1981 in spaceflight

none October 2025 yes September 2022 December 2013 1981 Space Shuttle Columbia launching.jpg The launch of STS-1, the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle 6 January 23 December 126 119 6 1 123 N-II102 Feng Bao 1 5 10 Bulgaria 1971 Mongolia 1945Romania 1965 Timeline of spaceflight 1980 1982 The following is an outline of 1981 in spaceflight. STS-1 STS-1 2 right on Launches 1981 |colspan="8"| January |- 1 6 January 12:15 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1237 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 20 January SuccessfulTable of artificial satellites launched in 1981. International Telecommunications Union. 1982. https://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/7.15.70.en.100.pdf 1 9 January 14:57 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya-3 No.25 Molniya Communications 3 July 1999 Successful 1 10 January 18:22 USA Nike-Tomahawk UN Siple Station USA NASA Apogee: 198 km USA NASA Suborbital Ionospheric research 10 January Successful 1 14 January 22:00 JPN 1870 TT-500A JPN 1870 Tanegashima LA-T JPN 1870 NASDA Apogee: 320 km JPN 1870 NASDA Suborbital Test flight 14 January Successful 1 16 January 09:00 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1238 (Taifun-1) Low Earth Radar calibration Successful 1 16 January 12:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1239 (Zenit-4MT) Low Earth Optical imaging 28 January Successful 1 19 January 03:37:27 CAN Black Brant VB CAN Churchill CAN NRC Apogee: 263 km CAN NRC Suborbital Aeronomy 19 January Successful 1 20 January 04:50 USA Astrobee-F USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 209 km USA NASA Suborbital Ultraviolet astronomy 20 January Successful 1 20 January 11:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN Returned three film capsules; two small and one large USSR Kosmos 1240 (Yantar-2K No.975) Low Earth Optical imaging 17 February Successful 1 21 January 00:25 CAN Black Brant VIII-C USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 209 km USA SPAR-9 NASA Suborbital Microgravity research 21 January Successful 1 21 January 08:29 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN Target for Kosmos 1243 and Kosmos 1258; both interceptors failed USSR Kosmos 1241 (Lira) Low Earth ASAT Target Successful 1 21 January 21:46 JPN 1870 S-310 JPN 1870 Kagoshima JPN 1870 ISAS Apogee: 174 km JPN 1870 ISAS Suborbital Aeronomy 21 January Successful 1 23 January 11:20 USSR Tsyklon-3 USSR Plesetsk Site 32/1 USSR RVSN Payload fairing failed to separate USSR Musson No.11 Intended: Low Earth Geodesy 23 January Launch failure 1 24 January 14:18:02 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 1/5 USSR Final resupply mission to Salyut 6 USSR Progress 12 Low Earth (Salyut 6) Station logistics 20 March Successful 1 26 January 07:20:06 CAN Black Brant IVB CAN Churchill CAN NRC Apogee: 584 km CAN NRC Suborbital Auroral research 26 January Successful 1 27 January 14:58 USSR Vostok-2M USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1242 (Tselina-D) Low Earth ELINT Successful 8 May 2014 1 27 January USSR R-39 Rif USSR Nenoksa USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km, carried five reentry vehicles USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 27 January Successful 1 29 January 04:12 USA Astrobee-F CAN Churchill USA NASA Apogee: 189 km USA NASA Suborbital Auroral research 29 January Successful 1 29 January 07:00 JPN 1870 S-520 JPN 1870 Kagoshima LA-K JPN 1870 ISAS Apogee: 323 km JPN 1870 TPE-2 ISAS Suborbital Ionospheric researchTechnology 29 January Successful 1 30 January 16:27 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya 1-49 Molniya Communications Successful |colspan="8"| February |- 1 2 February 02:19 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN Failed to intercept Kosmos 1241; passed within 50 m of target but explosive charge failed to detonate USSR Kosmos 1243 (IS-A) Low Earth ASAT test 2 February Spacecraft failure 1 4 February 01:10 USA Aries USA White Sands LC-36 USA US Air Force Apogee: 387 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Technology 4 February Successful 1 4 February 05:00 FRA Centaure IND Thumba Apogee: 150 km IND ISRO Suborbital Ionospheric research 4 February Successful 1 4 February 15:00 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 4 February 1 4 February 15:33 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 4 February 1 4 February 15:53 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 4 February 1 5 February 11:25 USA MGM-29 Sergeant USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 130 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Auroral research 5 February Successful 1 6 February 08:00 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR Ceased operations on 2 June 1982 USSR Interkosmos 21 Interkosmos Low Earth Technology 7 July 1982 Successful 1 7 February 20:13:45 UK Petrel 2 SWE Esrange Apogee: 171 km UK SRC Suborbital Aeronomy 7 February Successful 1 7 February 20:30:40 USA Nike-Orion SWE Esrange SWE SSC Apogee: 145 km SWE SSC Suborbital Aeronomy 7 February Successful 1 9 February 14:31 USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-08 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 9 February Successful 1 9 February 16:38 USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-09 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 9 February Successful 1 11 February 08:30 JPN 1870USA N-II JPN 1870 Tanegashima Osaki JPN 1870 NASDA Maiden flight of N-II; satellite ceased operations on 24 December 1984 JPN 1870 Kiku 3 (ETS-IV) NASDA Geostationary transfer Technology Successful 1 12 February 05:27 FRA Centaure 2B IND Thumba Apogee: 158 km IND ISRO Suborbital Ionospheric research 12 February Successful 1 12 February 18:21 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1244 (Parus) Low Earth Navigation Successful 1 13 February 11:15 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1245 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 27 February Successful 1 13 February 17:15 CAN Black Brant VIII-C USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 265 km USA NASA Suborbital Solar research 13 February Successful 1 17 February 17:15 