December 23 in Space History

21 events

1. 1969 57 years ago launch

   Kosmos-316 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-316

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-2 launched on the Kosmos-316 flight from NIIP-5, Baykonur, Kazakstan, pad LC90/20. 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. 1969 57 years ago launch

   Kosmos-317 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-317

   • Space transportation

   Voskhod 11A57 launched on the Kosmos-317 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)

3. 1977 49 years ago launch

   Kosmos-971 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-971

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-971 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC132/1. 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)

4. 1978 48 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1066 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1066

   • Space transportation

   Vostok 8A92M launched on the Kosmos-1066 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)

5. 1980 46 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1228/1235 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1228/1235

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1228/1235 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC132/1. Partial launch success/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. 1981 45 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 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)

7. 1982 44 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1425 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1425

   • Space transportation

   Soyuz-U2 launched on the Kosmos-1425 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)

8. 1987 39 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1904 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1904

   • Space transportation

   Kosmos 11K65M launched on the Kosmos-1904 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)

9. 1988 38 years ago launch

   Kosmos-1985 — launch

   Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

   Mission: Kosmos-1985

   • Space transportation

   Tsiklon-3 launched on the Kosmos-1985 flight from 53-y Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Ispitatelniy Poligon, pad LC32/1. 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)

10. 2004 22 years ago launch

    Progress M-51 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-51

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-51 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)

11. 2007 19 years ago launch

    Progress M-62 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Progress M-62

    • Space transportation

    Soyuz-U-PVB launched on the Progress M-62 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)

12. 2008 18 years ago launch

    FY-2-06 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: FY-2-06

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 3A launched on the FY-2-06 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. 2014 12 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)

14. 2017 9 years ago launch

    Shikisai/Tsubame — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Shikisai/Tsubame

    • Space transportation

    H-IIA 202 (1) launched on the Shikisai/Tsubame flight from Tanegashima Space Center, Tanegashima, Nippon, pad Y. 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. 2017 9 years ago launch

    Iridium-4 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Iridium-4

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT3/4) launched on the Iridium-4 flight from South Vandenberg AFB, 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)

16. 2017 9 years ago launch

    Ludi Kancha Weixing 2 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Ludi Kancha Weixing 2

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 2D launched on the Ludi Kancha Weixing 2 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)

17. 2018 8 years ago launch

    GPS III SV01 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: GPS III SV01

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the GPS III SV01 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)

18. 2021 5 years ago launch

    SY-12 01/02 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: SY-12 01/02

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 7A launched on the SY-12 01/02 flight from Wenchang Space Center, Hainan, pad LC201. 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. 2023 3 years ago launch

    Starlink-131 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-131

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-131 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)

20. 2024 2 years ago launch

    Starlink-220 — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Starlink-220

    • Space transportation

    Falcon 9 (FT5) launched on the Starlink-220 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)

21. 2025 1 year ago launch

    Dummy payload — launch

    Category: Launches and Flight Tests › Type: Orbital launch

    Mission: Dummy payload

    • Space transportation

    Chang Zheng 12A launched on the Dummy payload flight from Jiuquan Space Center, Nei Monggol Zizhiqu, China, pad LC-CZ12A. 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)