Orbital Focus - International Spaceflight Facts and Figures
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Launches and Orbital Operations


Tyneside, UK
2024 Mar 28
Thursday, Day 88

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Orbital elements based on amateur observations

Satellite observers' discussion group

Database of amateur observations using radio

Primary source of unclassified orbital elements
1961 - Launches to Orbit and Beyond

Listed are launches, irrespective of outcome, that were irretrievably committed to flight towards orbit or intended to accelerate the payload to escape velocity. The following notes should help with understanding the launch lists.

Launch times are in UTC and are from the launching agency or estimated by 'walking back' along the ground track to the launch site. Most orbit data and decay information comes from SpaceTrack but it occasionally contains inconsistencies (eg - incorrect re-entry dates or early sets of elements allocated to the wrong object) that need to be corrected from other sources.

To fill the gaps where elements are not formally published, usually because they have a classification of "Secret", some orbits are based on amateur observations using visual and radio techniques. Such data is published near-daily by Mike McCants, and the source observations along with observers' derived orbits can often be found in the web-based Seesat-L discussion group. Occasionally, early orbit data are published by satellite owners. In extreme cases, orbits are estimated from public data.

Space-Track occasionally fails to allocate names to objects in its catalogue. The SATNOGS online database of radio observations sometimes provides pointers to which Catalogue Number belongs to a satellite being tracked by its contributors.

Apogee and perigee are measured against a spherical Earth situated at the focus of the orbital ellipse and with a radius of 6378.145 km. Shown is the Anomalistic Period, or time to complete one circuit of the ellipse. It is not the same as the time taken to complete one circuit of the Earth. Care should be exercised when comparing with other published orbits because they may have been derived using a different model.

Users can go straight to specific launches by pointing to the page URL followed by the three digit launch number, eg - https://www.OrbitalFocus/Diaries/Launches/Launches.php?year=1961#001


1961-001
Atlas-Agena A
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Jan 31, 20:21
SAMOS 2 (Satellite & Missile Observation System/E1-2)
1961 α1
70
Re-entered - 1973 Oct 21
Life 4646 days
Satellite And Missile Obervation System - photographic reconnaissance satellite using TV relay.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Feb 02, 03:2768920.005847555494.9197.40191


1961-002
Molniya 8K78
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Feb 4, 01:18
Venera (1VA № 1)
1961 β1
71
Re-entered - 1961 Feb 26
Life 22 days
Combined Venus exploration craft and final rocket stage, left in LEO when the rocket stage failed to fire. The Spacecraft remained attached to the rocket. Catalogued by NORAD as Sputnik 7.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Feb 05, 11:3866450.007022031389.8465.1027


1961-003
Molniya 8K78
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Feb 12, 00:34
Venera (1VA № 2)
1961 γ1
80
in space
Venus exploration spacecraft. It passed close to Venus around 1961 Jun 2 but radio communication had ceased 1961 Feb 17.
Heliocentric orbit


1961-004
Scout X-1
Wallops Flight Facility
1961 Feb 16, 13:05
Explorer 9 (S-56A)
1961 δ1
81
Re-entered - 1964 Apr 9
Life 1148 days
Science satellite for atmospheric density measurements- part of the payload was a 4m diameter balloon. Replacement for satellite lost 1960 Dec 4.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Feb 16, 14:4279920.12246362592118.5038.6399


1961-005
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Feb 17, 20:25
Discoverer 20 (Corona 9014A/KH-5)
1961 ε1
83
Re-entered - 1962 Jul 28
Life 526 days
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle did not separate.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Feb 18, 05:2569140.036428478795.3580.91124


1961-006
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Feb 18, 22:58
Discoverer 21 (Corona RM-2)
1961 ζ1
84
Re-entered - 1962 Apr 20
Life 426 days
Instrumented Agena-B rocket stage testing sensors for the MIDAS missile early warning satellite programme. Also used to demonstrate the Agena re-start capability.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Feb 18, 23:5870320.0589239106897.8180.74141