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 17 February 1 17 February 17:51 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 17 February 1 17 February 19:17 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 17 February 1 18 February 09:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1246 (Yantar-1KFT No.1) Low Earth Optical imaging 13 March Successful 1 18 February UKESP INTA-300 ESP El Arenosillo ESP INTA Apogee: 285 km ESP INTA Suborbital Aeronomy 18 February Successful 1 18 February USA LGM-30B Minuteman IB USA Vandenberg LF-06 USA United States Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital REV test 18 February Successful 1 19 February 10:00 USSR Molniya-M/2BL USSR Plesetsk Site 16/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1247 (US-K) Molniya Missile defence Successful 1 21 February 00:30 JPN 1870 Mu-3S JPN 1870 Kagoshima LA-M JPN 1870 ISAS JPN 1870 Hinotori (ASTRO-A) ISAS Low Earth Astronomy 11 July 1991 Successful 1 21 February 23:23 USA Atlas SLV-3D Centaur-D1AR USA Cape Canaveral LC-36A USA NASA Transferred to SSC Parallax as Parallax 1 in 2001, to TongaSat as Esiafi 1 in 2002. USA Comstar D4 COMSATSSC ParallaxTongaSat Geostationary Communications Operational 1 21 February USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-26 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 21 February Successful 1 25 February 17:20 USA Sergeant-Hydac USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 400 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 25 February Successful 1 28 February 19:10 USA Titan III(24)B USA Vandenberg SLC-4W USA US Air Force USA OPS 1166 (KH-8) NRO Sun-synchronous Optical imaging 20 June Successful |colspan="8"| March |- 1 1 March 09:20 FRG OTRAG LBY 1977 Seba Oasis FRG OTRAG Apogee: 150 km FRG OTRAG Suborbital Test flight 1 March Successful 1 5 March 15:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN Returned three film capsules; two small and one large USSR Kosmos 1248 (Yantar-2K No.940) Low Earth Optical imaging 4 April Successful 1 5 March 16:48 USA Sergeant-Hydac USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 400 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 5 March Successful 1 5 March 18:09 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1249 (US-A) Low Earth Radar imaging 19 July Successful 8 6 March 11:31 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1250 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1251 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1252 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1253 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1254 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1255 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1256 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1257 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful 1 7 March 08:09 USA Taurus-Orion USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 156 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Auroral research 7 March Successful 1 7 March 08:09 USA Taurus-Orion USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 203 km USA US Air Force Suborbital AeronomyAuroral research 7 March Successful 1 7 March 08:26 USA Taurus-Orion USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 169 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Auroral research 7 March Successful 1 7 March 08:38 USA Paiute-Tomahawk USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 187 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Auroral research 7 March Successful 1 8 March 16:00 USA Nike-Orion CAN Churchill USA NASA Apogee: 140 km USA CWAS-1 NASA Suborbital Aeronomy 8 March Successful 1 12 March 04:30 USA Sergeant-Hydac USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 400 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 12 March Successful 1 12 March 19:00:11 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 1/5 USSR RVSN Crewed flight with two cosmonauts, last long-duration crew of Salyut 6 USSR Soyuz T-4 Low Earth (Salyut 6) Salyut 6 expedition 26 May 12:37:34 Successful 1 13 March 16:00 USA Nike-Orion CAN Churchill USA NASA Apogee: 140 km USA CWAS-2 NASA Suborbital Aeronomy 13 March Successful 1 14 March 16:55 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN Failed to intercept Kosmos 1241 USSR Kosmos 1258 (IS-A) Low Earth ASAT test 14 March Spacecraft failure 1 15 March USA LGM-30B Minuteman IB USA Vandenberg LF-03 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital REV test 15 March Successful 1 16 March 19:24:00 USA Titan III(23)C USA Cape Canaveral LC-40 USA US Air Force Operated until 1992 USA OPS 7350 (DSP F-9) US Air Force Geostationary Missile defence Successful 1 17 March 08:40 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1259 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 31 March Successful 1 18 March 04:40 USSR Proton-K/DM USSR Baikonur Site 200/40 USSR RVSN USSR Gran' No.18L Geosynchronous Communications 1 20 March 23:45 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1260 (US-P) Low Earth ELINT 22 May 1982 Successful 1 22 March 14:58:55 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN Crewed flight with two cosmonauts, carried first Mongolian in space USSR Soyuz 39 Low Earth (Salyut 6) Salyut 6 visit 30 March 11:40:58 Successful 1 24 March 03:00 CAN Black Brant VIII-C USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 261 km USA NASA Suborbital Ultraviolet astronomy 24 March Successful 1 24 March 03:31 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya-3 No.24 Molniya Communications 19 October 1992 Successful 1 25 March 08:05:16 USA Taurus Tomahawk USA Poker Flat USA NASA Apogee: 500 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 25 March Successful 1 28 March 01:54:06 CAN Black Brant VB CAN Churchill CAN NRC Apogee: 327 km CAN NRC Suborbital Ionospheric research 28 March Successful 1 28 March 01:54 CAN Black Brant IVB CAN Churchill CAN NRC Apogee: 675 km CAN NRC Suborbital Ionospheric research 28 March Successful 1 28 March 09:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN Failed to orbit USSR Yantar-2K No.979 Intended: Low Earth Optical imaging 28 March Launch failure 1 30 March 05:52:55 USA Nike-Orion USA Poker Flat USA DNA Apogee: 