1905 June 18 - .
Birth of Thomas Power - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Power. American USAF officer, commanded Air Research and Development Command, in 1950s during development of early missiles. Commander of SAC, 1957-1964, during the crash program to deploy the Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman ICBMs..
1937 June 18 - .
Birth of Vitali Mikhailovich Zholobov - . Nation: Ukraine. Related Persons: Zholobov. Ukrainian engineer cosmonaut 1963-1981. 1 spaceflight, 49.3 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz 21 (1976)..
1952 June 18 - .
Blunt reentry vehicle concept advocated. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft: Mercury.
H. Julian Allen of NACA Ames Laboratory conceived the "blunt nose principle" which submitted that a blunt shape would absorb only one-half of 1 perecent of the heat generated by the reentry of a body into the earth's atmosphere. This principle was later significant to ICBM nose cone and the Mercury capsule development.
1952 June 18 - . 17:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman A. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee RTV-A-1.
UV / Opt spectrographs Solar ultraviolet mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Solar radiation research. Launched at 1050 local time. Reached 99.8 km..
1953 June 18 - . Launch Site: White Sands. Launch Complex: White Sands LC33. LV Family: Wasserfall. Launch Vehicle: Hermes A-3A.
Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: US Army. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi).
1954 June 18 - .
X-1A Flight 18 - . Crew: Murray. Payload: X-1A flight 18. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Murray. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-1A. AF flight 12. Date estimated..
1955 June 18 - . Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Complex: Kapustin Yar V-2. LV Family: V-2. Launch Vehicle: R-1 8A11.
1956 June 18 - . 20:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman A. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee AJ10-34.
E-layer Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 136 km (84 mi). Ionosphere research. Launched at 1342 local time. Reached 130.8 km..
1957 June 18 - . 14:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman A. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee Hi.
AU4.26 Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF AFSC. Apogee: 171 km (106 mi). Ionosphere research. Launched at 0700 local time. Reached 171 km..
1958 June 18 - . LV Family: Minuteman.
Mr. William M. Holaday, DoD Director of Guided Missiles, approved "Minuteman" as the popular name for WS 133A (SM-80). - . Mr. William M. Holaday, DoD Director of Guided Missiles, approved "Minuteman" as the popular name for WS 133A (SM-80)..
1959 June 18 - . Launch Vehicle: Saturn I.
NASA funded study of a lunar exploration program based on Saturn - . Nation: USA. Program: Apollo.
NASA authorized $150,000 for Army Ordnance Missile Command studies of a lunar exploration program based on Saturn-boosted systems. To be included were circumlunar vehicles, unmanned and manned; close lunar orbiters; hard lunar impacts; and soft lunar landings with stationary or roving payloads.
1959 June 18 - .
Centrifuge program to investigate the role of a pilot in the launch of a multi-stage vehicle. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Armstrong. Spacecraft: Mercury.
A centrifuge program was conducted at Johnsville, Pennsylvania, to investigate the role of a pilot in the launch of a multi-stage vehicle. Test subjects were required to perform boost-control tasks, while being subjected to the proper boost-control accelerations. The highest g-force experienced was 15, and none of the test subjects felt they reached the limit of their control capability. As a note of interest, one of the test subjects, Neil Armstrong, was later selected for the Gemini program in September 1962.
1961 June 18 - . 04:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Obachi. LV Family: Kappa. Launch Vehicle: Kappa 4.
Sigma 4 Rockoon Chemical release mission - . Nation: Japan. Agency: ISAS. Apogee: 105 km (65 mi).
1962 June 18 - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena B.
Ferret 2 - . Payload: Ferret 2 / Agena B 2312. Mass: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Ferret. Decay Date: 1963-10-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 308 . COSPAR: 1962-Omega-2. Apogee: 377 km (234 mi). Perigee: 347 km (215 mi). Inclination: 82.10 deg. Period: 91.80 min.
