January 22 in Space History

17 events

1. 1965 61 years ago launch

   Tiros 9 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Tiros 9

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta C launched on the Tiros 9 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. Partial launch success/failure.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

2. 1966 60 years ago launch

   Kosmos-105 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-105

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92 launched on the Kosmos-105 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC31. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

3. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Apollo 5 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Apollo 5

   • Space transportation

   Saturn IB launched on the Apollo 5 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC37B. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

4. 1969 57 years ago launch

   OSO 5 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: OSO 5

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta C1 launched on the OSO 5 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17B. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

5. 1969 57 years ago launch

   KH-8 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: KH-8

   • Space transportation

   Titan IIIB launched on the KH-8 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC4W. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

6. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Landsat 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Landsat 2

   • Space transportation

   Delta 2910 launched on the Landsat 2 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC2W. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

7. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Molniya-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Molniya-1

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-1 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC1. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

8. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Kosmos-790 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-790

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-790 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC132/1. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

9. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1815 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1815

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1815 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC107/1. Launch vehicle success.

   • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

10. 1987 39 years ago launch

    Molniya-3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Molniya-3

    • Space transportation

    Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-3 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC41/1. Launch vehicle success.

    • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

11. 1990 36 years ago launch

    SPOT 2/ASAP-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SPOT 2/ASAP-1

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 40 (40) launched on the SPOT 2/ASAP-1 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA2. Launch vehicle success.

    • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

12. 1992 34 years ago launch

    Spacelab IML-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Spacelab IML-1

    • Space transportation

    Space Shuttle launched on the Spacelab IML-1 flight from NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pad LC39A. Launch vehicle success.

    • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

13. 2011 15 years ago launch

    HTV-2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: HTV-2

    • Space transportation

    H-IIB launched on the HTV-2 flight from Tanegashima Space Center, Tanegashima, Nippon, pad Y2. Launch vehicle success.

    • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

14. 2018 8 years ago

    Ursula K. Le Guin — death

    Category: Organizations and People › Type: Death

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    Role: Science fiction writer

    Ursula K. Le Guin — death (2018-01-22).

    • SFWA: Ursula K. Le Guin (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: Ursula K. Le Guin. Original source retains its rights.

15. 2026 launch

    Starlink-350 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-350

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-350 flight from South Base, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, pad SLC4E. Launch vehicle success.

    • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

16. 2026 launch

    Cosmos Will See You Now — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Cosmos Will See You Now

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the Cosmos Will See You Now flight from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, pad LC1A. Launch vehicle success.

    • Jonathan McDowell — General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (opens in a new tab) — Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0. Adapted into anniversary records. (CC BY 4.0)

17. 2026

    NS-38 — private and commercial crew participation

    Category: Human Spaceflight Activities › Type: Private astronaut or space tourist flight

    Mission: NS-38 · Programme: New Shepard

    • Human spaceflight
    • Commercial human spaceflight
    • Space tourism

    Role: Commercial astronaut, Space tourist

    6 participants; see description and linked people.

    • Blue Origin (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Blue Origin. Original source retains its rights.
    • Blue Origin: New Shepard pause (opens in a new tab)