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-K
United StatesSaturn V
RetirementsSoviet UnionKosmos (63S1)
United StatesRedstone Sparta

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 States Apollo programme. Three astronauts; Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee, were killed in a fire aboard the AS-204 spacecraft at Cape Kennedy Launch 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) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
11 January
10:55[2]
United StatesDelta E1 United StatesLC-17, Cape Canaveral
United Nations Intelsat II F-2 (Canary Bird) Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
14 January
21:28[2]
United StatesThor-Agena D United StatesSLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB
United StatesOPS 1664 KH-4A 1038 CIA Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 2 February 1967 Successful
18 January
14:19[2]
United StatesTitan IIIC United StatesSLC-41, Cape Canaveral
United StatesIDCSP 8 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 9 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 10 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 11 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 12 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 13 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 14 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 15 US Air Force Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
19 January
12:39[2]
Soviet UnionVostok-2 Soviet UnionPu-41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 138 (Zenit-2 #45) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 27 January 1967 Successful
25 January
13:55[2]
Soviet UnionR-36ORB Soviet UnionPad 164/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 139 (OGCh #7) Low Earth Orbit Weapon System Test 27 January 1967 Successful
26 January
17:31[2]
United StatesDelta E United StatesSLC-2E, Vandenberg AFB
United States ESSA-4 ESSA Sun-Synchronous Orbit Meteorology In orbit Successful
31 January
12:45[2]
United StatesScout B United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOV3-5 US Air Force Low Earth orbit Magnetosphere research satellite 31 January Failure

February

February launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
2 February
20:00
United StatesAtlas-Agena D United StatesSLC-2E, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesOPS 4399 KH-7 4036 US Air Force Low Earth orbit Optical Reconnaissance 12 February Successful
5 February
01:17
United StatesAtlas-Agena D United StatesLC-13, Cape Canaveral NASA
United States Lunar Orbiter 3 NASA Low Lunar Orbit Lunar surface mapping 9 October Successful
7 February
03:20
Soviet UnionSoyuz Soviet UnionPad 1/5 (Gagarin's Start), Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 140 (Soyuz 7K-OK 1) MOM Low Earth Orbit Uncrewed Test Flight 9 February Successful
8 February
08:00
United StatesThor-Burner 2 United StatesSLC-10W, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United StatesDMSP-4A F2 US Air Force Sun-Synchronous Orbit Meteorology In orbit Successful
8 February
09:39
FranceDiamant-A AlgeriaHammaguir CNES
FranceDiadème 1 CNES Low Earth Orbit Geodesy In orbit Partial Failure
The third stage underperformed, lower orbit than planned
8 February
10:19
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionPad 41/1, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 141 (Zenit-4 #26) GRU Low Earth Orbit Optical reconnaissance 16 February Successful
14 February
10:04
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionPad 86/1, Kapustin Yar
Soviet UnionKosmos 142 (DS-U2-I #2) Yuzhnoye Design Bureau Low Earth Orbit Ionosphere Research 6 July Successful
15 February
10:06
FranceDiamant-A AlgeriaHammaguir CNES
FranceDiadème 2 CNES Low Earth Orbit Geodesy In orbit Successful
22 February
22:02
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 Reconnaissance 11 March Successful
24 February
19:59
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 Reconnaissance 6 March Successful
27 February
08:45
Soviet UnionVostok-2 Soviet UnionPad 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 143 (Zenit-2 #46) GRU Low Earth Orbit Optical reconnaissance 7 March Partial Failure
28 February
14:34
Soviet UnionVostok-2M Soviet UnionPad 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 144 (Meteor-1 #6) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology 14 September 1982 Successful

March

March launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
3 March
06:44:58
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar LC-86/1 Soviet Union
Soviet UnionKosmos 145 (DS-U2 M #2) Low Earth Atomic clock test 8 March 1968 Successful
8 March
16:12:00
United StatesDelta C United StatesCape Canaveral LC-17B United StatesNASA
United StatesOSO-3 NASA Low Earth Solar research 4 April 1982 Successful
The spacecraft performed normally until the second onboard tape recorder failed in July 1968. The spacecraft was put in standby condition on November 10, 1969, and became inoperable shortly thereafter.
10 March
11:30
Soviet UnionProton-K / Blok D Soviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet Union Kosmos 146 (L1P 2) MOM Low Earth orbit Test prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P 18 March Successful
Maiden flight of the Proton 8K82K (Proton-K).
13 March
12:10:23
Soviet UnionVostok-2 Soviet UnionPu-41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 147 (Zenit-2 #47) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 21 March Successful
16 March
17:30
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 148 (DS-P1-1 #2) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 7 May Successful
21 March
10:07
Soviet UnionKosmos-2I 63SM Soviet UnionSite 86/1 Kapustin Yar Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Soviet UnionKosmos 149 (DS-MO #1 / Opticheski #1) Yuzhnoye Design Bureau Low Earth orbit Test, geophysical research 7 April Successful
Aerodynamic skirt stabiliser test
22 March
12:44
Soviet Union Voskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 150 (Zenit-4 #27) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 30 March Successful
22 March
14:05
Soviet Union R-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet Union OGCh #8 Low Earth Orbit Weapon System Test 22 March Failure
Second stage explosion at T+455 seconds
23 March
01:30
United StatesDelta E1 United StatesLC-17B, Cape Canaveral
United Nations Intelsat II F3 (Lani Bird) Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful
24 March
11:50
Soviet UnionKosmos-3 Soviet UnionSite 41/15, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 151 (Strela-2 #3) Low Earth Orbit Military communications 6 May 1991 Successful
25 March
06:59
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 152 (DS-P1-Yu #7) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 5 August Successful
30 March
18:54
United States Thor-SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesSLC-2W, Vandenberg
United States OPS 4779 (KH-4A 1040) Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 17 April Successful

