Compiled by
Gregory P. Kennedy
Manned Space Flight Chronology 1951 to 1955
April 18, 1951 -- First aeromedical Aerobee rocket flight (USAF-12) from Holloman Air Force Base carried a Capuchin monkey; parachute failed and monkey died on impact. (USA)
Mid-1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory created at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. (USA)
July 22, 1951 - Sergei Korolev begins biological rocket flights with dogs and other small animals at Kapustin Yar with R-1A "geophysical rocket". Dogs Tsygen and Dezik reached 62 miles; successfully recovered. (USSR)
July 29, 1951 - Soviet R-1 rocket carried dogs Dezik (second flight) and Lisa to 62 miles. Parachute failed and both dogs died. (USSR)
August 15, 1951 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs named Mishka and Chizkhik; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
August 16, 1951 - First balloon flight by Aeromedical Field Laboratory. Dummy load test reached 97,000 feet. Payload recovered after 5-hour flight. (USA)
August 19, 1951 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs Smelaya and Rzhik; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
August 23, 1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #2. Albert capsule with hamsters. Reached 59,400 feet, but balloon failed during ascent. (USA)
August 28, 1951 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs Mishka and Chizhik; reached 62 miles; both dogs died. (USSR)
September 5, 1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #3 . Albert capsule with hamsters. Reached 97,000 feet. Delayed recovery. (USA)
September 7, 1951 - Aeromedical field Laboratory balloon flight #4. Animal capsule with hamsters. Reached 94,000 feet and recovered 45 minutes after landing. (USA)
September 3, 1951 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs Neputevyy and ZIB; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
September 18, 1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #5 (attempted.) Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon destroyed at launch. (USA)
September 19, 1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #5. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 54,000 feet; payload recovered a week later. (USA)
September 20, 1951 -- Aeromedical Aerobee flight #2 (USAF-19) with Rhesus monkey and 11 mice on board; rocket reached 44.7 miles and all animals landed unharmed; recovery was delayed and monkey and two mice died from heat prostration. (USA)
October 12, 1951 - First Symposium on Space Flight held at the Hayden Planetarium; attended by the editorial staff of Collier's magazine. (USA)
November 6, 1951 - Symposium on the Physics and Medicine of the Upper Atmosphere opened at the Plaza Hotel in San Antonio, Texas; Cornelius Ryan, an editor for Collier's magazine, attended this 4-day symposium, which resulted in a series of articles for Collier's; these articles led to a book, Across the Space Frontier, published in 1952. (USA)
November 28, 1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #6 (attempted.) Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon destroyed at launch. (USA)
November 30, 1951 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #6. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 86,200 feet. Payload recovered next morning. (USA)
February 20, 1952 - Aermedical Field Laborator balloon flight #7. Carried animal capsule with cosmic ray film plates, cat, and three hamsters; balloon reached 103,600 feet. Capsule not recovered for 2 months. (USA)
February 27, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #8. Carried animal capsule with cat and three hamsters; balloon reached 54,000 feet, then burst. Animals killed on impact. (USA)
March 18, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #9. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 92,000 feet. Prompt recovery. (USA)
April 8, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #10. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 72,000 feet. Prompt recovery after early termination of flight. (USA)
April 15, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #12C. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 96,000 feet. Prompt recovery. (USA)
April 24, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #13. Carried animal capsule; balloon reached 87,000 feet. Capsule not recovered for four months. (USA)
May 15, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #14. Carried box of fruit flies; balloon reached 87,200 feet. Recovery delayed 2 ½ months. (USA)
May 21, 1952 -- Two Capuchin monkeys, Pat and Mike, and a pair of mice successfully recovered following a flight to 36 miles aboard Aeromedical Aerobee #3 (USAF-26), launched from Holloman Air Force Base. (USA)
June 10, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #15. Test of tandem balloon technique; balloon reached 94,000 feet. (USA)
June 24, 1952 -- NACA Committee on Aerodynamics recommended the agency intensify its research on flight between 12 and 50 miles and at speeds of Mach 4 to Mach 10, and "...devote modest effort to problems associated with unmanned and manned flights at altitudes from 50 miles to infinity and at speeds from Mach number ten to the velocity of escape from the earth's gravity." The following month, the NACA Executive Committee adopted the recommendations as a formal resolution. (USA)
July 10, 1952 -- Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #16. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 100,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
July 15, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #17. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon destroyed at launch. (USA)
July 16, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #18. Carried animal capsule with two dogs and cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 92,000 feet. Capsule lost pressure and dogs died. (USA)
July 18, 1952 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #19. Carried cosmic ray film plates; balloon reached 95,700 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
February 12, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #20. Carried animal capsule with seven hamsters. Balloon reached 96,500 feet; capsule opening delayed 6 days; all survived flight. (USA)
February 19, 1953 - Moby Dick balloon launched with 600 fruit flies. All flies died. (USA)
February 20, 1953 - Moby Dick balloon launched with 600 fruit flies. All flies died. (USA)
February 22, 1953 - Moby Dick balloon launched with 600 fruit flies. Twelve flies survived. (USA)
February 24, 1953 - Moby Dick balloon launched with 600 fruit flies. Not recovered. (USA)
February 25, 1953 - Moby Dick balloon launched with 600 fruit flies. All flies died. (USA)
February 26, 1953 - Moby Dick balloon launched with 600 fruit flies. Package never returned. (USA)
March 12, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #21. Carried "Albert" capsule with 30 mice, 6 hamsters, 500 fruit flies, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 84,000 feet; all animals died. (USA)
March 18, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #22. Carried animal capsule with two dogs. Balloon reached 34,000 feet. Capsule recovery delayed and dogs died. (USA)
March 20, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #23. Test of command separation system. System failed and could not be tested. (USA)
March 20, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #24. Test of command separation system. Receiver did not have required sensitivity. (USA)
April 12, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #25. Carried animal capsule w ith fruit flies, black mice, hamsters, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 30,000 feet. Recovery delayed; no data. (USA)
April 14, 1953 - Aeromedicaql Field Laboratory balloon flight #26. Carried cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 90,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
April 24, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #27. Carried animal capsule with two dogs. Balloon reached 85,000 feet. Animals died shortly aafter takeoff. (USA)
May 5, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #28. Carried hamsters, mice, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 86,500 feet. Recovery delayed. (USA)
June 19, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #29. Carried six hamsters, one cat, 1,000 fruit flies, onions, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 87,000 feet. Animals ecovered alive. (USA)
June 23, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #30. Caried six hamsters, 1 cat, 10 mice, 1,000 fruit flies, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 110,000 feet. Cat and some flies survived; hamsters and mice died. (USA)
July 20, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #31. Carried animal capsule with one cat, mice, hamsters, fruit flies, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 85,000 feet; never recovered. (USA)
July 24, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #32. Carried animal capsule with one cat, mice, hamsters, fruit flies, onions, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 56,000 feet; never recovered. (USA)
August 20, 1953 - First launch of U. S. Army Redstone missile. (USA)
September 21, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #33. Carried animal capsule with two dogs and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 85,000 feet. Recovery delayed one week. (USA)
October 26, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #34. Carried animal capsule with hamsters, mice, fruit flies, and cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 90,000 feet. Capsule depressurized and crashed. (USA)
November 1, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #35. Carried 14 hamsters, 43 mice, 1,000 fruir flies, and onions. Balloon malfunctioned and only reached altitude of 2,000 feet. All animals recovered alive. (USA)
November 3, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #36. Carried 14 hamsters, 43 mice, 1,000 fruit flies, and onions. Balloon failed and only reached 30,000 feet. Seven hamsters and fifteen mice survived. All flies killed on impact. (USA)
November 10, 1953 - Aeromedicl Field Laboratory balloon flight #37. Carried animal capsule with 36 mice, 14 hamsters, onions, 500 fruit flies, and onions. cosmic ray film plates. Balloon reached 90,000 feet. All fruit flies, 1 hamster, and 12 mice died from hyperthermia. (USA)
