. This mission was also designed to upstage the upcoming Gemini and Apollo programs. The cosmonauts risk their life during a very risky spaceflight with no spacesuits, ejection seats or escape tower. The mission was a success and had a significant worldwide impact, in particular In the United States and for the "space race". Notes: Backup crew: Georgiy Katys, Vasili Lazarev and Boris Volynov. On 15 October 1964, U.S.S.R. announced Nikita Khrushchev had been “released” of all his official duties for reasons of “age and deteriorating health.” His successors were named: Leonid Brezhnev as Secretary of the Communist Party, and Alexei Kosygin as Premier of U.S.S.R.  (Khrushchev had been scheduled to welcome the cosmonauts to Moscow and to dedicate the cosmonauts’ monument on the outskirts of Moscow, but his sudden retirement intervened.) Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-065A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 340, 348, 349, 350-1, 353, 355, 356, 359, 381, 382 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 18, 45, 98, 161 ;  Gunter's Voskhod-3KV ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 48 / Zenit-2 #23 Spacecraft:  Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 24 Chronologies: 1964 payload #99 ; 1964-066A ; 451st spacecraft, 908th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 14 October 1964 at 9h50 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 203 km x 295 km x 65.07° x 89.4 min. 204 km x 284 km x 65.1° x 89.30 min. Recovered: 20 October 1964 (after 6 days). Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. announced routine launching of Cosmos XLVIII satellite into orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 48 was a 4,730-kg craft, the twenty-third first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. The film capsule was recovered after 6 days. Kosmos 48's mission was partially completed. It returned early due to failure of the spacecraft thermoregulation systems and the internal temperature rose to 43° C. Notes: On 19 October 1964, an unnamed DOD officials said they were certain that U.S.S.R.‘s Cosmos satellites were beign used for reconnaissance over U.S. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-066A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 352, 357 ; Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 83 / KH-4A 12 / CORONA 87 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1012 / CORONA J-13 / OPS 3559 Chronologies: 1964 payload #100 ; 1964-067A ; 452nd spacecraft, 911th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 17 October 1964 at 22h02 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 418 / Agena D SS-01A 1179). Orbit: 189 km x 416 km x 75.0° x 90.60 min. Recovered: 4 November 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D space booster with unidentified satellite payload, from WTR.” * * * * * Current overview: This twelfth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. The vehicle attitude became erratic on the second portion of the mission necessitating an early recovery.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-067A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 354 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos / Strela-1 #6 Spacecraft: Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #101 ; 1964 15th loss ; 453rd spacecraft. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 23 October 1964 at 7h30 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome’s LC-41/15, by a Kosmos C-1 (65S3). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 23 October 1964. Mission: Second trio of Strela-1 communications satellites; sixth, seventh and eighth spacecraft of the series.  The Kosmos-C launcher failed to orbit the satellites for an unknown reason. Strela-1 were 50-kg (or 70-kg) store/dump satellites develop for military and government communications services. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Gunter's Stela-1 ;

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Kosmos / Strela-1 #7 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #102 ; 1964 16th loss ; 454th spacecraft. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 23 October 1964 at 7h30 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome’s LC-41/15, by a Kosmos C-1 (65S3). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 23 October 1964. Mission: Second trio of Strela-1 communications satellites; sixth, seventh and eighth spacecraft of the series.  The Kosmos-C launcher failed to orbit the satellites for an unknown reason. Strela-1 were 50-kg (or 70-kg) store/dump satellites develop for military and government communications services. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Gunter's Stela-1 ;

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Kosmos / Strela-1 #8 Spacecraft:  Strela-1 (Strela means "Arrow" in Russian.) Chronologies: 1964 payload #103 ; 1964 17th loss ; 455th spacecraft. Type: Communications (store/dump) Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 23 October 1964 at 7h30 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome’s LC-41/15, by a Kosmos C-1 (65S3). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 23 October 1964. Mission: Second trio of Strela-1 communications satellites; sixth, seventh and eighth spacecraft of the series.  The Kosmos-C launcher failed to orbit the satellites for an unknown reason. Strela-1 were 50-kg (or 70-kg) store/dump satellites develop for military and government communications services. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ;; Gunter's Stela-1 ;

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KH-7 13 / Gambit-1 13 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 13 / GAMBIT SV 963 / OPS 4384 ; AFP-206 SV 963 Chronologies: 1964 payload #104 ; 1964-068A ; 456th spacecraft, 912th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 23 October 1964 at 18h27 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 353D / Agena D). Orbit: 140 km x 267 km x 95.5° x 88.50 min. Recovered: 28 October 1964 (5.1 days). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF Atlas-Agena D satellite booster combination was launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., with unidentified payload. It was later disclosed that three satellites were orbited.” * * * * * Current overview: Thirteenth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-068A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 361 ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Hitchicker 7 / P-11 4302 Spacecraft:  OPS 5063 / EHH A4 Chronologies: 1964 payload #105 ; 1964-068B ; 457th spacecraft, 914th space object catalogued. Type: Electtronic Intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 23 October 1964 at 18h27 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-2-3, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 353D / Agena D). Orbit: 185 km x 185 km x 95.4° x 88.20 min.  Decayed: 23 February 1965. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF Atlas-Agena D satellite booster combination was launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., with unidentified payload. It was later disclosed that three satellites were orbited.” * * * * * Current overview: One of the spacecraft of the first series of so-called "Subsatellite Ferrets", 60-kg, low-orbit electronic intelligence satellite develop to pinpoint and characterize different radar emitters in the Soviet Union and Warsaw pact states. As the proper name of these satellite has not been disclosed yet, they are referred to as "Subsatellite Ferret A" (SSF-A). This series was also known as Program 11 or P-11. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-068B ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 361 ; Gunter's P-11  ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 49 / DS-MG #2 Spacecraft:  DS-MG No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #106 ; 1964-069A ; 458th spacecraft, 913th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 24 October 1964 at 5h16 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's Mayak-2, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 260 km x 490 km x 49° x 91.83 min. 260 km z 472 km x 48.9° x 91.90 min. Decayed: 23 August 1965. Mission: Historical reports: U.S.S.R. announced launching Cosmos XLIX artificial Earth satellite into orbit. Onboard equipment was said to be operating normally and ground tracking station was processing incoming data. * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 49 was a 355-kg DS-MG satellite developed to test electric gyrodyne orientation systems and to study Earth’s infrared and ultraviolet flux. Along with Kosmos 26, it represented the Soviet contribution to the IQSY World Magnetic Survey. Corresponding measurements were made by OGO 2 and OGO 4. The spacecraft measured 1.8 meter long and 1.2 meter in diameter. A boom 3.3 meters long was attached from one end of the spacecraft to the magnetometers. The performance of the spacecraft was satisfactory.