NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

OAO-1

Launch Time
Fri Apr 08, 1966 19:35 UTC

Rocket

Atlas-SLV3B Agena-D
Image Credit: USAF or NASA
General Dynamics
Status: Retired
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 0

Mission Details

OAO-1

The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) satellites were a series of four American space observatories launched by NASA between 1966 and 1972, which provided the first high-quality observations of many objects in ultraviolet light. Although two OAO missions were failures, the success of the other two increased awareness within the astronomical community of the benefits of space-based observations, and led to the instigation of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,774.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

Location

LC-12, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Stats

1966

35th orbital launch attempt

Atlas-Agena

67th mission
5th mission of 1966
51st successful mission
6th consecutive successful mission