April 2 in Space History

18 events

1. 1963 63 years ago launch

   Luna-4 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Luna-4

   • Space transportation

   Luna 4, or E-6 No.4 (Ye-6 series), sometimes known in the West as Lunik 4, was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1963 as part of the Luna program to attempt the first soft landing on the Moon.

   • 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 — Luna 4 (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/Luna_4 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Luna 4 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Luna 4 (opens in a new tab)

2. 1964 62 years ago launch

   Zond — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Zond

   • Space transportation

   Zond 1 was a spacecraft of the Soviet Zond 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 — Zond 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/Zond_1 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Zond 1 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Zond 1 (opens in a new tab)

3. 1969 57 years ago launch failure

   2M No. 522 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: 2M No. 522

   Mars 2M No.522, also known as Mars M-69 No.522 and sometimes identified by NASA as Mars 1969B, was a Soviet spacecraft which was lost in a launch failure in 1969.

   • 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 — Mars 1969B (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/Mars_1969B (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Original Wikipedia link from NSE timeline (opens in a new tab) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Mars 1969B (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Mars 1969B (opens in a new tab)

4. 1971 55 years ago launch

   Kosmos-403 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-403

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-403 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC43/3. 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)

5. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-723 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-723

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-723 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC90/20. 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. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1347 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1347

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1347 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)

7. 1983 43 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. 1989 37 years ago launch

   Tele-X — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Tele-X

   • Space transportation

   Ariane 2 launched on the Tele-X flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA1. 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. 1993 33 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2240 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2240

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-2240 flight from GNIIP, VKS section, Plesetsk, Rossiya, pad LC16/2. 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. (CC BY 4.0)

10. 1999 27 years ago launch

    Insat 2E — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Insat 2E

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 42P (42P-3) launched on the Insat 2E 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)

11. 2003 23 years ago launch

    Molniya-1T — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Molniya-1T

    • Space transportation

    Molniya 8K78M (2BL) launched on the Molniya-1T flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC16/2. 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. (CC BY 4.0)

12. 2010 16 years ago launch

    Soyuz TMA-18 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz TMA-18

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-FG launched on the Soyuz TMA-18 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. 2018 8 years ago launch

    Dragon CRS-14 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Dragon CRS-14

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT4) launched on the Dragon CRS-14 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. (CC BY 4.0)

14. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Without Mission a Beat — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Without Mission a Beat

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the Without Mission a Beat 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)

15. 2023 3 years ago launch

    SDA-0A — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SDA-0A

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the SDA-0A 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. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-153 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-153

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-153 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)

17. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Yaogan 42-01 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yaogan 42-01

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Yaogan 42-01 flight from Xichang Space Center (Songlin), Sichuan, China, pad LC3. 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. 2026 launch

    Starlink-378 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-378

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-378 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. (CC BY 4.0)