List of R-7 launches (1957–1959)

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This is a list of launches made by the R-7 Semyorka ICBM, and its derivatives between 1957 and 1959. All launches are orbital satellite launches, unless stated otherwise.

Date and Time (GMT) Configuration Serial Number Launch Site Result Payload Remarks

1957[edit]

15 May 1957, 16:01 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-5 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A Flight test, maiden flight of R-7.
Fire in the Blok D strap-on led to premature separation at T+88 seconds and vehicle breakup.
12 July 1957, 12:53 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-7 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A Electrical failure caused the vehicle to roll at high speed, resulting in breakup at T+32 seconds.
21 August 1957, 12:25 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-8 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test - World's first missile flight to achieve intercontinental range.
7 September 1957, 11:39 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-9 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
4 October 1957, 19:28 Sputnik-PS
(8K71PS)
M1-1PS LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful Sputnik 1 World's first orbital launch
Maiden flight of Sputnik 8K71PS
3 November 1957, 02:30 Sputnik-PS
(8K71PS)
M1-2PS LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful Sputnik 2 First animal in orbit (Laika)
Final flight of Sputnik 8K71PS

1958[edit]

29 January 1958, 21:15 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-11 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test. Improper separation of the strap-ons at staging damaged plumbing in the core stage. Vehicle lost thrust and the warhead impacted far off-target.
29 March 1958, 14:40 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-10 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
4 April 1958, 15:30 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
M1-12 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
27 April 1958, 09:01 Sputnik
(8A91)
B1-2 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure D1 s/n. 1 Disintegrated 88 seconds into flight
Maiden flight of Sputnik 8A91
15 May 1958, 07:00 Sputnik
(8A91)
B1-1 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful Sputnik 3 Final flight of Sputnik rocket
24 May 1958, 10:30 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
B1-3 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test. Blok A shut down prematurely and warhead separation failed.
10 July 1958, 07:42 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
B1-4 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A Test of Luna 8K72 rocket. High-frequency vibrations caused the Blok D strap-on's combustion chamber to disintegrate. The strap-on broke away at liftoff while the rest of the booster impacted near the pad.
23 September 1958, 07:40 Luna
(8K72)
B1-3 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure Luna E-1 No.1 Excessive vibration caused the booster to disintegrate 92 seconds into flight
Maiden flight of Luna 8K72.
11 October 1958, 21:42 Luna
(8K72)
B1-4 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure Luna E-1 No.2 Excessive vibration caused the booster to disintegrate 104 seconds into flight.
4 December 1958, 18:18 Luna
(8K72)
B1-5 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure Luna E-1 No.3 Loss of hydrogen peroxide lubricant to the core stage turbopumps at T+245 seconds. Vehicle lost thrust and impacted downrange.
24 December 1958, 16:00 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
B3-16 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test. Loss of hydrogen peroxide lubricant in the Blok V strap-on, which separated 13 seconds prior to normal cutoff and staging. Manual shutoff command issued at T+130 seconds.

1959[edit]

2 January 1959, 16:41 Luna
(8K72)
B1-6 LC-1/5, Baikonur Partial failure Luna 1 Guidance system malfunction
First human-made object to reach the escape velocity of the Earth
17 March 1959, 01:46 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
041081 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
25 March 1959, 05:25 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-18 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
30 March 1959, 22:53 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-20 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test. Loss of hydrogen peroxide lubricant at T+280 seconds. Core stage lost thrust.
9 May 1959, 18:59 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-21 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
30 May 1959, 21:42 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-22 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test. Partial failure. Core stage engines failed to shut off on schedule and the warhead overshot its target by 1890 km.
9 June 1959, 20:34 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-23 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test, missed target
18 June 1959, 08:08 Luna
(8K72)
I1-7 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure Luna E-1A No.1 Spilled gyroscope led to control failure at T+153 seconds. Manual shutoff command sent.
18 July 1959, 18:15 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-24 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
30 July 1959, 04:00 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
041082 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
13 August 1959, 23:14 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I3-25 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
12 September 1959, 06:39 Luna
(8K72)
I1-7B LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful Luna 2
18 September 1959, 16:02 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I1-1T LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
4 October 1959, 00:43 Luna
(8K72)
I1-8 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful Luna 3
22 October 1959, 17:30 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
267432 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
25 October 1959, 17:32 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
267434 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
1 November 1959, 21:23 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
267431 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
20 November 1959, 21:06 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
I2-1T LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
27 November 1959, 01:12 R-7 Semyorka
(8K71)
267433 LC-1/5, Baikonur Successful N/A ICBM test
23 December 1959, 19:05 R-7A Semyorka
(8K74)
I1-1 LC-1/5, Baikonur Failure N/A ICBM test, Maiden flight of R-7A, Thrust vectoring failed


References[edit]

  • McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch List - R-7 Family". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  • Wade, Mark. "Soyuz". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2008-12-21.