140 km USA DNA Suborbital Aeronomy 30 March Successful 1 31 March 09:40 USSR Molniya-M/2BL USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1261 (US-K) Molniya Missile defence Successful |colspan="8"| April |- 1 1 April 09:04:35 USA Taurus-Tomahawk USA Poker Flat USA NASA Apogee: 500 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 1 April Successful 1 1 April 09:10 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 1 April Successful 1 1 April USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-04 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 1 April Successful 1 1 April USSR R-39 Rif USSR Nenoksa USSR RVSN Apogee: 100 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 1 April Launch failure 1 2 April 09:48 USA Taurus-Orion USA Wallops USA NASA Apogee: 220 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 2 April Successful 1 3 April 06:20:55 USA Nike-Orion USA Poker Flat USA DNA Apogee: 140 km USA DNA Suborbital Aeronomy 3 April Successful 1 3 April 09:51 USA Taurus-Orion USA Wallops USA NASA Apogee: 210 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 3 April Successful 1 4 April USA LGM-30B Minuteman IB USA Vandenberg LF-06 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital REV test 4 April Successful 1 7 April 10:51 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1262 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 21 April Successful 1 7 April 14:00 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 7 April Unknown 1 7 April 14:19 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 7 April Unknown 1 7 April 14:40 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Cape Canaveral LC-16 USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 7 April Unknown 1 9 April 12:00 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1263 (Taifun-1) Low Earth Radar calibration Successful 2 12 April 12:00:04 USA 102 USA Kennedy LC-39A USA NASA Maiden flight of the Space Shuttle, carried two astronauts USA STS-1 NASA Low Earth Test flight 14 April 2 Successful USA DFI NASA Low Earth (Columbia) Flight recorder inherit Successful 1 15 April 10:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1264 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 29 April Successful 1 16 April 11:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1265 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 28 April Successful 1 18 April USSR MR-UR-100U USSR Baikonur Site 172 USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 18 April Successful 1 21 April 03:45 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN Nuclear powered; reactor ejected and remains in orbit USSR Kosmos 1266 (US-A) Low Earth Radar imaging 20 May 1 22 April USSR R-39 Rif USSR Nenoksa USSR RVSN Failed to reach space; apogee: 30 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 22 April Launch failure 1 24 April 21:32 USA Titan III(34)B USA Vandenberg SLC-4W USA US Air Force USA OPS 7225 (Quasar) NRO Molniya Communications Successful 1 25 April 02:01 USSR Proton-K USSR Baikonur Site 200/39 USSR RVSN Technology demonstration for modular space stations; permanently docked to Salyut 6 and used to deorbit station; return capsule separated prior to docking and recovered on 24 May 1981 USSR Kosmos 1267 (TKS No.16301) Low Earth (Salyut 6) Technology 29 July 1982 Successful 1 27 April 23:15 USA Aries USA White Sands LC-36 USA NASA Apogee: 263 km USA NASA Suborbital Ultraviolet astronomy 27 April Successful 1 28 April 09:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN Film capsule recovered USSR Kosmos 1268 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 12 May Successful 1 30 April 06:00 UK Skylark 7 SWE Esrange Apogee: 253 km FRG TEXUS IIIB DFVLR Suborbital Microgravity research 30 April Successful 1 April USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km, launched as part of the Iran–Iraq War IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   1 April USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km, launched as part of the Iran–Iraq War IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 April USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km, launched as part of the Iran–Iraq War IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 April USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km, launched as part of the Iran–Iraq War IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 April USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km, launched as part of the Iran–Iraq War IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful |colspan="8"| May |- 1 4 May 07:55 CAN Black Brant VIII-C USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 294 km USA NASA Suborbital X-ray astronomy 4 May Successful 1 6 May 08:00 CAN Black Brant VIII-C USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 322 km USA NASA Suborbital Aeronomy 6 May Successful 1 7 May 13:21 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1269 (Strela-2M) Low Earth Communications Successful 1 8 May 05:27 UK Skylark 7 SWE Esrange Apogee: 258 km FRG TEXUS IV DFVLR Suborbital Microgravity research 8 May Successful 1 14 May 17:16:38 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 1/5 USSR RVSN Crewed mission with two cosmonauts, carried first Romanian in space. Final crewed flight to Salyut 6, final flight of Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft USSR Soyuz 40 Low Earth Salyut 6 visit 22 May 13:58:30 Successful 1 14 May 21:45 USSR Vostok-2M USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Meteor-2 No.8 Low Earth Weather Successful 1 15 May 06:07:17 USA Scout G-1 USA Vandenberg SLC-5 USA USA Nova-1 (NNS-30480) US Navy Low Earth Navigation Successful 1 18 May 11:50 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1270 (Yantar-2K No.980) Low Earth Optical imaging 17 June Successful 1 19 May 03:49 USSR Vostok-2M USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1271 (Tselina-D) Low Earth ELINT Successful 1 21 May 09:10 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1272 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 4 June Successful 1 22 May 07:10 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1273 (Zenit-4MKT No.17) Low Earth Optical imaging 4 June Successful 1 22 May 22:29 USA