FTV 2312 - . Payload: Ferret 2. Mass: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Ferret. Decay Date: 1963-10-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 308 . COSPAR: 1962-Omega-1. Apogee: 170 km (100 mi). Perigee: 161 km (100 mi). Inclination: 82.20 deg. Period: 87.80 min.
1963 June 18 - . 03:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Kwajalein. Launch Complex: Kwajalein RN. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Cajun.
Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 177 km (109 mi).
1964 June 18 - . 04:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC1W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor SLV-2 Agena D.
OPS 4467A - . Payload: DAPP / OPS 4467 A. Mass: 130 kg (280 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Technology. Type: Military technology satellite. Spacecraft: AFP-43. USAF Sat Cat: 812 . COSPAR: 1964-031A. Apogee: 820 km (500 mi). Perigee: 812 km (504 mi). Inclination: 99.80 deg. Period: 101.20 min. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). .
OPS 4467B - . Payload: DAPP / OPS 4467 B. Mass: 130 kg (280 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Technology. Type: Military technology satellite. Spacecraft: AFP-43. USAF Sat Cat: 813 . COSPAR: 1964-031B. Apogee: 822 km (510 mi). Perigee: 814 km (505 mi). Inclination: 99.80 deg. Period: 101.30 min.
1965 June 18 - . 08:06 GMT - . Launch Site: Barking Sands. LV Family: Honest John. Launch Vehicle: HJ Nike.
1965 June 18 - . 14:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
Titan 3C Transtage 5 - . Payload: Lead Ballast / Transtage 5. Mass: 9,694 kg (21,371 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Decay Date: 1965-06-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 1412 . COSPAR: 1965-047A. Apogee: 191 km (118 mi). Perigee: 168 km (104 mi). Inclination: 32.10 deg. Period: 88.10 min.
The first Titan IIIC (SLV-5C) research and development vehicle (Vehicle #7) was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral. The Titan IIIC, the first Air Force vehicle specifically designed and developed as a military space booster under Space Systems Division management, was the first heavy-duty booster to combine the thrust of large-size, strap-on solid rocket motors with a three-stage, liquid-powered rocket. The Titan IIIC weighed more than 1.4 million pounds fully fueled but without its payload. At takeoff, the two United Technology Center solid rocket motors (SRMs) generated a peak thrust of 2,647,000 pounds - making the Titan IIIC the most powerful rocket yet launched. When the two solid motors were jettisoned two minutes after lift-off, the liquid-fueled center core section took over-Stage 1 engines producing 520,000 pounds of thrust, then Stage 2 with 100,000 pounds, and finally Stage 3 (Transtage) with its 16,000-pound thrust engines and carrying the payload. This first Titan IIIC placed a 21,000-pound test payload into a 100-NM (low earth) circular orbit - the heaviest payload yet orbited by the U.S. The Titan IIIC was capable of placing a 3,200-pound payload into a 22,000-mile, synchronous equatorial orbit. When fully operational, the new booster would provide a vast increase in the size and range of satellites that could be placed in orbit. This capability would eliminate one of the primary limitations on a number of satellite programs - the limited payload capability of the present Thor and Atlas space booster families. Launch vehicle test. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).
1965 June 18 - . 17:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Apache.
Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 186 km (115 mi).
1965 June 18 - . 23:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Aerobee. Launch Vehicle: Aerobee 350.
Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 374 km (232 mi).
1966 June 18 - . 00:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Eglin. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Nike Cajun.
ANGELA (TMA) Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF CRL. Apogee: 217 km (134 mi).
1966 June 18 - . 02:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Salto di Quirra. Launch Vehicle: Skylark.
MPE Barium release Aeronomy / barium release mission - . Nation: Europe. Agency: ESRO. Apogee: 220 km (130 mi).
1967 June 18 - . 20:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Trailblazer test vehicle. Launch Vehicle: Trailblazer 2.
AFCRL TB2-1 Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF CRL. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).
1969 June 18 - . 01:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Trailblazer test vehicle. Launch Vehicle: Trailblazer 2.
AFRCL TB2-2 Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 299 km (185 mi).
