1970 in spaceflight

none January 2014 January 2014 1970 11 February 12 December 124 10 114 JapanPRC JapanPRC Timeline of spaceflight 1969 1971 right on Japan and China each launched their first satellites in 1970, bringing the total number of nations with independent launch capability to five. Apollo 13 was launched; after suffering an explosion in deep space it had to circumnavigate the moon and use the LM as a life boat. Apollo 13 was a successful disaster in which the crew survived. The Soviet space program continued its Luna program with Luna 17, which delivered the robotic Lunokhod 1 rover to the lunar surface, and Luna 16, which achieved the first uncrewed lunar sample return. The Soviets also continued the success of the Venera Venus probes with Venera 7, the first man-made spacecraft to successfully land on another planet and to transmit data back to Earth, though it only survived 23 minutes on the surface. Orbital Launches This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1970. August 2008 1970 yes |colspan = 8| January |- 9 January USSRVoskhod USSR Baikonur Site 31/6 RVSN RF USSRKosmos 318 (Zenit-2M №7, Gektor №7) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 14 January USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 6531 KH-8 4325 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 15 January USA Delta M USACape Canaveral LC-17A UNIntelsat III F6 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications Successful 15 January USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 RVSN RF USSRKosmos 319 (DS-P1-Yu №29) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 16 January USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar LC-86/4 RVSN RF USSRKosmos 320 (DS-MO №2, Opticheski №2) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Technology Demonstration Successful 20 January USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 321 (DS-U2-MG №1) Low Earth Orbit Magnetospheric Astronomy Successful 21 January USSRVoskhod USSR Plesetsk Site 41/1 RVSN RF USSRKosmos 322 (Zenit-4 №68) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 23 January USA Delta N6 USAVandenberg SLC-2W USATIROS M (ITOS 1) NOAA Low Earth Meteorology Successful AUS Australis University of Melbourne Low Earth Communications Successful 30 January USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 RVSN RF USSRDS-P1-I №7 Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Failure |colspan = 8| February |- 4 February USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-2E USASERT 2 NASA Lewis research center Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful 6 February USSRProton K / D USSRPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM USSRYe-8-5 No.405 MOM Selenocentric Lunar lander Failure 10 February USSRVoskhod USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 323 (Zenit-4 #69) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 1 11 February JPN Lambda-4S JPN Kagoshima JPN Japan First satellite launched by Japan, final flight of L-4S JPN Ohsumi Tokyo University Low Earth Technology 2 August 2003 Successful 11 February USA Thor LV-2F Burner 2 USAVandenberg SLC-10W USAOPS 0054 DMSP-5A F1 SSO Meteorology Successful 19 February USSRMolniya-M/ML USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRMolniya-1 13 Molniya Communications Successful 27 February USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 324 (DS-P1-Yu #30) Low Earth Orbit Calibration Successful |colspan = 8| March |- 4 March USSRVoskhod USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 325 (Zenit-2 #79) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 4 March USA Thorad-SLV2H Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USAOPS 0440 KH-4B 1109 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USA OPS 3402 Tivoli 3 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful 2 10 March 12:20 FRA Diamant B FRAKourou ELD FRA CNES Maiden flight of Diamant B, the first orbital launch from Kourou and South America in general GER DIAL-WIKA DFVLR Elliptical low Earth Upper atmosphere research 5 October 1978 Successful GER DIAL-MIKA DFVLR Elliptical low Earth Launch vehicle evaluation 9 September 1974 Spacecraft failure 13 March USSRVoskhod USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 326 (Zenit-2 #80) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 17 March USSRVostok-2M USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRMeteor-1 3 Low Earth Orbit Meteorology Successful 18 March USSRKosmos-2 USSRSite 133/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 327 (DS-P1-I #8) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 20 March USA Delta M USACape Canaveral LC-17B NATO NATO 2A NATO Geosynchronous Military Communication Successful 27 March USSRVoskhod USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 328 (Zenit-2MK #2, Germes #2) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful |colspan = 8| April |- 3 April USSRVoskhod USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 329 (Zenit-2M #8, Gektor #8) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 7 April USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk USSRKosmos 330 (Tselina O #6) Low Earth Orbit SIGNIT Successful 2 8 April USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-2E USANimbus 4 NOAA / NASA Medium Earth Meteorology Successful USA Topo 1 US Army Medium Earth Geodesy Successful 8 April USSRVoskhod USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSRKosmos 331 (Zenit-4 #70) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 8 April USA Titan IIIC USACape Canaveral LC-40 USA OPS 7033 Vela 11 USAF Reconnaissance Successful USA OPS 7044 Vela 12 USAF Reconnaissance Successful 11 April USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk USSRKosmos 332 (Zaliv #5) Medium Earth Navigation Successful 2 11 April 19:13 USA Saturn V (C-5) USA Kennedy LC-39A USA NASA Explosion in Service Module crippled spacecraft, resulting in mission abort. Mission aborted due to CSM malfunction. LM used to help bring crew back to Earth. USA Apollo 13 CSM Odyssey NASA Intended: Lunar orbit Actual: Lunar free return Crewed lunar orbit. 