Space history on May 16

10 events

1. 1967 59 years ago launch

   Kosmos-159 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-159

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78M (?) launched on the Kosmos-159 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. 1973 53 years ago launch

   KH-8A — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: KH-8A

   • Space transportation

   Titan 24B launched on the KH-8A flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC4W. 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. 1978 48 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1007 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1007

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1007 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.

4. 1991 35 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2143/2148 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2143/2148

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-3 launched on the Kosmos-2143/2148 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.

5. 1996 30 years ago launch

   Palapa C2/Amos 1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Palapa C2/Amos 1

   • Space transportation

   Ariane 44L (44L-3) launched on the Palapa C2/Amos 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.

6. 2009 17 years ago launch

   Protostar 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Protostar 2

   • Space transportation

   Proton-M/Briz-M (II) launched on the Protostar 2 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.

7. 2011 15 years ago launch

   ISS ULF-6 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: ISS ULF-6

   • Space transportation
   • Space stations

   Station: International Space Station

   Space Shuttle launched on the ISS ULF-6 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.

8. 2015 11 years ago launch failure

   Mexsat-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Mexsat-1

   • Space transportation

   Proton-M/Briz-M (III) launched on the Mexsat-1 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC200/39. 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.

9. 2024 2 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2576 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2576

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-2-1B (Fregat) launched on the Kosmos-2576 flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, 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. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-264 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-264

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-264 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.