Space history on April 24

23 events

1. 1962 64 years ago launch

   Kosmos-3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-3

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 63S1 launched on the Kosmos-3 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad Mayak-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.

2. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Kosmos-217 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-217

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2A launched on the Kosmos-217 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.

3. 1970 56 years ago launch

   DFH-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: DFH-1

   • Space transportation

   Chang Zheng 1 launched on the DFH-1 flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LA2A. 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.

4. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Kosmos-335 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-335

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-335 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC86/4. 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.

5. 1971 55 years ago launch

   Kosmos-408 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-408

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-408 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.

6. 1974 52 years ago launch

   Meteor — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Meteor

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92M launched on the Meteor 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. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-730 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-730

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-730 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.

8. 1982 44 years ago

   The Bone Flute*: Best Short Story

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   The Bone Flute* (Short story) by Lisa Tuttle · Award: Nebula Award — Best Short Story

   The Bone Flute* won Best Short Story.

   • SFWA: 1981 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1981 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

9. 1982 44 years ago

   The Saturn Game: Best Novella

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   The Saturn Game (Novella) by Poul Anderson · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novella

   The Saturn Game won Best Novella.

   • SFWA: 1981 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1981 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

10. 1982 44 years ago

    The Quickening: Best Novelette

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    The Quickening (Novella) by Michael Bishop · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novelette

    The Quickening won Best Novelette.

    • SFWA: 1981 Nebula Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SFWA: 1981 Nebula Awards. Original source retains its rights.

11. 1982 44 years ago

    The Claw of the Conciliator — 1981 Nebula Award, Best Novel

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    The Claw of the Conciliator (Novel) by Gene Wolfe · Award: Nebula Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

    The Claw of the Conciliator — 1981 Nebula Award, Best Novel (1982-04-24).

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

12. 1987 39 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1838/1840 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1838/1840

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-1838/1840 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC200/40. 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.

13. 1987 39 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1841 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1841

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1841 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.

14. 1990 36 years ago launch

    HST — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: HST

    • Space transportation

    Space Shuttle launched on the HST 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.

15. 1991 35 years ago launch

    Meteor-3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Meteor-3

    • Space transportation

    Tsiklon-3 launched on the Meteor-3 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC32/2. 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.

16. 1996 30 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2332 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2332

    • Space transportation

    Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-2332 flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC132/1. 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.

17. 1998 28 years ago launch

    Globalstar 5-8 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Globalstar 5-8

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7420-10C launched on the Globalstar 5-8 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.

18. 2003 23 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2397 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2397

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-2397 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/24. 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. 2006 20 years ago launch

    Progress M-56 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-56

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-56 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.

20. 2010 16 years ago launch

    SES-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SES-1

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/Briz-M (II) launched on the SES-1 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.

21. 2013 13 years ago launch

    Progress M-19M — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-19M

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-19M 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.

22. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Shenzhou 20 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Shenzhou 20

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2F (G) launched on the Shenzhou 20 flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LC43/91. 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. 2026 launch

    WHJSW 9-1 to 9-4 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: WHJSW 9-1 to 9-4

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the WHJSW 9-1 to 9-4 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.