Rocket launches in1981
Columbia lifts off on April 12 as STS-1, opening the Space Shuttle era on the twentieth anniversary of Gagarin's flight. Voyager 2 passes Saturn in August and continues its long arc toward Uranus.
Monthly Cadencecomplete
◇AUG·peak·15 launches↑14%·vs 1980
- launches
- 125 launches
- success · 117/125
- 94% success · 117/125
- providers
- 2 providers
1981 Launch Leaders
Providers
All 1981 Launches
Quick filters
125 launches
Jan 6, 1981 | Kosmos 1237 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jan 9, 1981 | Molniya 3-25L Russia•Molniya M |
Jan 16, 1981 | Kosmos 1238 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Jan 16, 1981 | Kosmos 1239 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jan 20, 1981 | Kosmos 1240 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jan 21, 1981 | Kosmos 1241 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Jan 23, 1981Failure | GEO-IK Russia•Tsyklon 3 |
Jan 24, 1981 | Progress 12 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jan 27, 1981 | Kosmos 1242 Russia•Vostok 2M |
Jan 30, 1981 | Molniya 1-49 Russia•Molniya M |
Feb 2, 1981 | Kosmos 1243 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Feb 6, 1981 | Interkosmos 21 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Feb 11, 1981 | ETS-4 Japan•Thor N-II |
Feb 12, 1981 | Kosmos 1244 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Feb 13, 1981 | Kosmos 1245 Russia•Soyuz U |
Feb 18, 1981 | Kosmos 1246 Russia•Soyuz U |
Feb 19, 1981 | Kosmos 1247 Russia•Molniya M |
Feb 21, 1981 | ASTRO-A Japan•Mu 3S |
Feb 21, 1981 | Comstar D4 USA•Atlas Centaur SLV-3D |
Feb 28, 1981 | OPS-1166 USA•Titan III(24)B |
Mar 5, 1981 | Kosmos 1249 Russia•Soyuz U |
Mar 5, 1981 | Kosmos 1249 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Mar 6, 1981 | Kosmos 1250-1257 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Mar 12, 1981 | Soyuz T-4 Russia•Soyuz T |
Mar 14, 1981 | Kosmos 1258 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Mar 16, 1981 | OPS-7350 USA•Titan III(23)C |
Mar 17, 1981 | Kosmos 1259 Russia•Soyuz U |
Mar 18, 1981 | Gran' #18L Russia•Proton K/DM 8K82K/11S86 |
Mar 20, 1981 | Kosmos 1260 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Mar 22, 1981 | Soyuz 39 Russia•Soyuz 7K-T |
Mar 24, 1981 | Molniya 3-24L Russia•Molniya M |
Mar 28, 1981Failure | Yantar-2K 979 Russia•Soyuz U |
Mar 31, 1981 | Kosmos 1261 Russia•Molniya M |
Apr 7, 1981 | Kosmos 1262 Russia•Soyuz U |
Apr 9, 1981 | Kosmos 1263 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Apr 12, 1981 | STS-1 USA•Space Shuttle |
Apr 15, 1981 | Kosmos 1264 Russia•Soyuz U |
Apr 16, 1981 | Kosmos 1265 Russia•Soyuz U |
Apr 21, 1981 | Kosmos 1266 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Apr 24, 1981Partial failure | OPS-7225 USA•Titan III(34)B |
Apr 25, 1981 | Kosmos 1267 Russia•Proton K 8K82K |
Apr 28, 1981 | Kosmos 1268 Russia•Soyuz U |
May 7, 1981 | Kosmos 1269 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
May 14, 1981 | Soyuz 40 Russia•Soyuz 7K-T |
May 14, 1981 | Meteor 2-7 Russia•Vostok 2M |
May 15, 1981 | Nova 1 USA•Scout G-1 |
May 18, 1981 | Kosmos 1270 Russia•Soyuz U |
May 19, 1981 | Kosmos 1271 Russia•Vostok 2M |
May 21, 1981 | Kosmos 1272 Russia•Soyuz U |
May 22, 1981 | Kosmos 1273 Russia•Soyuz U |
May 22, 1981 | GOES-E USA•Delta 3914 |
May 23, 1981 | Intelsat V F-1 USA•Atlas Centaur SLV-3D |
May 31, 1981Partial failure | Rohini RS-D1 India•SLV |
Jun 3, 1981 | Kosmos 1274 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jun 4, 1981 | Kosmos 1275 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Jun 9, 1981 | Molniya 3-30L Russia•Molniya M |
