1964 a transit 5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch a 04 21
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1964 62 years ago Historical Events April 21 4 sources

A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed.

On April 21, in the year 1964, A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of April 21, one of 329 recorded events on this date across all of history.

The Transit system, also known as NAVSAT or NNSS, was the first satellite navigation system to be used operationally. The radio navigation 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. Transit provided continuous navigation satellite service from 1964, initially for Polaris submarines and later for civilian use as well. In the Project DAMP Program, the missile tracking ship USAS American Mariner also used data from the satellite for precise ship's location information prior to positioning its tracking radars.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on April 21, 1964 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 4 Wikipedia articles.
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 31 March 2026.

On This Date in History 329

Type Year Date Event
Notable Deaths 2025 Apr 21 Pope Francis (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2024 Apr 21 Terry A
Historical Events 2021 Apr 21 Indonesian Navy submarine KRI Nanggala (402) sinks in the Bali Sea during a military drill, killing all 53 on board
Selected Events 2021 Apr 21 The Indonesian Navy submarine Nanggala imploded and sank in the Bali Sea, resulting in the deaths of all 53 people on bo
Historical Events 2019 Apr 21 Eight bombs explode at churches, hotels, and other locations in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing at least 269
Notable Deaths 2019 Apr 21 Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and environmental lobbyist (born 1968)
Notable Deaths 2018 Apr 21 Nabi Tajima, Japanese supercentenarian (born 1900)
Notable Deaths 2017 Apr 21 Ugo Ehiogu, English footballer (born 1972)
Notable Deaths 2016 Apr 21 Prince, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (born 1958)
Historical Events 2014 Apr 21 The American city of Flint, Michigan switches its water source to the Flint River, beginning the ongoing Flint water cri
Notable Deaths 2014 Apr 21 George H
Notable Deaths 2014 Apr 21 Win Tin, Burmese journalist and politician, co-founded the National League for Democracy (born 1930)
Selected Events 2014 Apr 21 The city of Flint, Michigan, U
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 21 Shakuntala Devi, Indian mathematician and astrologer (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2013 Apr 21 Leopold Engleitner, Austrian Holocaust survivor, author, and educator (born 1905)
Historical Events 2012 Apr 21 Two trains are involved in a head-on collision near Sloterdijk, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, killing one person and in
Notable Deaths 2012 Apr 21 Doris Betts, American author and academic (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2011 Apr 21 Catharina Halkes, Dutch theologian and academic (born 1920)
Historical Events 2010 Apr 21 The controversial Kharkiv Pact (Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas Treaty) is signed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, by Ukrainian
Notable Deaths 2010 Apr 21 Gustav Lorentzen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1947)
Notable Deaths 2010 Apr 21 Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spanish businessman, seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (born 1920)
Notable Deaths 2010 Apr 21 Kanagaratnam Sriskandan, Sri Lankan-English engineer and civil servant (born 1930)
Selected Events 2010 Apr 21 Ukraine and Russia signed the Kharkiv Pact, extending the Russian lease on naval facilities in Crimea
Notable Births 2008 Apr 21 Hyein, South Korean singer
Notable Births 2007 Apr 21 Princess Isabella of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark
Notable Deaths 2005 Apr 21 Zhang Chunqiao, Chinese writer and politician, member of the Gang of Four (born 1917)
Historical Events 2004 Apr 21 Five suicide car bombers target police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160
Notable Births 2003 Apr 21 Xavi Simons, Dutch footballer
Notable Deaths 2003 Apr 21 Nina Simone, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and activist (born 1933)
Notable Births 1999 Apr 21 Choi Hyun-suk, South Korean rapper
Notable Deaths 1999 Apr 21 Buddy Rogers, American actor (born 1904)
Notable Births 1998 Apr 21 Jarrett Allen, American basketball player
Notable Deaths 1998 Apr 21 Jean-François Lyotard, French sociologist and philosopher (born 1924)
Notable Births 1997 Apr 21 Mikel Oyarzabal, Spanish footballer
Notable Deaths 1997 Apr 21 Diosdado Macapagal, Filipino lawyer and politician, 9th President of the Philippines (born 1910)
Historical Events 1996 Apr 21 Four people are killed and 75 are injured in a train accident in Jokela, Finland
Notable Births 1996 Apr 21 Arianne Hartono, Dutch tennis player
Notable Deaths 1996 Apr 21 Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistani cricketer (born 1925)
Notable Deaths 1996 Apr 21 Jimmy Snyder, American sportscaster (born 1919)
Notable Births 1994 Apr 21 Ludwig Augustinsson, Swedish footballer
Historical Events 1993 Apr 21 The Supreme Court in La Paz, Bolivia, sentences former dictator Luis García Meza to 30 years in jail without parole for
Notable Births 1992 Apr 21 Isco, Spanish footballer
Notable Births 1992 Apr 21 Joc Pederson, American baseball player
Notable Deaths 1992 Apr 21 Väinö Linna, Finnish author (born 1920)
Notable Deaths 1991 Apr 21 Willi Boskovsky, Austrian violinist and conductor (born 1909)
Notable Deaths 1990 Apr 21 Erté, Russian-French illustrator (born 1892)
Historical Events 1989 Apr 21 Tiananmen Square protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese
Notable Births 1989 Apr 21 Nikki Cross, Scottish wrestler
Notable Births 1988 Apr 21 Ricky Berens, American swimmer
Notable Births 1988 Apr 21 Jencarlos Canela, American singer-songwriter and actor

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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