Delta 3914 USA Cape Canaveral LC-17A USA NASA Primary instrument failed in 1984, satellite remained partially operable until decommissioned on 18 July 1990 USA GOES 5 (GOES-E) NOAA Geostationary Weather Partial spacecraft failure 1 23 May 22:42 USA Atlas SLV-3D Centaur-D1AR USA Cape Canaveral LC-36B USA NASA UN Intelsat V F-1 Intelsat Geostationary Communications Successful 1 27 May 04:25 CAN Black Brant VC USA White Sands LC-36 USA NASA Apogee: 225 km USA JHU Suborbital Ultraviolet astronomy 27 May Successful 1 31 May 05:00 IND Satellite Launch Vehicle IND Sriharikota SLV Pad IND ISRO Reached lower-than-planned orbit and quickly decayed IND Rohini RS-D1 ISRO Low Earth Technology 8 June Launch failure 1 May USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 May USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 May USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 May USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful |colspan="8"| June |- 1 3 June 14:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1274 (Yantar-2K No.942) Low Earth Optical imaging 3 July Successful 1 3 June FRA S3 FRA Biscarosse FRA DGA Apogee: 1000 km FRA DGA Suborbital Test flight 3 June Successful 1 4 June 15:41 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1275 (Parus) Low Earth Navigation Successful 1 9 June 03:33 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya-3 No.30 Molniya Communications 10 February 1998 Successful 1 12 June USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-09 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 12 June Successful 1 12 June USA Castor I MHL Roi-Namur USA US Air Force Apogee: 303 km USA DOT-4 US Air Force Suborbital Technology 12 June Successful 1 16 June 07:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1276 (Zenit-4MKT No.18) Low Earth Optical imaging 29 June Successful 1 17 June 09:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1277 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 1 July Successful 1 19 June 01:15 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA Lewis and Clark SSBN-644 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 19 June Successful 1 19 June 01:15 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA Lewis and Clark SSBN-644 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 19 June Successful 1 19 June 01:16 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA Lewis and Clark SSBN-644 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 19 June Successful 1 19 June 01:16 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA Lewis and Clark SSBN-644 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 19 June Successful 3 19 June 12:32:59 FRA Ariane 1 FRA Kourou ELA-1 FRA Arianespace 23px Meteosat 2 EUMETSAT Geosynchronous Weather Successful IND APPLE ISRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsTechnology Successful 23px CAT-3 European Space Agency Geosynchronous transfer Vehicle monitoring Successful 1 19 June 19:37:04 USSR Molniya-M/2BL USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1278 (US-K) Molniya Missile defence 2 September 2000 Successful 1 23 June 10:52:59 USA Atlas E/F Star-37S-ISS USA Vandenberg SLC-3W USA US Air Force USA NOAA-7 (NOAA-C) NOAA Sun-synchronous Weather Successful 1 24 June 17:47 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya 1-50 Molniya Communications 14 December 1991 Successful 1 25 June 23:55 USSR Proton-K/DM USSR Baikonur Site 200/40 USSR RVSN USSR Ekran No.21L Geostationary Communications Successful 1 26 June USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-26 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 26 June Successful 1 June USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 June USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 June USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 June USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 June USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 June USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 June USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful |colspan="8"| July |- 1 1 July 09:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1279 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 15 July Successful 1 2 July 07:10 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1280 (Resurs-F1 No.15L) Low Earth Optical imaging 16 July Successful 1 7 July 12:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1281 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 21 July Successful 2 10 July 05:14 USSR Vostok-2M USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN USSR Meteor-Priroda 2-4 Sun-synchronous Weather Successful USSR Iskra 1 Sun-synchronous Microgravity research 16 April 1990 Successful 1 11 July 14:48 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA George C. Marshall SSBN-654 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 11 July Successful 1 11 July 14:48 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA George C. Marshall SSBN-654 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 11 July Successful 1 11 July 14:49 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA George C. Marshall SSBN-654 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 11 July Successful 1 11 July 14:49 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA George C. Marshall SSBN-654 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 11 July Successful 1 15 July 13:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1282 (Yantar-2K No.951) Low Earth Optical imaging 14 August Successful 1 17 July 08:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1283 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 31 July Successful 1 29 July 11:55 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1284 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 12 August Successful 1 30 July 21:38 USSR Proton-K/DM USSR Baikonur Site 200/39 USSR RVSN Operated until May 1986 USSR Gran' No.19L Geostationary Communications Successful 1 31 July 10:50 USA Aries USA White Sands LC-36 USA US Air Force Apogee: 395 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Infrared astronomy 31 July Successful 1 July USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 July USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 July USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful |colspan="8"| August |- 1 1 August 22:00 JPN 1870 TT-500A JPN 1870 Tanegashima LA-T JPN 1870 NASDA Apogee: 320 km JPN 1870 NASDA Suborbital Test flight 1 August Successful 2 3 August 09:56 USA Delta 3913 USA Vandenberg SLC-2W USA NASA Both payloads deployed into low Earth orbit, with DE-1 raising itself into its operational orbit. Premature first-stage cutoff resulted in slightly lower orbit than had been planned, spacecraft were able to compensate and complete their missions. USA Dynamics Explorer 1 (Explorer 62) NASA Highly elliptical Magnetospheric Partial launch failure USA Dynamics Explorer 2 (Explorer 63) NASA Low Earth Magnetospheric 19 February 1983 Partial launch failure 1 4 August 00:13 USSR Molniya-M/2BL USSR Plesetsk Site 16/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1285 (US-K) Molniya Missile defence Successful 1 4 August 08:28 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1286 (US-PM) Low Earth ELINT 16 October 1982 Successful 1 6 August 08:16:00 USA Atlas SLV-3D Centaur-D1AR USA Cape Canaveral LC-36A Payload fairing collapsed during ascent, resulting in damage which left satellite unusable after arrival in geosynchronous orbit USA FLTSATCOM 5 US Navy Geosynchronous Communications Launch failure 8 6 August 11:49 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1287 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1288 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1289 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1290 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1291 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1292 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1293 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1294 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful 1 7 August 13:35 USSR Vostok-2M USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 First Bulgarian satellite, launched as part of the Interkosmos programme BGR 1971 Bulgaria 1300 (Interkosmos 22) IKIT Low Earth Operational Successful 1 9 August USA Taurus-Orion USA Wallops USA NASA Apogee: 160 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 9 August Successful 1 10 August 20:03 JPN 1870USA N-II JPN 1870 Tanegashima Osaki JPN 1870 NASDA Operated until February 1988 JPN 1870 Himawari 2 JMA Geostationary Weather Successful 1 12 August 05:46 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1295 (Parus) Low Earth Navigation Successful 1 13 August 02:26 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA John C. Calhoun SSBN-630 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 13 August Successful 1 13 August 02:46 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA John C. Calhoun SSBN-630 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 13 August Successful 1 13 August 03:32 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA John C. Calhoun SSBN-630 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 13 August Successful 1 13 August 03:32 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA John C. Calhoun SSBN-630 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 13 August Successful 1 13 August 16:20 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1296 (Yantar-2K No.943) Low Earth Optical imaging 13 September Successful 1 14 August 07:43 CAN Black Brant X USA Wallops USA NASA Apogee: 625 km USA NASA Suborbital Test flight 14 August Successful 1 18 August 09:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1297 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 30 August Successful 1 18 August USSR R-36MUTTKh USSR Uzhur Site 2/2 USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 18 August Successful 1 21 August 10:20 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 1/5 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1298 (Yantar-4K2) Low Earth Optical imaging 2 October Successful 1 22 August 01:00 USA UGM-73 Poseidon C3 USA Nathanael Greene SSBN-636 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 500 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 22 August Successful 1 24 August 12:00 JPN 1870 S-310 JPN 1870 Kagoshima JPN 1870 ISAS Apogee: 187 km JPN 1870 ISAS Suborbital AeronomyAuroal research 24 August Successful 1 24 August 16:37 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN Nuclear-powered satellite, reactor ejected at end of mission and remains in orbit USSR Kosmos 1299 (US-A) Low Earth Radar imaging 27 September 1 24 August 21:40 USSR Tsyklon-3 USSR Plesetsk Site 32/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1300 (Tselina-D) Low Earth ELINT Successful 1 25 August USA Taurus-Orion USA White Sands LC-36 USA NASA Apogee: 200 km USA NASA Suborbital Aeronomy 25 August Successful 1 27 August 10:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1301 (Resurs-F1 No.16L) Low Earth Optical imaging 10 September Successful 1 28 August 00:03 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 28 August Successful 1 28 August 00:04 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 28 August Successful 1 28 August 00:04 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 28 August Successful 1 28 August 00:04 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA Simon Bolivar SSBN-641 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 1000 km USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 28 August Successful 1 28 August 02:40 USSR R-5 Vertikal USSR Kapustin Yar USSR Apogee: 500 km USSR Vertikal 9 Suborbital Solar research 28 August Successful 1 28 August 16:18 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1302 (Strela-2M) Low Earth Communications Successful 1 August USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 August USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 August USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful 1 August USSR MR-12 USSR Professor Zubov, Atlantic Ocean USSR Apogee: 150 km USSR Suborbital Aeronomy   Successful |colspan="8"| September |- 1 3 September 18:29 USA Titan III(32)D USA Vandenberg SLC-4E USA US Air Force USA OPS 3984 (KH-11) NRO Sun-synchronous Optical imaging 23 November 1984 Successful 1 4 September 08:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1303 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 18 September Successful 1 4 September 11:06 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1304 (Tsikada) Low Earth Navigation Successful 1 5 September 01:00 JPN 1870 S-520 JPN 1870 Kagoshima LA-K JPN 1870 ISAS Apogee: 224 km, payload recovered JPN 1870 ISAS Suborbital Technology 5 September Successful 1 7 September 09:38 JPN 1870 S-310 JPN 1870 Kagoshima JPN 1870 ISAS Apogee: 193 km JPN 1870 ISAS Suborbital Aeronomy 7 September Successful 1 8 September USSR UR-100N USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 8 September Launch failure 1 11 September 08:43 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN Placed into unusable, lower-than-planned, orbit due to upper stage malfunction USSR Kosmos 1305 (Molniya-3 No.28) Intended: MolniyaAchieved: Medium Earth Communications Launch failure 1 12 September USA LGM-30B Minuteman IB USA Vandenberg LF-06 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital REV test 12 September Successful 1 14 September 20:31 USSR Tsyklon-2 USSR Baikonur Site 90 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1306 (US-PM) Low Earth ELINT 12 July 1982 Successful 1 15 September 11:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1307 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 29 September Successful 1 18 September 03:34 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1308 (Parus) Low Earth Navigation Successful 1 18 September 09:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1309 (Zenit-4MT) Low Earth Optical imaging 1 October Successful 1 18 September 17:59:58 USSR Vertikal-4 USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 1514 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Plasma research 18 September Successful 3 19 September 21:28:40 PRC Feng Bao 1 PRC Jiuquan LA-2B (Site 138) PRC Final flight of the Feng Bao 1 PRC Shijian 2 Low Earth Micrometeoroid research, electromagnetic background research 17 August 1982 Successful PRC Shijian 2A Low Earth Ionosphere research 6 October 1982 Successful PRC Shijian 2B Low Earth Radar calibration 26 September Successful 1 21 September 13:10 USSR Tsyklon-3 USSR Plesetsk Site 32/1 USSR USSRFRA Oreol 3 Low Earth Magnetospheric research Successful 1 22 September 16:15 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA United States Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 22 September Successful 1 22 September 16:48 USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 22 September Successful 1 23 September 08:00 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1310 (Taifun-1) Low Earth Radar calibration 3 April 1989 Successful 1 24 September 23:09 USA Delta 3910/PAM-D USA Cape Canaveral LC-17A USA NASA Operated until September 1996 USA SBS-2 SBS Geosynchronous Communications Successful 25 28 September 21:00 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1311 (Taifun-2) Low Earth Radar calibration 28 August 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 1 Low Earth Radar calibration 27 February 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 2 Low Earth Radar calibration 26 February 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 3 Low Earth Radar calibration 5 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 4 Low Earth Radar calibration 5 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 5 Low Earth Radar calibration 17 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 6 Low Earth Radar calibration 16 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 7 Low Earth Radar calibration 22 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 8 Low Earth Radar calibration 23 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 9 Low Earth Radar calibration 24 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 10 Low Earth Radar calibration 18 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 11 Low Earth Radar calibration 17 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 12 Low Earth Radar calibration 17 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 13 Low Earth Radar calibration 16 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 14 Low Earth Radar calibration 31 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 15 Low Earth Radar calibration 31 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 16 Low Earth Radar calibration 31 December 1982 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 17 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 18 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 19 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 20 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 21 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 22 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 23 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful USSR Kosmos 1311 Subsatellite 24 Low Earth Radar calibration 28 February 1983 Successful 1 29 September USSR RT-2PM Topol USSR Plesetsk Site 167 USSR RVSN Maiden flight of Topol missile, apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 29 September Successful 1 29 September USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 29 September Unknown 1 29 September USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 29 September Unknown 1 30 September 08:00 USSR Tsyklon-3 USSR Plesetsk Site 32/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1312 (Musson No.12) Low Earth Geodesy Successful 1 30 September 23:20:00 CAN Black Brant VIII-C SWE Esrange SWE SSC Apogee: 270 km SWE SSC Suborbital Infrared astronomy 30 September Successful 1 30 September CAN Black Brant VC USA White Sands LC-36 USA NASA Apogee: 243 km USA NASA Suborbital Solar research 30 September Successful |colspan="8"| October |- 1 1 October 09:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1313 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 15 October Successful 1 4 October USA LGM-30B Minuteman IB USA Vandenberg LF-03 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital REV test 4 October Successful 2 6 October 11:27 USA Delta 2310 USA Vandenberg SLC-2W USA NASA USA Solar Mesosphere Explorer (Explorer 64) NASA Sun-synchronous Atmospheric research 5 March 1991 Successful UK UoSAT-1 Surrey Sun-synchronous