Date in year · 1959 · The 1950s
On February 9, 1959, the R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental ballistic missile, becomes operational at Plesetsk, USSR. The year's #1 song was "The Battle of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton. John Middendorf, Susan Faludi, Perry Haddock would arrive in the same year.
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1959
1950s
Featured · February 9, 1959
The R-7 Semyorka was a Soviet missile developed during the Cold War, and the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile. The basis for the R-7 rocket family, it was adapted into the world's first orbital launch vehicle, Sputnik, and the crewed orbital launch vehicles Vostok. R-7 derivatives are the most launched rocket family ever with over 2,000 flights as of 2026, primarily Soyuz variants.
Around 1959
1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1959th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 959th year of the 2nd millennium, the 59th year of the 20th century, and the 10th and last year of the 1950s decade.
What happened
First Intercontinental ballistic missile
The R-7 Semyorka was a Soviet missile developed during the Cold War, and the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile. The basis for the R-7 rocket family, it was adapted into the world's first orbital launch vehicle, Sputnik, and the crewed orbital launch vehicles Vostok. R-7 derivatives are the most launched rocket family ever with over 2,000 flights as of 2026, primarily Soyuz variants.
Elsewhere that year
The class of 1959
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