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Naval Research Lab

Naval Research Lab conducted 11 orbital launches and owned 64 payloads in the GCAT catalog.

United StatesWashington, D.C.GCAT code NRL

Payloads owned, by decade

73664263
1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2010s2020s

Payloads by mission type

Calibration21
Technology11
Astronomy6
Signals intelligence2
Space science2
Navigation2
Communications1

Main programs

NRL Cal16SURCAL5Solrad4NRL Cube4NSLX3Timation2LIPS2Vanguard Test1GRAB1Injun1Lofti1Solrad241

Best-known spacecraft

25 shown
SpacecraftLaunchedOwnerCountryMission typeStatus
Vanguard 11958 BET 2Mar 17, 1958NRLUnited StatesTechnologyIn orbit
Solrad 11960 ETA 2Jun 22, 1960NRLUnited StatesSignals intelligenceRenamed
TacSat-42011-052ASep 27, 2011NRLUnited StatesCommunicationsIn orbit
Solrad 81965-093ANov 19, 1965NRLUnited StatesAstronomyIn orbit
Tempsat-11965-065EAug 13, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
Solrad 91968-017AMar 5, 1968NRLUnited StatesAstronomyReentered (orbital decay)
Solrad 101971-058AJul 8, 1971NRLUnited StatesAstronomyReentered (orbital decay)
Injun 31962 B TAU 2Dec 13, 1962NRLUnited StatesSpace scienceReentered (orbital decay)
Calsphere1964-063COct 6, 1964NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
Dodecapole 21965-065CAug 13, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
OV1-17A1969-025DMar 18, 1969NRLUnited StatesSpace scienceReentered attached to another object
SpinSat1998-067FLSep 21, 2014NRLUnited StatesTechnologyTransferred to another vehicle
Calsphere 1A1962 B TAU 3Dec 13, 1962NRLUnited StatesCalibrationReentered (orbital decay)
SURCAL 1A1962 B TAU 4Dec 13, 1962NRLUnited StatesCalibrationReentered (orbital decay)
SURCAL 1B1963-021FJun 15, 1963NRLUnited StatesCalibrationReentered (orbital decay)
LOFTI 2A1963-021BJun 15, 1963NRLUnited StatesTechnologyReentered (orbital decay)
Calsphere 21964-063EOct 6, 1964NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
Dodecahedron1965-016HMar 9, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
SURCAL 2B1965-016GMar 9, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationReentered (orbital decay)
Long Rod1965-065GAug 13, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
Calsphere 4A1965-065HAug 13, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
Surcal 51965-065JAug 13, 1965NRLUnited StatesCalibrationIn orbit
SOLRAD 11A1976-023CMar 15, 1976NRLUnited StatesAstronomyIn orbit
SOLRAD 11B1976-023DMar 15, 1976NRLUnited StatesAstronomyIn orbit, no recent tracking
SPARTAN 2041995-004BFeb 3, 1995NRLUnited StatesAstronomyAttached to another object

Launches conducted

11 launches
DateMissionRocketSpaceportPayloadsOutcome
Sep 18, 1959Magne-Ray satellite1959 ETAVanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Jun 22, 1959Radiation Balance sat1959-F03VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Apr 14, 1959Magnetometer satellite1959-F01VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy2Failure
Feb 17, 1959Cloud cover satellite1959 ALPVanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Sep 26, 1958Cloud cover satellite1958-U01VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Jun 26, 1958X-ray satellite1958-F06VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
May 28, 1958Lyman Alpha satellite1958-F05VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Apr 29, 1958X-ray satellite1958-F04VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Mar 17, 1958Vanguard Test Satellite1958 BETVanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Feb 5, 1958Vanguard Test Satellite1958-F01VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Dec 6, 1957Vanguard Test Satellite1957-F01VanguardCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure

Source: GCAT organizations database, launch list and payload catalog, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0).