Pioneer P-1
 The lunar probe Pioneer P-1. | |
| Mission type | Lunar flyby |
|---|---|
| Operator |  NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1959-E02 |
| Mission duration | Failure to launch |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Space Technology Laboratories |
| Launch mass | 88.4 kilograms (195 lb) |
| Dry mass | 25.3 kilograms (56 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | September 24, 1959, 05:44:52 UTC |
| Rocket | Atlas C-Able |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-12 |
Pioneer P-1 was a failed mission in the Pioneer program. The spacecraft was a 1-meter diameter sphere, with a propulsion module. It was launched on 24 September 1959 on an Atlas C-Able launcher. It was to carry a TV camera and a magnetic field sensor. It was to be spin-stabilized and was known as a 'paddlewheel' spacecraft. The Atlas-Able launch vehicle was destroyed in an explosion on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral during a pre-launch static firing. The payload of P-1 spacecraft and Able IV space engine was not present on the launch vehicle when it exploded, and the payload was later used in the P-3 mission.[1][2]
References
- ^ Gunter's Space Page - information on Pioneer P-1
- ^ New York Times, "U.S. Moon Rocket Blows Up in Test", Sept 25, 1959
External links
- Space Technology Laboratories Documents Archive
- Atlas Able at Encyclopedia Astronautica
- The fascinating story of the World's First Space Engine
| Early missions |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Later missions | ||
| Venus missions | ||
| Related | ||
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