Sep 17 1959
From The Space Library
ARPA-Navy TRANSIT IA navigation satellite was successfully launched by Thor-Able booster, but did not orbit due to third-stage malfunction.
First powered flight of X-15 (No. 2) research airplane, released from its B-52 mother ship approximately 36 minutes after takeoff (Interim Thiokol-RMD XLR-11 engines), A. Scott Crossfield as pilot.