Apr 12 Space Shuttle
Success
America's Space Shuttle flies to orbit for the first time
John Young and Robert Crippen flew Columbia without any uncrewed test flight beforehand. They landed it on a California runway two days later.
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
1981 highlights
Mar 22 Soyuz 7K-T
Success
Mongolia's first cosmonaut flies to the Salyut 6 space station
Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa spent nearly eight days in orbit with Vladimir Dzhanibekov. He flew under Interkosmos, a Soviet program for guest cosmonauts from allied countries.
Oct 30 Proton K/D-1 8K82K/11S824M
Success
Venera 13 sends back the first color pictures from Venus's surface
The Soviet lander kept working for 127 minutes in heat above 450 degrees Celsius. Engineers had designed it to last about half an hour.
Nov 12 Space Shuttle
Success
Columbia becomes the first crewed spacecraft to reach orbit twice
The shuttle flew again seven months after its debut, with a new crew. They tested Canada's robot arm in space for the first time.
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 | |||