15 April 1970 Failure USA Apollo 13 LM Aquarius NASA Intended: Lunar landing Actual: Lunar free return Crewed lunar landing 15 April 1970 Failure 15 April USSRVoskhod USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 333 (Zenit-4M #4, Rotor #4) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 15 April USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 2863 KH-8 4326 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 23 April USA Delta M USACape Canaveral LC-17A UNIntelsat III F-7 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communication Successful 23 April USSRKosmos-2 USSR Plesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 334 (DS-P1-Yu #31) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 1 24 April 13:35 CHN Long March 1 Y1 CHN Jiuquan LA-2A CHN CASC First satellite launched by China. CHN Dong Fang Hong I CAST Medium Earth Technology demonstration Successful 24 April USSRKosmos-2 USSR Kapustin Yar USSRKosmos 335 (DS-U1-R #1) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Research Successful 8 25 April USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk USSRKosmos 336 (Strela-1M #1) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 337 (Strela-1M #2) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 338 (Strela-1M #3) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 339 (Strela-1M #4) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 340 (Strela-1M #5) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 341 (Strela-1M #6) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 342 (Strela-1M #7) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful USSRKosmos 336 (Strela-1M #8) Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Successful 28 April USSRVostok-2M USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSR Meteor-1 4 Medium Earth Meteorology Successful |colspan = 12| May |- 12 May USSRVoskhod USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 344 (Zenit-2 #81) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 20 May USSRVoskhod USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSRKosmos 345 (Zenit-4 #71) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 20 May USA Thorad-SLV2H Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USA OPS 4720 KH-4B 1110 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USA OPS 8520 Tripos 4 / Sousea 3 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 22 May USSRKosmos-2 USSR Plesetsk Site 133/1 USSR DS-P1-Yu #32 Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Failure |colspan = 12| June |- 1 1 June 19:00 USSR 1955 Soyuz (R-7/A-2) USSR 1955 Baikonur Site 1 USSR 1955 RVSN Longest Crewed flight involving only one spacecraft. (As of 09/06/06) USSR 1955 Soyuz 9 RVSN Low Earth Crewed Orbital Spaceflight 19 June 1970 11:58 Successful 1 1 June 19:00 UK Black Arrow UK Woomera UK RAE First British attempt to launch a satellite. Failed to reach orbit after premature 2nd stage cutout. UK Orba RAE Low Earth Micrometeoroid detection satellite Failure 10 June USSRVoskhod USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSRKosmos 346 (Zenit-4 #72) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 1 12 June Europa 1 F9 AUS Woomera LC-6A ELDO Fairing failed to separate STV 3 ELDO Low Earth Vehicle Evaluation Failure 12 June USSRKosmos-2 USSR Kapustin Yar USSRKosmos 347 (DS-P1-Yu #33) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 13 June USSRKosmos 2 USSR Plesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 348 (DS-U2-GK #2) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Research Successful 17 June USSRVoskhod USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 349 (Zenit-4 #73) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 19 June USA Atlas-SLV3A Agena-D USACape Canaveral LC-13 USA OPS 5346 Aquacade (Rhyolite 1) NRO / CIA Geosynchronous Reconnaissance Successful 23 June USSRVostok-2M USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSR Meteor-1 5 Medium Earth Meteorology Successful 25 April USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 6820 KH-8 4327 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 26 June USSRMolniya-M / ML USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRMolniya-1 14 (Molniya-1 21L) Molniya Communication Successful 26 June USSRVoskhod USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSRKosmos 350 (Zenit-2M #9, Gektor #4) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 27 June USSRKosmos-3M USSR Plesetsk Site 132/1 USSRKosmos 351 (DS-P1-Yu #34) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 27 June USSRKosmos 2 USSR Plesetsk Site 133/1 USSR Strela-2M #1 Low Earth Orbit Military Communication Failure |colspan = 12| July |- 7 July USSRVoskhod USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSRKosmos 352 (Zenit-4 #72) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 9 July USSRVoskhod USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 353 (Zenit-2M #4, Gektor #10) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 21 July USSRVoskhod USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSR Zenit-4 #75 