April 8 in Space History

23 events

1. 1961 65 years ago launch

   Discoverer 23 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Discoverer 23

   • Space transportation

   Thor Agena B launched on the Discoverer 23 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad 75-3-5. 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. 1966 60 years ago launch

   SM-2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: SM-2

   • Space transportation

   Atlas Centaur D launched on the SM-2 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC36B. 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)

3. 1966 60 years ago launch

   OAO A1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: OAO A1

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3 Agena D launched on the OAO A1 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC12. 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. 1967 59 years ago launch

   Kosmos-154 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-154

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/D launched on the Kosmos-154 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/23. 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)

5. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Nimbus 4 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Nimbus 4

   • Space transportation

   Thorad SLV-2G Agena D (?) launched on the Nimbus 4 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC2E. 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. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Kosmos-331 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-331

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-331 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. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Vela 6A/6B — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Vela 6A/6B

   • Space transportation

   Titan IIIC launched on the Vela 6A/6B 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)

8. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-725 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-725

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-725 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)

9. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1349 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1349

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1349 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)

10. 1983 43 years ago launch

    Raduga — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Raduga

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM launched on the Raduga 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)

11. 1983 43 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1451 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1451

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1451 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)

12. 1984 42 years ago launch

    STW — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: STW

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3 launched on the STW 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)

13. 1987 39 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1834 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1834

    • Space transportation

    Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-1834 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC90. 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. 1993 33 years ago launch

    Spacelab Atlas 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Spacelab Atlas 2

    • Space transportation

    Space Shuttle launched on the Spacelab Atlas 2 flight from NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pad LC39B. 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. 1996 30 years ago launch

    Astra 1F — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Astra 1F

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2M (DM3) launched on the Astra 1F 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)

16. 2002 24 years ago launch

    ISS 8A — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: ISS 8A

    • Space transportation
    • Space stations

    Station: International Space Station

    Space Shuttle launched on the ISS 8A flight from NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pad LC39B. 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. 2008 18 years ago launch

    Soyuz TMA-12 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz TMA-12

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-FG launched on the Soyuz TMA-12 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)

18. 2016 10 years ago launch

    Dragon CRS-8 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Dragon CRS-8

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT3) launched on the Dragon CRS-8 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)

19. 2021 5 years ago launch

    Shiyan 6 03 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Shiyan 6 03

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4B launched on the Shiyan 6 03 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC9. 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. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Axiom Ax-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Axiom Ax-1

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Axiom Ax-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)

21. 2022 4 years ago

    Michael López-Alegría commands the Ax-1 private spaceflight

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

    Mission: Ax-1 · Programme: Orbital commercial

    • Human spaceflight
    • Commercial human spaceflight

    Role: Commercial astronaut · Station: ISS

    4 participants; see description and linked people.

    • NASA: Axiom private astronauts headed to ISS (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on NASA: Axiom private astronauts headed to ISS. Original source retains its rights.
    • Axiom Space (opens in a new tab)

22. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Soyuz MS-27 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz MS-27

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1A launched on the Soyuz MS-27 flight from GIK-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)

23. 2026 launch

    WHDW 21 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: WHDW 21

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 6A launched on the WHDW 21 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC9A. 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)