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-069A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 362 ; Gunter's DS-MG ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 50 / Zenit-2 #24 Spacecraft: Zenit-2 11F61 s/n 25 Chronologies: 1964 payload #107 ; 1964-070A ; 459th spacecraft, 919th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 28 October 1964 at 10h48 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-31, by an A-1/"Vostok" (8A92). Orbit: 196 km x 240 km x 51.3° x 88.7 min. 190 km x 232 km x 51.2° x 88.70 min. Recovered: 5 November 1964 (after 8 days). Mission: Historical reports: “U.S.S.R. announced orbiting of Cosmos L satellite into orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 50 was a 4,730-kg craft, the twenty-fourth first-generation, low-resolution photo-surveillance satellite. It was an unsuccessful mission due to a failure of the braking engine system. The spacecraft self destructed in orbit after eight days. Notes: In November 1964, Dr. Edward C. Welsh, Executive Secretary and Acting Chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council, confirmed the Russians were relying heavily upon unmanned Vostok spacecraft in their Cosmos program. He said the Vostoks had accumulated “more than 2500 orbits”; since the seven Soviet manned flights to date accounted for only 10% of this, the balance must have been achieved in the more than 20 Vostok flights from Tyuratam range at the 65° inclination. Unlike the Cosmos satellites, these unmanned Vostoks had been recovered after as much as two weeks in orbit. Dr. Welsh also disclosed that Soviet launching reliability was “comparable” to the 85% attained by U.S. in past three years.      In an article published on 22 February 1965 in Aviation Week and Space Technology, Edward H. Kolcum reports that U.S.S.R. had kept the U.S. under relatively continuous surveillance with photo reconnaissance satellites launched as part of the Cosmos program.  In 1964 14 such satellites were launched, he asserted. The article continued: “Soviet photo reconnaissance payload is believed to be an unmanned version of the Vostok spacecraft which successfully carried cosmonauts into orbit six times. The unmanned camera mission uses the same launch facilities and same recovery techniques developed from Russian manned satellites. The recoverable section is the pressurized cabin, which weighs about 2,300 kg when it is ejected from the main spacecraft for a parachute descent on land…       “Six of these payloads were recovered after eight days; two after seven days, one after six days and another after five days. One came down after 24 hr. in orbit; one remained up five weeks, another eight and a half weeks, and another, launched Aug. 29, [Kosmos is still in orbit. Departures from the norm are believed to indicate retrofire malfunctions or failures.” [In fact, this Kosmos 44 was the first Meteor moto satellite launched by U.S.S.R.]       He stated that 11 of the 14 reconnaissance satellites orbited in 1964 were orbited at 65° inclination. The remaining three orbited at 51° inclination - “an inclination that also permits the payload to sweep over the entire continental United States.” The other Cosmos satellites, orbited at 49° inclination, had remained in orbit until they decayed naturally. They were “believed to be scientific applications and military development payloads.” Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-070A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 365, 376 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 86-7 ;  Gunter's Zenit-2 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 84 / KH-4A 13 / CORONA 88 Spacecraft:  KH-4A 1013 / CORONA J-15 / OPS 5434 Chronologies: 1964 payload #108 ; 1964-071A ; 460th spacecraft, 921st space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 2 November 1964 at 21h30 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 420 / Agena D SS-01A 1173). Orbit: 181 km x 210 km x 51.2° x 88.40 min. Recovered: 28 November 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF announced launch of Thor-Agena D booster combination with unidentified satellite payload, from Vandenberg AFB.” * * * * * Current overview: This thirteenth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. A program anomaly occurred immediately after launch when both cameras operated for 417 frames. Main cameras ceased operation on revolution 52D of first portion of mission negating second portion. About 65% of aft camera film is out of focus.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-071A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 373 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Ferret 7 / Samos-F3 Spacecraft:  OPS 3062 Samos stands for Satellite and Missile Observation Systems. Chronologies: 1964 payload #109 ; 1964-072A ; 461st spacecraft, 922nd space object catalogued. Type: Electronic Intelligence Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 4 November 1964 at 2h12 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-5, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 430 / Agena D SS-01A 2317). Orbit: 512 km x 526 km x 82.0° x 95.00 min. Decayed: 5 November 1969. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Agena D space booster from WTR with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview:  The Ferrets were 1,500-kg satellites which catalogued Soviet air defence radars, eavesdropped on voice communications and taped missile and satellite telemetry. These electronic intelligence satellites were known for decades only as "Heavy Ferrets" but are now known to be a program associated with the Samos (Satellite and Missile Observation System) project. This second series of Heavy Ferrets was called Samos-F3. The exact objective of these satellites is still unknown. Notes: On 11 August 1964, it was reported that Samos satellites, undiscussed by DOD since secrecy policy was adopted in late 1961, had been orbited “periodically” ever since then, Albert Ravenholt said in New Orleans Times-Picayune article. Even though Samos was developed as successor to U-2 high-altitude photographic airplane, Ravenholt said U.S.S.R. had “made no threatening noises about Samos,” probably because some Russian Cosmos satellites are equipped with cameras; U.S.S.R. has no missile capable of shooting down a Samos; and, if it could down one, the action would open whole new vista of legal problems about control of outer space. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-072A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 378 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Mariner 3 Spacecraft:  Mariner C-2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #110 ; 1964-073A ; 462nd spacecraft, 923rd space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Mars) Sponsor: NASA Launch: 5 November 1964 at 19h22 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-13, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 289D / Agena D 6931). Orbit: Heliocentric (Solar) orbit. Decayed: Forever in space. Mission: Historical reports: Mariner III, or Mars 64, carried TV equipment for taking pictures of the Martian surface as well as instruments to study radiation, space dust, and magnetic forces near Mars and in unmapped space after swinging past the planet. The mission failed when the Atlas-Agena D’s fairing did not jettison, preventing solar panel deployment. The Agena stage pushed the Mariner III into a parking orbit around the Earth and coasted to the proper position for injection into a Mars trajectory. It again ignited 32 minutes after launching and sent the spacecraft toward Mars. Tracking data indicated that the Agena D shut down four seconds early on the second burn. Marine III’s four solar panels were prevented from deploying. Further, the spacecraft did not align itself properly with the Sun so that the communications antennas would be properly pointed. This launch marked the first use of the USAF’s new Agena D upper stage and the first U.S. space mission requiring a second igniting of the Agena D. * * * * * Current overview: Mariner 3 was a 260-kg planetary probe designed to make scientific measurements in the vicinity of Mars and to take photographs of the planet. With Mariner 4, it was the first NASA probes designed to explore Mars, but the rocket launch fairing failed and the added weight prevented the spacecraft from attaining its prescribed Mars trajectory. Mariner 3 payload included six sensors: a solar probe designed to measure the charged particles making up the solar wind; a trapped-radiation detector to measure Earth’s Van Allen belts and similar formations around Mars; ionization chamber and Geiger-Mueller tube intended to measure the ionization caused by charged particles and to determine the number of particles; a cosmic-ray telescope to detect protons in three energy ranges; a helium magnetometer; and a cosmic dust detector. None of these  instrument sensors were uncovered. (Total costs for the Mariner series of spacecraft (Mariners 1 through 10) was approximately $554 million.) Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-073A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 378 ; Gunter's Mariner 3, 4 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 43 ;

