September 3 in Space History

16 events

1. 1965 61 years ago launch

   Kosmos-80/84 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-80/84

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 65S3 launched on the Kosmos-80/84 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC41/15. 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. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Kosmos-854 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-854

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-854 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)

3. 1976 50 years ago planetary landing

   Viking 2 lands on Mars

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

   Mission: Viking 2

   Viking 2 touched down in Utopia Planitia.

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

4. 1980 46 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1209 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1209

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1209 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. 1983 43 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1495 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1495

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1495 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)

6. 1986 40 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1775 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1775

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1775 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)

7. 1986 40 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1776 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1776

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1776 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)

8. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1874 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1874

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1874 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. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Ekran — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Ekran

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/DM launched on the Ekran flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC200/39. 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. 1990 36 years ago launch

    Feng Yun 1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Feng Yun 1

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4 launched on the Feng Yun 1 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC7. 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. 1995 31 years ago launch

    Soyuz TM-22 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Soyuz TM-22

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U2 launched on the Soyuz TM-22 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)

12. 2020 6 years ago launch

    SSMS — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SSMS

    • Space transportation

    Vega (1) launched on the SSMS flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ZLV. 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. 2020 6 years ago launch

    Starlink-12 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-12

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-12 flight from NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pad LC39A. 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. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Yaogan 43-02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yaogan 43-02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4B launched on the Yaogan 43-02 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)

15. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-300 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-300

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-300 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)

16. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-301 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-301

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-301 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)