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 Cadence complete
AUG peak 15 launches ↑ 14% vs 1980
- launches
- 125
- success · 117/125
- 94%
- providers
- 2
1981 launch leaders
Providers
All 1981 launches
Quick filters
125 launches
| January | ||||
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 | |||
| February | ||||
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 | |||
| March | ||||
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 | |||
| April | ||||
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 | ||||
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 | |||
| June | ||||
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 | |||
| July | ||||
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 | |||
| August | ||||
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 | |||
| September | ||||
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 | |||
| October | ||||
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 | |||
| November | ||||
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 | |||
| December | ||||
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 | |||