December 1 in Space History

18 events

1. 1960 66 years ago launch

   Korabl'-Sputnik-3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Korabl'-Sputnik-3

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8K72 launched on the Korabl'-Sputnik-3 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. (CC BY 4.0)

2. 1964 62 years ago launch failure

   DS-2 No. 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: DS-2 No. 2

   Kosmos 63S1 launched on the DS-2 No. 2 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC86/1. 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)

3. 1980 46 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1224 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1224

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1224 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, 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. (CC BY 4.0)

4. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1898 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1898

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1898 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)

5. 1989 37 years ago launch

   Granat — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Granat

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/D-1 launched on the Granat flight from GIK-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)

6. 1992 34 years ago launch

   Superbird A1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Superbird A1

   • Space transportation

   Ariane 42P (42P+) launched on the Superbird A1 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA2. 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. 1994 32 years ago launch failure

   PAS 3 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: PAS 3

   Ariane 42P (42P-3) launched on the PAS 3 flight from Centre Spatial Guyanais, Kourou, Guyane Francaise, pad ELA2. 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)

8. 2000 26 years ago launch

   ISS 4A — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: ISS 4A

   • Space transportation

   Space Shuttle launched on the ISS 4A flight from NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pad LC39B. 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. 2001 25 years ago launch

   Kosmos-2380/2382 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2380/2382

   • Space transportation

   Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-2380/2382 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)

10. 2008 18 years ago launch

    Yaogan 4 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yaogan 4

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Yaogan 4 flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LC603. 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. 2011 15 years ago launch

    Beidou DW10 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Beidou DW10

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3A launched on the Beidou DW10 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)

12. 2013 13 years ago launch

    Chang'e 3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Chang'e 3

    • Space transportation

    Chang'e 3 is a robotic lunar exploration mission operated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), incorporating a robotic lander and China's first lunar rover.

    • 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 — Chang’e 3 (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/Chang%27e_3 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
    • Timeline of Space Exploration Missions 1957 to 2031 (opens in a new tab)
    • NASA — Chang’e 3 (opens in a new tab)
    • NASA NSSDCA — Chang’e 3 (opens in a new tab)

13. 2016 10 years ago launch failure

    Progress MS-04 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests

    Mission: Progress MS-04

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress MS-04 flight from GIK-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC1. 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)

14. 2020 6 years ago landing

    Chang'e 5: lunar landing

    Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

    Mission: Chang'e 5

    Moon landing.

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

15. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Progress MS-25 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress MS-25

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-2-1A launched on the Progress MS-25 flight from GIK-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)

16. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Project 425 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Project 425

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Project 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)

17. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-333 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-333

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-333 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)

18. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Kompsat-7 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kompsat-7

    • Space transportation

    Vega C launched on the Kompsat-7 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)