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Explorer 23 Spacecraft:  NASA S-55C Chronologies: 1964 payload #111 ; 1964-074A ; 463rd spacecraft, 924th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 6 November 1964 at 12h02 UT, from Wallops Island's LA-3, by a Scout (X-4 S133R). Orbit: 460 km x 988 km x 52° x 99 min. 463 km x 980 km x 51.9° x 99.20 min. Decayed: 29 June 1983. Mission: Historical reports: The 135-kg Explorer XXIII (S-55c), a meteoroid detection satellite, was a cylinder 61-cm in diameter and 235 cm long. It was expected to have a useful lifetime of one year. Its primary purpose was to provide accurate knowledge of penetration capabilities of meteoroids and the resistance of various materials to penetration, thus facilitating design of spacecraft. The payload contained primary sensors (pressurized cells) designed to record the rate of meteoroid penetration in two different thicknesses of stainless steel; a capacitor-type penetration detector to determine effects of high-energy radiation; cadmium sulphide cells to record the size of impacting meteoroids; impact detectors capable of detecting three levels of meteoroid momentum; two separate telemeter canisters for storing experimental data and relaying it to ground stations. Also onboard the Scout rocket was an experiment to measure air loads on the structure during its ascent through the atmosphere between 7.5 and 12 km.      On 16 May 1965, it was reported that Explorer XXIII continued to transmit useful information after months of operation in the space environment. It was last of three S-55 series satellites which were the first spacecraft orbited specifically to measure meteoroid penetrations through spacecraft structures. Performance of Explorer XXIII had been entirely satisfactory, and indications were that it would have a useful life of more than a year.      Meteoroids probably would not be unduly hazardous to spacecraft flying for short periods in the near-Earth environment, a NASA report indicated on 12 August 1965, based on data from Explorer’s XVI and XXIII and Pegasus I and II.Explorer XXIII had reported 103 penetrations.  * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 23 was a 133.8-kg micrometeoroid satellite, the third in the series of S 55 orbited to obtain data on the near-Earth meteoroid environment. This series of satellites provides an accurate estimate of the probability of penetration in spacecraft structures by meteoroids. The spacecraft carried stainless steel pressurized-cell penetration detectors, impact detectors, and cadmium sulfide cell detectors to obtain data on the size, number, distribution, and momentum of dust particles. The spacecraft built around the burned out fourth stage of the Scout launch vehicle, which remained as part of the orbiting satellite. It was a cylinder measuring about 61 cm in diameter and 234 cm long. Its mass, neglecting the fourth stage vehicle hardware and motor, was 96.4 kg. Explorer 23 operated satisfactorily during its first year life (November 6, 1964, through 7 November 1965), and all mission objectives were accomplished, except for the cadmium sulfide cell detector experiment, which was damaged on liftoff and provided no data.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-074A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 380 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 233-4, 376 ; Gunter's Explorer: S-55 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Discoverer 85 / KH-4A 14 / CORONA 89 Spacecraft: KH-4A 1014 / CORONA J-16 / OPS 3360 Chronologies: 1964 payload #112 ; 1964-075A ; 464th spacecraft, 930th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 18 November 1964 at 20h36 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 416 / Agena D SS-01A 1180). Orbit: 177 km x 329 km x 70.0° x 89.60 min. Recovered: 6 December 1964. Mission: Historical reports: “A Thor-Agena D booster was used by USAF to launch an unidentified satellite from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.” * * * * * Current overview: This fourteenth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. This KH-4A cameras operated successfully.  Source: Jonathan McDowell'sMaster List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-075A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 392 ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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ORBIS Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #113 ; 1964-075B ; 465th spacecraft. Type: Military Science & Technology? Sponsor: U.S. Air Force? Launch: 18 November 1964 at 20h36 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 416 / Agena D SS-01A 1180). Orbit: 167 km x 276 km x 70.0° x 88.90 min. Decayed: 6 December 1964. Mission: Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-075B ; Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Explorer 24 / AD-B Spacecraft:  Air Density Chronologies: 1964 payload #114 ; 1964-076A ; 466th spacecraft, 931st space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 21 November 1964 at 17h10 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-D, by a Scout (X-4 S135R). Orbit: 525 km x 2,500 km x 81° x 116 min. 530 km x 2,498 km x 81.4° x 116.30 min. Decayed: 18 October 1968. Mission: Historical reports: Explorer XXIV (Air Density satellite) was a 3.7-m-diameter, 6.6-kg polka-dotted sphere identical to Explorer IX and Explorer XIX. It was covered with aluminum foil to reflect both sunlight and radio waves; approximately 4,000 white spots on the surface provided temperature control. Explorer XXIV would provide three types of global comparative measurements: (1) high-altitude air density; (2) sources of atmospheric heat through comparison of data with Injun and other satellites; and (3) density and temperature variations of the atmosphere as a function of latitude.      This launch marked the first time NASA had orbited dual spacecraft with a single booster. The double payload was designed to provide more detailed information on complex radiation-air density measurements. * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 24 was a 8.6-kg Earth/space sciences satellite designed to study atmospheric density as a function of space and time. It was identical to Explorer 9 and Explorer 19 balloon satellites. The craft was 3.6 meters in diameter, built of alternating layers of aluminum foil and plastic film, and covered uniformly with 5.1-cm white dots for thermal control. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-076A ; Gunter's Explorer: AD ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 394-5 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Explorer 25 / Injun 4 Spacecraft: Chronologies: 1964 payload #115 ; 1964-076B ; 467th spacecraft, 932nd space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 21 November 1964 at 17h10 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC-D, by a Scout (X-4 S135R). Orbit: 525 km x 2,490 km x 81° x 116 min. 526 km x 2,319 km x 81.3° x 114.30 min. Decayed: Expected to be in orbit for about 200 years.  Mission: Historical reports: Explorer XXV (Injun-B), a 60-cm-diameter, 40-kg metal satellite bearing 16 radiation sensors to measure protons and electrons in various ranges of energy, was roughly spherical in shape with 40 flat surfaces, 30 of them studded with solar cells.      Tracking data after one complete orbit indicated that the satellites were close to planned orbit with all instruments operating. * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 25 was a 40-kg Earth/space sciences satellite designed to make measurements of the influx of energetic particles into the Earth's atmosphere and to study atmospheric heating and the increase in scale height which have been correlated with geomagnetic activity. Studies of the natural and artificial trapped radiation belts were also conducted. Stable magnetic alignment was not achieved until late February 1965 and the satellite sent radiation data until December 1966. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-076B ; Gunter's Explorer: IE B / Injun 4 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 394-5 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Mariner 4 Spacecraft:  Mariner C-3 Chronologies: 1964 payload #116 ; 1964-077A ; 468th spacecraft, 938th space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Mars) Sponsor: NASA Launch: 28 November 1964 at 14h22 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-12, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas LV-3A 288D / Agena D  6932). Orbit: Heliocentric (Solar) orbit. Decayed: Forever in space. Mission: Historical reports: Mariner IV Mars probe was successfully placed into interplanetary orbit. In addition to equipment for televising the Martian surface, it carried instruments to study radiation, space dust and magnetic forces near Earth, Mars and in deep space. the probe locked on the star Canopus for stabiliation, the first time a star was used for an attitude reference on a long space mission. (Mariner IV locked its sensor on Canopus after fixes on three wrong stars.) Only with Canopus in view would scientists know the spacecraft’s attitude with the precision needed for a midcourse rocket firing of maximum accuracy to refine the course of the trajectory and bring the Mariner IV within about 13,800 km of Mars instead of the anticipated distance of 243,000 km following its launch.      