Molniya 8K78 | Venera-1VA 1
Launch Failure
Upper stage failed.L - -- : -- : -- : --
Instantaneous launch window.
Launch Window
Feb. 4, 1961, 1:18 a.m. - Feb. 4, 1961, 1:18 a.m.
Instantaneous launch window.
Feb. 4, 1961, 1:18 a.m. - Feb. 4, 1961, 1:18 a.m.
The Molniya was a modification of the well-known R-7 Semyorka rocket and had four stages. The 8K78 resulted from a crash program by the Korolev Bureau to develop a booster for launching planetary probes. A larger third stage was added along with a fourth stage (Blok L) that was designed to fire in-orbit to send the payload out of LEO. The basic R-7 core was also structurally strengthened and given more powerful engines. A rushed development produced multiple malfunctions of the upper stages, which led to its being replaced by the improved Molniya-M in 1964, but there were enough 8K78s left to continue flying them into 1967.
The Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation are a separate-troops branch of the Russian Armed Forces that control Russia's land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
WIKIA batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
First of a three launches contract for Amazon's Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation, with 24 satellites on board.
A batch of 26 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Eighth cargo delivery mission to the Chinese space station.
Note: SpaceX identifies the mission as "Commercial GTO 1". Dror-1 is a geostationary communication satellite built and developed by Israel Aerospa…
A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.
Satellite officially named for "space environment detection" purposes, exact details unknown.
A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Second of EUMETSAT's third generation of weather satellite.