1954 in spaceflight
The year 1954 saw the conception of Project Orbiter, the first practicable satellite launching project, utilizing the Redstone, a newly developed Short Range Ballistic Missile.
Viking 10 was launched in May | |
| National firsts | |
|---|---|
| Spaceflight | France |
| Rockets | |
| Maiden flights | Aerobee RTV-N-10b Nike-Nike-T40-T55 A-1 R-1D Véronique-NA |
| Retirements | Aerobee RTV-N-10b R-1D Véronique-NA |
A variety of sounding rockets continued to return scientific data from beyond the 100 kilometres (62 mi) boundary of space (as defined by the World Air Sports Federation), including the Viking and Aerobee rockets, University of Iowa and Naval Research Laboratory ship-launched rockoons, and derivatives of the Soviet R-1 missile. The French also launched their first sounding rocket into space, the Véronique-NA.
1954 also marked a year of development of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). The United States prioritized the development of its Atlas while the Soviet Union authorized the draft proposal for the R-7 Semyorka, its first ICBM.