November 13, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #38. Carried animal capsule with 36 mice, 14 hamsters, and onions. Balloon reached 90,000 feet. All animals survived; some flies recovered alive. (USA)
November 20, 1953 - First flight to exceed twice the speed of sound (Mach 2); A. Scott Crossfield reached Mach 2.005 in Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket. (USA)
December 16, 1953 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #39. Carried skin from 10 mice and barley seeds. Balloon reached 88,000 feet; successfully recovered. (USA)
February 23, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #4. Carried animal capsule with two dogs. Reached 60,000 feet. Dogs survived until shortly before recovery. (USA)
March 12, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #43. Carried animal capsule with two dogs. Balloon reached 75,000 feet. Dogs died due to delayed recovery. (USA)
June 26, 1954 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs Lisa-2 and Ryzhik; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
June 24, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #44. Carried animal capsule with mice. Balloon destroyed by wind at launch. (USA)
July 2, 1954 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs named Damka and Mishka; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
July 7, 1954 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs named Damka and Ryzhik; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
July 7, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #45. Carried animal capsule with mice, cats, and Neurospora. Balloon reached 79,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
July 15, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #46. Carried animal capsule witn corn, barley seeds, 3 monkeys, 142 mice, Neurospora, 1 rat, tissue samples, and 16 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 96,750 feet. Most animals survived the flight. (USA)
July 18, 1954 - Aeromedicaql Field Laboratory balloon flight #47. Carried animal capsule with corn, barley seeds, 2 monkeys, 120 mice, 1 rat, tissue samples, Neurospora, and 9 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 94,300 feet. Most animals did not survive this flight. (USA)
July 21, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #48. Carried animal capsule with 103 mice, 3 rats, Neurospora, radish seeds, and 8 hen's eggs. Balloon failed at 50,000 feet. Capsule free-fell and all animald died. (USA)
July 25, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #49. Carried animal capsule with corn, barley seeds, radish seeds, Neurospora, 86 mice, 1 rabbit, 1 rat, and 9 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 95,000 feet. Capsule depressurized and all animals died. (USA)
July 29, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #50. Carried animal capsule with corn, barley seeds, Neurospora, 94 mice, 1 rat, 2 monkeys, and 8 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 97,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
August 2, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #51. Carried animal capsule with radish seeds, Neurospora, 121 mice, 2 monkeys, and 8 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 96,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
August 6, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #52. Carried animal capsule with radish seeds, Neurospora, 102 mice, 15 rats, and 10 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 95,400 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
August 7, 1954 - The Air Force School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, Texas, received the first specifically built space cabin simulator. (USA)
August 10, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #53. Carried animal capsule with radish seeds, Neurospora, 90 mice, 15 rats, 1 guinea pig, and 12 hen's eggs. Balloon reached 89,800 feet. Recovery delayed for ten days; all specimens died. (USA)
August 26, 1954 - Air Force Major Arthur "Kit" Murray piloted the X-1A to 90,400 feet; unofficial altitude record. (USA)
October 12, 1954 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #54. Carried animal capsule with 141 mice. Balloon reached 93,200 feet. Some mice died due to overcrowding. (USA)
January 25, 1955 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs named Lisa-2 and Rita; reached 62 miles; recovered. (USSR)
February 2, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #55. Carried animal capsule with 115 mice and 3 guinea pigs. Control flight for specimens flown from northern latitudes. Altitude not specified; successfully recovered. (USA)
February 3, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #56. Carried animal capsule with 115 mice and 3 guinea pigs. Balloon reached 40,000 feet. Never recovered. (USA)
May 2, 1955 - Soviet R-1A rocket carried dogs named Lisa-2 and Bulba; reached 62 miles; dogs died. (USSR)
May 12, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #57. Carried tissue samples. Balloon failed at high altitude and capsule free fell. Specimens not damaged. (USA)