April

April launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
4 April
14:00
Soviet UnionVostok-2 Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 153 (Zenit-2 #48) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 12 April Successful
6 April
03:23
United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesLC-12, Cape Canaveral
United States ATS-2 NASA Medium Earth orbit (planned)
Highly elliptical low Earth orbit (achieved)
Communications/ Meteorology 2 September 1969 Partial failure
United States Research Payload Module 481 LANL Highly elliptical low Earth orbit Technology Demonstration 29 June 1968 Success
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 April
09:00
Soviet UnionProton-K / Blok D Soviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionKosmos 154 (L1P 3) MOM Low Earth orbit Test prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P 10 April Partial failure
Block D (4th stage) failed to re-ignite
12 April
10:51
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 155 (Zenit-4 #28) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 20 April Successful
13 April
02:40
JapanLambda 4S Japan Kagoshima
Japan Ohsumi ISAS Low Earth Orbit Technology demonstration 13 April Failure
Third attempt to launch the first Japanese satellite. The fourth stage failed to ignite
14 April
03:25
United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
OPS 0100 Transit 15 US Navy Low Earth Orbit Navigation Satellite In orbit Successful
17 April
07:05
United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-12 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-36B
United StatesSurveyor 3 NASA Translunar injection Lunar lander 20 April (on the Moon) Successful
20 April United StatesDelta E United StatesVandenberg SLC-2E
United States ESSA-5 ESSA Low Earth Orbit Meteorology In orbit Successful
23 April
00:35
Soviet UnionSoyuz Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionSoyuz 1 MOM Low Earth Orbit Crewed test of Soyuz spacecraft 24 April
03:22:52
Spacecraft failure
Solar panels jammed, bad weather prevented Soyuz 2 launch, parachute failure during descent resulted in loss of crew
26 April
10:06
United StatesScout B ItalySan Marco platform, Formosa Bay, Kenya CRS
Italy San Marco 2 CRS Low Earth Orbit Atmospheric Research 14 October Successful
26 April United StatesTitan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4W
United States OPS 4243 KH-8 4305 USAF Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 26 April Failure
27 April
12:50
Soviet UnionVostok-2M Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 156 (Meteor-1 #7) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology 23 October 1989 Successful
28 April
10:01
United StatesTitan IIIC United States Cape Canaveral LC-41
United StatesOPS 6638 Vela 7 USAF Reconnaissance In orbit Successful
United StatesOPS 6679 Vela 8 USAF Reconnaissance In orbit Successful
United StatesERS-18 ORS-4 USAF Technology Demonstration In orbit Successful
United StatesERS-20 OV5-3 USAF Technology Demonstration In orbit Successful
United StatesERS-27 OV5-1 USAF Technology Demonstration In orbit Successful

