Space history on April 20

25 events

1. 1966 60 years ago launch

   Kosmos-115 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-115

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92 launched on the Kosmos-115 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.

2. 1967 59 years ago launch

   ESSA 5 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: ESSA 5

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta E launched on the ESSA 5 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.

3. 1967 59 years ago landing

   Surveyor 3: lunar landing

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

   Mission: Surveyor 3

   Moon landing.

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

4. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Kosmos-216 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-216

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-216 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.

5. 1973 53 years ago launch

   Anik A2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Anik A2

   • Space transportation

   Delta 1914 launched on the Anik A2 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17B. 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. 1974 52 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 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.

7. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Kosmos-904 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-904

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-904 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.

8. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Geos 1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Geos 1

   • Space transportation

   Delta 2914 launched on the Geos 1 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17B. 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. 1978 48 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1003 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1003

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1003 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.

10. 1979 47 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1095 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1095

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1095 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.

11. 1983 43 years ago launch

    Soyuz T-8 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz T-8

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Soyuz T-8 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.

12. 1988 38 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1939 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1939

    • Space transportation

    Vostok 8A92M launched on the Kosmos-1939 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.

13. 1989 37 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2018 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2018

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-2018 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.

14. 1990 36 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2074 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2074

    • Space transportation

    Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-2074 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.

15. 1996 30 years ago launch

    MSAT-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: MSAT-1

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 42P (42P-3) launched on the MSAT-1 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.

16. 2004 22 years ago launch

    GP-B — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GP-B

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7920-10C launched on the GP-B flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC2W. 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. 2009 17 years ago launch

    RISAT-2/Anusat — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: RISAT-2/Anusat

    • Space transportation

    PSLV (CA) launched on the RISAT-2/Anusat flight from Satish Dhawan Space Ctr, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, pad SLP. 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.

18. 2011 15 years ago launch

    Resourcesat-2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Resourcesat-2

    • Space transportation

    PSLV (C) launched on the Resourcesat-2 flight from Satish Dhawan Space Ctr, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, pad FLP. 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. 2012 14 years ago launch

    Progress M-15M — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-15M

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-15M 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.

20. 2017 9 years ago launch

    Soyuz MS-04 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz MS-04

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-FG launched on the Soyuz MS-04 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.

21. 2017 9 years ago launch

    Tianzhou 1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Tianzhou 1

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 7 launched on the Tianzhou 1 flight from Wenchang Space Center, Hainan, pad LC201. 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.

22. 2019 7 years ago launch

    Beidou DW44 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Beidou DW44

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3B (G2) launched on the Beidou DW44 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.

23. 2023 3 years ago launch failure

    Starship Flight 1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests

    Mission: Starship Flight 1

    Starship V1.0 launched on the Starship Flight 1 flight from Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas, pad OLP1. 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.

24. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Yaogan 42-02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yaogan 42-02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Yaogan 42-02 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.

25. 2025 1 year ago launch

    NROL-145 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: NROL-145

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the NROL-145 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.