1967 in spaceflight

1967 in spaceflight
Apollo 4, the first flight of the Saturn V rocket lifts off.
Orbital launches
FirstIntelsat II F-2
LastCRL AF17.750D
National firsts
SatelliteAustraliaAustralia
Rockets
Maiden flightsSoviet UnionProton-KUnited StatesSaturn V
RetirementsSoviet UnionKosmos (63S1)United StatesRedstone Sparta
1967 in spaceflight

The year 1967 in spaceflight saw the most orbital launches of the 20th century and more than any other year until 2021, including that of the first Australian satellite, WRESAT, which was launched from the Woomera Test Range atop an American Sparta rocket. The United States National Space Science Data Center catalogued 172 spacecraft placed into orbit by launches which occurred in 1967.[1]

The year saw both setbacks and advances for the United StatesApollo programme. Three astronauts; Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee, were killed in a fire aboard the AS-204 spacecraft at Cape KennedyLaunch Complex 34 on 27 January whilst rehearsing the launch. On 20 October the Saturn V rocket made its maiden flight.

Orbital Launches

January

January launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
11 January10:55[2]United StatesDelta E1United StatesLC-17, Cape Canaveral
United NationsIntelsat II F-2 (Canary Bird) IntelsatGeosynchronousCommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
14 January21:28[2]United StatesThor-Agena DUnited StatesSLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB
United StatesOPS 1664 KH-4A 1038 CIA Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance2 February 1967Successful
18 January14:19[2]United StatesTitan IIICUnited StatesSLC-41, Cape Canaveral
United StatesIDCSP 8 US Air ForceGeosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 9 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 10 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 11 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 12 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 13 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 14 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 15 US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
19 January12:39[2]Soviet UnionVostok-2Soviet UnionPu-41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 138 (Zenit-2 #45) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance27 January 1967Successful
25 January13:55[2]Soviet UnionR-36ORBSoviet UnionPad 164/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 139 (OGCh #7) Low Earth Orbit Weapon System Test27 January 1967Successful
26 January17:31[2]United StatesDelta EUnited StatesSLC-2E, Vandenberg AFB
United StatesESSA-4ESSA Sun-Synchronous Orbit MeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
31 January12:45[2]United StatesScout BUnited StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOV3-5US Air Force Low Earth orbit Magnetosphere research satellite31 JanuaryFailure

February

February launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
2 February20:00 United StatesAtlas-Agena DUnited StatesSLC-2E, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOPS 4399KH-7 4036 US Air Force Low Earth orbit Optical Reconnaissance12 FebruarySuccessful
5 February01:17 United StatesAtlas-Agena D United StatesLC-13, Cape Canaveral NASA
United StatesLunar Orbiter 3NASA Low Lunar Orbit Lunar surface mapping9 OctoberSuccessful
7 February03:20 Soviet UnionSoyuzSoviet UnionPad 1/5 (Gagarin's Start), Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 140 (Soyuz 7K-OK 1) MOM Low Earth Orbit Uncrewed Test Flight9 FebruarySuccessful
8 February08:00 United StatesThor-Burner 2 United StatesSLC-10W, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesDMSP-4A F2 US Air Force Sun-Synchronous Orbit MeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
8 February09:39 FranceDiamant-AAlgeriaHammaguir CNES
FranceDiadème 1 CNES Low Earth Orbit GeodesyIn orbitPartial Failure
The third stage underperformed, lower orbit than planned
8 February10:19 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionPad 41/1, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 141 (Zenit-4 #26) GRU Low Earth Orbit Optical reconnaissance16 FebruarySuccessful
14 February10:04 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionPad 86/1, Kapustin Yar
Soviet UnionKosmos 142 (DS-U2-I #2) Yuzhnoye Design Bureau Low Earth Orbit Ionosphere Research6 JulySuccessful
15 February10:06 FranceDiamant-AAlgeriaHammaguir CNES
FranceDiadème 2 CNES Low Earth Orbit GeodesyIn orbitSuccessful
22 February22:02 United StatesThor SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesSLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOPS 4750 KH-4A 1039 US Air Force Low Earth orbit Optical Reconnaissance11 MarchSuccessful
24 February19:59 United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesSLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOPS 4204 KH-8 4304 US Air Force Low Earth orbit Optical Reconnaissance6 MarchSuccessful
27 February08:45 Soviet UnionVostok-2Soviet UnionPad 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 143 (Zenit-2 #46) GRU Low Earth Orbit Optical reconnaissance7 MarchPartial Failure
28 February14:34 Soviet UnionVostok-2MSoviet UnionPad 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 144 (Meteor-1 #6) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology14 September 1982Successful

March

March launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
3 March06:44:58 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionKapustin Yar LC-86/1 Soviet Union
Soviet UnionKosmos 145 (DS-U2 M #2) Low Earth Atomic clock test8 March 1968Successful
8 March16:12:00 United StatesDelta C United StatesCape Canaveral LC-17BUnited StatesNASA
United StatesOSO-3NASA Low Earth Solar research4 April 1982Successful
The spacecraft performed normally until the second onboard tape recorder failed in July 1968. The spacecraft was put in standby condition on 10 November 1969, and became inoperable shortly thereafter.
10 March11:30 Soviet UnionProton-K / Blok DSoviet UnionPad 81/23, BaikonurMOM
Soviet UnionKosmos 146 (L1P 2) MOM Low Earth orbit Test prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P18 MarchSuccessful
Maiden flight of the Proton 8K82K (Proton-K).
13 March12:10:23 Soviet UnionVostok-2Soviet UnionPu-41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 147 (Zenit-2 #47) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance21 MarchSuccessful
16 March17:30 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 148 (DS-P1-1 #2) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration7 MaySuccessful
21 March10:07 Soviet UnionKosmos-2I 63SM Soviet UnionSite 86/1 Kapustin YarYuzhnoye Design Bureau
Soviet UnionKosmos 149 (DS-MO #1 / Opticheski #1) Yuzhnoye Design Bureau Low Earth orbit Test, geophysical research7 AprilSuccessful
Aerodynamic skirt stabiliser test
22 March12:44 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 150 (Zenit-4 #27) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance30 MarchSuccessful
22 March14:05 Soviet Union R-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet Union OGCh #8 Low Earth Orbit Weapon System Test22 MarchFailure
Second stage explosion at T+455 seconds
23 March01:30 United StatesDelta E1 United StatesLC-17B, Cape Canaveral
United NationsIntelsat II F3 (Lani Bird) IntelsatGeosynchronousCommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
24 March11:50 Soviet UnionKosmos-3Soviet UnionSite 41/15, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 151 (Strela-2 #3) Low Earth Orbit Military communications6 May 1991Successful
25 March06:59 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 152 (DS-P1-Yu #7) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration5 AugustSuccessful
30 March18:54 United States Thor-SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesSLC-2W, Vandenberg
United StatesOPS 4779 (KH-4A 1040) Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance17 AprilSuccessful

April

April launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
4 April14:00 Soviet UnionVostok-2Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 153 (Zenit-2 #48) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance12 AprilSuccessful
6 April03:23 United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesLC-12, Cape Canaveral
United StatesATS-2NASA Medium Earth orbit (planned)Highly elliptical low Earth orbit (achieved) Communications/ Meteorology2 September 1969Partial failure
United States Research Payload Module 481 LANLHighly elliptical low Earth orbit Technology Demonstration29 June 1968Success
Agena failed to restart, the satellite placed into unplanned highly elliptical orbit. Research Payload Module 481, attached to Agena, tested heat pipes in the space environment
8 April09:00 Soviet UnionProton-K / Blok DSoviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionKosmos 154 (L1P 3) MOM Low Earth orbit Test prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P10 AprilPartial failure
Block D (4th stage) failed to re-ignite
12 April10:51 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 155 (Zenit-4 #28) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance20 AprilSuccessful
13 April02:40 JapanLambda 4SJapanKagoshima
JapanOhsumiISAS Low Earth Orbit Technology demonstration13 AprilFailure
Third attempt to launch the first Japanese satellite. The fourth stage failed to ignite
14 April03:25 United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
OPS 0100 Transit 15 US Navy Low Earth Orbit Navigation SatelliteIn orbitSuccessful
17 April07:05 United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-12 United StatesCape CanaveralLC-36B
United StatesSurveyor 3NASA Translunar injectionLunar lander20 April (on the Moon)Successful
20 AprilUnited StatesDelta EUnited StatesVandenbergSLC-2E
United StatesESSA-5ESSA Low Earth Orbit MeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
23 April00:35 Soviet UnionSoyuzSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionSoyuz 1MOM Low Earth Orbit Crewed test of Soyuz spacecraft24 April03:22:52Spacecraft failure
Solar panels jammed, bad weather prevented Soyuz 2 launch, parachute failure during descent resulted in loss of crew
26 April10:06 United StatesScout B ItalySan Marco platform, Formosa Bay, Kenya CRS
Italy San Marco 2 CRS Low Earth Orbit Atmospheric Research14 OctoberSuccessful
26 AprilUnited StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4243 KH-8 4305 USAF Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance26 AprilFailure
27 April12:50 Soviet UnionVostok-2MSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 156 (Meteor-1 #7) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology23 October 1989Successful
28 April10:01 United StatesTitan IIICUnited StatesCape CanaveralLC-41
United StatesOPS 6638 Vela 7 USAF ReconnaissanceIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesOPS 6679 Vela 8 USAF ReconnaissanceIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesERS-18 ORS-4 USAF Technology DemonstrationIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesERS-20OV5-3USAF Technology DemonstrationIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesERS-27OV5-1USAF Technology DemonstrationIn orbitSuccessful

May

May launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
4 May22:25 United States Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesCape CanaveralLC-13
United StatesLunar Orbiter 4NASA SelenocentricLunar orbiter6 OctoberSuccessful
5 May16:00 United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United KingdomUnited StatesAriel 3UK Science Research Council, NASALow Earth Orbit Atmospheric Research14 December 1970Successful
9 May21:50 United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-1E
United StatesOPS 4696KH-4A 1041 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance13 JulyPartial failure
United StatesOPS 1967 Fanion 3 USAF Low Earth SIGINT14 March 1993Successful
Failure of the booster cut-off switch, the satellite went into a highly eccentric orbit
12 May10:30 Soviet UnionVostok-2Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 157 (Zenit-2 #49) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance20 MaySuccessful
15 May11:00 Soviet UnionKosmos-3MSoviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 158 (Zaliv-GVM #1) Low Earth Orbit BoilerplateIn orbitSuccessful
Maiden flight of Kosmos-3M
16 May21:44 Soviet UnionMolniya-M / Blok L Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 159 (Ye-6LS No 111) High Earth orbit (planned)Highly elliptical orbit (achieved) Test spacecraft11 NovemberPartial success
Blok L cut off too early, the spacecraft placed into much lower orbit than planned, planned mission was accomplished
17 May16:05 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 160 (OGCh #9) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test18 MaySuccessful
18 May09:05 United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOPS 7218 Transit 16 US Navy Low Earth Orbit NavigationIn orbitSuccessful
22 May14:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 161 (Zenit-4 #29) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance30 MaySuccessful
22 May18:30 United States Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4E
United StatesOPS 4321 KH-7 4037 USAF Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance30 MaySuccessful
United StatesOPS 5557 LOGACS USAF Low Earth Orbit Technology Demonstration27 MaySuccessful
24 May14:05 United StatesDelta E1 United StatesVandenbergSLC-2E
United StatesExplorer 34 (IMP F) NASA Highly elliptical orbit Cislunar space research3 May 1969Successful
24 May22:50 Soviet UnionMolniya-MSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionMolniya-1 05 Molniya Communications26 November 1971Successful
30 May02:06 United StatesScout B United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
European UnionESRO 2AESRO Low Earth Orbit X-Ray Astronomy and Radiation Measurements30 MayFailure
Third stage Failure
31 May09:30 United States Thor DM-21 Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-2W
United States Poppy 5A US Navy ELINTIn orbitSuccessful
United States Poppy 5B US Navy ELINTIn orbitSuccessful
United States Poppy 5C US Navy ELINTIn orbitSuccessful
United States Poppy 5D US Navy ELINTIn orbitSuccessful
United States Timation 1 Naval Research Laboratory NavigationIn orbitSuccessful
United States Calsphere 3 Naval Research Laboratory Radar calibrationIn orbitSuccessful
United States Calsphere 4 Naval Research Laboratory Radar calibrationIn orbitSuccessful
United States NRL-PL 150B Naval Research Laboratory Radar calibrationIn orbitSuccessful
United States ORS 5712 USAF Technology DemonstrationIn orbitSuccessful

