Spaceflight before 1951

Spaceflight before 1951
	Launch of a V-2 from Peenemünde.
National firsts
Spaceflight	Germany (1944); United States (1946); Soviet Union (1948)

This is a list of known spaceflights launched before 1951.

Launches

Date and time (UTC)	Rocket	Flight number	Launch site		LSP
	Payload (⚀ = CubeSat)	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
	Remarks
1944
June	V-2		Greifswalder Oie		Wehrmacht
		Wehrmacht	Suborbital	Missile test	Same day	Mixed
	A number of vertical test launches were done to attempt to solve the airburst problem with the V-2. Rockets launched during these tests reached a peak apogee of 176 kilometres (109 mi).[1]
20 June	V-2		Greifswalder Oie		Wehrmacht
	MW 18014	Wehrmacht	Suborbital	Missile test	20 June	Successful
	First man-made object to cross what would later be defined as the Kármán line and hence first spaceflight. Vertical test, apogee: 174.6 kilometres (108.5 mi)
14 September	V-2		Peenemünde		Wehrmacht
		Wehrmacht	Suborbital	Missile test	14 September	Successful
	First spaceflight with recorded date, vertical test, apogee: 175 kilometres (109 mi)
7 December 17:00	V-2		Peenemünde		Wehrmacht
	Ma-333	Wehrmacht	Suborbital	Missile test	7 December	Successful
	Vertical test, apogee: 104 kilometres (65 mi)
9 December 17:10	V-2		Peenemünde		Wehrmacht
		Wehrmacht	Suborbital	Missile test	9 December	Successful
	Vertical test, apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)
1946
16 April 21:47	V-2		White Sands – Launch Complex 33		General Electric/U.S. Army
		WSPG[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation (Applied Physics Laboratory)[3]	16 April	Guidance failure[2]
	First launch of Project Hermes, apogee: 8 kilometres (5.0 mi)
10 May 21:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		WSPG[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation (APL),[3] Chemical Release?*[4]	10 May	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi), First US spaceflight
29 May 21:12	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation (APL),[3] Chemical Release?*[4]	29 May	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 112 kilometres (70 mi)
13 June 23:40	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Solar Radiation, Ionosphere (Naval Radiation Laboratory)[3]	13 June	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi)
28 June 19:25	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		Naval Radiation Laboratory[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation, Pressure, Temperature. Ionosphere[5]	28 June	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi)
9 July 19:25	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere (Naval Radiation Laboratory), Biological (Harvard University)[6]	9 July	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 134 kilometres (83 mi)
19 July 19:11	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Ionospheric (NRL)[3]	19 July	Explosion at 28.5 seconds[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
30 July 19:36	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		Applied Physics Laboratory[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere (NRL)[7]	30 July	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi)
15 August 18:00	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		Princeton University[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere[8]	15 August	Guidance Failure at 13.9 seconds[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)
22 August 17:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		University of Michigan,[2] ARDC?[9]	Suborbital	Pressure, Density, Ionosphere Aeronomy, Sky Brightness[3]	22 August	Guidance Failure immediately after lift[2]
	Project Hermes launch
10 October 18:02	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Ray, Ionosphere, Pressure-Temperature, Solar Spectroscopy, Ejection of Cosmic Ray Recording Camera[10] Selected seeds (Harvard), Cross jet attenuation transmitter & receiver[11]	10 October	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 164 kilometres (102 mi)
24 October 19:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic & Solar radiation, winds, photography[3]	24 October	Successful, Short burning time (59 sec)[12]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi), First photo of Earth from space
7 November 20:31	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		Princeton University[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation,[3]	7 November	Guidance Failure at 2 seconds, missile turned sideways, flew horizontal and was destroyed[13]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 0.39 kilometres (0.24 mi)
21 November 16:55	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		Watson Laboratories, University of Michigan,[14] ARDC?[9]	Suborbital	Pressure, Temperature, Ionosphere, Sky Brightness,Voltage breakdown[15]	21 November	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 102 kilometres (63 mi)
5 December 20:08	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL [2]	Suborbital	Cosmic & Solar Radiation, Pressure, Temperature, Photography[3]	5 December	Successful, Guidance Problems
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi)
18 December 05:12	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	GRENADES	APL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Meteor research, Biological (National Institute of Health),[3] Chemical release*[4]	18 December	Successful, extraordinary range due to guidance failure[16]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 187 kilometres (116 mi)
1947
10 January 21:13	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation,[3] "Daughter Canister Release (Air Material Command)[17]	10 January	Successful, Roll at 40 seconds[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 116 kilometres (72 mi)
24 January 00:22	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Test Guidance System,[2] Hermes A-2 Telemetry System Test[18]	24 January	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 49.88 kilometres (30.99 mi).
20 February 18:16	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom I	Air Materiel Command[2]	Suborbital	Pressure-temperature (University of Michigan), Ionosphere (Air Force Cambridge Research Center, UoM), Sky brightness, Voltage Breakdown measurements (AFCRC), Biological rye, cotton seeds and fruit flies, first animals in space,[19] Blossom parachute recovery of canister (Cambridge Field Station)[20]	20 February	Successful, Guidance disturbance at 27 sec, Roll at 37.5 sec[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi).
