May 31 in Space History

17 events

1. 1967 59 years ago launch

   POPPY 5/NRL Comp 6 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: POPPY 5/NRL Comp 6

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2 Agena D launched on the POPPY 5/NRL Comp 6 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC2W. 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)

2. 1975 51 years ago organization established

   ESA begins operations

   Category: Organizations and People › Type: Organisation founded

   Regional

   The European Space Agency began operations following approval of its Convention.

   • ESA — 30 May history (opens in a new tab) — Original factual summary; retain attribution to ESA.

3. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Kosmos-914 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-914

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-914 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. 1979 47 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1103 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1103

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1103 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. (CC BY 4.0)

5. 1979 47 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1104 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1104

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1104 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, 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. (CC BY 4.0)

6. 1981 45 years ago launch

   RS-D-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: RS-D-1

   • Space transportation

   SLV-3 launched on the RS-D-1 flight from Satish Dhawan Space Ctr, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, pad SLV. 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. (CC BY 4.0)

7. 1983 43 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1467 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1467

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1467 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. 1986 40 years ago launch failure

   Intelsat 514 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Intelsat 514

   • Space transportation

   Ariane 2 launched on the Intelsat 514 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA1. 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)

9. 1988 38 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1951 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1951

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1951 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. (CC BY 4.0)

10. 1989 37 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2022/2024 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2022/2024

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-2022/2024 flight from GIK-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)

11. 1990 36 years ago launch

    Kristall — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kristall

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K launched on the Kristall 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. (CC BY 4.0)

12. 2005 21 years ago launch

    Foton-M No. 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Foton-M No. 2

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Foton-M No. 2 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. (CC BY 4.0)

13. 2007 19 years ago launch

    Xinnuo 3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Xinnuo 3

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3A launched on the Xinnuo 3 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. (CC BY 4.0)

14. 2008 18 years ago launch

    ISS IJ — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: ISS IJ

    • Space transportation
    • Space stations

    Station: International Space Station

    Space Shuttle launched on the ISS IJ 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. (CC BY 4.0)

15. 2020 6 years ago launch

    Gao Fen 9-02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Gao Fen 9-02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Gao Fen 9-02 flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LC43/94. 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. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Starlink-87 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-87

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-87 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. (CC BY 4.0)

17. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-270 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-270

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-270 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. (CC BY 4.0)