Editing Nike-Apache (section)

==Operational history==
The first launch of Nike-Apache was conducted by the [[United States Air Force]] on 17 February 1961.<ref name="DS1"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlantic Research Nike-Apache |url=https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/nike-apache.html |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.designation-systems.net}}</ref> Popular due to its low cost (US$6,000)<ref>{{cite book|author=Space Science Board|title=Space Research: Directions for the Future|publisher=National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council|location=Washington, D.C.|year=1966|asin=B001KUTZJG|page=376}}</ref> and ability to be fired from many locales, 636 launches were conducted between 1961 and 1978, with the final launch of a Nike-Apache taking place in September 1978.<ref name="DS1"/>

The Nike Apache was used to carry a variety of payloads to study a wide range of topics including [[radio astronomy]], [[meteorology]], [[aeronomy]], atmospheric conditions, [[Plasma (physics)|plasma]] physics, and [[solar physics]]. 

NASA flew them from [[Brazil]], [[Canada]], [[India]], [[Norway]], [[Pakistan]], [[Spain]], [[Suriname]], [[Sweden]], all across the [[United States|US]], and off of the converted [[escort carrier]] {{USNS|Croatan|T-AKV-43|6}}.<ref>{{cite book|last=Howard|first=David|title=Astronautics Year: An International Astronautical and Military Space/Missile Review of 1964|publisher=Pergamon Press|location=Oxford, England|year=1965|page=159|asin=B01DT2D31I}}</ref> Nike Apache was the first rocket launched by India from the TERLS ([[Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station]]) of [[Kerala]] in November 1963.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Pandey|first=B. K.|date=July–September 2010|title=Space: the emerging battleground|magazine=Indian Defence Review|publisher=Indian Defence Review|location=New Delhi|volume=25|issue=3|page=22|issn=0970-2512}}</ref>

The Nike-Apache configuration was also used by one variation of the U.S. Army's [[MQR-13 BMTS]] target rocket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/r-13.html|title=USAMICOM MQR-13 BMTS|last=Parsch|first=Andreas|date=22 October 2002|website=Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles|publisher=Designation-Systems|accessdate=2017-12-07}}</ref>