NASA Trailblazer 1g Trailblazer 1
About the Trailblazer 1g Mission
| Type | Test Flight |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Suborbital |
An experiment where an actual 'artificial meteorite' was flown. This was a 5.8 g steel pellet, which was driven into the atmosphere at 6 km/sec by a 'seventh stage', a shaped charge that accelerated the pellet after burnout of the rocket's six stage. This experiment provided a known reference by which the size of actual meteoroids could be measured according to the luminance of their trails.
Launch Pad & Location
Unknown Pad
Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Wallops Flight Facility is a rocket launch site on Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, United States, just east of the Delmarva Peninsula and north-northeast of Norfolk. The facility is operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and primarily serves to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other federal agencies. WFF includes an extensively instrumented range to support launches of more than a dozen types of sounding rockets; small expendable suborbital and orbital rockets; high-altitude balloon flights carrying scientific instruments for atmospheric and astronomical research; and, using its Research Airport, flight tests of aeronautical research aircraft, including uncrewed aerial vehicles.
NASA Trailblazer 1 Rocket
American test vehicle. The rocket's first three stages would take the upper stage package to a 260 km apogee. The upper stage package was mounted upside-down in relation to the other stages. When it had reached the peak, the three upper stages fired in sequence, ramming the payload, a 13 cm sphere, into the atmosphere at orbital re-entry speeds.
| Length | 17.1 m |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 0.6 m |
| Stages | 4 |
| Launch Mass | 3.0 T |
| Takeoff Thrust | 365.0 kN |
| Maiden Flight | 3/3/1959 |
About NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
| Total Launches | 142 |
|---|---|
| Successful | 122 |
| Failed | 20 |
| Pending | 5 |
| Consecutive Success | 12 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the NASA Trailblazer 1 Trailblazer 1g launch scheduled?
The NASA Trailblazer 1 Trailblazer 1g launch was scheduled for:
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Where did the NASA Trailblazer 1 Trailblazer 1g mission launch from?
The NASA Trailblazer 1 rocket launched from Unknown Pad at Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA. Wallops Flight Facility is a rocket launch site on Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, United States, just east of the Delmarva Peninsula and north-northeast of Norfolk. The facility is operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and primarily serves to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other federal agencies. WFF includes an extensively instrumented range to support launches of more than a dozen types of sounding rockets; small expendable suborbital and orbital rockets; high-altitude balloon flights carrying scientific instruments for atmospheric and astronomical research; and, using its Research Airport, flight tests of aeronautical research aircraft, including uncrewed aerial vehicles.
What rocket was used for the Trailblazer 1g mission?
The Trailblazer 1g mission launched aboard a NASA Trailblazer 1 rocket. American test vehicle. The rocket's first three stages would take the upper stage package to a 260 km apogee. The upper stage package was mounted upside-down in relation to the other stages. When it had reached the peak, the three upper stages fired in sequence, ramming the payload, a 13 cm sphere, into the atmosphere at orbital re-entry speeds. Detailed rocket specifications and performance data are available in the rocket details above.
What weather conditions could have delayed the NASA Trailblazer 1 Trailblazer 1g launch?
The NASA Trailblazer 1 Trailblazer 1g launch could have been delayed by various weather conditions including lightning within 10 nautical miles, high winds (especially upper-level winds), thick cloud layers, precipitation, and poor visibility. Weather must be favorable at the launch site, downrange landing zones, and abort landing sites.
How can I get updates if the NASA Trailblazer 1 Trailblazer 1g launch was delayed?
This page was updated in real-time with the latest NASA Trailblazer 1 launch status, including any delays or scrubs for the Trailblazer 1g mission. You can also check our space launch schedule for historical launch information. Our mobile app provides push notifications for instant alerts about launch status changes. Official NASA live streams provided the most immediate range updates during the launch window.
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