Space history on July 17

13 events

1. 1964 62 years ago launch

   Vela 2A/2B — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Vela 2A/2B

   • Space transportation

   Atlas Agena D launched on the Vela 2A/2B flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC13. 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. 1965 61 years ago launch

   OPS 8411 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: OPS 8411

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2A Agena D launched on the OPS 8411 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad 75-1-2. 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.

3. 1967 59 years ago launch

   Kosmos-169 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-169

   • Space transportation

   R-36O 8K69 launched on the Kosmos-169 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.

4. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Kosmos-750 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-750

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-750 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.

5. 1975 51 years ago docking

   Apollo and Soyuz dock

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Docking or berthing

   American and Soviet spacecraft docked during their joint test mission.

   • NASA — 60 moments in NASA history (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.

6. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Kosmos-929 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-929

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K launched on the Kosmos-929 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/24. 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. 1981 45 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1283 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1283

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1283 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.

8. 1984 42 years ago launch

   Soyuz T-12 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Soyuz T-12

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U2 launched on the Soyuz T-12 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.

9. 1985 41 years ago launch

   Molniya-3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Molniya-3

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-3 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.

10. 1986 40 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1764 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1764

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1764 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.

11. 1990 36 years ago launch

    Resurs-F — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Resurs-F

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Resurs-F 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.

12. 1991 35 years ago launch

    ERS 1/ASAP 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: ERS 1/ASAP 2

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 40 (40) launched on the ERS 1/ASAP 2 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.

13. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Starlink-53 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-53

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-53 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.