Space history on April 21

16 events

1. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Molniya-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Molniya-1

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78M 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.

2. 1972 54 years ago launch

   Kosmos-487 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-487

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-487 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.

3. 1972 54 years ago landing

   Apollo 16: lunar landing

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

   Mission: Apollo 16

   Moon landing.

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

4. 1979 47 years ago

   The Persistence of Vision: Best Novella

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   The Persistence of Vision (Novella) by John Varley · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novella

   The Persistence of Vision won Best Novella.

   • SFWA: 1978 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1978 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

5. 1979 47 years ago

   A Glow of Candles, A Unicorn’s Eye: Best Novelette

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   A Glow of Candles, A Unicorn’s Eye (Novella) by Charles L. Grant · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novelette

   A Glow of Candles, A Unicorn’s Eye won Best Novelette.

   • SFWA: 1978 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1978 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

6. 1979 47 years ago

   Stone: Best Short Story

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Stone (Short story) by Edward Bryant · Award: Nebula Award — Best Short Story

   Stone won Best Short Story.

   • SFWA: 1978 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1978 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

7. 1979 47 years ago

   Dreamsnake — 1978 Nebula Award, Best Novel

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Dreamsnake (Novel) by Vonda N. McIntyre · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

   Dreamsnake — 1978 Nebula Award, Best Novel (1979-04-21).

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

8. 1981 45 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1266 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1266

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-1266 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.

9. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1351 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1351

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1351 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC107/1. 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. 1982 44 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1352 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1352

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1352 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.

11. 1987 39 years ago launch

    Progress-29 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress-29

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U2 launched on the Progress-29 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. 1993 33 years ago launch

    Molniya-3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Molniya-3

    • Space transportation

    Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-3 flight from GNIIP, VKS section, Plesetsk, Rossiya, 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.

13. 1995 31 years ago launch

    ERS 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: ERS 2

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 40 (40+) launched on the ERS 2 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.

14. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Starlink-44 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-44

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-44 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.

15. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Dragon CRS-32 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Dragon CRS-32

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Dragon CRS-32 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.

16. 2026 launch

    GPS III SV10 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GPS III SV10

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the GPS III SV10 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.