Space history on August 31

17 events

1. 1967 59 years ago launch

   Kosmos-174 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-174

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78 (M) launched on the Kosmos-174 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.

2. 1979 47 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1126 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1126

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1126 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.

3. 1983 43 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1494 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1494

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1494 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC107/1. 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.

4. 1990 36 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2099 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2099

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-2099 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.

5. 1993 33 years ago launch

   Meteor-2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Meteor-2

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-3 launched on the Meteor-2 flight from GNIIP, VKS section, Plesetsk, Rossiya, pad LC32/1. 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.

6. 1995 31 years ago launch

   Sich — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Sich

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-3 launched on the Sich flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC32/2. 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.

7. 2001 25 years ago

   Farmer in the Sky — 1951 Retro Hugo Award, Best Novel

   Category: Science Fiction › Type: Award win

   • Science fiction
   • Science fiction literature

   Farmer in the Sky (Novel) by Robert A. Heinlein · Award: Hugo Award — Best Novel · Role: Science fiction writer

   Farmer in the Sky — 1951 Retro Hugo Award, Best Novel (2001-08-31).

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

8. 2009 17 years ago launch

   Palapa D — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Palapa D

   • Space transportation

   Chang Zheng 3B launched on the Palapa D flight from Xichang Space Center (Songlin), Sichuan, China, pad LC2?. 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.

9. 2016 10 years ago launch failure

   Gaofen 10 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Gaofen 10

   • Space transportation

   Chang Zheng 4C launched on the Gaofen 10 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC9. 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.

10. 2017 9 years ago launch

    IRNSS-1H — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: IRNSS-1H

    • Space transportation

    PSLV-XL launched on the IRNSS-1H flight from Satish Dhawan Space Ctr, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, pad SLP. 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.

11. 2018 8 years ago space policy

    Australia amends space launches and returns law

    Category: Programs, Policy, and Governance › Type: Law amended

    • Space law
    • Space commerce

    National: Space Activities Amendment (Launches and Returns) Act 2018

    Australia amends space launches and returns law.

    • Parliament of Australia (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on Parliament of Australia. Original source retains its rights.

12. 2020 6 years ago launch

    I Can't Believe It's.. — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: I Can't Believe It's..

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the I Can't Believe It's.. 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.

13. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Starlink-60 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-60

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-60 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.

14. 2023 3 years ago launch

    YG-39 01 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: YG-39 01

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the YG-39 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.

15. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-191 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-191

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-191 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.

16. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-192 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-192

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-192 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.

17. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-299 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-299

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-299 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.