---
title: "On This Day in Space History: November 12"
id: 221370
type: "post"
slug: "on-this-day-in-space-history-11-12-2026"
author: "NSE"
published: "2026-11-12T05:01:18+00:00"
modified: "2026-11-12T05:01:26+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2026/11/12/on-this-day-in-space-history-11-12-2026/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2026/11/12/on-this-day-in-space-history-11-12-2026.md"
description: "Space and astronomy history for November 12: 15 events."
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Current News"
  - "Space Economy"
  - "Space Exploration"
  - "Space History"
  - "Timelines"
post_tag:
  - "Launches"
  - "Robotic Missions"
  - "Spacecraft"
  - "Spaceflight"
  - "Spaceflight History"
---

# On This Day in Space History: November 12

These events from the history of spaceflight and astronomy share today's date.

### 1965-11-12 – [Venera-2 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1965-091/venera-2-launch-1965/)

Venera 2, also known as 3MV-4 No.4 was a Soviet spacecraft intended to explore Venus. A 3MV-4 spacecraft launched as part of the Venera programme, it failed to return data after flying past Venus. Venera 2 was launched by a Molniya carrier rocket, flying from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch occurred at 05:02 UTC on 12 November 1965, with the first three stages placing the spacecraft and Blok-L upper stage into a low Earth parking orbit before the Blok-L fired to propel Venera 2 into heliocentric orbit bound for Venus, with perihelion of 0.716 AU, aphelion of 1.197 AU, eccentricity of 0.252, inclination of 4.29 degrees and orbital period of 341 days.

### 1966-11-12 – [Kosmos-131 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1966-105/kosmos-131-launch-1966/)

Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-131 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon,, pad LC41/1. Launch vehicle success.

### 1969-11-12 – [Kosmos-309 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1969-098/kosmos-309-launch-1969/)

Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-309 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon,, pad LC41/1. Launch vehicle success.

### 1980-11-12 – [Kosmos-1221 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1980-090/kosmos-1221-launch-1980/)

Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1221 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon,, pad LC41/1. Launch vehicle success.

### 1980-11-12 – [Voyager 1 encounters Saturn](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/hist-66edad20e66d83da/voyager-1-encounters-saturn-1980/)

Voyager 1 made its closest approach to Saturn and studied its rings and moons.

### 1981-11-12 – [OFT-2/OSTA-1 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1981-111/oft-2-osta-1-launch-1981/)

Space Shuttle launched on the OFT-2/OSTA-1 flight from [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) John F. [Kennedy Space Center](https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/), Florida, pad LC39A. Launch vehicle success.

### 1991-11-12 – [Kosmos-2165/2170 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1991-077/kosmos-2165-2170-launch-1991/)

Tsiklon-3 launched on the Kosmos-2165/2170 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon,, pad LC32/1. Launch vehicle success.

### 1995-11-12 – [Shuttle/Mir-2 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1995-061/shuttle-mir-2-launch-1995/)

Space Shuttle launched on the Shuttle/Mir-2 flight from [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pad LC39A. Launch vehicle success.

### 1997-11-12 – [Sirius 2/Cakrawarta – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-1997-071/sirius-2-cakrawarta-launch-1997/)

Ariane 44L (44L-3) launched on the Sirius 2/Cakrawarta flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA2. Launch vehicle success.

### 2009-11-12 – [SJ-11-01 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-2009-061/sj-11-01-launch-2009/)

Chang Zheng 2C (b) launched on the SJ-11-01 flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LC603. Launch vehicle success.

### 2014-11-12 – [Philae lands on comet 67P](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/hist-d00a941ce90c9684/philae-lands-on-comet-67p-2014/)

Rosetta’s Philae lander reached the comet’s surface.

### 2020-11-12 – [Tiantong-1 02 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-2020-082/tiantong-1-02-launch-2020/)

Chang Zheng 3B (G2) launched on the Tiantong-1 02 flight from Xichang Space Center (Songlin), Sichuan, China, pad LC2. Launch vehicle success.

### 2022-11-12 – [Tianzhou-5 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-2022-152/tianzhou-5-launch-2022/)

Chang Zheng 7 launched on the Tianzhou-5 flight from Wenchang Space Center, Hainan, pad LC201. Launch vehicle success.

### 2022-11-12 – [Galaxy 31/32 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-2022-153/galaxy-31-32-launch-2022/)

Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Galaxy 31/32 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC40. Launch vehicle success.

### 2023-11-12 – [O3b mPOWER 5/6 – launch](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/on-this-day-in-space-history/event/gcat-2023-175/o3b-mpower-5-6-launch-2023/)

Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the O3b mPOWER 5/6 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC40. Launch vehicle success.