The NOTS-EV-1 Pilot, also known as NOTSNIK was an expendable launch system and anti-satellite weapon developed by the United States Navy United States Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS). Ten were launched during July and August 1958, all of which failed. It was the first air-launched rocket to be used for an orbital launch attempt, however none were recorded as having reached orbit. Following the first and third orbital launch attempts, a tracking station in New Zealand reported receiving weak signals from the spacecraft, however this was never confirmed, and the launches were not catalogued as having reached orbit. The Pilot rocket was part of Project Pilot.
Two variants of the Pilot rocket were built; the Pilot-1, with battleship second to fifth stages, was used for ground-launched atmospheric tests from China Lake, and the Pilot-2, an air-launched version, was used for orbital launch attempts. Orbital launches were conducted from an F-6A Skyray, flying from Point Mugu Naval Air Station, and releasing the rocket over the Santa Barbara Channel Drop Zone. Of the ten launches, four were of Pilot-1s, and the rest Pilot-2s.
Project Pilot was cancelled in August 1958, and replaced by the NOTS-EV-2 Caleb. The project remained classified until 1994.
Read more about NOTS-EV-1 Pilot: Launch History
Famous quotes containing the word pilot:
“With two sons born eighteen months apart, I operated mainly on automatic pilot through the ceaseless activity of their early childhood. I remember opening the refrigerator late one night and finding a roll of aluminum foil next to a pair of small red tennies. Certain that I was responsible for the refrigerated shoes, I quickly closed the door and ran upstairs to make sure I had put the babies in their cribs instead of the linen closet.”
—Mary Kay Blakely (20th century)