December 14 in Space History

27 events

1. 1962 64 years ago launch

   CORONA 58/9050 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

   Mission: CORONA 58/9050

   • Space transportation

   Thor Agena D launched on the CORONA 58/9050 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)

2. 1962 64 years ago planetary flyby

   Mariner 2 flies past Venus

   Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › , type: Flyby

   Mission: Mariner 2

   Mariner 2 completed the first successful close-range planetary encounter.

   • NASA — 60 moments in NASA history (opens in a new tab) — Factual summary; source attribution retained.

3. 1966 60 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. (CC BY 4.0)

4. 1966 60 years ago launch

   Biosatellite 1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Biosatellite 1

   • Space transportation

   Thor Delta G launched on the Biosatellite 1 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. (CC BY 4.0)

5. 1966 60 years ago launch failure

   Soyuz No. 1 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests

   Mission: Soyuz No. 1

   Soyuz 11A511 launched on the Soyuz No. 1 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC31. 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)

6. 1968 58 years ago launch

   Kosmos-259 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-259

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K63 launched on the Kosmos-259 flight from GTsP-4, Kapustin Yar, Volgograd, Rossiya, pad LC86/4. 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. 1971 55 years ago launch

   POPPY 7 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

   Mission: POPPY 7

   • Space transportation

   Thorad SLV-2G Agena D launched on the POPPY 7 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)

8. 1972 54 years ago launch

   Kosmos-538 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-538

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-538 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)

9. 1975 51 years ago launch

   DSP 5 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

   Mission: DSP 5

   • Space transportation

   Titan IIIC launched on the DSP 5 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)

10. 1977 49 years ago launch

    Meteor-2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Meteor-2

    • Space transportation

    Vostok 8A92M launched on the Meteor-2 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)

11. 1978 48 years ago launch

    DSCS II 11/12 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: DSCS II 11/12

    • Space transportation

    Titan IIIC launched on the DSCS II 11/12 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)

12. 1978 48 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1061 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1061

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1061 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)

13. 1982 44 years ago launch

    Meteor-2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Meteor-2

    • Space transportation

    Vostok 8A92M launched on the Meteor-2 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)

14. 1983 43 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1514 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1514

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1514 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC41/1. 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)

15. 1984 42 years ago launch

    Molniya-1 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Molniya-1

    • Space transportation

    Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-1 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC41/1. 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)

16. 1987 39 years ago launch

    Kosmos-1901 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-1901

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U launched on the Kosmos-1901 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)

17. 1994 32 years ago launch

    Molniya-1T — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Molniya-1T

    • Space transportation

    Molniya 8K78M (ML) launched on the Molniya-1T flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, 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)

18. 1995 31 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2323/2325 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2323/2325

    • Space transportation

    Proton-K/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-2323/2325 flight from GIK-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. (CC BY 4.0)

19. 2006 20 years ago launch

    USA 193 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: USA 193

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7920-10C launched on the USA 193 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)

20. 2009 17 years ago launch

    Kosmos-2456/2458 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Kosmos-2456/2458

    • Space transportation

    Proton-M/DM-2 launched on the Kosmos-2456/2458 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)

21. 2009 17 years ago launch

    WISE — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: WISE

    • Space transportation

    Delta 7320-10C launched on the WISE 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)

22. 2013 13 years ago landing

    Chang'e 3: lunar landing

    Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › , type: Landing

    Mission: Chang'e 3

    Moon landing.

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

23. 2020 6 years ago launch

    IPM — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: IPM

    • Space transportation

    Angara A5 launched on the IPM flight from 1-y Gosudarstvenniy Ispitatelniy Kosmodrom MO RF, pad LC35/1. 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)

24. 2022 4 years ago launch

    YG-36 04 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: YG-36 04

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the YG-36 04 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)

25. 2023 3 years ago launch

    CSSHQ — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: CSSHQ

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2F (T) launched on the CSSHQ flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LC43/91. 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)

26. 2025 1 year ago launch

    RAISE and Shine — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: RAISE and Shine

    • Space transportation

    Electron launched on the RAISE and Shine flight from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, pad LC1B. 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)

27. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Starlink-341 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › , type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-341

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-341 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)