Space history on November 6

14 events

1. 1965 61 years ago launch

   Explorer 29 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Explorer 29

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta E launched on the Explorer 29 flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. 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. 1966 60 years ago launch

   Lunar Orbiter 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Lunar Orbiter 2

   • Space transportation

   The 1966 Lunar Orbiter 2 robotic spacecraft mission, part of the Lunar Orbiter Program, was designed primarily to photograph smooth areas of the lunar surface for selection and verification of safe landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo missions.

   • 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.
   • Wikipedia — Lunar Orbiter 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/Lunar_Orbiter_2
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Lunar Orbiter 2 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Lunar Orbiter 2 (opens in a new tab)

3. 1968 58 years ago launch

   KH-8 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: KH-8

   • Space transportation

   Titan IIIB launched on the KH-8 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.

4. 1970 56 years ago launch

   DSP 1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: DSP 1

   • Space transportation

   Titan IIIC launched on the DSP 1 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.

5. 1973 53 years ago launch

   NOAA 3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: NOAA 3

   • Space transportation

   Delta 0300 launched on the NOAA 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.

6. 1997 29 years ago launch

   USA 134 (GPS IIA-28) — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: USA 134 (GPS IIA-28)

   • Space transportation

   Delta 7925 launched on the USA 134 (GPS IIA-28) flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad LC17A. 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. 1998 28 years ago launch

   Iridium MS-11 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Iridium MS-11

   • Space transportation

   Delta 7920-10C launched on the Iridium MS-11 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.

8. 2004 22 years ago launch

   ZY-2C — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: ZY-2C

   • Space transportation

   Chang Zheng 4B launched on the ZY-2C 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.

9. 2004 22 years ago launch

   USA 180 (GPS IIR-13) — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: USA 180 (GPS IIR-13)

   • Space transportation

   Delta 7925-9.5 launched on the USA 180 (GPS IIR-13) flight from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, pad SLC17B. 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.

10. 2010 16 years ago launch

    COSMO 4 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: COSMO 4

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7420-10C launched on the COSMO 4 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.

11. 2020 6 years ago launch

    Nusat 9-18 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Nusat 9-18

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 6 launched on the Nusat 9-18 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC16. 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.

12. 2021 5 years ago launch

    YG-35A,B,C — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: YG-35A,B,C

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the YG-35A,B,C 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.

13. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-323 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-323

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-323 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.

14. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-324 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-324

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-324 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.