7 March 18:23	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Pressure-temperature, Solar Radiation, Ionosphere (NRL), Biological rye, cotton seeds and fruit flies (Harvard)[21]	7 March	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 161 kilometres (100 mi).
1 April 20:10	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation (APL & Yerkes Observatory), High altitude photography (Gun Sight Aiming Point camera)[22]	1 April	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)
9 April 00:10	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation, High altitude photography.[23]	9 April	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 103 kilometres (64 mi)
17 April 23:22	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	GRENADES	G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Pressure-Temperature: 9 Grenades (Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories)[24]	17 April	Successful, Roll at 57.5 seconds[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi)
15 May 23:08	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL[2]	Suborbital	Density-pressure-temperature grenades (SCEL), (Michigan University), Composition, Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation (NRL)[25]	15 May	Successful, Steering trouble from lift[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 122 kilometres (76 mi)
29 May[26]	Hermes B-1		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Hermes II	G.E.	Suborbital	Missile test of ramjet diffusers called "Organ."[27]	29 May	Missile went South instead of North, landed in Mexico[28]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi), maiden flight of Hermes II, aka Hermes B-1
10 July 19:18	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL[2]	Suborbital	Density-pressure-temperature, Cosmic Radiation, Ionosphere, Simulant agent experiment - Camp Detrick, Indiana, seed containers in control chamber (Harvard College Observatory)[29]	10 July	Launch failure, Steering trouble from lift[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 16 kilometres (9.9 mi)
29 July 12:55	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL[2]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation, Solar Radiation, High altitude photography (APL)[30]	29 July	Successful, Vane #4 ceased to operate at 27 sec[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi)
6 September	V-2		USS Midway, AO-10		U.S. Navy
		U.S. Navy	Suborbital	Missile test	6 September	Launch failure
	Operation Sandy, first shipboard missile launch, apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
9 October 19:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Density-pressure-temperature, Skin temperature, Composition (University of Michigan), Solar radiation (NRL)[31]	9 October	Successful, Steering disturbance at 48.4 sec. Roll at 52 sec.[2]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 156 kilometres (97 mi)
20 November 23:47	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.[2]	Suborbital	Technology development flight for GE.[32]	20 November	Launch failure, Propulsion trouble at 36 sec.[2]
	Apogee: 21 kilometres (13 mi)
24 November 17:20	Aerobee RTV-N-8		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		Applied Physics Laboratory[33]	Suborbital	Cosmic Radiation[34]	24 November	Launch failure, off course, flight terminated.[35]
	Apogee: 56 kilometres (35 mi)
8 December 21:42	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom II	AMC[2]	Suborbital	Density-pressure-temperature (Michigan University), Skin temperature (Boston University), Solar soft X-rays,Vertical incidence ionosphere propagation, Oblique incidence ionosphere propagation, Aspect project (cameras to be lowered by parachute) (Wright Air Development Center), Sky brightness (AFCRC)[36]	8 December	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)
1948
22 January 20:12	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL	Suborbital		22 January	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 159 kilometres (99 mi)
6 February 17:17	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.	Suborbital		6 February	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)
5 March 22:51	Aerobee RTV-N-8		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital	Chemical release	5 March	Successful
	Apogee: 118 kilometres (73 mi)
19 March 23:10	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom IIA	G.E.	Suborbital		19 March	Launch failure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
2 April 13:47	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		US Army Signal Corps	Suborbital		2 April	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 144 kilometres (89 mi)
13 April 21:41	Aerobee RTV-N-8		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital		13 April	Successful
	Apogee: 114 kilometres (71 mi)
19 April 19:54	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL	Suborbital		19 April	Guidance Failure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 56 kilometres (35 mi)
13 May 13:43	Bumper		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Bumper 1	G.E.	Suborbital		13 May	Successful
	Maiden flight of Bumper, apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)
27 May 14:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL	Suborbital		27 May	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi)
11 June 10:22	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		AMC	Suborbital		11 June	Launch Failure, Premature Valve Closure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 63 kilometres (39 mi)
26 July 16:47	Aerobee RTV-N-8		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital		26 July	Successful
	Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)
26 July 18:03	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL	Suborbital		26 July	Successful, Propulsion issues at 45.2s
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 97 kilometres (60 mi)
5 August 12:07	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL	Suborbital	UV Astronomy Solar X-ray	5 August	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 167 kilometres (104 mi)
19 August 14:45	Bumper		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Bumper 2	G.E.	Suborbital		19 August	Launch failure
