# 1952 in spaceflight

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
In 1952, several branches of the United States' military, often in partnership with civilian organizations, continued their programs of sounding rocket research beyond the 100 kilometres (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation) using the Aerobee rocket. The University of Iowa launched its first series of rockoon flights, demonstrating the validity of the balloon-launched rocket, a comparatively inexpensive way to explore the upper atmosphere. The launch of Viking 9 at the end of the year to an altitude of 135 mi (217 km), by the Naval Research Laboratory team under the management of Milton Rosen, represented the pinnacle of contemporary operational rocket design.
The same year, groundwork was laid for the launch of the first artificial satellite when, in October, the General Assembly of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) scheduled the International Geophysical Year for 1957–58. This scientific endeavor would involve 67 nations in a global investigation of physical phenomena, on the ground and in space.
No new models of ballistic missile were added to the arsenals of either the United States or the Soviet Union in 1952. However, work continued on large rocket development, particularly the US Army's Redstone and the Soviet R-5 missile. Both the R-1 and R-2 missiles had operational test runs during the year.

## Space exploration highlights
### US Navy

In the late spring of 1952, the Naval Research Laboratory team, under the management of Milton Rosen, prepared to launch the first second-generation Viking rocket, Viking 8, from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The new Viking design was nearly one-and-a-half times as wide as its precursor, with the highest fuel-to-weight ratio of any rocket yet developed. The tail fins no longer supported the weight of the rocket, which had been the case with the first-generation design. Now, the Viking rocket rested on the base of its fuselage. This allowed the tail fins to be made much lighter, allowing the rocket to carry a heavier tank without weighing more than the first Viking design.$^{:172–173}$
On 6 June 1952, Viking 8 broke loose of its moorings during a static firing test. After it was allowed to fly for 55 seconds in the hope that it would clear the immediate area and thus pose no danger to ground crew, Nat Wagner, head of the "Cutoff group", delivered a command to the rocket to cease its thrust. 65 seconds later, the rocket crashed 4 to 5 miles (6 to 8 km) downrange to the southeast.$^{:180–181}$
With lessons learned from the Viking 8 failure, the successful 9 December static firing of Viking 9 was followed on 15 December by a successful launch from White Sands. The rocket reached an altitude of 135 miles (217 km), roughly the same as that of the first-generation Viking 7 in 1950. In addition to cameras that photographed the Earth during flight, Viking 9 carried a full suite of cosmic ray, ultraviolet, and X-ray detectors, including sixteen plates of emulsion gel for tracking the path of individual high energy particles. The experiment package was recovered intact after it had secured measurements high above the Earth's atmosphere.$^{:185–203}$

### US Army

The final flight of the V-2 rocket occurred on 19 September 1952 with an unsuccessful aeronomy mission conducted jointly by the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories and University of Michigan from White Sands Launch Complex 33. The rocket reached an apogee of 7.1 kilometres (4.4 mi) before its tail exploded 27 seconds into the flight.$^{:469–470}$

### American civilian efforts

1952 saw the first rockoon flights. These balloon-mounted rockets were significantly cheaper than sounding rocket flights: $1800 per launch versus $25,000 for each Aerobee launch and $450,000 for each Viking launch. A series of seven ship-launched tests conducted by a University of Iowa team under James Van Allen achieved considerable success, with one flight grazing the edge of space with an apogee of 55 miles (89 km).$^{:10–18}$

## Spacecraft development
### US Air Force

Progress remained slow throughout 1952 on the Atlas, the nation's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the contract for which had been awarded to Consolidated Vultee in January 1951 by the US Air Force's Air Research and Development Command. Conservative development policies and daunting technical problems were the official causes, but the Air Force's apparent lack of enthusiasm for the project, along with a limited budget and resources, were factors as well. It was not until the first successful H-bomb test at Elugelab in November 1952 that development of the Atlas, potentially capable of delivering such a weapon, garnered more support.$^{:59–71}$

### US Army

On 8 April 1952, Redstone Arsenal in Alabama officially gave the name of "Redstone" to the surface-to-surface missile, capable of delivering nuclear or conventional warheads to a range of 200 miles (320 km), which they had started developing on 10 July 1951. The office of the Chief of Ordnance of the Army (OCO) tasked Chrysler Corporation to proceed with active work as the prime contractor on the missile by a letter order contract in October 1952; this contract definitized on 19 June 1953.

