April 25 in Space History

21 events

1. 1961 65 years ago launch failure

   MA-3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: MA-3

   Atlas D launched on the MA-3 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC14. 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)

2. 1964 62 years ago launch

   Kosmos-29 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-29

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92 launched on the Kosmos-29 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)

3. 1966 60 years ago launch

   Molniya-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Molniya-1

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78 (M) launched on the Molniya-1 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)

4. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Kosmos-218 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-218

   • Space transportation

   R-36O 8K69 launched on the Kosmos-218 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC162/36. 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. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Kosmos-336/343 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-336/343

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-336/343 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)

6. 1972 54 years ago launch failure

   DS-P1-Yu No. 51 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: DS-P1-Yu No. 51

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the DS-P1-Yu No. 51 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC133/3. 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)

7. 1973 53 years ago launch

   Kosmos-555 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-555

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-555 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)

8. 1979 47 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)

9. 1979 47 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1096 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1096

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-1096 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)

10. 1981 45 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1267 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1267

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K launched on the Kosmos-1267 flight from NIIP-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)

11. 1983 43 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1456 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1456

    • Space transportation

    Molniya 8K78M (2BL) launched on the Kosmos-1456 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC16/2. 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)

12. 1985 41 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1648 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1648

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1648 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)

13. 1990 36 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2075 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2075

    • Space transportation

    Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-2075 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)

14. 1990 36 years ago mission operations

    Hubble deployed from the Space Shuttle

    The Hubble Space Telescope was deployed from the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 25, 1990, one day after the STS-31 launch.

    • NASA — 60 moments in NASA history (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.
    • Wikipedia — Hubble Space Telescope (opens in a new tab) — Factual synthesis based on the cited Wikipedia and NASA pages; original editorial wording. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
    • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
    • NASA — Hubble Space Telescope (opens in a new tab)
    • NASA NSSDCA — Hubble Space Telescope (opens in a new tab)

15. 2008 18 years ago launch

    Tian Lian 1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Tian Lian 1

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3C launched on the Tian Lian 1 flight from Xichang Space Center (Songlin), Sichuan, China, pad LC2?. 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. 2016 10 years ago launch

    Sentinel 1B — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Sentinel 1B

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-ST-A (Fregat) launched on the Sentinel 1B 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)

17. 2020 6 years ago launch

    Progress MS-14 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress MS-14

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1A launched on the Progress MS-14 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)

18. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Shenzhou 18 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Shenzhou 18

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2F (G) launched on the Shenzhou 18 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. (CC BY 4.0)

19. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-252 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-252

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-252 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)

20. 2026 launch

    PRSC-EO3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: PRSC-EO3

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 6 launched on the PRSC-EO3 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)

21. 2026 launch

    Progress MS-34 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress MS-34

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1A launched on the Progress MS-34 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)