Home 1962 Spacecrafts
1961 Summary 1963 Summary
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Table of the 96 Spacecrafts Launched in 1962
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# Spacecraft Sponsor Launch Date Mission Type Categories
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1) Discoverer 37 / KH-3 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 13 Jan 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
2) Solrad 4A / GRAB 4 U.S. Navy 24 Jan 62 M Electronic Intelligence
(1st 5-satellite launch)		 USA, Fail,
3) Lofti-2 U.S. Navy 24 Jan 62 M Science & Technology USA, Fail,
4) Injun 2 U.S. Air Force 24 Jan 62 M Science & Technology
(Radiation or navigation?)		 USA, Fail,
5) Secor 1A U.S. Air Force 24 Jan 62 M Science & Technology
(Geodesy)		 USA, Fail,
6) Surcal 1A U.S. Navy/
U.S. Air Force		 24 Jan 62 M Radar Calibration(1st) USA, Fail,
7) Ranger 3 NASA 26 Jan 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Moon)		 USA, Fail,
8) Tiros 4 NASA 8 Feb 62 C Meteorology USA,
9) Mercury 6 (MA-6 / Mercury-Atlas 6) NASA 20 Feb 62 C Piloted Spaceship USA,
10) Ferret 1 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office;		 21 Feb 62 M Electronic Intelligence USA,
11) Discoverer 38 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 27 Feb 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
12) OSO 1 NASA 7 Mar 62 C Solar Observatory (1st) USA,
13) Samos 6 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 7 Mar 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
14) Kosmos 1 (DS-2 1) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 16 Mar 62 M Science & Technology
(1st Kosmos launch)		 USSR,
15) Kosmos 2 (1MS 1) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 6 Apr 62 M Science & Technology
(Radiations studies)		 USSR,
16) Midas 5 U.S. Department 
of Defense		 9 Apr 62 M Missile Early Warning USA,
17) Westford U.S. Department 
of Defense		 9 Apr 62 M Science & Technology
(Communications R&D)		 USA,
18) Discoverer 39 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 18 Apr 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
19) Ranger 4 NASA 23 Apr 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Moon)		 USA, Fail,
20) Kosmos 3 (2MS 1) Soviet Union 24 Apr 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Radiations studies)		 USSR,
21) Solrad 4B / GRAB 4B U.S. Navy 26 Apr 62 M Electronic Intelligence
(Solar radiations monitoring)		 USA, Fail,
22) Kosmos 4 (Zenit-2 2) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 26 Apr 62 M Photo Surveillance USSR,
23) Ariel 1 / UK 1 United Kingdom (1st) 26 Apr 62 C Earth/Space Science Europe (1st),
24) Samos 7 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 26 Apr 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
25) Discoverer 40 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 29 Apr 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
-- AC-1 / Atlas-Centaur 1 NASA 8 May 62 C Technolog
(Launcher test)		 USA,
26) ANNA 1A Army-Navy- NASA-
Air Force		 10 May 62 M Science & Technology
(Geodesy)		 USA, Fail,
27) Discoverer 41 / KH-5 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 15 May 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
28) P-35-1 / DAPP 1 U.S. Department 
of Defense (AFSC)		 23 May 62 M Meteorology USA,
29) Mercury 7 (MA-7 / Mercury-Atlas 7) NASA 24 May 62 C Piloted Spaceship USA,
30) Kosmos 5 (2MS 2 Soviet Union 28 May 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Radiations studies)		 USSR,
31) Discoverer 42 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 30 May 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
32) Kosmos (Zenit-2 3) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 1 Jun 62 M Photo Surveillance USSR, Fail,
33) Discoverer 43 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 2 Jun 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
34) OSCAR II Amateurs 2 Jun 62 C Radio-Amateur Amateru,
35) Samos 8 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 17 Jun 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
36) Ferret 2 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 18 Jun 62 M Electronic Intelligence USA,
37) Tiros 5 NASA 19 Jun 62 C Meteorology USA,
38) Discoverer 44 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 23 Jun 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