March 26, 1955 -- Launch of two dogs, Albina and Tsganka, aboard rocket from Kapustin Yar. (USSR)
June 7, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #59. Carried animal capsule with Artemia eggs, 83 mice, 2 guinea pigs, and 8 tissue cultures. Balloon failed just above ground. All animals recovered alive. (USA)
June 17, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #60. Carried animal capsule with Artemia eggs, 77 mice, 2 guinea pigs, and tissue cultures. Control flight for specimens flown from northern latitudes. Altitude not specified. Animals died due to delayed recovery. (USA)
July 18, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #61. Carried animal capsule with Neurospora, Artemia eggs, and tissue cultures. First biological balloon flight with two-million cubic foot balloon; reached 120,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
July 19, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #62. Carried animal capsule with Neurospora, and tissue cultures. Balloon reached 130,000 feet. Successfully recovered, but "moderate" damage to specimens due to depressurization. (USA)
August 1, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #63. Carried animal capsule with onion seeds, snapdragon seeds, grasshopper eggs, 4 Artemia samples, Neurospora, and 91 mice. Balloon reached 119,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
August 5, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #64. Carried animal capsule with corn, barley seeds, 4 Artemia samples, Neurospora, 12 guinea pigs, and cytological specimens from flight 63. Balloon reached 115,000 feet. All animals died due to excessive capsule temperature. (USA)
August 8, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #65. Carried animal capsule with 4 Artemia samples, 11 guinea pigs, and cytological specimens from flights 63 and 64. Balloon reached 126,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
August 11, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #66. Carried animal capsule with 4 Artemia samples and 93 mice. Balloon reached 92,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
August 19, 1955 - Unmanned test flight of Strato Lab system; emergency parachute test; reached 69,000 feet. (USA)
August 22, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #67. Carried two animal capsules. Capsule # 1 carried 93 mice, Aartemia eggs, Neurospora, and cytological specimens from flights 63, 64, and 65. Capsule #2 carried 93 mice and 24 tissue cultures. Balloon reached 110,000 feet. Both capsules recovered, but capsule #2 depressurized, killing all animals and ruining tissue cultures. (USA)
August 31, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #68. Carried animal capsule with Artemia eggs, 12 tissue cultures, 107 mice, 3 guinea pigs, and cytological specimens from flights 63, 64, 65, and 67. Balloon reached 120,000 feet. All animals died due to delayed recovery. (USA)
September 1, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #69. Carried animal capsule with 1 guinea pig, 10 mice, and 8 tissue cultures. Balloon reached 120,000 feet. Never recovered. (USA)
September 11, 1955 - Unmanned test flight of Strato Lab system; reached 55,500 feet. (USA)
September 12, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #70. Carried animal capsule with 32 mice, 3 guinea pigs, and 23 tissue cultures. Balloon reached 130,000 feet. Successfully recovered. (USA)
September 20, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #71. Carried animal capsule with 113 mice. Balloon reached 115,000 feet. Never recovered. (USA)
November 9, 1955 - Winzen Research received contract for Project Manhigh. (USA)
November 4, 1955 - Launch of two dogs, Malyshka and Knopka, from Kapustin Yar aboard R-1A rocket. Reached 62 miles. (USSR)
November 29, 1955 - Aeromedical Field Laboratory balloon flight #72A. Carried animal capsule with barley seeds, Neurospora, 52 mice, and 5 guinea pigs. Balloon destroyed by wind at launch. (USA)
NOTE: This chronology contains manned space missions; unmanned test flights of manned spacecraft; significant launch vehicle tests; unmanned lunar probes; select space biology flights; piloted stratospheric balloon flights; flights above 50 miles (264,000 feet) by the X-15 rocket plane; and other significant events in the development of manned space programs.
Biological satellites are listed only when they directly supported a manned space project. In the case of missions where crewmembers were launched in one spacecraft and returned in another, the crew names are with the launch spacecraft and explanations of their return to Earth are in the flight description.
A three- or four-letter country designation is given at the end of each entry. The country designations used are as follows:
BEL Belgium
CIS Post 1990 Russia (Commonwealth of Independent States)
FRA France
GER Germany
POL Poland
PRC People's Republic of China
RUS Pre-1917 Russia
USA United States
USSR Soviet Union
This chronology lists events through the second flight of Space Ship One on October 4, 2004.
Note: This Chronology is © Gregory Kennedy 2007, © Optimadata, Inc. 2007 All rights reserved.
This Chronology may not be copied or used in whole or part on any other website or publication.