1973 June 18 - . 14:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Thule AFB. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.
Starute, AN/DMQ-9- - . Nation: USA. Agency: MRN. Apogee: 76 km (47 mi).
1974 June 18 - .
Death of Georgiy Konstantinovich Zhukov - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Zhukov. Russian officer. Minister of Defence 1955-1957..
1974 June 18 - . Launch Site: Biscarosse. Launch Complex: Biscarosse BLB. LV Family: MSBS. Launch Vehicle: SSBS S2.
Operational test - . Nation: France. Agency: DMA. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).
1974 June 18 - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VI.
STS - . Nation: USA. Agency: US Army. Apogee: 57 km (35 mi).
1974 June 18 - . 13:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: Plesetsk LC132/2. LV Family: R-14. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M.
Cosmos 660 - . Mass: 650 kg (1,430 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MO. Class: Surveillance. Type: Radar calibration target. Spacecraft: Taifun-1. USAF Sat Cat: 7337 . COSPAR: 1974-044A. Apogee: 1,536 km (954 mi). Perigee: 383 km (237 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 104.30 min. Radar calibration mission..
1975 June 18 - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg WTR. Launch Platform: SSBN 602. LV Family: Polaris. Launch Vehicle: Polaris A3.
1975 June 18 - . Launch Site: Kourou. LV Family: Arcas. Launch Vehicle: Super Arcas.
EXAMETNET 35-79 - . Nation: France. Agency: CNES. Apogee: 75 km (46 mi).
1975 June 18 - . 09:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC13. LV Family: Atlas. Launch Vehicle: Atlas SLV-3A Agena D.
Canyon 6 - . Payload: Canyon Improved / OPS 4966. Mass: 700 kg (1,540 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NRO, USAF. Class: Surveillance. Type: SIGINT. Spacecraft: Canyon. USAF Sat Cat: 7963 . COSPAR: 1975-055A. Apogee: 40,800 km (25,300 mi). Perigee: 30,200 km (18,700 mi). Inclination: 9.00 deg. Period: 1,422.00 min.
1980 June 18 - . 06:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. Launch Pad: LC1 or LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8A92M.
Meteor 1-30 - . Payload: Resurs-OE s/n 3-1. Mass: 3,475 kg (7,661 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Resurs. Class: Earth. Type: Earth resources satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Meteor. Spacecraft: Resurs-OE. Duration: 4,274.00 days. Decay Date: 1992-03-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 11848 . COSPAR: 1980-051A. Apogee: 457 km (283 mi). Perigee: 428 km (265 mi). Inclination: 97.70 deg. Period: 93.40 min.
First flight of prototype for Resurs-O1 spacecraft. Also performed remote sensing tasks. Acquisition of information required for continued investigation of the natural resources of the earth; development of remote sensing methods for measuring the status of the earth's surface and the atmosphere beneath the satellite.
1981 June 18 - . 15:59 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.
Nation: USA. Agency: MRN. Apogee: 98 km (60 mi).
1982 June 18 - . Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. LV Family: Temp-2S. Launch Vehicle: Pioner.
1982 June 18 - . Launch Site: Baikonur. LV Family: UR-100N. Launch Vehicle: UR-100NU 15A35.
1982 June 18 - . 13:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. Launch Pad: LC1 or LC31. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.
Cosmos 1381 - . Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Vostok. Spacecraft: Zenit-6U. Decay Date: 1982-07-01 . USAF Sat Cat: 13283 . COSPAR: 1982-062A. Apogee: 374 km (232 mi). Perigee: 199 km (123 mi). Inclination: 70.40 deg. Period: 90.30 min. Photo surveillance; returned film capsule..
1984 June 18 - . 14:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC47. LV Family: Deacon. Launch Vehicle: Rocketsonde.
Arcasonde - . Nation: USA. Agency: MRN. Apogee: 59 km (36 mi).
1985 June 18 - .
STS-51-G - Wakeup Song: I Feel the Earth Move - . Flight: STS-51-G. "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King CAPCOM: Bob Springer.