June

June launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 June10:40 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 162 (Zenit-4 #30) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance9 JuneSuccessful
4 June18:07 United States Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4E
United StatesOPS 4360 KH-7 4038 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance12 JuneSuccessful
5 June05:03 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionKapustin Yar
Soviet UnionKosmos 163 (DS-U2-MP #2) Low Earth Orbit Micrometeoroid research11 OctoberSuccessful
8 June13:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 164 (Zenit-2 #50) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance14 JuneSuccessful
12 June02:39 Soviet UnionMolniya-M / Blok VL Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionVenera 4Heliocentric Venus landerIn orbitSuccessful
12 June18:06 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 165 (DS-P1-Yu #8) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration15 January 1968Successful
14 June06:01 United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesCape CanaveralLC-12
United StatesMariner 5NASA Heliocentric Venus flybyIn orbitSuccessful
16 June04:43 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionKapustin Yar
Soviet UnionKosmos 166 (DS-U3-S #1) Low Earth Orbit Solar astronomy25 OctoberSuccessful
16 June21:35 United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-1W
United StatesOPS 3559 KH-4A 1042 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance20 JulySuccessful
United StatesOPS 1873 Savant 1 USAF Low Earth Signal intelligence22 October 1968Successful
17 June02:36 Soviet UnionMolniya-M / Blok VL Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 167 (Venera 5a) Heliocentric (planned)Low Earth orbit (achieved) Venus lander25 JuneFailure
Blok VL failed to fire, leaving the spacecraft in the low Earth orbit
20 June11:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionZenit-4 #31 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance20 JuneFailure
20 June16:15 United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4282KH-8 4306 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance30 JuneSuccessful
26 June04:30 Soviet UnionKosmos-3MSoviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionTselina-O-GVM #1 Low Earth Orbit Dummy Satellite26 JuneFailure
29 June21:01 United States Thor-LV2F Burner-2 Star-13A United StatesVandenberg
United StatesAurora 1USAF Low Earth Auroral researchIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesSECOR 9 US Army Low Earth GeodesyIn orbitSuccessful

July

July launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 July13:15 United StatesTitan IIIC United StatesSLC-41, Cape Canaveral US Air Force
United StatesDODGEUS Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit Triaxial Gravity Gradient Stabilization, Magnetic Field Measurements, and Earth ImageryIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesLES 5 USAF Geosynchronous Orbit Technology DemonstrationIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 16 (OPS 9331) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 17 (OPS 9332) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 18 (OPS 9333) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesIDCSP 19-DATS (OPS 9334) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful
4 July05:59 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 168 (Zenit-2 #51) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance12 JulySuccessful
14 July11:53:29 United States Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-11 United StatesCape CanaveralLC-36A
United StatesSurveyor 4NASA Translunar injection Lunar lander17 July 1967Spacecraft failure
Radio signals from the spacecraft ceased 2.5 minutes before landing on the Moon
17 July16:45 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 169 (OGCh #10) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test17 JulySuccessful
19 July14:19 United StatesDelta E1 United StatesCape CanaveralLC-17B
United StatesExplorer 35 (IMP E) NASA Selenolentric Lunar orbiterUnknownSuccessful
21 July06:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionZenit-4 #32 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance21 JulyFailure
25 July03:48 United States Thor SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-2W
United StatesOPS 1879 (Multigroup 2&Setter 1B) USAF Low Earth Signal intelligence12 June 1969Successful
27 July19:00 United StatesAtlas D OV1 United StatesVandenberg
United StatesOV1-11USAF Low Earth Upper atmosphere research27 JulyFailure
United StatesOV1-12USAF Low Earth Solar flare research22 July 1980Successful
United StatesOV1-86USAF Low Earth Geophysics, cosmic rays research22 February 1972Successful
OV1-11 failed to separate from the launch vehicle
28 July14:21 United States Thor SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-2E
United StatesOGO 4 (POGO 2) NASA Low Earth orbit Geophysics research16 August 1972Successful
31 July16:45 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 170 (OGCh #11) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test31 JulySuccessful

August

August launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 August22:32 United StatesAtlas SLV-3 Agena-D United StatesCape CanaveralLC-13
United StatesLunar Orbiter 5NASASelenocentricLunar orbiter31 January 1968Successful
7 August21:44 United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-1E
United StatesOPS 4827 KH-4A CIA Low Earth orbit Reconnaissance1 SeptemberSuccessful
8 August16:05 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 171 (OGCh #12) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test8 AugustSuccessful
9 August05:45 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 172 (Zenit-4 #33) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance17 AugustSuccessful
16 August17:07 United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4886 KH-8 4307 CIA Low Earth orbit Reconnaissance28 AugustSuccessful
23 August04:41 United States Thor LV-2F Burner 2 United StatesVandenberg
United StatesOPS 7202 DSMP-4A F3 USAF Low Earth orbit MeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
24 August04:59[3]Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 173 (DS-P1-Yu #9) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration17 DecemberSuccessful
31 August08:00 Soviet UnionMolniya (M) Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 174 (Molniya 1Yu 11L) Highly elliptical orbitDeep space tracking system test30 December 1968Successful

September

September launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 September10:30 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionZenit-2 #52 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance1 SeptemberFailure
7 September22:04:26 United StatesDelta GUnited StatesSLC-17B, Cape Canaveral NASA
United StatesBiosatellite 2 (Bios 2) NASA Low Earth Orbit Biological experiments9 September 1967Successful
8 September07:57 United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-13 United StatesSLC-36B, Cape Canaveral NASA
United StatesSurveyor 5NASA Translunar injectionLunar lander11 September (on the Moon)Successful
11 September10:30 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 175 (Zenit-4 #34) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance19 SeptemberSuccessful
12 September17:00 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 176 (DS-P1-Yu #10) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration3 March 1968Successful
15 September19:41 United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-1W
United StatesOPS 5089KH-4B 1101 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance4 OctoberSuccessful
16 September06:06 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 177 (Zenit-2 #53) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance24 OctoberSuccessful
19 September14:45 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 178 (OGCh #13) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test19 SeptemberSuccessful
19 September18:37 United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4941 KH-8 4308 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance30 SeptemberSuccessful
22 September14:05 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 179 (OGCh #14) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test22 SeptemberSuccessful
25 September08:25 United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOPS 4947 Transit 17 US Navy Low Earth Orbit Navigation SatelliteIn orbitSuccessful
26 September10:20 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 180 (Zenit-2 #54) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance4 OctoberSuccessful
27 September11:00 Soviet UnionKosmos-3MSoviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionZaliv-GVM #2 Low Earth Orbit Dummy payload27 SeptemberFailure
27 September22:11 Soviet UnionProton-K / Blok D 8K82K (11S824) Soviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionZond 4a (L1 4) MOM Lunar free-returnPrototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/ZondT+100 sFailure
First stage failure
28 September00:45 United StatesDelta E1 United StatesCape CanaveralLC-17B
United NationsIntelsat II F4 (Pacific-2) IntelsatGeosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful

October

October launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
3 October05:00 Soviet UnionMolniya (M) Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionMolniya-1 06 Molniya Communications4 March 1969Successful
11 October07:57 United States Thor LV-2F Burner 2 United StatesVandenberg
United StatesOPS 1264DSAP-4A F4 USAF Sun-synchronous orbitMeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
11 October11:30 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 181 (Zenit-2 #55) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance19 OctoberSuccessful
16 October08:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 182 (Zenit-4 #35) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance24 OctoberSuccessful
18 October13:30 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 183 (OGCh #15) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test18 OctoberSuccessful
18 October15:58 United StatesDelta CUnited StatesCape CanaveralLC-17B
United StatesOSO 4NASA Low Earth Solar astronomy15 June 1982Successful
22 October08:40 Soviet UnionMolniya (M) Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionMolniya-1 07 Molniya Communications31 December 1969Successful
24 October22:49 Soviet UnionVostok-2MSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 184 (Meteor-1 #8) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology2 April 1989Successful
25 October19:15 United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4995 KH-8 4309 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance5 NovemberSuccessful
27 October02:21 Soviet UnionTsyklon-2ASoviet UnionSite 90/19, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 185 (I2-BM #1) Low Earth Orbit Test spacecraft14 January 1969Successful
27 October09:29 Soviet UnionSoyuzSoviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 186 (Soyuz Test #3) Low Earth Orbit Uncrewed test of Soyuz spacecraft31 OctoberSuccessful
28 October13:15 Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 187 (OGCh #16) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test28 OctoberSuccessful
30 October08:12 Soviet UnionSoyuzSoviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 188 (Soyuz Test #4) Low Earth Orbit Uncrewed test of Soyuz spacecraft2 NovemberSuccessful
30 October17:59 Soviet UnionKosmos-3MSoviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 189 (Tselina-O #1) Low Earth Orbit SIGINT8 June 1978Successful