On 5 December 1964, Mariner IV underwent a critical course correction that changed the Mars fly-by distance from 243 000 km in front of the planet to an approach at 8,700 km behind Mars, and the arrival date from July 16 to July 14; 1965. A second midcourse maneuver would not be required.      On 20 December 1964, Mariner IV began passing through a second stream of meteoroids. In its first 23 days of flight, the craft had made 7½ million scientific and engineering measurements in interplanetary space and was 6,031,098 km from Earth, traveling at 11,215 km/h relative to Earth.      On 21 January 1965, Mariner IV completed nearly one-quarter of its 7½-mo. journey to Mars and was more than 15 million km from Earth. The craft was traveling 17,200 km/h relative to the Earth; velocity relative to the Sun was 109,800 km/h; total distance traveled was over 150 million km. After 54 days in space, all systems were functioning normally, except the solar plasma probe which ceased returning intelligible data one week after launch.      On 14 April 1965, Mariner IV set a distance record for communications from American spacecraft. The Mars probe transmitted data from 87 million km out, exceeding the record of 86.7 million km set by Mariner II in 1963.      On 19 April 1965, a detailed report on the progress of Mariner IV was presented:  The spacecraft was on course to fly by Mars shortly after 9 p.m. EDT on July 14. Four of its six experiments were still working well. The ionization experiment had ceased to function and data from the solar plasma probe were only partially interpretable. At 3 p.m., Mariner IV was 93,605,244 km from Earth. It had traveled  356,120,000 km on its journey of 525 million km.       Mariner IV had returned a considerable amount of scientific data. A cosmic ray telescope aboard the spacecraft had, for example, “observed” more solar protons than alpha particles from the sun. John A. Simpson of Univ. of Chicago, said this indicated there was a “different kind of mechanism operating on the sun for accelerating these particles in space.” A report from a team of scientists from NASA GSFC and Temple Univ. indicated that Mariner IV was encountering increasing amounts of cosmic dust as it moved further away from the Sun. Mariner IV’s cosmic dust detector had been hit 95 times.  Dr. James A. Van Allen predicted that if Mars had a magnetic field no stronger than 1/30th the intensity of the earth‘s, Mariner IV would detect it in July. Richard Sloan of JPL said he and his colleagues planned to try to establish a radio lock with Mariner IV in September 1967 after it had journeyed through space and come back to within 65-80 million km of Earth.       On 29 April 1965, Mariner IV set world space communications distance record when it reached a straight-line distance from Earth of 106 million km.  Soviet scientists reported two years ago that they lost radio contact with their Mars I spacecraft at more than 105 million km.      On 25 May 1965, Jack N. James, responsible for Mariner IV’s cameras, told that photographs taken by the probe were not expected to show signs of life that might exist on the planet since surface detail in the photographs would not be great.      NASA scientists said, during a press briefing on 22 June 1965, that the public should not “expect too much” from the photographs of Mars it was scheduled to take July 14,. It was conjectural whether the 21 photographs the Mars probe would take would be clear enough to disprove or verify the theories held by some scientists that there are canals and some form of life on Mars. Scientists who would study the photographs pointed out that 21 pictures would only enable them to see 1% of Mars. Nevertheless, any pictures of the surface would be far superior to the best observations now obtainable with earth-based telescopes. The first few photographs might be made public immediately after being received, but the others probably would not be released until they had been studied for weeks or months.      On 7 July 1965, Mariner IV began feeling the gravitational pull of Mars, a week before it was scheduled to take the first close-up pictures of the planet. The tug was noticed at 5 p.m. EDT in a slight change in speed as the spacecraft, 206,040,045 km from Earth and 2,770,330 km from Mars. neared the end of its 228-day trip. At noon, the speed relative to Mars was 15,895 km/h. Tracking engineers said the speed, which had been dropping three kilometres every six hours, would lessen because of Mars' gravity at a rate of one and a half kilometre every six hours through July 10, when the speed would begin to increase. No further sensing of the planet's presence in space was expected until July 11 when instruments aboard Mariner IV might detect an increase in radiation.      On 14 July 1965, Mariner IV approached within 8,840 km of Mars and took the first close-up pictures in history of that planet. At 10:28 EDT, a signal from the tracking station at Johannesburg, South Africa, had commanded Mariner IV to turn on the encounter equipment. Obeying the command 12 minutes later - the time it took the signal to reach the spacecraft across 215,000,000 km -, Mariner IV’s scan platform with TV cameras and two Mars sensors began searching for the planet; the tape recorder began a 10-hour warm- up.  By 13:10, the spacecraft’s sensors had found the proper angle from which to photograph Mars. On orders from JPL, the Johannesburg tracking station ordered the camera and its light sensor to stop the scan at 7/10 of a degree of the optimum aiming point.       Throughout the day, the spacecraft continued transmitting scientific and engineering information via the telemetry system.  At 19:50, the Mars probe made its first “sighting” contact with the planet. The telemetry system then shifted and began sending only information from the scientific experiments.       At 20:20EDT, the first light from Mars struck the light sensor aligned with the camera and the 25-minutes picture-taking sequence began. 21 frames were exposed and recorded on magnetic tape to be telemetered to earth over a 10-day period. Transmission of each picture would require 8 hours and 25 minutes.  Near the end of the fly-by. signals received at Goldstone tracking station had indicated a malfunction in the tape system. Telemetry received after the pass, however, showed no indication that trouble had occurred.       At 22:12, Mariner IV flew behind Mars, remained obscured for 53 minutes, and re-emerged beyond the planet, its transmitter beaming radio signals through the Martian atmosphere. From this occultation experiment, scientists might be able to gauge the depth, thickness, and component gases of Mars’ atmosphere by measuring how much these signals were bent and their speeds changed.       Dr. William H. Pickering, JPL Director, told a news conference that signals indicated all instruments on the spacecraft had performed properly during the flyby.      The first close-up picture of Mars transmitted by Mariner IV on 15 July, in an eight-hour broadcast over a distance of 215 million km, clearly showed the edge of the planet. Transmitted to Earth as a series of 5 million radio signals representing zeroes and ones, the picture was reconstructed by a computer. The photo sequence began when the bright edge, or limb, of Mars was seen by a light sensor which triggered Mariner’s magnetic tape recorder. Taken at a low angle with an oblique view, the first photograph did not show the detail expected in later photographs.      At a news conference at JPL, Dr. J. A. Van Allen said that, during its Mars flyby, Mariner IV had discovered with a variety of detectors that Mars had little or no magnetic field and, therefore, no radiation belts. This would indicate that the planet lacks a liquid core and thus differs basically from Earth. Lack of a metallic core, liquid or solid, would be evidence that the planet never went through the churning internal processes that gave the Earth its layered structure. Mars would not have continents formed of lightweight rocks and ocean basins underlain with basaltic rock as found on Earth.       W. M. Alexander, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, expIained that there was no evidence of a belt or unusual concentration of cosmic dust around the planet, nor, pointed out Dr. H. S. Bridge, MIT, was there any evidence of a shock wave caused by solar wind flowing across the planet.       Dr. William H. Pickering, Director of JPL, when questioned by newsmen on the possibility of higher life existing on Mars, pointed out that the absence of a magnetic field indicated the planet’s atmosphere was hit with all types of radiation and the existence of life would depend on how deep the atmosphere was and the extent of radiation that reached the surface. Asked if he were discouraged about the possibility of finding life on the planet, Dr. Pickering replied: “No, I have always felt we will find some sort of life on Mars.”       Dr. Pickering pointed out that one explanation for the reddish hue of Mars might be the presence of limonite, an iron oxide. This would suggest that iron was uniformly spread through the planet rather than being largely concentrated in the core, as on earth.      