TechnologyAmateur radio 13 October 1989 Successful 1 9 October 10:40 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1314 (Zenit-4MKT) Low Earth Optical imaging 22 October Successful 1 9 October 16:59 USSR Proton-K/DM USSR Baikonur Site 200/39 USSR RVSN USSR Gran' No.20L Geostationary Communications Successful 1 13 October 23:01 USSR Vostok-2M USSR Plesetsk Site 43/3 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1315 (Tselina-D) Low Earth ELINT Successful 1 13 October USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 13 October Successful 1 13 October USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 13 October Successful 1 14 October 05:47 USA Nike-Orion USA Wallops USA NASA Apogee: 197 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 14 October Successful 1 15 October 09:15 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1316 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 29 October Successful 1 16 October USA Nike-Tomahawk USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 270 km USA NASA Suborbital Aeronomy 16 October Successful 1 17 October 05:59 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya-3 No.31 Molniya Communications 9 January 1997 Successful 1 17 October USA Astrobee-F USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 200 km USA NASA Suborbital X-ray astronomy 17 October Successful 1 21 October USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 21 October Successful 1 21 October USA MGM-31A Pershing USA Fort Bliss USA US Army Apogee: 180 km USA US Army Suborbital Test flight 21 October Unknown 1 25 October 19:01:00 USA Nike-Tomahawk NOR Andøya NOR NDRE Apogee: 184 km NOR NDRE Suborbital Auroral research 25 October Successful 1 30 October 06:04 USSR Proton-K/D-1 USSR Baikonur Site 200/40 USSR RVSN USSR Venera 13 Heliocentric Venus lander 1 March 1982 03:20 Successful 1 31 October 09:22:00 USA Titan III(23)C USA Cape Canaveral LC-40 USA US Air Force USA OPS 4029 (Vortex) NRO High Earth SIGINT Successful 1 31 October 22:54 USSR Molniya-M/2BL USSR Plesetsk Site 16/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1317 (US-K) Molniya Missile defence Successful |colspan="8"| November |- 1 3 November 13:00 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1318 (Yantar-2K No.944) Low Earth Optical imaging 4 December Successful 1 4 November 05:31 USSR Proton-K/D-1 USSR Baikonur Site 200/39 USSR RVSN Surface sampler failed due to ejection of camera lens cap into its path USSR Venera 14 Heliocentric Venus lander 5 March 1982 Partial spacecraft failure 1 7 November 12:03:40 USA MGM-29 Sergeant USA Poker Flat USA US Air Force Apogee: 130 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Auroral research 7 November Successful 1 9 November USA Taurus-Orion USA White Sands LC-36 USA NASA Apogee: 200 km USA NASA Suborbital Aeronomy 9 November Successful 4 12 November 15:10:00 USA 102 nolink USA Kennedy LC-39A USA NASA Crewed flight with two astronauts, first spacecraft to make two orbital flights. Mission truncated due to fuel cell failure USA STS-2 NASA Low Earth Test flight 14 November Partial spacecraft failure USA DFI NASA Low Earth (Columbia) Vehicle monitoring Unknown Successful USA OFTP Low Earth (Columbia) Remote sensing inherit Successful USA OSTA-1 Low Earth (Columbia) Technology inherit Successful 1 13 November 09:30 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1319 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 27 November Successful 1 15 November 17:50 USA UGM-96 Trident I C4 USA Benjamin Franklin SSBN-640 6, Eastern Test Range USA US Navy Apogee: 20 km, failed to reach space USA US Navy Suborbital Test flight 15 November Launch failure 1 17 November 15:25 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya 1-51 Molniya Communications 2 November 1993 Successful 1 17 November CAN Black Brant VIII-B USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 253 km USA NASA Suborbital X-ray astronomy 17 November Successful 1 17 November CAN Black Brant VIII-B USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 253 km USA NASA Suborbital X-ray astronomy 17 November Successful 1 20 November 01:37 USA Delta 3910/PAM-D USA Cape Canaveral LC-17A USA NASA Decommissioned on 10 April 1991 USA Satcom 3R RCA Satcom Geostationary Communications Successful 1 20 November 08:30 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107/2 USSR IND Bhaskara 2 ISRO Low Earth Remote sensing 30 November 1991 Successful 1 23 November 18:35 CAN Black Brant VIII-C USA White Sands USA NASA Apogee: 322 km USA NASA Suborbital Solar research 23 November Successful 1 24 November USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-09 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 24 November Successful 1 27 November USSR R-39 Rif USSR Nenoksa USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 27 November Successful 8 28 November 18:08 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1320 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1321 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1322 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1323 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1324 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1325 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1326 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful USSR Kosmos 1327 (Strela-1M) Low Earth Communications Successful 1 November USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 November USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful |colspan="8"| December |- 1 1 December 01:38 CAN Black Brant X CAN Cape Parry USA NASA Apogee: 612 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 1 December Successful 1 1 December 15:50:00 UK Petrel 1 SWE Esrange UK SRC Apogee: 187 km UK SRC Suborbital Aeronomy 1 December Successful 1 3 December 11:47 USSR Tsyklon-3 USSR Plesetsk Site 32/1 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1328 (Tselina-D) Low Earth ELINT Successful 1 4 December 09:50 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1329 (Zenit-6U) Low Earth Optical imaging 18 December Successful 1 6 December 23:14:58 CAN Black Brant IVB CAN Cape Parry CAN NRC Apogee: 615 km CAN NRC Suborbital Auroral research 6 December Successful 1 7 