### Soviet military

In 1952, the Soviet Union focused its strategic rocket development on the R-5 missile, which superseded the overambitious 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) range R-3, previously canceled on 20 October 1951.$^{:275–6}$ OKB-1 under Sergei Korolev completed the conceptual design for the R-5, able to carry the same 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) payload as the R-1 and R-2 but over a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi),$^{:242}$ by 30 October 1951.$^{:97}$
This dramatic increase in performance of the R-5 over its predecessors was made possible through development of the RD-103 engine, an evolution of the RD-101 used in the R-2 missile, and by reducing the weight of the rocket through use of integrated tankage (while at the same time increasing propellant load by 60% over the R-2). The military had much more confidence in this incremental design than the radical leap forward that was the R-3, and work proceeded apace. Other innovations over the R-1 and R-2 included small aerodynamic rudders run by servomotors to replace the big fins of the R-1/R-2, and longitudinal acceleration integrators to improve the precision of engine cutoff and thus accuracy.$^{:99–100}$ Two of the first ten R-5s produced underwent stand tests through February 1952, and the sleek, cylindrical R-5, "the first Soviet strategic rocket", would be ready for its first launch March 1953.$^{:99–100}$
Also in 1952, the design bureau OKB-486, under Valentin Glushko, began developing the RD-105 and RD-106 engines for an even more powerful rocket: the five engine R-6 ICBM. Using an integrated solder-welded configuration, developed by engineer Aleksei Isaev, these LOX/kerosene engines would be more powerful single chamber engines than those used in earlier rockets. Four 539.37 kN (121,260 lb$_f$) RD-105 would power the R-6's four strap-on engines while a 519.75 kN (116,840 lb$_f$) RD-106 would power the central booster.$^{:108–109}$
That same year, there was also a series of fourteen test launches of the mass-produced version of R-2 missile, with a range of 600 kilometres (370 mi).$^{:48–9}$ Twelve of the missiles reached their targets.$^{:266}$ The R-1 also was test-launched seven times.

### Civilian efforts

In October 1952, the General Assembly of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) adopted a proposal to undertake a third International Polar Year. This endeavor would involve both a wider scope, encompassing simultaneous observations of geophysical phenomena over the entire surface of the Earth including the Arctic and Antarctica, as well as a longer period, lasting 18 months. The International Geophysical Year (IGY), set for 1957–58, ultimately would involve the participation of 67 countries. To coordinate this massive effort, the ICSU formed the Comité Speciale de l'Année Géophysique Internationale (CSAGI), 'International Geophysical Year Special Committee', which would hold four major meetings with representation from all participating countries over the next four years.$^{:69}$$^{:19–21}$
In 1951, the University of Maryland's Fred Singer gave a series of lectures to the British Interplanetary Society in London espousing the use of small artificial satellites to conduct scientific observations. In 1952 Singer expanded his audience through publications and public presentations on his proposals for "MOUSE" (Minimum Orbiting Unmanned Satellite of the Earth). Though dismissed by many as too radical and/or in conflict with human exploration of space, the proposal catalyzed serious discussion of the use of satellites for scientific research.$^{:73}$

## Launches

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

### January

January launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 30 January 20:45 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 21 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 30 January 20:45 | | Ionosphere 1 | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 30 January | Launch failure |
| Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi), rocket exploded in tower$^{:85}$ ||||||

### February

February launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 19 February 14:49 | Aerobee RTV-A-1c | Aerobee RTV-A-1c | USAF 22 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 19 February 14:49 | | | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital | Airglow | 19 February | Launch failure |
| Apogee: 0 kilometres (0 mi), maiden (and only) flight of the RTV-A-1c, which was an unboosted version of the RTV-A-1a. There was a thrust chamber explosion in the tower, but the instrumentation was recovered intact.$^{:86}$ ||||||
| 19 February 17:00 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 7 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 19 February 17:00 | | | NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation | 19 February | Successful |
| Apogee: 81.3 kilometres (50.5 mi)$^{:303–304}$ ||||||
| 29 February 14:40 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 23 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 29 February 14:40 | | | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital | Airglow | 29 February | Successful |
| Apogee: 89.3 kilometres (55.5 mi)$^{:87–88}$ ||||||

### April

April launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 22 April 17:28 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 24 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 22 April 17:28 | | | AFCRC / Boston University | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 22 April | Successful |
| Apogee: 113 kilometres (70 mi)$^{:89–90}$ ||||||
| 30 April 13:30 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 8 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 30 April 13:30 | | | NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation | 30 April | Successful |
| Apogee: 127.8 kilometres (79.4 mi)$^{:305}$ ||||||

### May

May launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 1 May 14:59 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 9 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 1 May 14:59 | | | NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation | 1 May | Successful |
| Apogee: 126.0 kilometres (78.3 mi)$^{:305}$ ||||||
| 1 May 15:42 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 25 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 1 May 15:42 | | | AFCRC / University of Rhode Island | Suborbital | Solar UV | 1 May | Successful |
| Apogee: 91 kilometres (57 mi)$^{:91–92}$ ||||||
| 5 May 13:44 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 10 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 5 May 13:44 | | | NRL | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation / Solar Radiation | 5 May | Successful |
| Apogee: 127.0 kilometres (78.9 mi)$^{:305}$ ||||||
| 15 May 01:15 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 23 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | US Army |
| 15 May 01:15 | | Sphere | SCEL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 15 May | Successful |
| Apogee: 76.1 kilometres (47.3 mi)$^{:233–234}$ ||||||
| 20 May 02:07 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 24 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | US Army |
| 20 May 02:07 | | Grenades | USASC | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 20 May | Successful |
| Apogee: 89.5 kilometres (55.6 mi)$^{:235–236}$ ||||||
| 20 May 16:06 | V-2 | V-2 | V-2 No. 59 / TF-2 | White Sands LC-33 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | US Army |
| 20 May 16:06 | | | SCEL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Photography | 20 May | Successful |
| Apogee: 103.5 kilometres (64.3 mi)$^{:455–456,464}$ ||||||
| 21 May 15:15 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 26 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 21 May 15:15 | | Aeromed 3 | AFCRL / WADC Aero-Medical Laboratory | Suborbital | Biological | 21 May | Successful |
| Carried 2 Philippine monkeys, Pat and Mike, and 2 mice; all recovered. Apogee: 61 kilometres (38 mi)$^{:93–94}$ Flight tested requirement of restraints: one mouse was given a shelf to cling to; the other bounced from side to side of its smooth-sided plastic compartment. Acceleration was 15 gees for <1 second and 3-4 gees for 35 seconds. The two monkeys were strapped to their seats and anaesthetized. Mission demonstrated that pilot injury in rocket flight could be avoided with appropriate seats and straps. ||||||

### June

June launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 6 June 17:30 | Viking (second model) | Viking (second model) | | White Sands LC-33 | White Sands LC-33 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 6 June 17:30 | | Viking 8 | NRL | Suborbital | Accidental launch | 6 June | Launch failure |
| Apogee: 6 kilometres (3.7 mi), accidentally launched during static fire ground test ||||||
| 18 June 17:50 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 27 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 18 June 17:50 | | | AFCRC / University of Denver | Suborbital | Solar UV | 18 June | Successful |
| Apogee: 105 kilometres (65 mi)$^{:95–96}$ ||||||
| 30 June 14:32 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 28 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 30 June 14:32 | | Airglow 1 | AFCRC | Suborbital | Sky Brightness | 30 June | Successful |
| Apogee: 101 kilometres (63 mi)$^{:97–98}$ ||||||