1961-007
Thor Ablestar
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Feb 22, 03:45
Transit 3B/LOFTI
1961 η1
87
Re-entered - 1961 Mar 30
Life 36 days
Experimental navigation satellite. The LOFTI (Low Frequency Trans-Ionospheric) satellite failed to separate from Transit. It was used for experiments in the possibility of using LF radio to communicate with submerged submarines but two of the LF aerials could not be deployed.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Feb 22, 05:0369650.057118998496.4128.3833


1961-F01 - failed to reach orbit
Juno II
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Feb 25, 00:13
Explorer (S-45)
Science satellite for ionosphere research. Lost when the launch vehicle failed.


1961-008
Vostok 8K72K
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Mar 9, 06:29
Korabl Sputnik 4 (Vostok-3 №1)
1961 θ1
91
Re-entered - 1961 Mar 9
Life <1 day Returned to Earth
Carried a dog - Chernushka, and the instrumented mannequin 'Ivan Ivanovich' plus other biological specimens. The mannequin was ejected from the capsule and landed by parachute. Chernushka landed inside the cabin.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Mar 09, 07:4865450.007012121387.8364.9395


1961-009
Vostok 8K72K
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Mar 25, 05:54
Korabl Sputnik 5 (Vostok-3 №2)
1961 ι1
95
Re-entered - 1961 Mar 25
Life <1 day Returned to Earth
Carried a dog - Zvezdochka, and the instrumented mannequin 'Ivan Ivanovich' on it's second flight. The mannequin was ejected from the capsule and landed by parachute. Zvezdochka landed inside the cabin.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Mar 25, 05:5365740.005016322988.4264.9060


1961-010
Thor Delta
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Mar 25, 15:17
Explorer 10 (P-14)
1961 κ1
98
Re-entered - 1961 Jun 30
Life 97 days
Science satellite to investigate the magnetic field between the Earth and Moon. Barycentric trajectory equated to an orbit approx 150 x 215,000 km at 32° inclination.
Earth-Moon Barycentric Orbit


1961-F02 - failed to reach orbit
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Mar 30, 20:34
Discoverer 22 (Corona 9015/KH-2)
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Satellite lost when upper stage of the launch vehicle failed.


1961-011
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Apr 8, 19:21
Discoverer 23 (Corona 9016A/KH-5)
1961 λ1
100
Re-entered - 1962 Apr 16
Life 373 days
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle boosted to a higher orbit when stabilisation of the main vehicle failed.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Apr 08, 23:3068500.025829564894.0382.31168


1961-012
Vostok 8K72K
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Apr 12, 06:07
Vostok (Vostok-3A №3)
1961 μ1
103
Re-entered - 1961 Apr 12
Life <1 day Returned to Earth
First piloted spaceflight for a single orbit of the Earth - carried Yuri Gagarin. Retro fire came 1961 Apr 12, 07:25 UTC. After re-entry, Gagarin was ejected from the cabin and landed under a separate parchute. The cabin used its own parachute system.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Apr 12, 06:0066190.011016831489.3364.9560


1961-F03 - failed to reach orbit
Atlas D
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Apr 25, 16:15
Mercury (MA-3)
Single orbit mission of the Mercury spacecraft to verify the launching system and the retro-fire, re-entry and recovery sequence. It failed when Range Safety destroyed the launch vehicle but the Mercury Launch Escape System meant that the spacecraft was recovered intact.


1961-013
Juno II
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Apr 27, 14:16
Explorer 11 (S-15)
1961 ν1
107
in space
Science satellite for Gamma ray astronomy.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Apr 28, 07:5375140.08465011772108.0428.80125


1961-F04 - failed to reach orbit
Juno II
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 May 24, 19:48
Explorer (S-45A)
Science satellite for ionosphere research. Lost when the launch vehicle failed.