A Washington Evening Star July 16’s editorial said that Mariner 4 “has blazed the way for the landing of instruments on the Martian terrain within the next decade, and after that, on some day between 1980 and the end of the century the landing of Americans there.”      On 17 July 1965, two more Mariner IV close-up shots of Mars were released by NASA. The first three photographs showed an almost unbroken strip of terrain some 1,000 km long. They revealed features down to three kilometres in length, including several crater-like objects, a kidney-shaped depression 30-50-km in width, and ridges and depressions similar to those on the Moon. None of them showed straight-line features that might have been taken by Earth-based observers to be canals. Except for the suggestion of an arid, wind-swept, desert-like terrain, the pictures did not bear directly on the question of life on the planet.       On 25 July 1965, Mariner IV finished transmitting its 21 photographs of Mars and sent about 10 percent of a 22nd picture before its tape ran out. The later pictures were eagerly awaited by JPL scientists because they should show the dark regions of Mars that some people believed harbor life. The photos were scheduled to be released later this week.      On 29 July 1965, Dr. Robert B. Leighton, Cal Tech professor, summarized the results of the Mariner IV mission to President Johnson in a White House ceremony during which the remaining photos transmitted by the spacecraft were presented to the President and the Nation. Dr. Leighton said: “Man’s first close-up look at Mars has revealed the scientifically startling fact that at least part of its surface is covered with large craters…       “The existence of Martian craters is demonstrated beyond question; their meaning and significance is, of course, a matter of interpretation. The seventy craters clearly distinguishable on Mariner photos Nos. 5 through 15, range in diameter from 5 to 120 kilometres. It seems likely that smaller craters exist, and there also may be still larger ones than those photographed, since the Mariner photographs, in total, sampled only about one percent of the Martian surface.      “The observed craters have rims rising a few hundred feet above the surrounding surface and depths of a few thousand feet below the rims. Crater walls so far measured seem to slope at angles up to about 10 degrees.       “The number of large craters per unit area on the Martian surface is closely comparable to the densely cratered upland areas of the Moon.”       Dr. Leighton said that no earth-like features were recognized and that clouds “were not identified and the flight path did not cross either polar cap.”  Some of the fundamental inferences drawn from the Mariner IV photos were:       “1. In terms of its evolutionary history, Mars is more Moon-like than Earth-like. Nonetheless, because it has an atmosphere, Mars may shed much light on early phases of Earth‘s history.       “2. Reasoning by analogy with the Moon, much of the heavily cratered surface of Mars must be very ancient - perhaps two to five billion years old.       “3. The remarkable state of preservation of such an ancient surface leads us to the inference that no atmosphere significantly denser than the present very thin one has characterized the planet since that surface was formed. Similarly, it is difficult to believe that free water in quantities sufficient to form streams or to fill oceans could have existed anywhere on Mars since that time. The presence of such amounts of water (and consequent atmosphere) would have caused severe erosion over the entire surface.       “4. The principal topographic features of Mars photographed by Mariner have not been produced by stress and deformation originating within the planet, in distinction to the case of the Earth. Earth is internally dynamic giving rise to mountains, continents, and other such features, while evidently Mars has iong been inactive. The !a& of internal activity is also consistent with the absence of a significant magnetic field on Mars as was determined by the Mariner magnetometer experiment.       “5. As we had anticipated, Mariner photos neither demonstrate nor preclude the possible existence of life on Mars. The search for a fossil record does appear less promising if Martian oceans never existed. On the other hand, if the Martian surface is truly in its primitive form, the surface may prove to be the best - perhaps the only - place in the solar system still preserving clues to original organic development, traces of which have long since disappeared from Earth.”       NASA Administrator James E. Webb said that the Mariner IV flight, including the Mariner III attempt that failed, “cost over $100 million.”      President Johnson said he was a bit relieved that Mariner’s photographs “didn’t show more signs of life out there.” He described the Mars pictures as “awe-inspiring” and said that “the flight of Mariner 4 will stand as one of the great advances of man’s quest to extend the horizons of human knowledge.”      Commenting on the success of Mariner IV, a New York Times editorial on 30 July 1965 said: “A whole host of new sciences is being born-extraterrestrial geology most obviously among them. By learning more about Mars - even a lifeless Mars - men will understand betier the origins a! the solar system. And, by being able to compare the red planet in greater detail with this Earth, new understanding will evolve of why there is life here and, apparently, none there. The exploration of the planets has begun and more than one generation will be required to finish that task. But, so long as men stand on this puny globe and gaze wonderingly at the lights in the sky, they will remember that the first successful pioneer was named Mariner 4.”      Pictures of Mars taken by Mariner IV received editorial comment in the Washington Post of 30 July 1965: “… If some people are disappointed because Mariner 4 did not produce any conclusive documentation on the existence of the long-suspected life on Mars, it should be remembered that this was not one of Mariner 4’s objectives. Even the TIROS, circling Earth at far less distance from its surface than Mariner 4 was from Mars, has indicated only once in the thousands of pictures taken that the life we know exists here actually can be spotted from far out in space.”      On 2 August 1965, Mariner IV’s tape recorder was turned off at the end of its second playback of the 21 pictures it took of Mars. A spokesman for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the second run of pictures would be compared with the first as a check against possible errors in transmission and reception. No significant differences had been reported yet by scientists studying the photographs.      Alternate methods for re-establishing communications with Mariner IV on its next closest approach to eErth around 4 September 1967, were being considered by Mariner project planners, Aviation Week and Space Technology reported on 2 August 1965: (1) attempted reacquisition beginning in early February 1967, making use of the spacecraft's high-gain directional antenna to obtain data from the spacecraft for up to 10 months; (2) reliance solely on Mariner IV'S low-gain antenna for transmission, permitting two-way communications for four to six weeks around September 1967.  In the 10-mo. plan, reacquisition would be initiated when the spacecraft was about 220 million km from Earth.      W. A. Collier, assistant Mariner project manager at JPL, told Aviation Week that Mariner IV would be of particular scientific interest in 1967. First, there were no other interplanetary probes being sent away from the Sun at that period. Second, when Mariner IV passed within 10,000 km of Mars, the gravitational pull of the planet had tilted the plane of the spacecraft out of the plane of the ecliptic. Mariner IV, 8.5 million km above the ecliptic in September 1967, would give scientists their first chance to compare interplanetary findings outside this plane with those obtained in it.  Mariner IV was in solar orbit with a period of 567.11 days, perihelion of 165.9 million km, and aphelion of 235.25 million km.      O0 20 August 1965, Mariner IV was still transmitting engineering and scientific data. On its 265th day of travel, the spacecraft was 262,528,400 km from Earth, 13,872,700 km from Mars, and had traveled 590,000,000 km since its launch.      Martian atmosphere, according to data from Mariner IV’s occultation experiment, was now thought to be much thinner than previously believed: it now seemed that air pressure at Martian surface was only about 1/5,000th that of Earth. Theory that Martian atmosphere was more dense at heights of 40 km or more above the surface than Earth's at comparable elevations was not upheld; observations reported indicated Martian atmosphere was thinner than Earth's at all elevations. Atmospheric composition that would account for the Mariner IV observations, the scientists said, would be largely carbon dioxide. * * * * * Current overview: Mariner 4 was a 260.68-kg planetary probe, the first to successful fly by the planet Mars. It returned the first pictures of the martian surface, representing the first images of another planet ever returned from deep space. Other mission objectives were to perform field and particle measurements in interplanetary space and to provide experience in and knowledge of the engineering capabilities for interplanetary flights of long duration.      