	Apogee: 13 kilometres (8.1 mi)
3 September 01:00	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	GRENADES	USASC	Suborbital		3 September	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi)
17 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	17 September	Launch failure
	Maiden flight of R-1
30 September 15:30	Bumper		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Bumper 3	G.E.	Suborbital		30 September	2nd Stage Failure
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
10 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	10 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), first Soviet spaceflight
13 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	13 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
21 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	21 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
23 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	23 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
1 November 14:24	Bumper		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Bumper 4	G.E.	Suborbital		1 November	Tail explosion at 28.5s
	Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
1 November	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
3 November	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	3 November	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
4 November	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	4 November	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
5 November	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	5 November	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
18 November 22:35	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.	Suborbital	Ramjet research	18 November	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 145 kilometres (90 mi)
9 December 16:08	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		USASC	Suborbital		9 December	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 108 kilometres (67 mi)
1949
14 January 20:26	Hermes B-1		White Sands LC-33		U.S. Army
	Hermes II	U.S. Army	Suborbital	Missile test	14 January	Launch failure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
28 January 17:20	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL	Suborbital		28 January	Launch failure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 60 kilometres (37 mi)
17 February 17:00	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		APL	Suborbital		17 February	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi)
24 February 22:14	Bumper		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Bumper 5	G.E.	Suborbital		24 February	Successful
	Apogee: 393 kilometres (244 mi). The new altitude record.
17 March 23:20	Aerobee RTV-N-8		USS Norton Sound, PO-22 LP-1		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	17 March	Successful
	Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)
22 March 06:43	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom IVA	AMC	Suborbital		22 March	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 129 kilometres (80 mi)
22 March 17:20	Aerobee RTV-N-8		USS Norton Sound, PO-22 LP-1		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	22 March	Successful
	Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)
24 March 15:14	Aerobee RTV-N-8		USS Norton Sound, PO-22 LP-1		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital	Ionospheric	24 March	Launch failure
	Apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi), pressure valve malfunction, booster separated on ignition
11 April 22:05	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		USASC	Suborbital		11 April	Successful, Thrust issues starting at 43.4s
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 85 kilometres (53 mi)
22 April 00:17	Bumper		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Bumper 6	G.E.	Suborbital		22 April	Launch failure
	Apogee: 50 kilometres (31 mi)
5 May 15:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		G.E.	Suborbital		5 May	Launch failure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 8 kilometres (5.0 mi)
7 May 03:12	R-1A		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	7 May	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), maiden flight of R-1A
10 May 15:57	R-1A		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	10 May	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
15 May 02:48	R-1A		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	15 May	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
16 May 21:55	R-1A		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	16 May	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
24 May 01:40	R-1A		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
	FIAR-1	OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	24 May	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 May 01:50	R-1A		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	28 May	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
14 June 22:35	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom IVB	AMC	Suborbital	Biological Atmospheric	14 June	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 134 kilometres (83 mi), carried Albert II, first monkey in space[19][37]
15 June 02:03	Aerobee RTV-N-8		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		NRL	Suborbital	Ozone research	15 June	Successful
	Apogee: 109 kilometres (68 mi)
6 September 16:57	Viking		White Sands ALA-1		U.S. Navy
	Viking 2	NRL	Suborbital	Aeronomy Imaging	6 September	Launch failure
	Apogee: 57 kilometres (35 mi)
10 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	10 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
11 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	11 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
13 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	13 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
14 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	14 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
16 September 23:19	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom IVC	AMC	Suborbital	Biological	16 September	Launch Failure, Tail explosion at 10.7s
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 5 kilometres (3.1 mi), carried Albert III
17 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	17 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
19 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	19 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
20 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	20 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
23 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	23 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
25 September 11:16	R-2E		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	25 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi), maiden flight of R-2E
28 September	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	28 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
29 September 16:58	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL	Suborbital		29 September	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 151 kilometres (94 mi)
30 September 11:49	R-2E		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	30 September	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
2 October 11:00	R-2E		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	2 October	Launch failure
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
3 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	3 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
6 October	Hermes B-1		White Sands LC-33		U.S. Army
	Hermes II	U.S. Army	Suborbital	Missile test	6 October	Launch failure
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)
8 October 06:05	R-2E		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	8 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
8 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	8 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
10 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	10 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
11 October 12:45	R-2E		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	11 October	Launch failure
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
12 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	12 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
13 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	13 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
13 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	13 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
15 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	15 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
18 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	18 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
19 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	19 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
22 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	22 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
23 October	R-1		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	23 October	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
18 November 16:03	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	GRENADES	USASC	Suborbital		18 November	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 124 kilometres (77 mi)
6 December	Aerobee XASR-SC-1		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Army
		U.S. Army	Suborbital	Air sampling aironomy mission	6 December	Launch failure
	Doesn't reach Karman line; Apogee: 64.9 kilometres (40.3 mi)
8 December 19:15	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom IVD	AMC	Suborbital	Biological	8 December	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 127 kilometres (79 mi), carried Albert IV
1950
9 February 21:44	Viking		White Sands ALA-1		U.S. Navy
	Viking 3	NRL	Suborbital	Solar Imaging	9 February	Launch failure
	Veered off-course, failed to reach space, apogee: 80.5 kilometres (50.0 mi)
17 February 18:00	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		NRL	Suborbital		17 February	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 148 kilometres (92 mi)
26 April 01:11	Aerobee XASR-SC-2		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		U.S. Army	Suborbital	Atmospheric	26 April	Successful
	Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
12 May 03:08	Viking		USS Norton Sound, PO-8		U.S. Navy
	Viking 4	U.S. Navy	Suborbital	Ionospheric Aeronomy	12 May	Successful
	Apogee: 171 kilometres (106 mi)
17 August 15:45	Aerobee RTV-N-10		White Sands LC-35		U.S. Navy
		APL	Suborbital	Spectrometry	17 August	Successful
	Apogee: 101 kilometres (63 mi)
31 August 17:09	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
	Blossom IVG	AMC	Suborbital	Biological	31 August	Successful
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 137 kilometres (85 mi), carried a mouse
21 October	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	21 October	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi), maiden flight of R-2
26 October 23:02	V-2		White Sands LC-33		G.E./U.S. Army
		Ballistic Research Laboratory	Suborbital		26 October	Launch Failure
	Project Hermes launch
1 November	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
1 November	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
1 November	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
1 November	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
1 November	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 November	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
9 November	Hermes B-1		White Sands LC-33		U.S. Army
	Hermes II	U.S. Army	Suborbital	Missile test	9 November	Partial Success[38]
	Project Hermes launch, apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
21 November 17:18	Viking		White Sands ALA-1		U.S. Navy
	Viking 5	NRL	Suborbital	Solar Ionospheric	21 November	Successful
	Apogee: 174 kilometres (108 mi)
1 December	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 December	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
1 December	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 December	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
1 December	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	1 December	Successful
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)
12 December 07:04	Viking		White Sands ALA-1		U.S. Navy
	Viking 6	U.S. Navy	Suborbital		12 December	Launch failure
	Apogee: 64 kilometres (40 mi)
12 December 18:26	Aerobee RTV-A-1		Holloman LC-A		ARDC
		ARDC	Suborbital		12 December	Successful
	Apogee: 106 kilometres (66 mi)
20 December	R-2		Kapustin Yar		OKB-1
		OKB-1	Suborbital	Missile test	20 December	Launch failure
	Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi)

