1959 Space Launch Chronology

Name: 1959 Space Launch Chronology and History
Creator: Jonathan McDowell
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Every orbital and deep-space launch attempt of 1959, successes and failures alike, drawn from the GCAT launch catalog.

Data current as of 2026-07-19.

Launch attempts

Successes

Failures

57%

Success rate

Launches by vehicle family

Thor

Vostok

Vanguard

Juno II

Atlas

← 1958 All years 1960 →

Date	Designator	Payloads	Vehicle	Site / Pad	Outcome
January 1959 (1)
Jan 02	1959 MU	B1-6 : E-1 No. 4, 8K72E No. B1-6, 8K71B +6 more , 8K71V, 8K71G, 8K71D, 8K71A B1-6, Luna Fairing, 8K72E	Vostok-L 8K72	NIIP-5 / LC1	Success
February 1959 (2)
Feb 17	1959 ALP	SLV-4 : Cloud cover satellite, GRC 33-KS-2800 175-15-21, Vanguard II strap +4 more , deb Vanguard II, Vanguard SLV4, AJ10-37, Vanguard Fairing	Vanguard	CC / LC18A	Success
Feb 28	1959 BET	163/1022 : CORONA Test Vehicle 2, Agena A, Thor DM-18A 163	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-4	Failure
March 1959 (1)
Mar 03	1959 NU	AM-14 : Pioneer 4, RTV Motor, Despin weight +4 more , Jupiter AM-14, Cluster Stage 2, Cluster Stage 3, Juno II Fairing	Juno II	CC / LC5	Success
April 1959 (2)
Apr 13	1959 GAM	170/1018 : CORONA BIO 1, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 170	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-4	Success
Apr 14	1959-F01	SLV-5 : Magnetometer satellite, 30-inch sphere, GRC 33-KS-2800 +4 more , Balloon container, Vanguard SLV5, AJ10-37, Vanguard Fairing	Vanguard	CC / LC18A	Failure
June 1959 (4)
Jun 03	1959-F02	174/1020 : CORONA BIO 2, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 174	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-4	Failure
Jun 18	1959-F06	I1-7 : E-1 No. 5, 8K72E No. I1-7, 8K71B +5 more , 8K71V, 8K71G, 8K71D, 8K71A I1-7, Luna Fairing	Vostok-L 8K72	NIIP-5 / LC1	Failure
Jun 22	1959-F03	SLV-6 : Radiation Balance sat, GRC 33-KS-2800, Vanguard SLV6 +2 more , AJ10-37, Vanguard Fairing	Vanguard	CC / LC18A	Failure
Jun 25	1959-U01	179/1023 : CORONA C-1, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 179	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-5	Failure
July 1959 (1)
Jul 16	1959-F05	AM-16 : NASA S-1, RTV Motor, Jupiter AM-16 +3 more , Cluster Stage 2, Cluster Stage 3, Juno II Fairing	Juno II	CC / LC5	Failure
August 1959 (4)
Aug 07	1959 DEL	134 : Able III, Altair X-248, AJ10-101A +4 more , ARC 420, Clamp band half, Thor DM-18A 134, Able Fairing	Thor Able III	CC / LC17A	Success
Aug 13	1959 EPS	192/1029 : CORONA C-2, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 192	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-4	Success
Aug 15	1959-F07	AM-19B : 12-foot sphere, Beacon container, Cluster Stage 3 +3 more , Jupiter AM-19B, Cluster Stage 2, Juno II Fairing	Juno II	CC / LC26B	Failure
Aug 19	1959 ZET	200/1028 : CORONA C-3, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 200	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-5	Success
September 1959 (3)
Sep 12	1959 XI	I1-7B : E-1 No. 7, 8K72E No. I1-7B, 8K71B +6 more , 8K71V, 8K71G, 8K71D, 8K71A I1-7B, Luna Fairing, 8K72E	Vostok-L 8K72	NIIP-5 / LC1	Success
Sep 17	1959-F08	136 : Transit 1A, Altair X-248, Transit 1A despin weight +3 more , Thor DM-18A 136, AJ10-42, Altair Fairing	Thor Able II	CC / LC17A	Failure
Sep 18	1959 ETA	SLV-7 : Magne-Ray satellite, deb Vanguard 3, X-248-A2 SV-59 +3 more , Vanguard TV4S, AJ10-37, Vanguard Fairing	Vanguard	CC / LC18A	Success
October 1959 (2)
Oct 04	1959 THE	I1-8 : E-2A, 8K72E No. I1-8, 8K71B +6 more , 8K71V, 8K71G, 8K71D, 8K71A I1-8, Luna Fairing, 8K72E	Vostok-L 8K72	NIIP-5 / LC1	Success
Oct 13	1959 IOT	AM-19A : NASA S-1A, RTV Motor, Jupiter AM-19A +3 more , Cluster Stage 2, Cluster Stage 3, Juno II Fairing	Juno II	CC / LC5	Success
November 1959 (3)
Nov 07	1959 KAP	206/1051 : CORONA C-4, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 206	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-4	Success
Nov 20	1959 LAM	212/1050 : CORONA C-5, SRV, Agena A +2 more , Star 10, Thor DM-18A 212	Thor Agena A	V / 75-3-5	Success
Nov 26	1959-F09	20D : Able IVB, Altair, Atlas D Booster +3 more , Atlas D 20D, AJ10-101A, Altair Fairing	Atlas Able	CC / LC14	Failure

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