December 00:00:40 USA Terrier-Malemute CAN Cape Parry USA NASA Apogee: 451 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 7 December Successful 1 7 December PRC Dongfeng 5 PRC Jiuquan LA-2/138 PRC Apogee: 1000 km PRC Suborbital Test flight 7 December Successful 1 8 December USA Aerobee-150 USA White Sands LC-35 USA NASA Apogee: 200 km USA NASA Suborbital Magnetospheric research 8 December Successful 1 9 December 17:17:00 UK Petrel 2 SWE Esrange UK SRC Apogee: 188 km UK SRC Suborbital Aeronomy 9 December Successful 1 9 December 21:25:35 UK Skylark 7 SWE Esrange FRG DFVLR Apogee: 237 km FRG DFVLR Suborbital Ionospheric research 9 December Successful 1 9 December USA LGM-30G Minuteman III USA Vandenberg LF-26 USA US Air Force Apogee: 1300 km USA US Air Force Suborbital Test flight 9 December Successful 1 10 December BRA 1968 Sonda 3 BRA 1968 Barreira do Inferno BRA 1968 IAE Apogee: 239 km BRA 1968 IAE Suborbital Ionospheric research 10 December Successful 1 13 December 21:31:38 CAN Black Brant IVB CAN Cape Parry CAN NRC Apogee: 50 km, failed to reach space CAN NRC Suborbital Auroral research 13 December Launch failure 1 13 December 22:54:25 CAN Black Brant X CAN Cape Parry USA NASA Apogee: 662 km USA NASA Suborbital Plasma research 13 December Successful 1 15 December 23:35 USA Atlas SLV-3D Centaur-D1AR USA Cape Canaveral LC-36A USA NASA UN Intelsat V F-3 Intelsat Geostationary Communications Successful 1 16 December 14:10:00 UK Petrel 1 SWE Esrange UK SRC Apogee: 187 km UK SRC Suborbital Aeronomy 16 December Successful 6 17 December 11:00 USSR Kosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/2 USSR RVSN USSR Radio Sputnik 3 Low Earth Amateur radio Successful USSR Radio Sputnik 4 Low Earth Amateur radio Successful USSR Radio Sputnik 5 Low Earth Amateur radio Successful USSR Radio Sputnik 6 Low Earth Amateur radio Successful USSR Radio Sputnik 7 Low Earth Amateur radio Successful USSR Radio Sputnik 8 Low Earth Amateur radio Successful 1 19 December 01:10 USA Atlas E/F SVS-1 USA Vandenberg SLC-3E USA US Air Force Incorrect repair to booster unit engine resulted in coolant line blockage. Rocket lost thrust within eight seconds of launch, destroyed by range safety. USA Navstar 7 US Air Force Intended: Medium Earth Navigation +20 seconds Launch failure 1 19 December 11:50 USSR Soyuz-U USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 USSR RVSN USSR Kosmos 1330 (Yantar-2K No.952) Low Earth Optical imaging 19 January 1982 Successful 1 19 December 20:00 UK Petrel 1 ESP El Arenosillo ESP INTA Apogee: 106 km ESP INTA Suborbital Aeronomy 19 December Successful 2 20 December 01:29:00 FRA Ariane 1 FRA Kourou ELA-1 FRA Arianespace UN MARECS-1 Inmarsat Geosynchronous Communications Successful 23px CAT-4 (Thesee) ESA Geosynchronous transfer Vehicle monitoringTechnology Successful 1 21 December 18:37 USSR Vertikal-4 USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 1500 km USSR Vertikal-10 RVSN Suborbital AeronomyIonospheric research 21 December Successful 1 22 December USSR R-39 Rif USSR Nenoksa USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 22 December Successful 1 23 December 13:15 USSR Molniya-M/ML USSR Baikonur Site 1/5 USSR RVSN USSR Molniya-1 No.55 Molniya Communications Successful 1 27 December USSR R-39 Rif USSR Nenoksa USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight 27 December Successful 1 December USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful 1 December USSR R-17 Elbrus IRQ 1963 IRQ 1963 Apogee: 100 km IRQ 1963 Suborbital Missile strike   Successful |colspan="8"| Unknown date |- 1 Unknown USSR Perimetr USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown FRA M4 FRA Biscarosse FRA DGA Apogee: 800 km FRA DGA Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown FRA M4 FRA Biscarosse FRA DGA Apogee: 800 km FRA DGA Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown FRA M4 FRA Biscarosse FRA DGA Apogee: 800 km FRA DGA Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown FRA M4 FRA Biscarosse FRA DGA FRA DGA Suborbital Test flight Unknown Launch failure 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Kosmos-3MR USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 675 km USSR RVSN Suborbital REV test Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR Vertikal-4 USSR Kapustin Yar Site 107 USSR RVSN Apogee: 1500 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Ionospheric research Unknown Unknown 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-27 Zyb USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR RVSN Apogee: 620 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29R Volna USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29R Volna USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29R Volna USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29 Vysota USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29 Vysota USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29 Vysota USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-29 Vysota USSR Submarine, Okhotsk USSR VMF Apogee: 1000 km USSR VMF Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-36MUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-36MUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-36MUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR R-36MUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100N USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100N USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100N USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100N USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100N USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100NUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100NUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100NUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100NUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100NUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful 1 Unknown USSR UR-100NUTTKh USSR Baikonur USSR RVSN Apogee: 1000 km USSR RVSN Suborbital Test flight Unknown Successful |} 1981 Deep-space rendezvous Date (UTC)SpacecraftEventRemarks26 August Voyager 2 Flyby of Saturn Gravity assist; Closest approach: 101000 km References Footnotes 1981 on Category:Spaceflight by year