February 5 in Space History

18 events

1. 1956 70 years ago

   Invasion of the Body Snatchers: film release

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Science fiction film release

   • Science fiction
   • Film and television

   Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Film) by Don Siegel · AFI's 10 Top 10: Science Fiction, rank 9; AFI official Letterboxd list, consulted 2026-10-29.

   Invasion of the Body Snatchers: film release.

   • American Film Institute Catalog (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on American Film Institute Catalog. Original source retains its rights.
   • AFI official Letterboxd: 10 Top 10 Science Fiction (opens in a new tab) — Ranking attributed to the American Film Institute.

2. 1967 59 years ago launch

   Lunar Orbiter 3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Lunar Orbiter 3

   • Space transportation

   The Lunar Orbiter 3 was a spacecraft launched by NASA in 1967 as part of the Lunar Orbiter Program.

   • 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)
   • Wikipedia — Lunar Orbiter 3 (opens in a new tab) — Adapted from Wikipedia contributors; selected sentences retained and edited for length, reference markers and pronunciation glosses. CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Article and edit history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Orbiter_3 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Lunar Orbiter 3 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Lunar Orbiter 3 (opens in a new tab)

3. 1969 57 years ago launch

   CORONA 131/1106 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 131/1106

   • Space transportation

   Thorad SLV-2G Agena D (?) launched on the CORONA 131/1106 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC3W. 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. 1971 55 years ago landing

   Apollo 14: lunar landing

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

   Mission: Apollo 14

   Moon landing.

   • NASA — mission history (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.

5. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-707 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-707

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-707 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)

6. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Kosmos-801 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-801

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-801 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC133/3. 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. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Ekran — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Ekran

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/DM launched on the Ekran flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC200/40. 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. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Soyuz TM-2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Soyuz TM-2

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U2 launched on the Soyuz TM-2 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)

9. 1991 35 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2123 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2123

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-2123 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC133/3. 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. 1994 32 years ago launch

    Raduga-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Raduga-1

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Raduga-1 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/23. 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. 1996 30 years ago launch

    N-Star b — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: N-Star b

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 44P (44P-3) launched on the N-Star b 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. 2008 18 years ago launch

    Progress M-63 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-63

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-63 flight from GIK-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)

13. 2014 12 years ago launch

    Progress M-22M — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-22M

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-22M flight from GIK-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)

14. 2016 10 years ago launch

    GPS II F-12 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GPS II F-12

    • Space transportation

    Atlas V 401 (C) launched on the GPS II F-12 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad SLC41. 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)

15. 2019 7 years ago launch

    SGS-1-HS-4/GSAT-31 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SGS-1-HS-4/GSAT-31

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 5ECA launched on the SGS-1-HS-4/GSAT-31 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA3. 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. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2553 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2553

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1A (Fregat) launched on the Kosmos-2553 flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC43/4. 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. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Elektro-L No. 4 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Elektro-L No. 4

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/DM-3 launched on the Elektro-L No. 4 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/24. 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)

18. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Kosmos-2581/2/3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2581/2/3

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1V (Volga) launched on the Kosmos-2581/2/3 flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC43/4. 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)