September 20 in Space History

19 events

1. 1966 60 years ago launch

   Surveyor 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Surveyor 2

   • Space transportation

   Surveyor 2 was to be the second lunar lander in the uncrewed American Surveyor program to explore the Moon.

   • 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 — Surveyor 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/Surveyor_2 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Surveyor 2 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Surveyor 2 (opens in a new tab)

2. 1966 60 years ago launch

   CORONA 112/1035 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 112/1035

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2A Agena D launched on the CORONA 112/1035 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC3W. 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. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Kosmos-242 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-242

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-242 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC133/3. 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)

4. 1970 56 years ago landing

   Luna 16: lunar landing

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

   Mission: Luna 16

   Moon landing.

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

5. 1974 52 years ago launch

   Kosmos-685 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-685

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-685 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)

6. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Kosmos-955 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-955

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92M launched on the Kosmos-955 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)

7. 1977 49 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 LC200/40. 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. 1979 47 years ago launch

   HEAO 3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: HEAO 3

   • Space transportation

   Atlas SLV-3D Centaur launched on the HEAO 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)

9. 1990 36 years ago launch

   Molniya-3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Molniya-3

   • Space transportation

   Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-3 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. 1993 33 years ago launch failure

    IRS-1E — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests

    Mission: IRS-1E

    PSLV launched on the IRS-1E flight from Satish Dhawan Space Ctr, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, pad FLP. 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)

11. 2004 22 years ago launch

    GSAT-3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GSAT-3

    • Space transportation

    GSLV Mk I (b) launched on the GSAT-3 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)

12. 2011 15 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2473 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2473

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/Briz-M (I) launched on the Kosmos-2473 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)

13. 2021 5 years ago launch

    Tianzhou 3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Tianzhou 3

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 7 launched on the Tianzhou 3 flight from Wenchang Space Center, Hainan, pad LC201. 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. 2022 4 years ago launch

    Yunhai 1-03 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yunhai 1-03

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Yunhai 1-03 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)

15. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Starlink-109 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-109

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-109 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)

16. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Jilin-1 Kuanfu 02B — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Jilin-1 Kuanfu 02B

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Jilin-1 Kuanfu 02B flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC9. 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. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-195 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-195

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-195 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)

18. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Kineis Killed the RadIOT — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kineis Killed the RadIOT

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the Kineis Killed the RadIOT 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. (CC BY 4.0)

19. 2026 launch

    Starlink-425 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-425

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-425 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)