OAO-1 (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 1), NASA's first large UV/X-ray astronomy satellite. Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D from Cape Canaveral LC-12 reached nearly circular LEO on 8 April 1966, but high-voltage arcing and battery failure ended the mission after ~20 orbits before science ops began.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 1.8 T
- Flight
- 20th
- of 48 Atlas SLV-3 Agena D flights
- Date and time
- 8 April 1966, 19:35 UTC
- Rocket
- Atlas SLV-3 Agena D
- Builder
- Convair
- Launch site
- Launch Complex 12, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
- Payload
- Planetary Science
- International designator
- 1966-031
- Launches in 1966
- 35th of 131
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas