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US Air Force Ballistic Missile Division

US Air Force Ballistic Missile Division conducted 45 orbital launches and owned 40 payloads in the GCAT catalog.

United StatesEl Segundo, CaliforniaGCAT code AFBMD

Payloads owned, by decade

40
1960s

Payloads by mission type

Optical imaging10
Missile early warning1
Signals intelligence1
Reentry vehicle1

Main programs

CORONA Early8Midas ETS1SAMOS F-11SAMOS E-11CORONA ARGON1SRV1

Best-known spacecraft

SpacecraftLaunchedOwnerCountryMission typeStatus
Discoverer 141960 KAPAug 18, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 181960 SIGDec 7, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 171960 OMINov 12, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 111960 DELApr 15, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 131960 THEAug 10, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 151960 MUSep 13, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 191960 TAUDec 20, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
MIDAS 21960 ZET 1May 24, 1960USAF BMDUnited StatesMissile early warningReentered attached to another object
SAMOS 21961 ALP 1Jan 31, 1961USAF BMDUnited StatesSignals intelligenceReentered (orbital decay)
Discoverer 201961 EPS 1Feb 17, 1961USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object
Discoverer 211961 ZETFeb 18, 1961USAF BMDUnited StatesOptical imagingReentered attached to another object

Launches conducted

45 launches
DateMissionRocketSpaceportPayloadsOutcome
Mar 30, 1961CORONA C'-41961-F02Thor Agena BVandenberg3Failure
Feb 22, 1961Transit 3B1961 ETAThor AblestarCape Canaveral & Kennedy2Success
Feb 18, 1961CORONA RM-21961 ZETThor Agena BVandenberg1Success
Feb 17, 1961ARGON 11961 EPSThor Agena BVandenberg3Success
Jan 31, 1961SAMOS F-11961 ALPAtlas Agena AVandenberg2Success
Dec 20, 1960CORONA RM-11960 TAUThor Agena BVandenberg1Success
Dec 15, 1960Able VB1960-F18Atlas AbleCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Dec 7, 1960CORONA C'-31960 SIGThor Agena BVandenberg3Success
Nov 30, 1960Transit 3A1960-F16Thor AblestarCape Canaveral & Kennedy2Failure
Nov 12, 1960CORONA C'-21960 OMIThor Agena BVandenberg4Success
Oct 26, 1960CORONA C'-11960-F15Thor Agena BVandenberg4Failure
Oct 11, 1960SAMOS E-11960-F13Atlas Agena AVandenberg2Failure
Oct 4, 1960Courier 1B1960 NUThor AblestarCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Sep 25, 1960Able VA1960-F11Atlas AbleCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Sep 13, 1960CORONA C-101960 MUThor Agena AVandenberg4Success
Aug 18, 1960Courier 1A1960-F10Thor AblestarCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Aug 18, 1960CORONA C-91960 KAPThor Agena AVandenberg3Success
Aug 10, 1960CORONA Diagnostic 21960 THEThor Agena AVandenberg3Success
Jun 29, 1960CORONA Diagnostic 11960-F08Thor Agena AVandenberg2Failure
Jun 22, 1960Transit 2A1960 ETAThor AblestarCape Canaveral & Kennedy2Success
May 24, 1960Midas ETS-I F21960 ZETAtlas Agena ACape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Apr 15, 1960CORONA C-81960 DELThor Agena AVandenberg3Success
Apr 13, 1960Transit 1B1960 GAMThor AblestarCape Canaveral & Kennedy2Success
Apr 1, 1960A-11960 BETThor Able IICape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Mar 11, 1960P-21960 ALPThor Able IVCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Feb 26, 1960Midas ETS-I F11960-F03Atlas Agena ACape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Feb 19, 1960CORONA C-71960-F02Thor Agena AVandenberg3Failure
Feb 4, 1960CORONA C-61960-F01Thor Agena AVandenberg3Failure
Nov 26, 1959Able IVB1959-F09Atlas AbleCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Nov 20, 1959CORONA C-51959 LAMThor Agena AVandenberg2Success
Nov 7, 1959CORONA C-41959 KAPThor Agena AVandenberg2Success
Sep 24, 1959Able IVA1959-E02Atlas C AbleCape Canaveral & Kennedy0OE
Sep 17, 1959Transit 1A1959-F08Thor Able IICape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Aug 19, 1959CORONA C-31959 ZETThor Agena AVandenberg2Success
Aug 13, 1959CORONA C-21959 EPSThor Agena AVandenberg2Success
Aug 7, 1959NASA S-21959 DELThor Able IIICape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Jun 25, 1959CORONA C-11959-U01Thor Agena AVandenberg2Failure
Jun 3, 1959CORONA BIO 21959-F02Thor Agena AVandenberg2Failure
Apr 13, 1959CORONA BIO 11959 GAMThor Agena AVandenberg2Success
Feb 28, 1959CORONA Test Vehicle 21959 BETThor Agena AVandenberg1Failure
Jan 21, 1959Discoverer 01959-E01Thor Agena AVandenberg0OE
Dec 18, 1958SCORE1958 ZETAtlas BCape Canaveral & Kennedy1Success
Nov 8, 1958Able 31958-F19Thor Able ICape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure
Oct 11, 1958Able 21958 ETAThor Able ICape Canaveral & Kennedy1Partial · 0.75
Aug 17, 1958Able 11958-F09Thor Able ICape Canaveral & Kennedy1Failure

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