References

Generic references:

Spaceflight portal

Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.
Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report".
McDowell, Jonathan. "Jonathan's Space Report".
Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".
Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".
Webb, Brian. "Southwest Space Archive".
Zak, Anatoly. "Russian Space Web".
"ISS Calendar". Spaceflight 101.
"NSSDCA Master Catalog". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
"Space Calendar". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
"Space Information Center". JAXA.
"Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).

Footnotes

Neufeld, Michael J (1995). The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era. New York: The Free Press. pp. 221.
White, L. D. (September 1952). Final Report,Project Hermes V-2 Missile Program. Schnectady, New York: Guided Missile Department, Aeronautic and Ordnance Systems Division, Defense Products Group, General Electric. p. Table I.
Kennedy, Gregory P. (2009). The Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground. Atglen, PA.: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-7643-3251-7.
I have found no evidence that a chemical release experiment was flown. Chemical release is usually done to conduct aeronomy or wind studies.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 336–337 (V-2 NO. 6). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 338–339 (V-2 NO. 7). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 342–343 (V-2 NO. 9). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 344 (V-2 NO. 10). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Kennedy list the Agency for this flight as ARDC while White does not as the Air Research and Development Command did not exist until 1950 kennedy may have confused ARDC with the AAF Technical Service Command, the Air Technical Service Command, or the Air Materiel Command.
Newell, H. E. Jr.; Siry, J. W. (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030 (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 11, 91.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 346–347 (V-2 NO. 12). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Newell, H. E. Jr.; Siry, J. W. (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030 (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. p. Table I.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 350 (V-2 NO. 14). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Newell, H. E. Jr.; Siry, J. W. (30 December 1946). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. R-3030 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number II (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. Table I. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 351–352 (V-2 NO. 15). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Loboratory. pp. 354 (V-2 NO. 16). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 357–358 (V-2 NO. 18). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 359–360 (V-2 NO. 19). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
"Part 1: 1900 – 1950". Chronology of Human Space Exploration. I-Spy Space.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 361–362 (V-2 NO. 20). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 363–365 (V-2 NO. 21). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 366–367 (V-2 NO. 22). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 368–369 (V-23 NO. 20). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 370–371 (V-2 NO. 24). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 374–375 (V-2 NO. 26). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Newell & Siry, Neufeld, and Kennedy agree that the launch was on 29 May.
Neufeld, Michael J. (2007). Von Braun, Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-307-38937-4.
Kennedy, Gregory P. (2009). The Rockets and Missiles of White Sands Proving Ground. Atglen, PA.: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-7643-3251-7.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 363–364 (V-2 NO. 29). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 386–387 (V-2 NO. 30). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 376–378 (V-2 NO. 27). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Wade, Mark. "1947". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 November 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. Table I. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. Table 7.3. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Van Allen, James A. & Townsend, Jr. (1959). "Chapter 4:The Aerobee Rocket". In Newell, Homer E. (ed.). Sounding Rockets. McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. 61–62.
Smith, Charles P. Jr. (February 1958). Naval Research Laboratory Report No. 4276 Upper Atmospheric Research Report Number XXI, Summary of Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Firings (pdf). Washington D.C.: Naval Research Laboratory. pp. 379–382 (V-2 NO. 28). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
Wade, Mark. "V-2 Chronology". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
Neufeld, Michael J. (2007). Von Braun, Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-307-38937-4.

Timeline of spaceflight
1940s	1944 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950s	1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960s	1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s	1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s	1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s	2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020s	2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 and beyond

Spaceflight before 1951

Launches

1944

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

References

Footnotes

See also