The spacecraft consisted of an octagonal magnesium frame, 1.27 meter across a diagonal and 45.7 cm high. Four solar panels were attached to the top of the frame with an end-to-end span of 6.88 meters. The overall height of the spacecraft was 2.89 meters. At the bottom center of the spacecraft, the television camera was mounted on a scan platform. The octagonal frame housed the electronic equipment, cabling, midcourse propulsion system, and attitude control gas supplies and regulators. Most of the science experiments were mounted on the outside of the frame. Science instruments were a magnetometer, dust detector, cosmic ray telescope, trapped radiation detector, solar plasma probe, and ionization chamber/Geiger counter.       After 7½ months of flight, Marine 4 flew by Mars on 14 and 15 July 1965; closest approach was at 9,846 km from the Martian surface on 15 July at 01:00:57 UT.  The camera sequence started on 15 July at 00:18:36 UT and 21 pictures plus 21 lines of a 22nd picture were taken. The images covered a discontinuous swath of Mars starting near 40° North, 170° East, down to about 35° South, 200° East, representing about 1% of the planet's surface. All images were transmitted twice to insure no data was missing or corrupt. The images returned showed a Moon-like cratered terrain (which later missions showed was not typical for Mars, but only for the more ancient region imaged by Mariner 4). A surface atmospheric pressure of 4.1 to 7.0 milibar and daytime temperatures of -100 degrees C were estimated and no magnetic field was detected. i      The planetary probe performed all programmed activities successfully and returned useful data from launch until 1st October 1965, when the distance from Earth (309.2 million km) and the antenna orientation temporarily halted signal acquisition. Data acquisition resumed in late 1967. The cosmic dust detector registered 17 hits in a 15 minute span on 15 September, part of an apparent micrometeoroid shower which temporarily changed the spacecraft attitude and probably slightly damaged the thermal shield. On 7 December the gas supply in the attitude control system was exhausted, and on December 10 and 11 a total of 83 micrometeoroid hits were recorded which caused perturbation of the attitude and degradation of the signal strength. On 21 December 1967 communications with Mariner 4 were terminated.  Notes: “NASA had compromised the scientific value of the interplanetary research program by spending too little on the Deep Space Network communications system”, according to Frank Drake, prof. at Cornell Univ. Drake noted that Mariner IV would only be able to relay 22 photos of Mars back to Earth and that these would be of lesser quality -- all because of communications limitations. (A&A 1965, p. 1) Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-077A ; Gunter's Mariner 3, 4 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 397-8, 399, 407, 426 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 1, 24, 68, 184, 189-90, 207, 244, 293, 316-7, 327-8, 330, 333, 336, 346, 354-5, 359, 360, 363, 364, 386, 414 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 44 ; Mariner 4’s 21 photos ;

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Zond 2 / 3MV-4A #1 Spacecraft:  3MV-4A No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #117 ; 1964-078C ; 469th spacecraft, 945th space object catalogued. Type: Planetary Probe (Mars) Sponsor: Soviet Union (Korolev's Design Bureau) Launch: 30 November 1964 at 13h12 UT, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2-e/"Molniya" (8K78). Orbit: Heliocentric (Solar) orbit. Decayed: Forever in space. Mission: Historical reports: The Soviet Union launched Zond II probe in the direction of the planet Mars. The purpose of the launching was said to be trying of the station’s systems under actual conditions of prolonged space flight and gaining of practical experience. Scientific investigations in interplanetary space would be carried out simultaneously. The probe was proceeding along a trajectory close to the computed one.      On 1 December 1964, Soviet Union announced that Zond II, headed for Mars in an apparent race with Mariner IV, had run into difficulties. The Soviet report said that in the first few radio contacts between Zond II and the ground “the power supply on board the space station was about half of the expected level.” Position information indicated the probe was 40,000 km from earth.     On 18 December 1964, TASS disclosed that Zond II was equipped with a new type of rocket engine known as a plasma accelerator and that the engine, on radio command from earth, had successfully operated the attitude control system that oriented the spacecraft with respect to the Sun. It was the first time that such a plasma engine had been tested under conditions of actual space flight. Information continued to be received on the operations of the systems and units aboard the spacecraft; radio communication with the station was stable.      ON 16 February 1965, Dr. Charles S. Sheldon of the National Aeronautics and Space Council staff noted that Zond II would pass near Mars perhaps one month after Mariner IV. He also said that: “The Russians are pretty cautious about disclosing much about their launch vehicles, but we know pretty well what vehicles they’re using.”      On 8 March 1965, it was reported that Zond II would pass within 1,500 km of Mars on 6 August. according to Soviet space scientist Prof. Mstislav Keldysh. This announcement was relayed by Dr. Charles S. Sheldon of the National Aeronautics and Space Council, who quoted Keldysh as saying Zond II weighed about 900 kg. Dr. Sheldon speculated that the probe’s considerable weight - four times more than Mariner IV - could mean “it may be doing something more than a simple fly-by” of Mars.      Russian physicist Gennadii Skuridin revealed on 4-6 may 1965 that Zond II had stopped transmitting data to Earth. Cutoff apparently resulted from a failure in the probe’s solar panels caused by meteoroid impact or solar radiation, he said.       On 14 July 1965, Zond II was believed still racing toward Mars, but with its radio power dead. Although its specific mission was not disclosed, TASS had announced Zond II was intended to “test the systems of the spacecraft in practical conditions of a prolonged space flight and to accumulate experience.” TASS had also said “unprecedented” plasma-jet engines were powering the Mars probe.  * * * * * Current overview: Zond 2 was a 890-kg planetary probe launched towards Mars to test space equipment and to carry out scientific investigations. It carried a descent craft and the same instruments as Mars 1: a magnetometer probe, television equipment, a spectroreflectometer, radiation sensors (gas-discharge and scintillation counters), a spectrograph to study ozone absorption bands, and a micrometeoroid instrument. The spacecraft had six experimental low-thrust electrojet plasma ion engines that served as actuators of the attitude control system and could be used instead of the gas engines to maintain orientation.       Zond 2 took a long curving trajectory towards Mars to minimize the relative velocity. The electronic ion engines were successfully tested from 8 to 18 December 1964. One of the two solar panels failed so only half the anticipated power was available to the spacecraft. After a mid-course maneuver, communications with the probe were lost in early May 1965. The spacecraft flew by Mars on 6 August 1965 at a distance of 1,500 km.      Zond 2, 3MV-4 (no. 2) weighing 996 kg. was Soviet Union’s first third-generation (“3MV”) spacecraft sent toward Mars. This particular model (3MV-4) was designed to fly by the planet and take photographs. After the spacecraft successfully entered a planetary trajectory, ground controllers discovered that the probe’s solar panels had not completely unfurled, which deprived the vehicle of full power. (Later investigation indicated that a tug cord, designed to pull the panels free at the moment of separation from the Blok L upper stage, had broken off.) Controllers were able to fully open the panel only on 15 December 1964, but by then, the time for the first midcourse correction to flyby Mars had already passed. Additionally, between communications sessions, there had been a failure in the onboard programmed timer immediately after interplanetary injection that led to inappropriate thermal conditions for the spacecraft.     On 18 December, before loss of contact, Zond 2 successfully fired six plasma electric rocket engines (twice) as a technology demonstrator for future deep space missions. The spacecraft was to have flown by Mars on 6 August 1965. It is now heliocentric orbit. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-078A ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 399, 403, 424 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 73, 112-3, 216, 329, ; Gunter's Zond 2, 3 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ; Siddiqi, A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes, 1958–2000, NASA SP-2002-4524, p. 45 ;

