April 3 in Space History

25 events

1. 1963 63 years ago launch

   Explorer 17 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Explorer 17

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta B launched on the Explorer 17 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. 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)

2. 1965 61 years ago launch

   SNAPSHOT — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: SNAPSHOT

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3 Agena D launched on the SNAPSHOT flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad PALC2-4. 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)

3. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Kosmos-210 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-210

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-210 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)

4. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Kosmos-329 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-329

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-329 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, 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)

5. 1971 55 years ago

   Ringworld — 1970 Nebula Award, Best Novel

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Ringworld (Novel) by Larry Niven · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

   Ringworld — 1970 Nebula Award, Best Novel (1971-04-03).

   • SFWA Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

6. 1971 55 years ago

   Ill Met in Lankhmar: Best Novella

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Ill Met in Lankhmar (Novella) by Fritz Leiber · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novella

   Ill Met in Lankhmar won Best Novella.

   • SFWA: 1970 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1970 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

7. 1971 55 years ago

   Slow Sculpture: Best Novelette

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Slow Sculpture (Novella) by Theodore Sturgeon · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novelette

   Slow Sculpture won Best Novelette.

   • SFWA: 1970 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1970 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

8. 1972 54 years ago launch

   Kosmos-483 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-483

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-483 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)

9. 1973 53 years ago launch

   Salyut-2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Salyut-2

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K launched on the Salyut-2 flight from NIIP-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)

10. 1974 52 years ago launch

    Kosmos-638 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-638

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-638 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)

11. 1978 48 years ago

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Visual Effects

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    Star Wars (Film) by John Stears, John Dykstra, Richard Edlund, Grant McCune, Robert Blalack · Award: Academy Award — Visual Effects

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Visual Effects (1978-04-03).

    • Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978. Original source retains its rights.

12. 1978 48 years ago

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Film Editing

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    Star Wars (Film) by Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas, Richard Chew · Award: Academy Award — Film Editing

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Film Editing (1978-04-03).

    • Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978. Original source retains its rights.

13. 1978 48 years ago

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Costume Design

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    Star Wars (Film) by John Mollo · Award: Academy Award — Costume Design

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Costume Design (1978-04-03).

    • Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978. Original source retains its rights.

14. 1978 48 years ago

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Music (Original Score)

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    Star Wars (Film) by John Williams · Award: Academy Award — Music (Original Score)

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Music (Original Score) (1978-04-03).

    • Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978. Original source retains its rights.

15. 1978 48 years ago

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Sound

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    Star Wars (Film) by Don MacDougall, Ray West, Bob Minkler, Derek Ball · Award: Academy Award — Sound

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Sound (1978-04-03).

    • Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978. Original source retains its rights.

16. 1978 48 years ago

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Art Direction

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    Star Wars (Film) by John Barry, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Roger Christian · Award: Academy Award — Art Direction

    Star Wars — Academy Award, Art Direction (1978-04-03).

    • Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Academy: 50th Academy Awards, 1978. Original source retains its rights.

17. 1980 46 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1171 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1171

    • Space transportation

    Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1171 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. (CC BY 4.0)

18. 1984 42 years ago launch

    Soyuz T-11 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz T-11

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Soyuz T-11 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)

19. 1985 41 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1644 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1644

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1644 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)

20. 1990 36 years ago launch failure

    Kobal't No. 527 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kobal't No. 527

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kobal't No. 527 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC43/4. 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. (CC BY 4.0)

21. 2009 17 years ago launch

    Eutelsat W2A — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Eutelsat W2A

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/Briz-M (II) launched on the Eutelsat W2A 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. (CC BY 4.0)

22. 2012 14 years ago launch

    USA 234 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: USA 234

    • Space transportation

    Delta 4M+(5,2) launched on the USA 234 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC6. 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)

23. 2014 12 years ago launch

    DMSP 5D-13 F19 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: DMSP 5D-13 F19

    • Space transportation

    Atlas V 401 launched on the DMSP 5D-13 F19 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC3E. 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)

24. 2014 12 years ago launch

    Sentinel 1A — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Sentinel 1A

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-ST-A (Fregat) launched on the Sentinel 1A flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELS. 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)

25. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Tianping 3A-02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Tianping 3A-02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 6 launched on the Tianping 3A-02 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC16. 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)