Feb 20 Atlas D
Success
John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth
Glenn circled Earth three times in under five hours. A false heat-shield warning made controllers keep his braking-rocket pack strapped on through reentry.
Rocket launches in1962
John Glenn circles the globe three times on Mercury-Atlas 6 in February, giving the USA its first orbital crewed flight; in July, a Delta carries Telstar 1 up to relay the first live transatlantic television. The Soviet Union debuts the Kosmos programme in March and flies Vostok 3 and 4 on consecutive days in August, while Mariner 2 departs the same month and reaches Venus in December — the first spacecraft to fly past another planet.
Monthly Cadence complete
OCT peak 19 launches ↑ 19% vs 1961
- launches
- 148
- success · 116/148
- 78%
- provider
- 1
1962 launch leaders
1962 highlights
Apr 23 Atlas Agena B LV-3
Success
Ranger 4 becomes the first US spacecraft to hit the Moon
A stopped timer left the probe unable to take commands. It struck the Moon's far side without sending back any pictures or scientific data.
Apr 26 Delta Thor DM-19 Delta
Success
Ariel 1 becomes Britain's first satellite
NASA built Ariel 1 to carry British experiments on the Sun's effect on the upper atmosphere. Britain became the third country to operate a satellite.
Jul 10 Delta Thor DM-19 Delta
Success
Telstar 1 carries the first live TV broadcast across the Atlantic
AT&T paid for the satellite and NASA launched it. Europeans watching on July 23 saw a short live clip of a baseball game from Chicago.
Aug 12 Vostok K
Success
The Soviet Union puts two crews in orbit at once for the first time
Pavel Popovich launched a day after Andriyan Nikolayev and came within 6.5 kilometres of him. The two cosmonauts talked to each other by radio.
Aug 27 Atlas Agena B LV-3
Success
Mariner 2 makes the first successful flight past another planet
Mariner 2 found Venus far hotter than expected, above 200 degrees Celsius on both its day and night sides.
Sep 29 Thor DM-21 Agena-B
Success
Alouette 1 becomes the first satellite built outside the US and Soviet Union
Canada's first satellite studied the ionosphere, the electrically charged upper atmosphere. It kept working for ten years.
All 1962 launches
Quick filters
148 launches
| January | ||||
Jan 13, 1962Failure | Discoverer 37 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Jan 15, 1962 | ASAT test USA • Thor DSV-2D | |||
Jan 17, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Jan 21, 1962Failure | SM-4 USA • Titan I | |||
Jan 23, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Jan 24, 1962Failure | LOFTI-2A USA • Thor DM-21 Ablestar | |||
Jan 26, 1962Partial failure | Ranger 3 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Jan 29, 1962 | Mk.4 REV USA • Titan I | |||
| February | ||||
Feb 8, 1962 | TIROS-4 USA • Delta Thor DM-19 Delta | |||
Feb 13, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas E | |||
Feb 16, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Feb 20, 1962 | Mercury-Atlas 6 USA • Atlas D | |||
Feb 21, 1962Partial failure | FTV 2301 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Feb 21, 1962Failure | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Feb 23, 1962 | SM-18 USA • Titan I | |||
Feb 27, 1962 | Discoverer 38 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
| March | ||||
Mar 1, 1962Failure | ICBM test USA • Atlas E | |||
Mar 1, 1962 | Re-Entry 1 USA • Scout X-1A | |||
Mar 7, 1962 | OSO-1 USA • Delta Thor DM-19 Delta | |||
Mar 7, 1962 | Samos 6 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Mar 16, 1962 | Kosmos 1 Russia • Kosmos | |||
Mar 16, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Mar 19, 1962 | Missile test USA • Thor DM-18A | |||
Mar 24, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Mar 29, 1962 | P-21A USA • Scout X-2 | |||
| April | ||||
Apr 6, 1962 | Kosmos 2 Russia • Kosmos | |||
Apr 9, 1962 | Midas 5 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Apr 9, 1962Failure | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Apr 12, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Apr 12, 1962 | D-7 USA • Scout Blue Scout I | |||
Apr 18, 1962 | CM-114 USA • Jupiter | |||
Apr 18, 1962 | Discoverer 39 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Apr 23, 1962 | Ranger 4 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Apr 24, 1962 | Kosmos 3 Russia • Kosmos | |||
Apr 25, 1962 | Saturn-Apollo 2 USA • Saturn I | |||
Apr 26, 1962 | Kosmos 4 Russia • Vostok K | |||
Apr 26, 1962Failure | Solrad 4B USA • Scout X-2 | |||
Apr 26, 1962 | Ariel 1 USA • Delta Thor DM-19 Delta | |||
Apr 26, 1962 | Samos 7 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Apr 27, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Apr 29, 1962 | FTV 1125 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
| May | ||||
May 2, 1962 | TIGERFISH USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
May 4, 1962 | SM-34 USA • Titan I | |||
May 8, 1962Failure | AC-1 USA • Atlas Centaur-A LV-3C | |||
May 10, 1962Failure | ANNA 1A USA • Thor DM-21 Ablestar | |||
May 12, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
May 15, 1962 | FTV 1126 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
May 24, 1962Failure | DSAP-1 F1 USA • Scout X-2M | |||
May 24, 1962 | Mercury-Atlas 7 USA • Atlas D | |||
May 28, 1962 | Kosmos 5 Russia • Kosmos | |||
May 30, 1962 | FTV 1128 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
| June | ||||
Jun 1, 1962Failure | Zenit-2 Russia • Vostok 2 | |||
Jun 2, 1962 | FTV 1127 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Jun 2, 1962 | Unnamed flight Russia • R-7 A | |||
