April 13, 1960 12:02 pm

Transit 1B

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Thor DM-21 Ablestar

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
April 13, 1960 12:02 pm

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Last Updated:

2026-07-14 00:00:08

The Transit system was the first satellite navigation system to be used operationally. The system was primarily used by the U.S. Navy to provide accurate location information to its Polaris ballistic missile submarines, and it was also used as a navigation system by the Navy’s surface ships, as well as for hydrographic survey and geodetic surveying.
Launch Overview
Window Open 12:02 UTC
Window Close 12:02 UTC
Lift Off Apr 13, 1960 · 12:02 UTC
Launch Facility Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Launch Pad Space Launch Complex 17B
Target Orbit Polar Orbit
Payload Overview
Customer United States Air Force
Payload Transit 1B
Rocket Thor DM-21 Ablestar
Destination Polar Orbit
Recovery Overview
Landing Location See Mission Notes
Landing Type RTLS / Droneship
The Transit system was the first satellite navigation system to be used operationally. The system was primarily used by the U.S. Navy to provide accurate location information to its Polaris ballistic missile submarines, and it was also used as a navigation system by the Navy’s surface ships, as well as for hydrographic survey and geodetic surveying.

Height

LEO Payload

Total Launches

Status

United States Air Force
Space Launch Complex 17B
Launch Overview
Window Open 12:02 UTC
Window Close 12:02 UTC
Lift Off Apr 13, 1960 · 12:02 UTC
Launch Facility Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Launch Pad Space Launch Complex 17B
Target Orbit Polar Orbit
Payload Overview
Customer United States Air Force
Payload Transit 1B
Rocket Thor DM-21 Ablestar
Destination Polar Orbit
Recovery Overview
Landing Location See Mission Notes
Landing Type RTLS / Droneship

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