### August

August launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 8 August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 8 August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 8 August | |
| First of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Second of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Third of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Fourth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Fifth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Sixth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Seventh of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| August | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Eighth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| 20 August | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 20 August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 20 August | Successful |
| 21 August | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 21 August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 August | Successful |
| 21 August 06:25 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 1 | USCGC Eastwind, Kane Basin | USCGC Eastwind, Kane Basin | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 21 August 06:25 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 21 August | Partial failure |
| Maiden flight of the Deacon Rockoon, (balloon) apogee: 21.4 kilometres (13.3 mi), rocket failed to fire$^{:312}$ ||||||
| 22 August 07:33 | V-2 | V-2 | TF-3 | White Sands LC-33 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | US Army |
| 22 August 07:33 | | | NRL / AFCRC / National Institutes of Health | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation / Solar X-Ray / Magnetic Field / Sky Brightness | 22 August | Successful |
| Apogee: 78.1 kilometres (48.5 mi)$^{:465–466}$ ||||||
| 24 August 03:34 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 2 | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 24 August 03:34 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 24 August | Partial failure |
| (Balloon) Apogee: 21.4 kilometres (13.3 mi),$^{:312}$ rocket failed to fire, but instrument package worked$^{:17}$ ||||||
| 25 August | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 25 August | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 25 August | Successful |
| 26 August 18:53 | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | Aerobee RTV-A-1a | USAF 29 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 26 August 18:53 | | Ionosphere 2 | AFCRC / University of Utah | Suborbital | Ionospheric | 26 August | Launch failure |
| Apogee: 32 kilometres (20 mi)$^{:99–100}$ ||||||
| 29 August 00:26 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 3 | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 29 August 00:26 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 29 August | Spacecraft failure |
| Apogee: 61.0 kilometres (37.9 mi),$^{:312}$ first successful firing of balloon-launched rocket, instruments failed to return data$^{:18}$ ||||||
| 29 August 07:36 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 4 | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 29 August 07:36 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 29 August | Successful |
| Apogee: 59.4 kilometres (36.9 mi)$^{:312}$ ||||||
| 29 August 18:15 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 5 | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 29 August 18:15 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 29 August | Successful |
| Apogee: 76.1 kilometres (47.3 mi)$^{:312}$ ||||||
| 31 August 21:10 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 6 | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 31 August 21:10 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 31 August | Successful |
| Apogee: 64.1 kilometres (39.8 mi)$^{:313}$ ||||||

### September

September launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| September | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| September | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Ninth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| September | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| September | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Tenth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| September | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| September | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Eleventh of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| September | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| September | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Twelfth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| September | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| September | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | Same day | |
| Thirteenth of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| 3 September 14:49 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | Aerobee RTV-N-10 | NRL 11 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 3 September 14:49 | | | NRL | Suborbital | Solar Radiation | 3 September | Successful |
| Apogee: 99.0 kilometres (61.5 mi)$^{:305}$ ||||||
| 4 September 09:17 | Deacon rockoon | Deacon rockoon | SUI 7 | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | USCGC Eastwind, northern Baffin Bay | US Coast Guard | US Coast Guard |
| 4 September 09:17 | | | University of Iowa | Suborbital | Cosmic Radiation | 4 September | Successful |
| Apogee: 64.1 kilometres (39.8 mi)$^{:313}$ ||||||
| 18 September | R-2 | R-2 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 18 September | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 18 September | |
| Last of fourteen test launches of mass-produced version; twelve reached their target$^{:266}$ ||||||
| 19 September 15:49 | V-2 | V-2 | TF-5 | White Sands LC-33 | White Sands LC-33 | US Army | US Army |
| 19 September 15:49 | | | SCEL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 19 September | Launch failure |
| Final flight of the V-2, apogee: 7.1 kilometres (4.4 mi), tail exploded at 27 seconds$^{:469–470}$ ||||||
| 25 September 03:50 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 25 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | US Army |
| 25 September 03:50 | | Grenades | SCEL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 25 September | Successful |
| Apogee: 117 kilometres (73 mi)$^{:239}$ ||||||

### October

October launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 10 October 14:24 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 30 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 10 October 14:24 | | | AFCRC / University of Denver | Suborbital | Solar UV | 10 October | Successful |
| Apogee: 110 kilometres (68 mi)$^{:102–103}$ ||||||
| 22 October 14:35 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 31 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 22 October 14:35 | | | AFCRC / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 22 October | Successful |
| Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)$^{:104–105}$ ||||||
| 23 October 03:45 | Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | SC 26 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | US Army |
| 23 October 03:45 | | Grenades | SCEL | Suborbital | Aeronomy | 23 October | Successful |
| Apogee: 112.0 kilometres (69.6 mi)$^{:237–238}$ ||||||
| 29 October | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 29 October | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 29 October | Successful |
| 30 October | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 30 October | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 October | Successful |
| 30 October | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 30 October | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 30 October | Successful |

### November

November launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 6 November 15:56 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 32 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 6 November 15:56 | | Airglow 2 | AFCRC | Suborbital | Sky Brightness | 6 November | Successful |
| Apogee: 76 kilometres (47 mi)$^{:106–107}$ ||||||
| 21 November | R-1 | R-1 | | Kapustin Yar | Kapustin Yar | OKB-1 | OKB-1 |
| 21 November | | | OKB-1 | Suborbital | Missile test | 21 November | Successful |

### December

December launches :
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| 11 December 23:47 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | SC 29 | White Sands LC-35 | White Sands LC-35 | US Army | US Army |
| 11 December 23:47 | | Sphere | SCEL / University of Michigan | Suborbital | Aeronomy / Cosmic Radiation | 11 December | Successful |
| Apogee: 105.1 kilometres (65.3 mi)$^{:244–245}$ ||||||
| 12 December 19:38 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | Aerobee RTV-A-1 | USAF 33 | Holloman LC-A | Holloman LC-A | US Air Force | US Air Force |
| 12 December 19:38 | | | AFCRC / University of Colorado | Suborbital | Solar UV | 12 December | Successful |
| Final flight of the RTV-A-1, apogee: 89 kilometres (55 mi)$^{:108–109}$ ||||||
| 15 December 21:38 | Viking (second model) | Viking (second model) | | White Sands LC-33 | White Sands LC-33 | US Navy | US Navy |
| 15 December 21:38 | | Viking 9 | NRL | Suborbital | Solar Radiation / Cosmic Radiation / Photography | 15 December | Successful |
| Apogee: 219 kilometres (136 mi)$^{:494}$ ||||||
* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

## Suborbital launch summary
### By country

Launches by country :
| Country | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures |
| | United States | 35 | 27 | 5 | 3 |
| | Soviet Union | 21 | 19 | 0 | 2 |

### By rocket

* V-2 (American)
* Viking (second model)
* Aerobee RTV-N-10
* Aerobee XASR-SC-1
* Aerobee XASR-SC-2
* Aerobee RTV-A-1
* Aerobee RTV-A-1a
* Aerobee RTV-A-1c
* Deacon rockoon
* R-1
* R-2
Launches by rocket :
| Rocket | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
| V-2 | United States | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Retired |
| Viking (second model) | United States | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight |
| Aerobee RTV-N-10 | United States | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Aerobee XASR-SC-1 | United States | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Aerobee XASR-SC-2 | United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Aerobee RTV-A-1 | United States | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | Retired |
| Aerobee RTV-A-1a | United States | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Aerobee RTV-A-1c | United States | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight, retired |
| Deacon rockoon | United States | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | Maiden flight |
| R-1 | Soviet Union | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
| R-2 | Soviet Union | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | |