Space history on February 12

21 events

1. 1961 65 years ago launch

   Venera — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Venera

   • Space transportation

   Venera 1, also known as Venera-1VA No.2 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 8, was the first spacecraft to perform an interplanetary flight and the first to fly past Venus, as part of the Soviet Union's Venera programme.

   • 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.
   • Wikipedia — Venera 1 (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/Venera_1
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Venera 1 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Venera 1 (opens in a new tab)

2. 1965 61 years ago launch failure

   DS-P1-Yu No. 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: DS-P1-Yu No. 2

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 63S1 launched on the DS-P1-Yu No. 2 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC86/1. Launch 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.

3. 1974 52 years ago launch

   Kosmos-632 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-632

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-632 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.

4. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-708 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-708

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-708 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.

5. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-709 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-709

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-709 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.

6. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Kosmos-803 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-803

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-803 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC132/2. 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.

7. 1979 47 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1076 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1076

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-3 launched on the Kosmos-1076 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC32/2. 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.

8. 1980 46 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1164 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1164

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78M (2BL) launched on the Kosmos-1164 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC43/4. 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.

9. 1981 45 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1244 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1244

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1244 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.

10. 1991 35 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2125/2132 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2125/2132

    • Space transportation

    Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-2125/2132 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.

11. 1994 32 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2268/2273 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2268/2273

    • Space transportation

    Tsiklon-3 launched on the Kosmos-2268/2273 flight from GNIIP, VKS section, Plesetsk, Rossiya, pad LC32/1?. 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.

12. 2000 26 years ago launch

    Garuda 1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Garuda 1

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2M (DM3) launched on the Garuda 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.

13. 2001 25 years ago landing

    NEAR Shoemaker lands on Eros

    Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

    Mission: NEAR Shoemaker

    NEAR Shoemaker touched down on Eros at 19:44 UT and continued returning data.

    • NASA — NEAR Shoemaker (opens in a new tab) — Original factual summary; retain attribution to NASA.

14. 2005 21 years ago launch

    XTAR-EUR/Maqsat-B2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: XTAR-EUR/Maqsat-B2

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 5ECA launched on the XTAR-EUR/Maqsat-B2 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.

15. 2009 17 years ago launch

    Hot Bird 10/NSS 9 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Hot Bird 10/NSS 9

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 5ECA launched on the Hot Bird 10/NSS 9 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.

16. 2010 16 years ago launch

    Intelsat IS-16 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Intelsat IS-16

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/Briz-M (I) launched on the Intelsat IS-16 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC200/39. 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.

17. 2010 16 years ago assembly

    Tranquility: ISS installation

    Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Station module addition

    • Space stations
    • Human spaceflight

    Station: International Space Station

    Tranquility installed on the ISS.

    • NASA: ISS Assembly Elements (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on NASA: ISS Assembly Elements. Original source retains its rights.

18. 2018 8 years ago launch

    Beidou DW28/29 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Beidou DW28/29

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3B/YZ-1 (G3Z) launched on the Beidou DW28/29 flight from Xichang Space Center (Songlin), Sichuan, China, pad LC2. 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.

19. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Starlink-74 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-74

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-74 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC40. 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.

20. 2026 launch

    Elektro-L No. 5 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Elektro-L No. 5

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/DM-3 launched on the Elektro-L No. 5 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.

21. 2026 launch

    Amazon LE-01 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Amazon LE-01

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 64 launched on the Amazon LE-01 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA4. 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.