August 16 in Space History

22 events

1. 1884 142 years ago

   Hugo Gernsback: birth

   Category: Organizations and People › Type: Birth

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Role: Science fiction editor, Science fiction writer

   Hugo Gernsback: birth.

   • The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Hugo Gernsback (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Hugo Gernsback. Original source retains its rights.

2. 1961 65 years ago launch

   Explorer 12 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Explorer 12

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta launched on the Explorer 12 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. 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. 1966 60 years ago launch

   AFP-206 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: AFP-206

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3 Agena D launched on the AFP-206 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, 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)

4. 1967 59 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. 1968 58 years ago launch

   ESSA 7 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: ESSA 7

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta N launched on the ESSA 7 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)

6. 1968 58 years ago launch failure

   P68-1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: P68-1

   • Space transportation

   Atlas Burner 2 launched on the P68-1 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC3E. 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)

7. 1969 57 years ago launch

   Kosmos-293 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-293

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-293 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)

8. 1972 54 years ago launch

   Kosmos-514 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-514

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-514 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)

9. 1974 52 years ago launch

   Kosmos-673 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-673

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92M launched on the Kosmos-673 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)

10. 1984 42 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1590 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1590

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1590 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. 1984 42 years ago launch

    AMPTE — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: AMPTE

    • Space transportation

    Delta 3924 launched on the AMPTE flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. 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. 1985 41 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1676 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1676

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1676 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)

13. 1988 38 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1963 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1963

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1963 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)

14. 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 LC43/4. 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)

15. 2017 9 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2520 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2520

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/Briz-M (III) launched on the Kosmos-2520 flight from GIK-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. (CC BY 4.0)

16. 2018 8 years ago

    Beyond This Horizon — 1943 Retro Hugo Award, Best Novel

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    Beyond This Horizon (Novel) by Robert A. Heinlein (as Anson MacDonald) · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

    Beyond This Horizon — 1943 Retro Hugo Award, Best Novel (2018-08-16).

    • The Hugo Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Hugo Awards. Original source retains its rights.

17. 2024 2 years ago launch

    EOS-08 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: EOS-08

    • Space transportation

    SSLV launched on the EOS-08 flight from Satish Dhawan Space Ctr, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, pad FLP. 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. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Yaogan 43-01 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yaogan 43-01

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4B launched on the Yaogan 43-01 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)

19. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Transporter-11 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Transporter-11

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Transporter-11 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)

20. 2025 1 year ago

    The Tainted Cup — 2025 Hugo Award, Best Novel

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    The Tainted Cup (Novel) by Robert Jackson Bennett · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

    The Tainted Cup — 2025 Hugo Award, Best Novel (2025-08-16).

    • The Hugo Awards (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Hugo Awards. Original source retains its rights.

21. 2026 launch

    Globalstar 2R-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Globalstar 2R-1

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Globalstar 2R-1 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)

22. 2026 launch

    USSF-366 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: USSF-366

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the USSF-366 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)