39) Discoverer 45 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 28 Jun 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
40) Kosmos 6 (DS-P1 1) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 30 Jun 62 M Science & Technology
(Technology R&D)		 USSR,
41) Telstar 1 ATT (1st) 10 Jul 62 C Communications
(1st Commercial comsat)		 Commer (1st),
42) Samos 9 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 18 Jul 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
43) Discoverer 46 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 21 Jul 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
44) Mariner 1 NASA 22 Jul 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Venus)		 USA, Fail,
45) Discoverer 47 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 28 Jul 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
46) Kosmos 7 (Zenit-2 4) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 28 Jul 62 M Photo Surveillance
(Also radiations measurements)		 USSR,
47) Discoverer 48 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 2 Aug 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
48) Samos 10 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 5 Aug 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
49) Vostok 3 Soviet Union (Korolev's OKB-1) 11 Aug 62 C Piloted Spaceship USSR,
50) Vostok 4 Soviet Union (Korolev's OKB-1) 12 Aug 62 C Piloted Spaceship USSR,
51) Kosmos 8 (DS-K-8 1) Soviet Union 18 Aug 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Micrometeoroids studies)		 USSR,
52) P-35-2 / DAPP 2 U.S. Department
of Defense		 23 Aug 62 M Meteorology USA,
53) Venera Soviet Union
(Korolev's OKB-1)		 25 Aug 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Venus)		 USSR, Fail,
54) Mariner 2 NASA 27 Aug 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Venus, 1st to success-
fully flyby another planet)		 USA,
55) Discoverer 49 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 29 Aug 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
56) Venera Soviet Union
(Korolev's OKB-1)		 1 Sep 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Venus)		 USSR, Fail,
57) Discoverer 50 / KH-5 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 1 Sep 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
58) Venera Soviet Union
(Korolev's OKB-1)		 10 Sep 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Venus)		 USSR, Fail,
59) Discoverer 51 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 17 Sep 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
60) ERS 2 / TRS 1 U.S. Department
of Defense		 17 Sep 62 M Science & Technology
(R&D testbed?)		 USA, Fail,
61) Tiros 6 NASA 18 Sep 62 C Meteorology USA,
62) Kosmos 9 (Zenit-2 7) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 27 Sep 62 M Photo Surveillance
(Also radiations measurements)		 USSR,
63) Alouette 1 Canada (1st) 29 Sep 62 C Earth/Space Science Canada,
64) TAVE NASA? 29 Sep 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Radiations belts studies?)		 USA,
65) Discoverer 52 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 29 Sep 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
66) Explorer 14 / EPE B NASA 2 Oct 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Sun studies)		 USA,
67) Mercury 8 (MA-8 / Mercury-Atlas 8) NASA 3 Oct 62 C Piloted Spaceship USA,
68) Discoverer 53 / KH-5 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 9 Oct 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
69) Kosmos 10 (Zenit-2 5) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 17 Oct 62 M Photo Surveillance
(Also radiations measurements)		 USSR,
70) Ranger 5 NASA 18 Oct 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Moon)		 USA, Fail,
71) Kosmos 11 (DS-A1 1) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 20 Oct 62 M Science & Technology
(Radiations monitoring)		 USSR,
72) Mars Soviet Union
(Korolev's OKB-1)		 24 Oct 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Mars)		 USSR, Fail,
73) Kosmos (1MS) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 25 Oct 62 M Science & Technology
(Technology R&D)		 USSR, Fail,
74) Starad 1 U.S. Air Force 26 Oct 62 M Science & Technology
(Artificial-radiations studies)		 USA,
75) Explorer 15 / EPE C / SERB NASA 27 Oct 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Solar radiations studies)		 USA,