1985 June 18 - . 23:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. LV Family: Temp-2S. Launch Vehicle: Pioner.
1988 June 18 - . Launch Site: Thumba. LV Family: RH. Launch Vehicle: RH-200.
1989 June 18 - . Launch Site: Biscarosse. Launch Complex: Biscarosse BLB. LV Family: MSBS. Launch Vehicle: SSBS S3.
1991 June 18 - . 11:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC20. LV Family: Castor 4A. Launch Vehicle: Prospector sounding rocket. FAILURE: Failure..
Microgravity mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: OSC. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi). Material and biological experiments..
1993 June 18 - . 17:25 GMT - .
EVA Mir EO-13-2 - . Crew: Manakov, Poleshchuk. EVA Duration: 0.19 days. Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Manakov, Poleshchuk. Program: Mir. Class: Manned. Type: Manned space station. Flight: Soyuz TM-16. Spacecraft: Mir. Completed installation of Kvant 1 solar array drive unit..
1999 June 18 - .
Death of Aleksandr Nikolayevich Matinchenko at Monino village, Russia. Natural causes. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Matinchenko. Russian engineer cosmonaut, 1963-1972..
1999 June 18 - . 01:49 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC81/23. LV Family: Proton. Launch Vehicle: Proton-K/DM-2M.
Astra 1H - . Payload: HS 601HP. Mass: 3,700 kg (8,100 lb). Nation: Europe. Agency: SES. Manufacturer: El Segundo. Program: Astra. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: HS 601. USAF Sat Cat: 25785 . COSPAR: 1999-033A. Apogee: 35,799 km (22,244 mi). Perigee: 35,774 km (22,228 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.
Geosynchronous communications satellite. Stationed at 19 deg E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 19 deg E in 1999. As of 5 September 2001 located at 19.12 deg E drifting at 0.002 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 19.23E drifting at 0.019W degrees per day.
2000 June 18 - . 11:03 GMT - . Launch Site: Wallops Island. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Orion sounding rocket.
Education mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 85 km (52 mi).
STS-114, - Wakeup Song: Sojourner - . Flight: STS-114. "Sojourner" by Matt Gast, the flight's lead timeliner or scheduler of crew activities..
2003 June 18 - . 23:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Barking Sands. Launch Complex: Barking Sands LC1. LV Family: Minuteman. Launch Vehicle: M56A1.
SMD FM-5 TTV-6 Target mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 300 km (180 mi).
2003 June 18 - . 23:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Barking Sands. Launch Complex: Barking Sands POA. Launch Platform: CG-70. LV Family: Standard-ER. Launch Vehicle: SM-3.
Aegis 4 test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).
2004 June 18 - .
2005 June 18 - .
STS-117 - Wakeup Song: Redeemer - . Flight: STS-117. "Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen, played for Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester..
2016 June 18 - . 21:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5.
Echostar 18 - . Nation: Europe. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: FS-1300. USAF Sat Cat: 41592 . COSPAR: 2016-039B. Apogee: 35,796 km (22,242 mi). Perigee: 33,289 km (20,684 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg.
BRISat - . Nation: Europe. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 41591 . COSPAR: 2016-039A. Apogee: 35,702 km (22,184 mi). Perigee: 32,931 km (20,462 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Ariane 5 vehicle L584 put two communications satellites in geotransfer orbit. BRISat was dedicated to banking services for the Indonesian bank PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. of Jakarta..
2017 June 18 - . Launch Site: Kurdistan. Launch Vehicle: Fateh-110.
HE Warhead - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Combat launch. Impacted Deir-es-Zor,Syria..
2017 June 18 - . Launch Site: Kermanshah. Launch Vehicle: Fateh-110.
HE Warhead - . Nation: Iran. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Combat launch. Impacted Deir-es-Zor,Syria..
2018 June 18 - . 19:00 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant IX.
EVE 7 - . Nation: USA. Apogee: 290 km (180 mi). Solar extreme ultra-violet mission. Impacted White Sands..