NOTS 2
Project Pilot
US Navy
Mission
NOTS 2
- Type: Government/Top Secret
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
The project pilot payloads were small cylindrical satellites. These missions intended to be the first to launch a satellite from an aircraft. They had only a single instrument, a very primitive infrared line scanning device to make IR images of the ground.
Location
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
Air launch to Suborbital flight
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake has witnessed the launch of 6 rockets, including 6 orbital launch attempts. While Air launch to Suborbital flight, has been the site for 86 rocket launches.
Rocket
US Navy Project Pilot
The NOTS-EV-1 Pilot, also known as NOTSNIK was an expendable launch system and anti-satellite weapon developed by the United States Navy's United States Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS).
Agency
US Navy
The Navy was competed with the Army to put the first American satellite into orbit. Their first two Vanguard missions failed, with the second being a highly publicized failure, as it exploded on the launchpad. They went on to put 3 satellites into orbit but did not beat the Army to be the first. Their work in space continues today largely on military satellites.