1961-F05 - failed to reach orbit
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Jun 8, 21:16
Discoverer 24 (Corona 9018A/KH-5)
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Lost when launch vehicle failed.


1961-014
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Jun 16, 23:02
Discoverer 25 (Corona 9017/KH-2)
1961 ξ1
108
Re-entered - 1961 Jul 12
Life 26 days Returned to Earth
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle recovered 1961 Jun 18.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Jun 17, 03:0366920.013622340590.8182.11178


1961-015
Thor Ablestar
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Jun 29, 04:22
Transit 4A
1961 ο1
116
in space
Navigation satellite. First satellite to carry a nuclear power source.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Jul 09, 06:0073170.0080880998103.8266.81289
GRAB 3/Injun 1
1961 ο2
117
in space
Pair of satellites that separated from Transit 4A but not from each other. GRAB 3 was a US Naval Laboratory satellite with a SIGINT mission. Injun was a USN satellite investigating radiation in the magnetosphere.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Jul 06, 08:4773180.0078882997103.8366.82288


1961-F06 - failed to reach orbit
Scout X-1
Wallops Flight Facility
1961 Jun 30, 17:09
Explorer (S-55)
Science satellite launched to evaluate the Scout launch vehicle and to investigate micrometeoroids. It was lost when the launch vehicle third stage failed to ignite.


1961-016
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Jul 7, 23:29
Discoverer 26 (Corona 9019/KH-2)
1961 π1
160
Re-entered - 1961 Dec 5
Life 151 days Returned to Earth
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle recovered 1960 Jul 10.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Jul 08, 08:2668950.041722980494.9682.94160


1961-017
Thor Delta
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Jul 12, 10:25
TIROS 3
1961 ρ1
162
in space
Television Infrared Observation Satellite meteorological satellite for obtaining TV images of cloud patterns.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
Desc Node
Local Time
1961 Jul 15, 13:3471560.0061735822100.4147.905413:59


1961-018
Atlas-Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Jul 12, 15:11
MIDAS 3
1961 σ1
163
in space
Satellite of the Missile Defense and Early Warning System equipped with infrared sensors and intended to work in conjunction with the land-based BMEWS system.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Jul 15, 22:3298230.002034263464161.4991.17342


1961-F07 - failed to reach orbit
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Jul 21, 22:35
Discoverer 27 (Corona 9020A/KH-5)
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Lost when Range Safety destroyed the launch vehicle soon after lift-off.


1961-F08 - failed to reach orbit
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Aug 4, 00:01
Discoverer 28 (Corona 9021/KH-2)
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Satellite lost when upper stage of the launch vehicle failed.


1961-019
Vostok 8K72K
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Aug 6, 06:00
Vostok 2 (Vostok-3A №4)
1961 τ1
168
Re-entered - 1961 Aug 7
Life 1 day Returned to Earth
Second piloted orbital mission of the Vostok - carried Gherman Titov on a one day flight.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Aug 06, 14:4265740.003417321888.4064.8726


1961-020
Thor Delta
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Aug 16, 03:21
Explorer 12 (EPE-A/S-3)
1961 υ1
170
Re-entered - 1963 Sep 30
Life 775 days
Science satellite researching energetic particles in near-Earth space.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Sep 20, 08:07451920.8487457771701593.5033.43160


1961-021
Atlas-Agena B
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Aug 23, 10:04
Ranger 1 (P-32/RA-1)
1961 φ1
173
Re-entered - 1961 Aug 30
Life 7 days
Sytems test of a hard-impact lunar photographic spacececraft. The intention was to enter a highly elliptical orbit with apogee around 500,000 km, followed by re-entry into the atmosphere after about 50 days. It failed when the Agena upper stage shut down immediately on commencing its second burn, leaving the vehcle in LEO.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Aug 23, 11:0767170.024817250691.3132.93199


1961-022
Scout X-1
Wallops Flight Facility
1961 Aug 25, 18:29
Explorer 13 (S-55A)
1961 χ1
180
Re-entered - 1961 Aug 28
Life 3 days
Science satellite for micrometeoroid research.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Aug 26, 18:1369660.032036581096.4336.42275


1961-023
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Aug 30, 20:00
Discoverer 29 (Corona 9023/KH-3)
1961 ψ1
181
Re-entered - 1961 Sep 10
Life 11 days Returned to Earth
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle recovered 1961 Sep 1 - all film frames were found to be out of focus.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Aug 31, 07:4167240.029214954291.4582.1483


1961-F09 - failed to reach orbit
Atlas-Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Sep 9, 19:28
SAMOS (Satellite and Missile Observation System/E2-1)
Satellite And Missile Obervation System - photographic reconnaissance satellite intended to return film in a re-entry vehicle. Lost when the launch vehicle exploded on the pad.


1961-024
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Sep 12, 19:59
Discoverer 30 (Corona 9022/KH-3)
1961 ω1
182
Re-entered - 1961 Dec 11
Life 90 days
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle recovered 1961 Sep 1 - all film frames were found to be out of focus (similar to Discoverer 29).

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Sep 13, 13:5567670.025022055892.3482.58142


1961-025
Atlas D
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Sep 13, 14:04
Mercury (MA-4)
1961 αα1
183
Re-entered - 1961 Sep 13
Life <1 day Returned to Earth
Single orbit mission of the Mercury spacecraft to verify the launching system and the retro-fire, re-entry and recovery sequence. Mission successful - Mercury spacecraft recovered after 109 minutes, at the end of a single circuit of the Earth.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Sep 13, 14:0965730.007014924188.4032.5470


1961-026
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Sep 17, 21:00
Discoverer 31 (Corona 9024/KH-3)
1961 αβ1
186
Re-entered - 1961 Oct 26
Life 39 days
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle not released due to a power failure 1961 Sep 9.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Sep 18, 07:0466960.012723340390.8982.70146


1961-027
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Oct 13, 19:22
Discoverer 32 (Corona 9025/KH-3)
1961 αγ1
189
Re-entered - 1961 Nov 13
Life 31 days Returned to Earth
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle recovered 1961 Oct 14 - most film frames were found to be out of focus (as with both previous missions).

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Oct 14, 02:2466910.011823439290.7881.69158


1961-028
Atlas-Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Oct 21, 13:53
MIDAS 4
1961 αδ1
192
in space
Experimental satellite of the Missile Defense and Early Warning System equipped with infrared sensors and intended to work in conjunction with the land-based BMEWS system.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
Desc Node
Local Time
1961 Dec 17, 00:11100040.012235043748165.9695.9033402:51


1961-F10 - failed to reach orbit
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Oct 23, 19:23
Discoverer 23 (Corona 9026/KH-3)
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Satellite was lost when the launch vehicle failed.


1961-F11 - failed to reach orbit
Cosmos 63S1
Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome
1961 Oct 27, 16:30
Cosmos (DS-1 № 1)
Technology test satellite. Lost when the launch vehicle failed to reach orbital velocity.


1961-F12 - failed to reach orbit
Blue Scout II
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Nov 1, 15:32
Mercury-Scout 1
Small satellite to be used in testing the Project Mercury communications networ. Lost when the launch vehicle broke up after 26s.


1961-029
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Nov 5, 20:00
Discoverer 34 (Corona 9027/KH-3)
1961 αε1
197
Re-entered - 1962 Dec 7
Life 397 days
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Guidance error at launch meant the orbit was too elliptical and re-entry vehicle recovery was not attempted.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Nov 07, 21:3669940.0558226100697.0182.52145


1961-030
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Nov 15, 21:23
Discoverer 35 (Corona 9028/KH-3)
1961 αζ1
201
Re-entered - 1961 Dec 3
Life 18 days Returned to Earth
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle recovered 1961 Nov 16. Designation and catalogue number are out of sequence.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Nov 16, 04:2066470.005423330489.8981.63140


1961-031
Thor Ablestar
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Nov 15, 22:26
Transit 4B
1961 αη1
202
in space
Navigation satellite with nuclear power source. Sustained damage from the electromagnetic pulse associated with the US "Starfish" high altitude nuclear test 1963 Jul 9. Designation and catalogue number are out of sequence.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Nov 19, 13:5374090.01299361127105.7932.421
Traac
1961 αη2
205
in space
Tethered satellite experiment - the main body was attached to a mass at the end of a boom and a spring wire. Also carried detectors to measure protons and heavier particles in the van Allen Radiation Belt.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Nov 22, 12:2074100.01319351129105.8032.4325


1961-032
Atlas-Agena B
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Nov 18, 08:12
Ranger 2 (P-33/RA-2)
1961 αθ
206
Re-entered - 1961 Nov 20
Life 2 days
Sytems test of a hard-impact lunar photographic spacececraft. The intention was to enter a highly elliptical orbit with apogee around 500,000 km. It failed when the Agena failed to ignite for its second burn, leaving the vehcle in LEO.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Nov 18, 09:1565760.007314924688.4533.3449


1961-F13 - failed to reach orbit
Atlas-Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Nov 22, 20:45
SAMOS (Satellite and Missile Observation System/E5-1)
Satellite And Missile Obervation System - photographic reconnaissance satellite intended to return film in a re-entry vehicle. Lost when the Agena stage failed to ignite.


1961-033
Atlas D
Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex
1961 Nov 29, 15:07
Mercury (MA-5)
1961 αι1
208
Re-entered - 1961 Nov 29
Life <1 day Returned to Earth
Intended three orbit mission of the Mercury spacecraft carrying the chimpanzee "Enos". Recovered early after two circuits, because of problems with the attitude control system. Landed 10:28 UTC in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Nov 29, 15:1265760.006115823888.4532.6370


1961-F14 - failed to reach orbit
Vostok 8K72K
Baikonur Cosmodrome
1961 Dec 11, 09:39
Cosmos (Zenit-2 11Ф61 № 1)
Imaging satellite equipped with film cameras for photo-reconnaissance - lost when launch vehicle upper stage cutoff prematurely at T+407 seconds and the spacecraft destruct system activated. The descent module would have landed in Siberia but it was not found.


1961-034
Thor Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Dec 12, 20:40
Discoverer 36 (Corona 9029/KH-3)
1961 ακ1
213
Re-entered - 1962 Mar 8
Life 86 days Returned to Earth
US film recovery reconnaissance satellite. Re-entry vehicle re-entered 1961 Dec 16 but the mid-air snatch was missed and it was kept afloat for several hours by frogmen.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Dec 13, 17:3367400.018723548891.7881.21138
OSCAR 1
1961 ακ2
214
Re-entered - 1962 Jan 31
Life 50 days
Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio. First amateur radio satellite - transmitted the letters "HI" in morse code at an amateur frequency near 145 MHz for a period of 20 days.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Dec 15, 13:5567350.018123547991.6981.21131


1961-F15 - failed to reach orbit
Cosmos 63S1
Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome
1961 Dec 21, 12:30
Cosmos (DS-1 № 2)
Developmental satellite. Lost when the launch vehicle second stage failed to ignite.


1961-035
Atlas-Agena B
US Naval Missile Facility, Point Arguello
1961 Dec 22, 19:12
SAMOS 5 (E5-2)
1961 αλ2
218
Re-entered - 1961 Dec 31
Life 9 days
Satellite And Missile Obervation System - photographic reconnaissance satellite intended to return film in a re-entry vehicle. Retro-fire failed and the satellite eventually decayed naturally.

epoch (UTC)         
s-m axis
( km )
ecc    perigee
( km )
apogee
( km )
period
( min )
incl 
( ° )
ω  
( ° )
1961 Dec 25, 21:5466190.008018829489.3289.6111


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