United States Air ForceAtlas LV-3 Agena BLaunch Complex 12, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Ranger 1
Launched
August 23, 1961
Image: NASA
Summary
Ranger 1 launched on an United States Air Force Atlas LV-3 Agena B from Launch Complex 12, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA on August 23, 1961. The mission was a partial failure. It was United States Air Force's 56th launch, 18th this year and humanity's 121st orbital launch attempt. It was the 3rd Atlas LV-3 Agena B flight. The payload was bound for High Earth Orbit (HEO).
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Atlas LV-3 Agena B · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Test Flight · High Earth Orbit (HEO)
- Milestone
- 3rd Atlas LV-3 Agena B flightUnited States Air Force's 56th launch18th this yearhumanity's 121st orbital launch attempt28th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
About this launch
Ranger 1 was a NASA engineering test of the Ranger lunar-probe design, meant to be sent from a parking orbit into a highly elliptical orbit out to about 1.1 million km. The Agena failed to restart, stranding the spacecraft in low Earth orbit, where it returned limited data before reentering a week later.
Pad
Launch Complex 12, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
3rd launch from Launch Complex 12, 1st this year · 66th from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
23 launches from this pad · 1,131 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
251 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Ranger 1 launch?
Ranger 1 launched on August 23, 1961. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Ranger 1?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Ranger 1?
Atlas LV-3 Agena B, flown by United States Air Force. Atlas LV-3 Agena B spec sheet
Where did Ranger 1 launch from?
Launch Complex 12, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.
What orbit was Ranger 1 going to?
High Earth Orbit (HEO), a test flight mission.