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Kosmos / DS-2 #2 Spacecraft:  DS-2 No. 2 Chronologies: 1964 payload #118 ; 1964 18th loss ; 470th spacecraft. Type:  Military Science & Technology Sponsor: Soviet Union's Defense ministry Launch: 1st December 1964, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's LC-86/1, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: N/a. Destroyed: 1st December 1964. Mission: Current overview: This Kosmos was a 47-kg navigation technology satellite. It failed to reach orbit whem the Kosmos-B launch vehicle’s payload shroud did not separate. DS-2 is the second development version of the “Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik” series. The first one was successfully orbited on 16 March 1962 (Kosmos 1). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Gunter's DS-2 ;

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KH-7 14 / Gambit-1 14 Spacecraft:  KH-7 no. 14 / GAMBIT SV 964 / OPS 4439 ; AFP-206 SV 964 Chronologies: 1964 payload #119 ; 1964-079A ; 471st spacecraft, 946th space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 4 December 1964 at 18h57 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's PALC2-4, by an Atlas-Agena D (Atlas 7102 / Agena D). Orbit: 158 km x 357 km x 97.0° x 89.70 min. Recovered: 5 December 1964 (1.2 day). Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Atlas-Agena D from WTR with unidentified satellite payload.” * * * * * Current overview:  Fiyrteenth KH 7 Gambit surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). These Keyhole 7, codenamed Gambit-1, spacecraft weight approximately 2,000 kg and was a long cylinder, 1.5 meter in diameter and about 5 meters long, ending with a reentry capsule (SRV). The SRV was a 0.8 m long, 0.7 m diameter rounded cone with a mass of about 160 kg. This was the first successful space reconnaissance program, which provide identification of targets such as missiles and aircraft (in contrast to the lower resolution CORONA system which was only able to locate such targets). Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 406 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-079A ; Jonathan McDowell's USAF imaging programs' Satellite Summary: KH-7 (Program 206) ; Gunter's KH-7 Gambit ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Kosmos 51 / DS-MT #3 Spacecraft:  DS-MT No. 3 Chronologies: 1964 payload #120 ; 1964-080A ; 472nd spacecraft, 947th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Soviet Union Launch: 9 December 1964 at 23h02 UT, from Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome's LC-86/1, by a Kosmos B-1 (63S1). Orbit: 264 km x 544 km x $8.8° x 92.5 min. 258 km x 537 km x 48.8°x 92.60 min. Decayed: 14 November 1965. Mission: Historical reports: “In addition to scientific instrumentation, Cosmos LI contained a radio system for the precise measurement of orbital elements and a radiotelemetry system for transmitting data to Earth. All equipment on board was operating normally.” * * * * * Current overview: Kosmos 51 was a 350-kg technology satellite (DS-MT type) to test electric gyrodyne orientation systems. Also studied variations in the intensity of cosmic rays, and measured the luminosity of the starry sky. It completed its operations on 4 January 1965. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 414 ;; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-080A ; Gunter's DS-MT ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Transtage 1 Spacecraft:  Transtage 2 (“Titan 3A Fairing Lead Dummy Payload”) Chronologies: 1964 payload #121 ; 1964-081A ; 473rd spacecraft, 949th space object catalogued. Type: Military Science & Technology Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 10 December 1964 at 16h53 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base's LC-20, by a Titan 3A (3A-1). Orbit: 166 km x 180 km x 32.1° x 88.00 min. Decayed: 13 December 1964. Mission: Historical reports: USAF Titan III-A space booster executed its first completely successful test flight. Midway in its first orbit, approximately 185 km above the Earth, the 2,380-kg “transtage” (a third stage with multiple start-stop-restart capability and ability to transfer a payload from one orbit to another) performed a 360° [180°?] somersault to align the platform’s inertial guidance system gyroscopes. At the end of its first 100-min. orbit, explosive charges automatically kicked a 1,700-kg cylinder-shaped dummy satellite into a separate orbit. After the Titan III-A firing, Brig. Gen. Joseph S. Bleymaier, project director, said: “The success confirmed our confidence in the system. We feel that the Air Force now has a real purpose in accomplishing space missions.”      Titan III program director Brig. Gen. Joseph S. Bleymaier (USAF) reported that the launch of the Titan III-A may have gained the most accurate orbit ever achieved in the U.S. space program. The vehicle achieved an orbit with 189 km apogee and a 183 km perigee against a planned 185 km nominal orbital altitude. Deviation from a true circle was 0.00075 against a predicted value of 0.00050. Time for a single orbit was 88.2 min., within 0.04 min. of the time predicted. * * * * * Current overview: Second test of the Titan 3A launch vehicle, which carried a 1,700-kg (or 4,077-kg) dummy payload. First successful test of the new launcher. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 414 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics 1965, p. 12 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-081A ; Gunter's Transtage 1, 2, 5 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Surveyor SD-1 (AC-4) Spacecraft:  Centaur 4C (Surveyor Mass Model) Chronologies: 1964 payload #122 ; 1964-082A ; 474th spacecraft, 951st space object catalogued. Type: Technology Sponsor: NASA Launch: 11 December 1964 at 14h25 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station'S LC-36A, by an Atlas Centaur (Atlas LV-3C AC-4 / Centaur D 146D). Orbit: 165 km x 178 km x 30.7°x 87.80 min. Decayed: 12 December 1964. Mission: Historical reports: Atlas-Centaur 4 (AC-4) hurled its Centaur second stage into orbit around the Earth with a mass model of the Surveyor lunar spacecraft in its nose. The first-burn performance of the Centaur sent the stage into a nearly circular parkiig orbit of 160 km and 170 km apogee. The second burn should have put the rocket into an oval path taking it out as much as 8,000 km from Earth. However, the attempt to restart the RL-10 engines failed and the stage began to tumble and roll. After about 15 hr. in orbit, the Centaur stage and its Surveyor dummy payload re-entered the atmosphere over the South Pacific, east of Australia, and disintegrated.       NASA said all prime mission objectives had been met, including the demonstration of the structural integrity of the Atlas-Centaur during powered flight, testing of the guidance system which was flying closed loop for the first time, verification of the structural and thermal integrity of the Centaur nose fairing and insulation panels, and verification of the performance of the jettison systems for the nose fairing and insulation panels. Project officials were investigating what caused the stage to tumble, preventing propellants from reaching the pumps. * * * * * Current overview: Development flight of the Atlas-Centaur 4 launch vehicle to perform propulsion and stage separation tests. The Centaur put a Surveyor mass model (2,993 kg or 2,944 kg) into a geosynchronous transfer orbit.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 414-5 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-082A; Gunter's Surveyor-Model ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Transit 5E5 Spacecraft: Transit VE-5 / APL SN-43 / OPS 6582  Chronologies: 1964 payload #123 ; 1964-083A ; 475th spacecraft, 959th space object catalogued. Type: Navigation Sponsor: U.S. Navy/U.S. Air Force Launch: 13 December 1964 at 0h08 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 427 AB017). Orbit: 1,007 km x 1,064 km x 89.8° x 105.90 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Able-Star launch vehicle from WTR with unidentified satellite payload. It was later revealed that two satellites were placed in orbit.” * * * * * Current overview: Transit 5B5 was a 60-kg (or 78-kg) navigation satellite which featured two stable oscillators, magnetometer systems, ultraviolet telescope and particle detectors. Mission objectives were: to map the Earth's magnetic field at orbital altitude, to map the celestial sphere in the ultraviolet region, to demonstrate operation of a new digital solar attitude detection system, to determine sublimation rates of selected metals, to continue solar spectrum studies, and determine the reliability of various selected transistors and capacitors in orbit. All objectives were met. The ultraviolet telescope furnished excellent data until June 1965.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 418 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-083A ; Gunter's Transit-5E 5 ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Transit O-2 / NNS O-2 Spacecraft: OPS 6582  Chronologies: 1964 payload #124 ; 1964-083B ; 476th spacecraft, 965th space object catalogued. Type: Navigation Sponsor: U.S. Navy/U.S Air Force Launch: 13 December 1964 at 0h08 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-2, by a Thor-Able-Star (Thor Ablestar 427 AB017). Orbit: 1,020 km x 1,079 km x 89.8° x 106.20 min. Decayed: (Still in orbit.