1957 in spaceflight

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[edit] Launches

This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1957.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Launch Date/Time	Rocket	Launch Site	Launch Contractor	Payload	Operator	Orbit	Mission/ Function	Re-Entry/ Destruction	Outcome	Remarks
January 26	Thor DM-18	LC-17B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Exploded on pad.
March 1 21:51 GMT	Jupiter	LC-5, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Maiden flight of Jupiter IRBM. Overheated and disintegrated.
April 20 04:33 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Maiden flight of Thor IRBM. Tracking error led flight controllers to incorrectly believe rocket was off course, self-destruct activated.
April 26 20:12 GMT	Jupiter	LC-5, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure
May 1 06:29 GMT	Viking	LC-18, Cape Canaveral	US Navy	Vanguard third stage	US Navy	Sub-orbital	Test Vanguard third stage	May 1, 1957	Successful	Final flight of Viking sounding rocket.
May 15 07:55 GMT	Jupiter C (Juno)	LC-6, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Gyro failure at T+134 seconds.
May 15 16:01 GMT	R-7	LC-1, Baikonur	MVS	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test flight	N/A	Failure	Maiden flight of R-7 rocket. Booster rocket tore away at T+98 seconds. Engine fire.
May 22 03:00 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Valve malfunction resulted in high internal pressure and ultimately explosion.
May 31 18:08 GMT	Jupiter	LC-5, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful
June 11 19:37 GMT	Atlas A	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	ICBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Maiden flight of Atlas. Fuel system malfunction.
July 12 12:53 GMT	R-7	LC-1, Baikonur	MVS	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test flight	N/A	Failure	Loss of control. Boosters jettisoned prematurely at T+33 seconds.
August 8 06:59 GMT	Jupiter C (Juno)	LC-6, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful	Nosecone recovered, proving re-entry system worked.
August 21 12:25 GMT	R-7	LC-1, Baikonur	MVS	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test flight	N/A	Successful
August 28 21:02 GMT	Jupiter	LC-26A, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful
August 30	Thor DM-18	LC-17A, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Disintegrated at T+92 seconds.
September 7 11:39 GMT	R-7	LC-1, Baikonur	MVS	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test flight	N/A	Successful
September 20	Thor DM-18	LC-17B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful
September 25 19:57 GMT	Atlas A	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	ICBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Fuel system malfunction.
October 3 17:13 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17A, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Exploded on pad.
October 4 19:28 GMT	R-7 8K71PS	LC-1, Baikonur	RVSN	Sputnik 1	RVSN	LEO	Demonstrate orbital launch capability	January 3, 1958	Successful	First successful orbital satellite.
October 11 16:29 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Partial Failure	Pump gearbox failure, still met test objectives.
October 23 01:07 GMT	Jupiter	LC-26B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful
October 23 19:22 GMT	Vanguard Test Article	LC-18, Cape Canaveral	US Navy	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test first stage of Vanguard rocket	N/A	Successful	Battleship 2nd and 3rd stages.
October 24 16:32 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17A, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful
November 3 02:30 GMT	R-7 8K71PS	LC-1, Baikonur	RVSN	Sputnik 2, 1 dog (Laika)	RVSN	LEO	Test effects of spaceflight on a living organism	April 14, 1958	Partial Failure	First living organism in space. Animal died prior to completion of experiments.
November 13 01:51 GMT	Skylark	LA-2, Woomera	RAE/WRE	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test sounding rocket Aeronomy experiments	N/A	Successful
November 27 02:10 GMT	Jupiter	LC-26B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Pump failure at T+202 seconds resulted in complete loss of thrust.
December 6 16:44 GMT	Vanguard	LC-18, Cape Canaveral	US Navy	Vanguard 1A	US Navy	Intended: LEO	Demonstrate orbital launch capability	T+2 seconds	Failure	First flight of Vanguard rocket in full configuration. Lost thrust and exploded on pad.
December 7 22:11 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful
December 17 17:39 GMT	Atlas A	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	ICBM research and development	N/A	Successful
December 19 00:07 GMT	Jupiter	LC-26B, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Failure	Pump failure at T+116 seconds resulted in complete loss of thrust.
December 19 20:12 GMT	Thor DM-18	LC-17A, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	(none)	N/A	N/A	IRBM research and development	N/A	Successful

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