November

November launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
2 November21:31 United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-1E
United StatesOPS 0562 KH-4A 1044 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance2 DecemberSuccessful
United StatesFacade USAF Low Earth SIGINT28 March 1969Successful
3 November11:20 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 190 (Zenit-4 #36) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance11 NovemberSuccessful
5 November23:37 United States Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesCape CanaveralLC-12
United StatesATS-3NASA Geosynchronous Communications / MeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
7 November07:39:01 United States Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-14 United StatesCape CanaveralLC-36B
United StatesSurveyor 6NASA Translunar injection Lunar lander10 November01:01:06Successful
9 November12:00 United StatesSaturn VUnited StatesLC-39A, Kennedy Space CenterNASA
United StatesApollo 4NASA Highly elliptical orbit Test Saturn V and Apollo Command Module reentry9 November20:37Successful
United StatesLTA-10R NASA Highly elliptical orbit Instrumented dynamic Simulation payload9 NovemberSuccessful
Maiden flight of the Saturn V. LTA-10R remained attached to the S-IVB upper stage
10 November17:53 United StatesDelta E1 United StatesVandenbergSLC-2E
United StatesESSA-6ESSA Low Earth (SSO) MeteorologyIn orbitSuccessful
21 November14:29 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionPlesetskSite 133/1
Soviet UnionKosmos 191 (DS-P1-Yu #11) Low Earth Orbit Radar Calibration2 March 1968Successful
22 November19:07 Soviet UnionProton K / Blok DSoviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionZond 4bMOM Lunar Free-return Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond22 NovemberFailure
Second stage failure
23 November15:00 Soviet UnionKosmos-3MSoviet UnionPlesetsk Site 132/2
Soviet UnionKosmos 192 (Zaliv #1) Low Earth Orbit NavigationIn orbitSuccessful
25 November11:30 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 193 (Zenit-2 #56) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance3 DecemberSuccessful
29 November04:49 United StatesRedstone SpartaAustraliaLA-8, Woomera WRE
AustraliaWRESATWRE Low Earth orbit Atmospheric experiments10 January 1968Successful
First Australian satellite

December

December launches
Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
3 December12:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 194 (Zenit-4 #37) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance11 DecemberSuccessful
5 December01:03 United StatesScout B United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
OV3-6US Air Force Low Earth Orbit Magnetospheric Research9 March 1969Successful
5 December18:45 United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-4W
United StatesOPS 5000 KH-8 4310 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance16 DecemberSuccessful
9 December22:25 United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenbergSLC-1W
United StatesOPS 1001 KH-4A 1102 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance25 DecemberSuccessful
13 December14:08 United StatesDelta E1 United StatesCape CanaveralLC-17B
United StatesPioneer 8NASA Heliocentric Solar orbiterIn orbitSuccessful
United StatesTTR NASA Heliocentric Technology DemonstrationIn orbitSuccessful
16 December12:00 Soviet UnionVoskhodSoviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 195 (Zenit-2 #57) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance24 DecemberSuccessful
19 December06:30 Soviet UnionKosmosSoviet UnionKapustin Yar, Site 86/1
Soviet UnionKosmos 196 (DS-U1-G #2) Low Earth Orbit Solar research7 July 1968Successful
Final flight of the original Kosmos (63S1)
26 December09:01 Soviet UnionKosmos-2Soviet UnionKapustin Yar, Site 86/1
Soviet UnionKosmos 197 (DS-U2-V #3) Low Earth Orbit Ionosphere research30 January 1968Successful
27 December11:28 Soviet UnionTsyklon-2ASoviet UnionSite 90/19, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 198 (US-AO #3) Low Earth Orbit Prototype of US-A satelliteIn orbitSuccessful

Suborbital launches

Date and time (UTC) RocketFlight number Launch siteLSP
PayloadOperator OrbitFunction Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks

January-December

25 January23:16 FranceDragonAdélie LandDumont d'Urville Station, Terre Adelie
FranceCNES Suborbital Ionosphere research25 JanuarySuccessful
Apogee: 340 km
31 January23:05 Soviet UnionMR-12Soviet UnionKheysa
Soviet UnionAN SSSRSuborbital Thermosphere research31 JanuarySuccessful
Apogee: 172 km
6 February02:10 JapanL-3HJapanKagoshima Space Center LP-L
JapanISAS Suborbital Ionosphere research, X-ray astronomy6 FebruarySuccessful
Apogee: 2150 km
9 FebruarySoviet UnionRT-15Soviet UnionKapustin Yar, Site 84 Soviet UnionRVSN
Soviet UnionRVSN Suborbital Missile test4 DecemberSuccessful
5 March23:05 United StatesAtlas SLV-3United StatesVandenberg AFB, SLC-3EUnited StatesUS Air Force
United StatesSV-5D FV-2 US Air Force Suborbital Lifting body reentry test5 MarchSuccessful
Second test of PRIME
4 August03:53 European UnionEuropaF6/1 AustraliaLA-6A, Woomera ELDO
Suborbital Test launcher with dummy third stageN/AFailure
Second stage failed to ignite. Apogee: 180 km
11 October16:22 United StatesSpartaSV-8 AustraliaLA-8, Woomera United StatesUS Army
United StatesRe-entry vehicle US Army Suborbital Re-entry vehicle test11 OctoberSuccessful
Apogee: 137 km
12 October14:15 Soviet UnionKosmos-3Soviet UnionBaikonur Site 41/15
Soviet UnionVKZ 1 Suborbital Aeronomy, ionosphere and radiation belt researchT+52 minSuccessful
Launched on the strictly vertical trajectory. Apogee: 4,400 km
19 October17:33 United StatesScout B United StatesLA-3A, Wallops Island US Air Force
United StatesRAM C-1 NASA Suborbital Technology Demonstration19 OctoberSuccessful
31 October13:14 United StatesSpartaSV-9 AustraliaLA-8, Woomera United StatesUS Army
United StatesRe-entry vehicle US Army Suborbital Re-entry vehicle test31 OctoberSuccessful
Apogee: 111 km
NovemberFranceLEX02B/1 FranceCERES Ile du LevantFranceONERA
FranceONERA Suborbital Test flightNovemberSuccessful
Apogee: 115 km
NovemberFrance LEX 02B/2 France CERES Ile du Levant France ONERA
FranceONERA Suborbital Test flightNovemberSuccessful
Apogee: 115 km
NovemberFrance LEX 02B/4 France CERES Ile du Levant France ONERA
France SECT Meteo ONERA Suborbital MeteorologyNovemberSuccessful
Apogee: 101 km
4 December21:01 European UnionEuropa F6/2 AustraliaLA-6A, Woomera ELDO
N/A ELDO Suborbital Test launcher with dummy third stage and boilerplate spacecraftN/AFailure
Second stage failed to separate. Apogee: 200 km

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (UTC) Spacecraft Event Remarks
8 FebruaryLunar Orbiter 3Selenocentric orbit insertionReturned 182 images
20 AprilSurveyor 3Lunar landingin Oceanus Procellarum
8 MayLunar Orbiter 4Selenocentric orbit insertionReturned 163 images
17 JulySurveyor 4Lunar impactFailed lander, impacted Sinus Medii
22 JulyExplorer 35Selenocentric orbit insertion
5 AugustLunar Orbiter 5Selenocentric orbit insertionReturned 213 images
11 SeptemberSurveyor 5Lunar landingin Mare Tranquillitatis
1 OctoberLunar Orbiter 2Lunar impact
10 OctoberLunar Orbiter 3Lunar impact
18 OctoberVenera 4Venus probeAtmospheric probe functioned for 94 minutes in the Venerian atmosphere
19 OctoberMariner 5Flyby of VenusClosest approach 3,990 kilometres (2,480 mi)
31 OctoberLunar Orbiter 4Lunar impact
10 NovemberSurveyor 6Lunar landingin Sinus Medii

Footnotes

  1. ^"Spacecraft Query Results". Master Catalog Search. NASA NSSDC. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  2. ^ abcdefgMcDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathon's Space Report. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  3. ^"Kosmos-2 - Kosmos 173". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 March 2025.

References

Generic references: Spaceflight portal