Jun 16, 1981 | Kosmos 1276 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jun 17, 1981 | Kosmos 1277 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jun 19, 1981 | Meteosat 2 France•Arianespace•Ariane 1 |
Jun 19, 1981 | Kosmos 1278 Russia•Molniya M |
Jun 23, 1981 | NOAA-7 USA•Atlas E/F-Star-37S-ISS |
Jun 24, 1981 | Molniya 1-50 Russia•Molniya M |
Jun 25, 1981 | Ekran #21L Russia•Proton K/DM 8K82K/11S86 |
Jul 1, 1981 | Kosmos 1279 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jul 2, 1981 | Kosmos 1280 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jul 7, 1981 | Kosmos 1281 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jul 10, 1981 | Meteor 1-31 Russia•Vostok 2M |
Jul 15, 1981 | Kosmos 1282 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jul 17, 1981 | Kosmos 1283 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jul 29, 1981 | Kosmos 1284 Russia•Soyuz U |
Jul 30, 1981 | Gran' #19L Russia•Proton K/DM 8K82K/11S86 |
Aug 3, 1981 | Explorer 62 USA•Delta 3913 |
Aug 4, 1981 | Kosmos 1285 Russia•Molniya M |
Aug 4, 1981 | Kosmos 1286 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Aug 6, 1981 | Kosmos 1287-1294 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Aug 6, 1981Partial failure | FLTSATCOM-5 USA•Atlas Centaur SLV-3D |
Aug 7, 1981 | Interkosmos 22 Russia•Vostok 2M |
Aug 10, 1981 | GMS-2 Japan•Thor N-II |
Aug 12, 1981 | Kosmos 1295 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Aug 13, 1981 | Kosmos 1296 Russia•Soyuz U |
Aug 18, 1981 | Kosmos 1297 Russia•Soyuz U |
Aug 21, 1981 | Kosmos 1298 Russia•Soyuz U |
Aug 24, 1981 | Kosmos 1299 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Aug 24, 1981 | Kosmos 1300 Russia•Tsyklon 3 |
Aug 27, 1981 | Kosmos 1301 Russia•Soyuz U |
Aug 28, 1981 | Kosmos 1302 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Sep 3, 1981 | OPS-3984 USA•Titan III(23)D |
Sep 4, 1981 | Kosmos 1304 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Sep 4, 1981 | Kosmos 1303 Russia•Soyuz U |
Sep 11, 1981Failure | Kosmos 1305 Russia•Molniya M |
Sep 14, 1981 | Kosmos 1306 Russia•Tsyklon 2 |
Sep 15, 1981 | Kosmos 1307 Russia•Soyuz U |
Sep 18, 1981Failure | Kosmos 1308 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Sep 18, 1981 | Kosmos 1309 Russia•Soyuz U |
Sep 21, 1981 | Aureole 3 Russia•Tsyklon 3 |
Sep 23, 1981 | Kosmos 1310 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Sep 24, 1981 | SBS-2 USA•Delta 3910 |
Sep 28, 1981 | Kosmos 1311 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Sep 30, 1981 | Kosmos 1312 Russia•Tsyklon 3 |
Oct 1, 1981 | Kosmos 1313 Russia•Soyuz U |
Oct 6, 1981 | Explorer 64 USA•Delta 2310 |
Oct 9, 1981 | Kosmos 1314 Russia•Soyuz U |
Oct 9, 1981 | Gran' #20L Russia•Proton K/DM 8K82K/11S86 |
Oct 13, 1981 | Kosmos 1315 Russia•Vostok 2M |
Oct 15, 1981 | Kosmos 1316 Russia•Soyuz U |
Oct 17, 1981 | Molniya 3-31L Russia•Molniya M |
Oct 30, 1981 | Venera 13 Russia•Proton K/D-1 8K82K/11S824M |
Oct 31, 1981 | OPS-4029 USA•Titan III(23)C |
Oct 31, 1981 | Kosmos 1317 Russia•Molniya M |
Nov 3, 1981 | Kosmos 1318 Russia•Soyuz U |
Nov 4, 1981 | Venera 14 Russia•Proton K/D-1 8K82K/11S824M |
Nov 12, 1981 | STS-2 USA•Space Shuttle |
Nov 13, 1981 | Kosmos 1319 Russia•Soyuz U |
Nov 17, 1981 | Molniya 1-51 Russia•Molniya M |
Nov 20, 1981 | Bhaskara 2 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Nov 20, 1981 | Satcom 3R USA•Delta 3910 |
Nov 28, 1981 | Kosmos 1320-1327 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Dec 3, 1981 | Kosmos 1328 Russia•Tsyklon 3 |
Dec 4, 1981 | Kosmos 1329 Russia•Soyuz U |
Dec 15, 1981 | Intelsat V F-3 USA•Atlas Centaur SLV-3D |
Dec 17, 1981 | RS 3 Russia•Kosmos 3M |
Dec 19, 1981Failure | GPS-7 USA•Atlas E/F-SVS |
Dec 19, 1981 | Kosmos 1330 Russia•Soyuz U |
Dec 20, 1981 | MARCES-1 France•Arianespace•Ariane 1 |
Dec 23, 1981 | Molniya 1-52 Russia•Molniya M |