July 4 in Space History

15 events

1. 1054 972 years ago astronomical observation

   Crab supernova recorded

   East Asian astronomers recorded the guest star associated with the Crab Nebula.

   • NASA HEASARC — 1000–1499 (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.

2. 1967 59 years ago launch

   Kosmos-168 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-168

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-168 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. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Explorer 38 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Explorer 38

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta J launched on the Explorer 38 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC2E. 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. 1973 53 years ago launch failure

   Zenit-4M — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: Zenit-4M

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Zenit-4M flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC43/3. 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)

5. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-749 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-749

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-749 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. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Kosmos-924 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-924

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-924 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)

7. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1863 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1863

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1863 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)

8. 1989 37 years ago launch

   Nadezhda — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Nadezhda

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Nadezhda 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. (CC BY 4.0)

9. 1997 29 years ago landing

   Mars Pathfinder lands

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

   Mission: Mars Pathfinder

   Pathfinder reached the surface of Mars.

   • NASA — mission history (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.

10. 2000 26 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2371 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2371

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-2371 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)

11. 2006 20 years ago launch

    ISS ULF-1.1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: ISS ULF-1.1

    • Space transportation

    Space Shuttle launched on the ISS ULF-1.1 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. (CC BY 4.0)

12. 2020 6 years ago launch

    Shiyan 6-02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Shiyan 6-02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Shiyan 6-02 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)

13. 2020 6 years ago launch failure

    Pics or It Didn't Happen — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests

    Mission: Pics or It Didn't Happen

    Electron launched on the Pics or It Didn't Happen flight from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, pad LC1A. 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)

14. 2021 5 years ago launch

    Feng Yun 3E — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Feng Yun 3E

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4C launched on the Feng Yun 3E 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)

15. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Tianhui 5-02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Tianhui 5-02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 6A launched on the Tianhui 5-02 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC9A. 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)