August 20 in Space History

18 events

1. 1970 56 years ago launch

   Kosmos-358 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-358

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-358 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)

2. 1975 51 years ago launch

   Viking 1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Viking 1

   • Space transportation

   Viking 1 is the first of two spacecraft, along with Viking 2, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander, sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program.

   • 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)
   • Wikipedia — Viking 1 (opens in a new tab) — Adapted from Wikipedia contributors; selected sentences retained and edited for length, reference markers and pronunciation glosses. CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Article and edit history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_1 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Viking 1 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Viking 1 (opens in a new tab)

3. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Voyager 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Voyager 2

   • Space transportation

   Voyager 2 is a space probe launched by NASA on August 20, 1977, as a part of the Voyager program.

   • 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)
   • Wikipedia — Voyager 2 (opens in a new tab) — Adapted from Wikipedia contributors; selected sentences retained and edited for length, reference markers and pronunciation glosses. CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Article and edit history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_2 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Voyager 2 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Voyager 2 (opens in a new tab)

4. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1401 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1401

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1401 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)

5. 1986 40 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1771 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1771

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-1771 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC90. 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. 1991 35 years ago launch

   Progress M-9 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Progress M-9

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U2 launched on the Progress M-9 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)

7. 2011 15 years ago

   Blackout/All Clear — 2011 Hugo Award, Best Novel

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Blackout/All Clear (Novel) by Connie Willis · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

   Blackout/All Clear — 2011 Hugo Award, Best Novel (2011-08-20).

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

8. 2015 11 years ago launch

   Eutelsat 8WB/IS-34 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Eutelsat 8WB/IS-34

   • Space transportation

   Ariane 5ECA launched on the Eutelsat 8WB/IS-34 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)

9. 2016 10 years ago

   The Fifth Season — 2016 Hugo Award, Best Novel

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   The Fifth Season (Novel) by N.K. Jemisin · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

   The Fifth Season — 2016 Hugo Award, Best Novel (2016-08-20).

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

10. 2016 10 years ago

    Cat Pictures Please — Hugo Award, Best Short Story

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    Cat Pictures Please (Short story) by Naomi Kritzer · Award: Hugo Award — Best Short Story · Role: Science fiction writer

    Cat Pictures Please — Hugo Award, Best Short Story (2016-08-20).

    • The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners. Original source retains its rights.

11. 2016 10 years ago

    Folding Beijing — Hugo Award, Best Novelette

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    Folding Beijing (Novella) by Hao Jingfang, Ken Liu (translator) · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novelette · Role: Science fiction writer

    Folding Beijing — Hugo Award, Best Novelette (2016-08-20).

    • The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners. Original source retains its rights.

12. 2016 10 years ago

    Binti — Hugo Award, Best Novella

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Science fiction literature

    Binti (Novella) by Nnedi Okorafor · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novella · Role: Science fiction writer

    Binti — Hugo Award, Best Novella (2016-08-20).

    • The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners. Original source retains its rights.

13. 2016 10 years ago

    The Martian — Hugo Award, Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

    Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

    • Science fiction
    • Film and television

    The Martian (Film) by Drew Goddard, Ridley Scott · Award: Hugo Award — Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

    The Martian — Hugo Award, Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (2016-08-20).

    • The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on The Hugo Awards: 2016 winners. Original source retains its rights.

14. 2019 7 years ago orbital insertion

    Chandrayaan-2 enters lunar orbit

    Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Orbit insertion

    Mission: Chandrayaan-2

    ISRO inserted Chandrayaan-2 into orbit around the Moon.

    • ISRO — Chandrayaan-2 mission (opens in a new tab) — Original factual summary; retain attribution to ISRO.

15. 2023 3 years ago launch

    GF12-04 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GF12-04

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4C launched on the GF12-04 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)

16. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-189 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-189

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-189 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)

17. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Bion-M No. 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Bion-M No. 2

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1B launched on the Bion-M No. 2 flight from GIK-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)

18. 2026 launch

    The Lighting God Defends — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: The Lighting God Defends

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the The Lighting God Defends flight from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, pad LC1B. 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)