Jun 4, 1962Failure | Bluegill USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Jun 7, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Jun 17, 1962 | Samos 8 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Jun 18, 1962 | FTV 2312 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Jun 19, 1962 | Missile test USA • Thor DM-18A | |||
Jun 19, 1962 | TIROS-5 USA • Delta Thor DM-19 Delta | |||
Jun 20, 1962Failure | STARFISH USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Jun 23, 1962 | FTV 1129 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Jun 26, 1962 | NTMP K-1 USA • Atlas D | |||
Jun 28, 1962 | FTV 1151 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Jun 30, 1962 | Kosmos 6 Russia • Kosmos | |||
| July | ||||
Jul 9, 1962 | STARFISH PRIME USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Jul 10, 1962 | Telstar 1 USA • Delta Thor DM-19 Delta | |||
Jul 11, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Jul 12, 1962 | NTMP K-2 USA • Atlas D | |||
Jul 13, 1962Partial failure | ICBM test USA • Atlas E | |||
Jul 18, 1962 | ASAT test USA • Thor DSV-2D | |||
Jul 18, 1962 | Samos 9 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Jul 19, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Jul 21, 1962 | FTV 1130 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Jul 22, 1962Failure | Mariner 1 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Jul 25, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Jul 26, 1962Failure | Bluegill Prime USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Jul 28, 1962 | FTV 1131 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Jul 28, 1962 | Kosmos 7 Russia • Vostok 2 | |||
| August | ||||
Aug 1, 1962 | CM-111 USA • Jupiter | |||
Aug 1, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Aug 2, 1962 | FTV 1152 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Aug 5, 1962 | Samos 10 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Aug 9, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Aug 9, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas D | |||
Aug 10, 1962Failure | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Aug 11, 1962 | Vostok 3 Russia • Vostok K | |||
Aug 12, 1962 | Vostok 4 Russia • Vostok K | |||
Aug 13, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Aug 18, 1962 | Kosmos 8 Russia • Kosmos | |||
Aug 23, 1962 | DSAP-1 F2 USA • Scout X-2M | |||
Aug 25, 1962Failure | Sputnik 19 Russia • Molniya | |||
Aug 27, 1962 | Mariner 2 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Aug 29, 1962 | FTV 1153 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Aug 31, 1962Failure | Re-Entry 2 USA • Scout X-3A | |||
| September | ||||
Sep 1, 1962Failure | Sputnik 20 Russia • Molniya | |||
Sep 1, 1962 | FTV 1132 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Sep 12, 1962Failure | Sputnik 21 Russia • Molniya | |||
Sep 12, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Sep 17, 1962 | FTV 1133 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Sep 18, 1962 | TIROS-6 USA • Delta Thor DM-19 Delta | |||
Sep 19, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Sep 27, 1962 | Kosmos 9 Russia • Vostok 2 | |||
Sep 29, 1962 | Alouette 1 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Sep 29, 1962 | FTV 1154 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
| October | ||||
Oct 2, 1962Failure | NTMP-K3 USA • Atlas D | |||
Oct 2, 1962 | Explorer 14 USA • Delta A | |||
Oct 3, 1962 | Mercury-Atlas 8 USA • Atlas D | |||
Oct 6, 1962 | SM-35 USA • Titan I | |||
Oct 9, 1962 | FTV 1134 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Oct 12, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Oct 16, 1962Failure | Bluegill Double Prime USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Oct 17, 1962 | Kosmos 10 Russia • Vostok 2 | |||
Oct 18, 1962 | Ranger 5 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Oct 19, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Oct 20, 1962 | Kosmos 11 Russia • Kosmos | |||
Oct 24, 1962Failure | Sputnik 22 Russia • Molniya | |||
Oct 25, 1962Failure | Kosmos 12 Russia • Kosmos | |||
Oct 26, 1962 | Bluegill Triple Prime USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Oct 26, 1962 | NTMP K-5 USA • Atlas D | |||
Oct 26, 1962 | STARAD USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Oct 26, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Oct 27, 1962 | Explorer 15 USA • Delta A | |||
Oct 31, 1962 | ANNA 1B USA • Thor DM-21 Ablestar | |||
| November | ||||
Nov 1, 1962 | KINGFISH USA • Thor DSV-2E | |||
Nov 1, 1962 | Mars 1 Russia • Molniya | |||
Nov 4, 1962Failure | Sputnik 24 Russia • Molniya | |||
Nov 5, 1962 | FTV 1136 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
Nov 7, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Nov 11, 1962 | Samos 11 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Nov 14, 1962Failure | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Nov 16, 1962 | Saturn-Apollo 3 USA • Saturn I | |||
Nov 24, 1962 | FTV 1135 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-B | |||
| December | ||||
Dec 4, 1962 | FTV 1155 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Dec 5, 1962 | SM-11 USA • Titan I | |||
Dec 5, 1962 | ICBM test USA • Atlas F | |||
Dec 6, 1962Failure | Mk.4 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Dec 12, 1962 | NTMP K-6 USA • Atlas D | |||
Dec 13, 1962 | NRL PL120 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Dec 13, 1962 | Relay 1 USA • Delta B | |||
Dec 14, 1962 | FTV 1156 USA • Thor DM-21 Agena-D | |||
Dec 16, 1962 | Explorer 16 USA • Scout X-3 | |||
Dec 17, 1962Failure | Midas 6 USA • Atlas Agena B LV-3 | |||
Dec 18, 1962Failure | NTMP K-4 USA • Atlas E | |||
Dec 19, 1962 | Transit-5A 1 USA • Scout X-3 | |||
Dec 19, 1962 | Mk.6 REV USA • Titan II | |||
Dec 22, 1962 | Kosmos 12 Russia • Vostok 2 | |||
Dec 22, 1962 | NTMP K-7 USA • Atlas D | |||