United States Air ForceThor DM-21 Agena-BSpace Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Discoverer 36 & OSCAR 1
Launched
December 12, 1961
Image: USAF
Summary
Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1 launched on an United States Air Force Thor DM-21 Agena-B from Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on December 12, 1961. It was United States Air Force's 70th launch, 32nd this year and humanity's 140th orbital launch attempt. It was the 21st Thor DM-21 Agena-B flight and the 17th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO).
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Thor DM-21 Agena-B · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 21st Thor DM-21 Agena-B flight · 17th this yearUnited States Air Force's 70th launch32nd this yearhumanity's 140th orbital launch attempt47th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
About this launch
Discoverer 36 was a US Air Force Corona KH-3 reconnaissance satellite and the most productive of that series, returning its film capsule successfully. The launch also carried OSCAR 1, the first amateur radio satellite, which transmitted a Morse beacon for about three weeks.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
19th launch from Space Launch Complex 1W, 9th this year · 43rd from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
56 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
26 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1 launch?
Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1 launched on December 12, 1961. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1?
Thor DM-21 Agena-B, flown by United States Air Force. Thor DM-21 Agena-B spec sheet
Where did Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 1W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit was Discoverer 36 / OSCAR 1 going to?
Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a government/top secret mission.