Space history on November 18

19 events

1. 1961 65 years ago launch

   Ranger 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Ranger 2

   • Space transportation

   Ranger 2 was a flight test of the Ranger spacecraft system of the NASA Ranger program designed for future lunar and interplanetary 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 — Ranger 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/Ranger_2
   • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA — Ranger 2 (opens in a new tab)
   • NASA NSSDCA — Ranger 2 (opens in a new tab)

2. 1964 62 years ago launch

   CORONA 89/1014 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 89/1014

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2A Agena D launched on the CORONA 89/1014 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad 75-1-1. 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.

3. 1970 56 years ago launch

   CORONA 140/1112 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 140/1112

   • Space transportation

   Thorad SLV-2H Agena D launched on the CORONA 140/1112 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.

4. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1421 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1421

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1421 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.

5. 1986 40 years ago launch

   Gorizont — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Gorizont

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/DM launched on the Gorizont 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.

6. 1988 38 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1979 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1979

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-1979 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC90. 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. 1989 37 years ago launch

   COBE — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: COBE

   • Space transportation

   Delta 5920-8 launched on the COBE 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. 1993 33 years ago launch

   Gorizont — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Gorizont

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Gorizont flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC81/23. 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. 1997 29 years ago launch

   Resurs F-1M — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Resurs F-1M

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Resurs F-1M flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, 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.

10. 2004 22 years ago launch

    SW-2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SW-2

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2C (a) launched on the SW-2 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.

11. 2012 14 years ago launch

    HJ-1C — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: HJ-1C

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2C (b) launched on the HJ-1C 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.

12. 2013 13 years ago launch

    MAVEN — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: MAVEN

    • Space transportation

    MAVEN is an inactive NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars that studied the loss of its atmospheric gases to space, providing insight into the history of the planet's climate and water.

    • 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 — MAVEN (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/MAVEN
    • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
    • NASA — MAVEN (opens in a new tab)
    • NASA NSSDCA — MAVEN (opens in a new tab)

13. 2017 9 years ago launch

    NOAA-20 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: NOAA-20

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7920-10C launched on the NOAA-20 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.

14. 2018 8 years ago launch

    Beidou DW42/43 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Beidou DW42/43

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3B/YZ-1 (G3Z) launched on the Beidou DW42/43 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. 2021 5 years ago launch

    Love at First Insight — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Love at First Insight

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the Love at First Insight 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.

16. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Starlink-123 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-123

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-123 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.

17. 2023 3 years ago launch failure

    Starship Flight 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests

    Mission: Starship Flight 2

    Starship V1.0 launched on the Starship Flight 2 flight from Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas, pad OLP1. 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.

18. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-209 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-209

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-209 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.

19. 2024 2 years ago launch

    GSAT-20 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GSAT-20

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the GSAT-20 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.