posted 04-08-2023 01:52 AM               

Space Cover 696: USNS Croatan – NASA Mobile Range

USNS Croatan (T-AKV 43), former USS Croatan (CVE-25), was a carrier launched in 1942 and reassigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service in 1958.

From October 1964 to May 1965 served as experimental ship under NASA control and launched seventy-three sounding rockets off her desk.

USNS Croatan was the first mobile platform used by NASA to launch sounding rockets that could reach areas that normally could not be reached by sounding rockets, especially the region of the magnetic equator. The project was led by Wallops Island in Virginia.

According sources last launch succeeded in April 15, 1965 when a Nike Apache sounding rocket was launched from USNS Croatan.

However, text in above cover is dated in May 19, 1965 which could be a Javelin sounding rocket. This date would coincide with dates in which USNS Croatan served for NASA.

Anyone can give additional information?. Anyone has another cover related to other sounding rockets launched from the USNS Croatan's deck?