Space history on May 3

7 events

1. 1966 60 years ago launch failure

   CORONA 108/1032 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 108/1032

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2A Agena D launched on the CORONA 108/1032 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad 75-3-5. 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.

2. 1986 40 years ago launch failure

   GOES G — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: GOES G

   • Space transportation

   Delta 3914 launched on the GOES G flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. 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.

3. 2006 20 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2420 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2420

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Kosmos-2420 flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, 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.

4. 2018 8 years ago launch

   Apstar 6C — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Apstar 6C

   • Space transportation

   Chang Zheng 3B (G2) launched on the Apstar 6C 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.

5. 2024 2 years ago launch

   Starlink-162 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Starlink-162

   • Space transportation

   Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-162 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.

6. 2024 2 years ago launch

   Chang'e-6 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Chang'e-6

   • Space transportation

   Chang'e 6 was the sixth robotic lunar exploration mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the second CNSA lunar sample-return mission.

   • 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.
   • Wikipedia — Chang’e 6 (opens in a new tab) — Adapted from Wikipedia contributors; selected sentences retained and edited for length, reference markers and pronunciation glosses. CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Article and edit history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_6
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Chang’e 6 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Chang’e 6 (opens in a new tab)

7. 2026 launch

   CAS500-2 Rideshare — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CAS500-2 Rideshare

   • Space transportation

   Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the CAS500-2 Rideshare 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.