Previous Spaceflight Launches

Filter by Agency, Locations or Vehicles

Show All Launches

Full Launch History

View all launches available - including launches from the past and utilize powerful search filters.

Molniya 8K78 | Venera-1VA 1

Strategic Rocket Forces | Russia
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Feb. 4, 1961, 1:18 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Unknown Mission

There are no mission or payload details available for this launch.


Explore Share

Atlas LV-3A | Samos 2

United States Air Force | United States of America
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Jan. 31, 1961, 8:21 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Unknown Mission

There are no mission or payload details available for this launch.


Explore Share

Redstone MRLV | Mercury-Redstone 2

Chrysler | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Jan. 31, 1961, 4:55 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2) was the test flight of the Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle just prior to the first crewed American space mission in Project Mercury. Carrying a chimpanzee named Ham on a suborbital flight, Mercury spacecraft Number 5 was launched at 16:55 UTC on January 31, 1961 from LC-5 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The capsule and Ham landed safely in the Atlantic Ocean 16 minutes and 39 seconds after launch.

Suborbital
Explore Share

Vostok | Korabl-Sputnik (4)

Soviet Space Program | Russia
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Dec. 22, 1960, 7:45 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

Maiden flight of Vostok-K, second stage engine failure, spacecraft separated and recovered. Two dogs aboard, both survived.

Low Earth Orbit
Explore Share

Thor DM-21 Agena-B | Discoverer 19

United States Air Force | United States of America
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Dec. 20, 1960, 8:32 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Discoverer 19 was an American optical reconnaissance satellite. It was part of the Missile Defence Alarm System.

Low Earth Orbit
Explore Share

Redstone MRLV | Mercury-Redstone 1A

Chrysler | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Dec. 19, 1960, 4:15 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Mercury-Redstone 1A (MR-1A) was launched on December 19, 1960 from LC-5 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission objectives of this uncrewed suborbital flight were to qualify the spacecraft for space flight and qualify the system for an upcoming primate suborbital flight.

Suborbital
Explore Share

Atlas-Able | P-31

Convair | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Dec. 15, 1960, 9:10 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

An intended lunar orbiter the vehicle was destroyed when the launch vehicle exploded due to a malfunction in the first stage.

Lunar Orbit
Explore Share

Thor DM-21 Agena-B | Discoverer 18

United States Air Force | United States of America
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Dec. 7, 1960, 8:20 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Discoverer 18 was an American optical reconnaissance satellite. This was the first successful mission employing the KH-2 camera system

Low Earth Orbit
Explore Share

Scout X-1 | NASA S-56

National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of America
Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Dec. 4, 1960, 9:14 p.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

An American satellite launched by NASA as part of the Explorers program. It failed to reach orbit when the second stage didn't ignite.

Low Earth Orbit
Explore Share

Vostok 8K72 | Korabl'-Sputnik-3

RKK Energiya | Russia
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Dec. 1, 1960, 7:30 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Another test of the Vostok capsule which had a successful flight into orbit but during re-entry the engine failed to cut off and burned to completion resulting in an incorrect entry trajectory. The vehicle was destroyed in order to ensure the vehicle didn't fall into enemy hands.

Low Earth Orbit
Explore Share