August 21 in Space History

13 events

1. 1964 62 years ago launch

   CORONA 84/9064A — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 84/9064A

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2A Agena D launched on the CORONA 84/9064A 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. (CC BY 4.0)

2. 1972 54 years ago launch

   OAO 3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: OAO 3

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3C Centaur launched on the OAO 3 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC36B. 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. 1972 54 years ago launch

   Kosmos-516 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-516

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-516 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)

4. 1973 53 years ago launch

   Kosmos-579 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-579

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-579 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. 1973 53 years ago launch

   OPS 7724 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: OPS 7724

   • Space transportation

   Titan 33B launched on the OPS 7724 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)

6. 1979 47 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1123 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1123

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1123 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)

7. 1981 45 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1298 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1298

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1298 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. 1986 40 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1772 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1772

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1772 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)

9. 1991 35 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. (CC BY 4.0)

10. 1997 29 years ago launch

    Iridium MS-3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Iridium MS-3

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7920-10C launched on the Iridium MS-3 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC2W. 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. 2009 17 years ago launch

    JCSAT 12/Optus D3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: JCSAT 12/Optus D3

    • Space transportation

    Ariane 5ECA launched on the JCSAT 12/Optus D3 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)

12. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Kosmos (x4) — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos (x4)

    • Space transportation

    Angara-1.2 launched on the Kosmos (x4) flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC35/1. 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. 2026 launch

    Starlink-419 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-419

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-419 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)