December 9 in Space History

19 events

1. 1964 62 years ago launch

   Kosmos-51 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-51

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 63S1 launched on the Kosmos-51 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC86/1. 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)

2. 1965 61 years ago launch

   CORONA 103/1027 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 103/1027

   • Space transportation

   Thor SLV-2A Agena D launched on the CORONA 103/1027 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad 75-3-5. 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. 1967 59 years ago launch

   CORONA 122/1102 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 122/1102

   • Space transportation

   Thorad SLV-2G Agena D launched on the CORONA 122/1102 flight from Vandenberg AFB, California, pad SLC1W. 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. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Kosmos-879 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-879

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-879 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)

5. 1976 50 years ago launch

   Kosmos-880 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-880

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-880 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC132/2. 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

   Kosmos-2223 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-2223

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-2223 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)

7. 2007 19 years ago launch

   Raduga-1M (Globus) — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Raduga-1M (Globus)

   • Space transportation

   Proton-M/Briz-M (I) launched on the Raduga-1M (Globus) 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)

8. 2007 19 years ago launch

   COSMO 2 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: COSMO 2

   • Space transportation

   Delta 7420-10C launched on the COSMO 2 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. (CC BY 4.0)

9. 2009 17 years ago launch

   Yaogan 7 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Yaogan 7

   • Space transportation

   Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Yaogan 7 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)

10. 2010 16 years ago organization established

    South African National Space Agency: established

    Category: Organizations and People › Type: Organisation founded

    • Space policy

    National

    South African National Space Agency: established.

    • SANSA (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary based on SANSA. Original source retains its rights.

11. 2013 13 years ago launch failure

    CBERS 3 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: CBERS 3

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4B launched on the CBERS 3 flight from Taiyuan weixing fashe zhongxin, pad LC9. 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)

12. 2015 11 years ago launch

    Zhongxing 1C — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Zhongxing 1C

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3B (G3) launched on the Zhongxing 1C 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)

13. 2016 10 years ago launch

    HTV-6 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: HTV-6

    • Space transportation

    H-IIB launched on the HTV-6 flight from Tanegashima Space Center, Tanegashima, Nippon, pad Y2. 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. 2020 6 years ago launch

    GECAM A/B — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GECAM A/B

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 11 launched on the GECAM A/B flight from Xichang Space Center (Songlin), Sichuan, China, pad LC4. 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. 2021 5 years ago launch

    Data With Destiny — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Data With Destiny

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the Data With Destiny 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)

16. 2021 5 years ago launch

    IXPE — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: IXPE

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the IXPE 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)

17. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Yaogan 47 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Yaogan 47

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 4B launched on the Yaogan 47 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)

18. 2025 1 year ago launch

    TJS 22 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: TJS 22

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3B (G2) launched on the TJS 22 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)

19. 2025 1 year ago launch

    USA 590 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: USA 590

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the USA 590 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)