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Failure 23 July USA Thorad-SLV2H Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USAOPS 4324 KH-4B 1111 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 23 July USA Delta M USACape Canaveral LC-17A UNIntelsat III F8 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communication Successful 28 July USSRR-36-0 USSRSite 191/66, Baikonur USSRKosmos 354 (OGCh #22) Low Earth Orbit Weapon System Test Successful |colspan = 12| August |- 7 August USSRKosmos 2 USSR Kapustin Yar UN Interkosmos 3 (DS-U2-IK #1) Interkosmos Low Earth Orbit Science Successful 7 August USSRVoskhod USSRSite 43/4, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 355 (Zenit-4 #76) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 10 August USSRKosmos 2 USSR Plesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 356 (DS-U2-MG #2) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Research Successful 17 August USSRMolniya-M / MVL USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSR Venera 7 Heliocentric to Venus orbit Venus lander Successful 18 August USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 7874 KH-8 4328 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 19 August USA Delta M USACape Canaveral LC-17A UKSkynet 1B Ministry of Defence Geosynchronous Military Communication Successful 19 August USSRKosmos 2 USSR Plesetsk Site 133/1 USSR Kosmos 357 (DS-P1-Yu #35) Yuzhnoye Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 20 August USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk USSRKosmos 358 (DS-P1-M #1) Low Earth Orbit Weapon System Test Successful 22 August USSRMolniya-M / MVL USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSR Kosmos 359 (Venera 8a) Heliocentric to Venus orbit Venus lander Failure 26 August USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-1W USAOPS 8329 Strawman 3 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 27 August USAScout A USAVandenberg USA Transit 19 US Navy Navigation Successful 29 August USSRVoskhod USSRSite 31/6, Baikonur USSRKosmos 360 (Zenit-4M #5, Rotor #5) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful |colspan = 12| September |- 1 2 September 00:34 GBR Black Arrow R2 AUS Woomera LA-5B GBR RAE First orbital launch attempt of Black Arrow. Second stage shut down 13 seconds earlier than intended.Black Arrow Orba https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/1190 2024-12-06 nextspaceflight.com GBR Orba (X 2) RAE Suborbital Atmospheric density research 2 September Failure 1 12 September 13:25 USSR Proton-K/D USSR Baikonur 81/23 USSR First uncrewed lunar sample return, first Soviet lunar sample return Luna 16 24 September Selenocentric Lunar lander Successful 1 25 September 05:00 JPNM-4S JPNKagoshima LP-M First flight of M-4S. Fourth stage failed to ignite JPNMS-F1 ISAS Low Earth Solar, cosmic ray and ionosphere research 25 September Failure |colspan = 8| October |- 1 20 October 19:55 USSR Proton-K/D USSR Baikonur 81/23 USSR Final circumlunar flight of the Zond program. Zond 8 Highly elliptical Spacecraft test Successful |colspan = 12| November |- 1 24 November 1970 11:00 USSRSoyuz-L USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSR USSRKosmos 379 (T2K No.1) Low Earth Uncrewed test flight of LK lunar lander 21 September 1983 Successful |colspan = 12| December |- 1 12 December 10:54 USA Scout B ITA San Marco mobile range, Kenya ITA CNR First satellite dedicated to X-ray astronomy. USA Explorer 42 (Uhuru) NASA Low Earth X-ray astronomy 5 April 1979 Successful |} 1970 Suborbital Launches This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1970. yes |colspan=8| January-March |- 1 4 March 21:15 GBR Black Arrow R1 AUS Woomera LA-5B GBR RAE Test flight with inert third stage. Apogee: 550 km RAE Suborbital Test flight 4 March Successful |colspan=8| April-June |- 1 16 April 06:38 AUS Cockatoo AUS Woomera LA-2 HAD AUS WRE AUS WRE Cockatoo 101 (Sphere) WRE Suborbital Aeronomy 16 April Successful |colspan=8| July-September |- 1 31 July 02:00Wade Mark K63D http://www.astronautix.com/k/k63d.html 2024-08-12 www.astronautix.com USSR K63D USSR Vladimirovka test range, near Kapustin Yar Subscale model of the Spiral spaceplane.Krebs Gunter Dirk BOR-2 https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/bor-2.htm 2024-08-12 Gunter's Space Page Apogee: 100 km USSR BOR-2 No.102 Suborbital Re-entry test for Spiral program 31 July Successful |colspan=8| October-December |- 1 1 October 13:46:12 USA Nike Apache BRA Barreira do Inferno GER MORABA GER DLR N-NA-30 DLR Suborbital Ionospheric research 1 October Successful 1 31 October 10:32 USA Aerobee 170 USA White Sands Missile Range USA NASA USA UVT-SDGS 3 NASA Suborbital UV astronomy 31 October Successful |} August 2008 Launches from the Moon 1 21 September 7:43 USSR Luna 16 Ascent stage Mare Fecunditatis (Luna) First uncrewed lunar sample return mission USSR Luna 16 Return capsule USSR Highly elliptical Sample return 24 September 1970 Successful |} Deep Space Rendezvous Date (GMT) Spacecraft Event Remarks11 April 1970 Apollo 13 S-IVB stage Impacted the Moon 15 April Apollo 13 Lunar flyby at 254 km Intended lunar landing, forced to abort and return to Earth using lunar free return trajectory 20 September Luna 16 100gm from Mare Fecunditatis First sample return mission 24 October Zond 8 Circumlunar flight of the Moon 1110 km 17 November Luna 17 Delivered Lunokhod 1 at Mare Imbrium First robotic Lunar rover 15 December Venera 7 Atmospheric probe worked for 23 min on the Venerian surface First soft landing on another planet References Footnotes March 2022 2 1970 on expanded Category:Spaceflight by year