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched Thor-Able-Star launch vehicle from WTR with unidentified satellite payload. It was later revealed that two satellites were placed in orbit.”      On 12 January 1965, USN announced the Transit navigational satellite system was operational and had been in use since July 1964. The three gravity-gradient-stabilized satellites, weighing between 50 and 70 kg each, were launched on Thor-Able-Star boosters into near-circular 965 km polar orbits from Pt. Mugu, Calif. Operational lifetime of the satellites was expected to be about two years. The satellites emitted radio signals which ships used to determine their positions, and could provide ships with navigational fixes-accurate to 150 metres about every 90 min. The shipboard computer operated automatically, beginning when the satellite approached, receiving the data, computing the ship’s position, and typing the results for the navigator. A number of fleet units were reported to be using the system. Capt. F. H. Price, Jr. (USN), who tested the system from the nuclear-powered cruiser U.S.S. Long Beach, called the system “the most reliable means of providing navigational information” and said it met the requirement of an “accurate, dependable, worldwide, aII-weather, 24-hour-a-day capability.” This was the first continuous use of space technology in direct support of the fleet. It was predicted, but not officially confirmed, that the Polaris missile-firing submarines would adopt the navigational satellite system. NASA was studying commercial applications of a navigational satellite system and considering the possibility of developing its own system if it proved economically feasible. * * * * * Current overview: Transit O-2 was a 60-kg navigation satellite, also know as Navy Navigation Satellite (NNS) O-2. This series was also called “Oscars” (the phonetic alphabet for “O”) for Operational.  NSS O-2 failed after a few days operation (as NNS O-1). The first NNS O satellites were built by the Naval Avionics Facility at Indianapolis but, after O-1 and O-2 failed to operate more than a few days, APL refurbished the following ones and built new ones. The Transit series was developed for updating the inertial navigation systems on board US Navy Polaris submarines. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 418 ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965, p. 13-4 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-083A ; Gunter's Transit-O ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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San Marco 1 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 1964 payload #125 ; 1964-084A ; 477th spacecraft, 957th space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: Italy-NASA Launch: 15 December 1964 at 20h20 UT, from Wallops Island's LA-3, by a Scout (X-4 S137R). Orbit: 200.5 km x 788.5 km x 37.77° x 94.7 min. 200 km x 842 km x 37.8° x 95.10 min. Decayed: 13 September 1965. Mission: Historical reports: A NASA-trained Italian crew launched the 115-kg San Marco I (SM-1) Italian-designed satellite on a Scout from NASA Wallops Station. It was the first time a foreign country had designed, built and launched a satellite in orbit in the course of NASA’s International program. The satellite would measure air density and ionospheric characteristics related to long-range radio transmissions and would qualify satellite and train crew for subsequent launches from sea platform in Indian Ocean. * * * * * Current overview: San Marco 1 was a 115.2-kg (or 254-kg) Earth/space sciences satellite, the first Italian, which furnish data on air density and ionosphere characteristics. The launch vehicle was provided by NASA and was launched by an Italian launch crew.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p. 420 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-084A ; Gunter's San Marco 1, 2 ; NORAD's SATCAT(1964) ;

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Discoverer 86 / KH-4A 15 / CORONA 90 Spacecraft: KH-4A 1015 / CORONA J-17 / OPS 3358 Chronologies: 1964 payload #126 ; 1964-085A ; 478th spacecraft, 964st space object catalogued. Type: Military Earth Surveillance Sponsor: U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Launch: 19 December 1964 at 21h10 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-3-4, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C 424 / Agena D SS-01A 1607). Orbit: 193 km x 405 km x 74.9° x 90.50 min. Recovered: 14 January 1965. Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched unidentified satellite on Thor-Agena D booster from Vandenberg AFB.” * * * * * Current overview: This fifteenth KA-4A was a 1,590-kg (or about 2,000 kg, including the Agena upper stage) surveillance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The KH-4A spy satellites carried two panoramic cameras with a ground resolution of 2.7 meters as well as an 'index camera' with a ground resolution of 162 meters and frame coverage of 308 km × 308 km. Discrepancies in the planned and actual coverage due to telemetry problems during the first 6 revolutions. There were small out-of-focus areas on the film from the aft camera Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  426 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-085A ; NRO's Corona : JPL's Corona : Gunter's KH-4A Corona ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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Explorer 26 / EPE-D Spacecraft:  EPE stands for Energetic Particles Explorer Chronologies: 1964 payload #127 ; 1964-086A ; 479th spacecraft, 963rd space object catalogued. Type: Earth/space Sciences Sponsor: NASA Launch: 21 December 1964 at 9h00 UT, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's LC-17A, by a Delta DSV-3C (Thor Delta C 393 / Delta 27). Orbit: 305 km x 26,195 km x 20.15° x 7 hr. 36 min. 284 km x 10,043 km x 19.8° x 205.70 min. Decayed: 31 March 1978. Mission: Historical reports: Explorer XXVI was placed into an eccentric orbit. The 46-kg windmill-shaped satellite carried five experiments designed to learn how high-energy radiation particles are injected, trapped, and eventually lost in the Van Allen radiation belts. Information abtained from the mission was expected to make important contributions to the Apollo manned lunar landing program, specifically in the design of protective spacecraft shielding and in planning flight trajectories for Moon landing. Information on the depth of penetration of the geomagnetic field by high-energy solar protons - particles of potential danger to moon-bound astronauts - might also be obtained. The satellite was designed for an operational life of one year. * * * * * Current overview: Explorer 26 was a 45.8-kg Earth/space sciences satellite which measure trapped particles and the geomagnetic field. Its systems functioned well, except for some under-voltage turnoffs, until 26 May 1967, when the telemeter failed.  Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  427 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-086A ; Gunter's Explorer: EPE A, B, C, D ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;

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QUILL / Ferret 11 Spacecraft:  OPS 3762 / FTV 2355 Chronologies: 1964 payload #128 ; 1964-087A ; 480th spacecraft, 964th space object catalogued. Type: Military Science & Technology Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Launch: 21 December 1964 at 19h09 UT, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's LC-75-1-1, by a Thor-Agena D (Thor 2C  425 / Agena D SS-01A 2355). Orbit: 236 km x 263 km x 70.1° 238 km x 264 km x 70.1° x 89.50 min. De-orbited: 11 January 1965 at 10h27 UT (capsule recovered on 23 December 1964 at 20h56 UT.) Mission: Historical reports: “USAF launched an unidentified satellite on a Thor-Agena II booster toward a polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB. Purpose of the shot was not indicated.” * * * * * Current overview: QUILL was the world's first SAR (synthetic aperture radar) imaging satellite, flown as a proof of concept and used to image test targets in the U.S., proving that space radar could identify features through cloud cover. The 1,477-kg satellite consisted of a modified CORONA/Agena vehicle, with a 0.6 x 4.6-metre X-band radar antenna panel flush with the body of the Agena D upper stage. The camera system in the payload body was replaced by the KP-II radar itself and a recorder/transmitter system.  The 139-kg SRV CORONA-type recovery capsule was recovered on 23 December 1964 in mid-air over the Pacific, northeast of Hawaii. The KP-II radar continued operations until 26 December, when the spacecraft batteries failed, and the QUILL spacecraft reentered on 11 January 1965 over the South Atlantic. Source: Jonathan McDowell's Master List & 662 ; Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica's 1964 Chronology ; Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964, p.  427 ; National Space Science Data Center's 1964-087A ; Gunter's Quill (P-40) ; NORAD's SATCAT (1964) ;