76) ANNA 1B U.S. Navy 31 Oct 62 M Science & Technology
(Geodesy)		 USA,
77) Mars 1 Soviet Union
(Korolev's OKB-1)		 1 Nov 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Mars)		 USSR,
78) Mars Soviet Union
(Korolev's OKB-1)		 4 Nov 62 C Planetary Exploration
(Mars)		 USSR, Fail,
79) Discoverer 54 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 5 Nov 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
80) Samos 11 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 11 Nov 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
81) TRS 1 / ERS 1 U.S. Department
of Defense		 11 Nov 62 M Science & Technology USA,
82) Discoverer 55 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 24 Nov 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
83) Discoverer 56 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 4 Dec 62 M Photo Surveillance USA, Fail,
84) Black Sphere U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy  13 Dec 62 M Electronic Intelligence USA,
85) Injun 3 U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy 13 Dec 62 M Science & Technology
(Radiation decay data)		 USA,
86) Surcal 2 U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy 13 Dec 62 M Radar Calibration USA,
87) Surcal 1B U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy 13 Dec 62 M Radar Calibration USA,
88) Calsphere 1 U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy 13 Dec 62 M Electronic Intelligence USA,
89) Relay 1 NASA 13 Dec 62 C Communications (R&D) USA,
90) Discoverer 57 / KH-4 U.S. National Re-
Connaissance Office		 14 Dec 62 M Photo Surveillance USA,
91) Explorer 16 NASA 16 Dec 62 C Earth/Space Science
(Micrometeoroids studies)		 USA,
92) Midas 6 U.S. Department
of Defense		 17 Dec 62 M Missile Early Warning USA, Fail,
93) TRS 3 / ERS 3 U.S. Department
of Defense		 17 Dec 62 M Science & Technology USA, Fail,
94) TRS 4 / ERS 4 U.S. Department
of Defense		 17 Dec 62 M Science & Technology USA, Fail,
95) Transit 5A1 U.S. Navy 19 Dec 62 M Navigation
(Operational prototype)		 USA, Fail,
96) Kosmos 12 (Zenit-2 6) Soviet Union
Defense Ministry		 22 Dec 62 M Photo Surveillance
(Also radiations measurements)		 USSR,
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Table – Summary of 1962 Launches


 
No. .. Soviet
Success		  T  Soviet 
failures		 No.  .. American 
success		  T  American 
failures
1) 1 / DS-2 No. 1 M 1) M KH-3
2) 2 / 1MS No. 1 M 2) M Solrad 4A
3) 3 / 2MS No. 1 C 3) M Lofti 2
4) 4 / Zenit-2 No. 2 M 4) M Injun 2
5) 5 / 2MS No. 2 C 5) . M Secor 1A
6) M Zenit-2 No. 3 6) M Surcal 1A
7) 6 / DS-P1 No. 1 M 7) Ranger 3 C
8) 7 / Zenit-2 No. 4  M 8) Tiros 4 C
9) Vostok 3 C 9) Mercury 6 C
10) Vostok 4 C 10) Ferret 1 M
11) 8 / DS-K-8 No. 1 C 11) KH-4 M
12) C 2MV-1 No. 1 12) OSO 1 C
13) C 2MV-1 No. 2 SA 13) Samos 6 M
14) C 2MV-2 14) Midas 5 M
15) 9 / Zenit-2 No. 7 M 15) Westford M
16) 10 / Zenit-2 No. 5  M 16) KH-4 M
17) 11 / DS-A1 No. 1 M 17) Ranger 4 C
18) C 2MV-4 No. 1 18) M Solrad 4B
19) C 1MS 19) Ariel 1 C
20) Mars 1 C 20) Samos 7 M
21) C  2MV-3 No. 1  21) KH-4 M
22) 12 / Zenit-2 No. 6 M 22) M ANNA 1A
23) KH-5 M
24) M P-35-1
25) Mercury 7 C
26) KH-4 M
27) KH-4 M
28) OSCAR II C
29) Samos 8 M
30) Ferret 2 M
31) Tiros 5 C
32) KH-4 M
33) KH-4 M
34) Telstar 1 C
35) Samos 9 M
36) KH-4 M
37) C Mariner 1
38) KH-4 M
39) KH-4 M
40) Samos 10 M
41) P-35-2 M
42) Mariner 2 C
43) KH-4 M
44) KH-5 M
45) KH-4 M
46) ERS 2 / TRS 1 M
47) Tiros 6 C
48) Alouette 1 C
49) TAVE C
50) KH-4 M
51) Explorer XIV C
52) Mercury 8 C
53) KH-5 M
54) Ranger 5 C
55) Starad 1 M
56) Explorer XV C
57) ANNA 1B M
58) KH-4 M
59) Samos 11 M
60) TRS 1 / ERS 1 M
61) KH-4 M
62) KH-4 M
63) SURCAL 2 M
64) Injun 3 M
65) Surcal 2 M
66) Surcal 1B M
67) Calsphere 1 M
68) Relay 1 C
69) KH-4 M
70) Explorer XVI C
71) M Midas 6
72) M TRS 3 / ERS 3
73) M TRS 4 / ERS 4
74) Transit 5A1 M
Total 15 Soviet 
launch success		 7 Soviet 
launch failures		 61 American 
launch success		 13 American launch 
failures
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68 % launch success (15 in 22)
(12 Civilian, 10 Military)		 82 % launch success (61 in 74)
(21 Civilian, 53 Military)
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© Claude Lafleur, 2004-10 Mes sites web: claudelafleur.qc.ca

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