August 6 in Space History

19 events

1. 1961 65 years ago launch

   Vostok-2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Vostok-2

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8K72 (K) launched on the Vostok-2 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. (CC BY 4.0)

2. 1963 63 years ago launch

   Kosmos-19 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-19

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 63S1 launched on the Kosmos-19 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad Mayak-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)

3. 1968 58 years ago launch

   AFP-827 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: AFP-827

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3A Agena D launched on the AFP-827 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. (CC BY 4.0)

4. 1968 58 years ago launch

   KH-8 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: KH-8

   • Space transportation

   Titan IIIB launched on the KH-8 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. (CC BY 4.0)

5. 1969 57 years ago launch

   Kosmos-291 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-291

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-291 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC90/19. 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. 1974 52 years ago launch

   Kosmos-670 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-670

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-670 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. (CC BY 4.0)

7. 1976 50 years ago launch

   OPS 7940 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: OPS 7940

   • Space transportation

   Titan 34B launched on the OPS 7940 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. (CC BY 4.0)

8. 1981 45 years ago launch

   FLTSATCOM 5 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: FLTSATCOM 5

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3D Centaur launched on the FLTSATCOM 5 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC36A. 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)

9. 1981 45 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1287/1294 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1287/1294

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1287/1294 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)

10. 1984 42 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1587 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1587

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1587 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)

11. 1986 40 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1770 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1770

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1770 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. (CC BY 4.0)

12. 2011 15 years ago launch

    Astra 1N/BSAT-3c — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Astra 1N/BSAT-3c

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 5ECA launched on the Astra 1N/BSAT-3c flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA3. 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. 2012 14 years ago launch

    Telkom-3/EkspressMD2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Telkom-3/EkspressMD2

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/Briz-M (III) launched on the Telkom-3/EkspressMD2 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/24. 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)

14. 2012 14 years ago landing

    Curiosity lands on Mars

    Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

    Mission: Curiosity

    The Curiosity rover landed in Gale Crater.

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

15. 2014 12 years ago comet exploration

    Rosetta arrives at comet 67P

    Rosetta reached its target comet and began accompanying it around the Sun.

    • ESA Archives — Rosetta (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.

16. 2019 7 years ago launch

    EDRS-C/IS-39 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: EDRS-C/IS-39

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 5ECA+ launched on the EDRS-C/IS-39 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA3. 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. 2019 7 years ago launch

    AMOS 17 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: AMOS 17

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the AMOS 17 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. (CC BY 4.0)

18. 2020 6 years ago launch

    Gao Fen 9-04 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Gao Fen 9-04

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Gao Fen 9-04 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)

19. 2026 launch

    The Grain Goddess Prov. — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: The Grain Goddess Prov.

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the The Grain Goddess Prov. flight from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, pad LC1A. 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)