May

May launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
4 May
22:25
United States Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesCape Canaveral LC-13
United StatesLunar Orbiter 4 NASA Selenocentric Lunar orbiter 6 October Successful
5 May
16:00
United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United KingdomUnited StatesAriel 3 UK Science Research Council, NASA Low Earth Orbit Atmospheric Research 14 December 1970 Successful
9 May
21:50
United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-1E
United States OPS 4696 KH-4A 1041 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance 13 July Partial failure
United States OPS 1967 Fanion 3 USAF Low Earth SIGINT 14 March 1993 Successful
Failure of the booster cut-off switch, the satellite went into a highly eccentric orbit
12 May
10:30
Soviet UnionVostok-2 Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 157 (Zenit-2 #49) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 20 May Successful
15 May
11:00
Soviet UnionKosmos-3M Soviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 158 (Zaliv-GVM #1) Low Earth Orbit Boilerplate In orbit Successful
Maiden flight of Kosmos-3M
16 May
21:44
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 spacecraft 11 November Partial success
Blok L cut off too early, the spacecraft placed into much lower orbit than planned, planned mission was accomplished
17 May
16:05
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 160 (OGCh #9) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 18 May Successful
18 May
09:05
United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United States OPS 7218 Transit 16 US Navy Low Earth Orbit Navigation In orbit Successful
22 May
14:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 161 (Zenit-4 #29) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 30 May Successful
22 May
18:30
United States Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D United States Vandenberg SLC-4E
United States OPS 4321 KH-7 4037 USAF Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 30 May Successful
United States OPS 5557 LOGACS USAF Low Earth Orbit Technology Demonstration 27 May Successful
24 May
14:05
United States Delta E1 United StatesVandenberg SLC-2E
United States Explorer 34 (IMP F) NASA Highly elliptical orbit Cislunar space research 3 May 1969 Successful
24 May
22:50
Soviet UnionMolniya-M Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionMolniya-1 05 Molniya Communications 26 November 1971 Successful
30 May
02:06
United StatesScout B United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
European Union ESRO 2A ESRO Low Earth Orbit X-Ray Astronomy and Radiation Measurements 30 May Failure
Third stage Failure
31 May
09:30
United States Thor DM-21 Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-2W
United States Poppy 5A US Navy ELINT In orbit Successful
United States Poppy 5B US Navy ELINT In orbit Successful
United States Poppy 5C US Navy ELINT In orbit Successful
United States Poppy 5D US Navy ELINT In orbit Successful
United States Timation 1 Naval Research Laboratory Navigation In orbit Successful
United States Calsphere 3 Naval Research Laboratory Radar calibration In orbit Successful
United States Calsphere 4 Naval Research Laboratory Radar calibration In orbit Successful
United States NRL-PL 150B Naval Research Laboratory Radar calibration In orbit Successful
United States ORS 5712 USAF Technology Demonstration In orbit Successful

June

June launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 June
10:40
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 162 (Zenit-4 #30) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 9 June Successful
4 June
18:07
United States Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4E
United StatesOPS 4360 KH-7 4038 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance 12 June Successful
5 June
05:03
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar
Soviet UnionKosmos 163 (DS-U2-MP #2) Low Earth Orbit Micrometeoroid research 11 October Successful
8 June
13:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 164 (Zenit-2 #50) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 14 June Successful
12 June
02:39
Soviet UnionMolniya-M / Blok VL Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet Union Venera 4 Heliocentric Venus lander In orbit Successful
12 June
18:06
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 165 (DS-P1-Yu #8) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 15 January 1968 Successful
14 June
06:01
United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesCape Canaveral LC-12
United StatesMariner 5 NASA Heliocentric Venus flyby In orbit Successful
16 June
04:43
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar
Soviet UnionKosmos 166 (DS-U3-S #1) Low Earth Orbit Solar astronomy 25 October Successful
16 June
21:35
United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-1W
United StatesOPS 3559 KH-4A 1042 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance 20 July Successful
United StatesOPS 1873 Savant 1 USAF Low Earth Signal intelligence 22 October 1968 Successful
17 June
02:36
Soviet UnionMolniya-M / Blok VL Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 167 (Venera 5a) Heliocentric (planned)
Low Earth orbit (achieved)
Venus lander 25 June Failure
Blok VL failed to fire, leaving the spacecraft in the low Earth orbit
20 June
11:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionZenit-4 #31 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 20 June Failure
20 June
16:15
United States Titan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4282 KH-8 4306 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance 30 June Successful
26 June
04:30
Soviet UnionKosmos-3M Soviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionTselina-O-GVM #1 Low Earth Orbit Dummy Satellite 26 June Failure
29 June
21:01
United States Thor-LV2F Burner-2 Star-13A United StatesVandenberg
United StatesAurora 1 USAF Low Earth Auroral research In orbit Successful
United StatesSECOR 9 US Army Low Earth Geodesy In orbit Successful

July

July launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 July
13:15
United StatesTitan IIIC United StatesSLC-41, Cape Canaveral US Air Force
United StatesDODGE US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit Triaxial Gravity Gradient Stabilization, Magnetic Field Measurements, and Earth Imagery In orbit Successful
United StatesLES 5 USAF Geosynchronous Orbit Technology Demonstration In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 16 (OPS 9331) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 17 (OPS 9332) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 18 (OPS 9333) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit Communications In orbit Successful
United StatesIDCSP 19-DATS (OPS 9334) US Air Force Geosynchronous Orbit Communications In orbit Successful
4 July
05:59
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 168 (Zenit-2 #51) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 12 July Successful
14 July
11:53:29
United States Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-11 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-36A
United StatesSurveyor 4 NASA Translunar injection Lunar lander July 17, 1967 Spacecraft failure
Radio signals from the spacecraft ceased 2.5 minutes before landing on the Moon
17 July
16:45
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 169 (OGCh #10) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 17 July Successful
19 July
14:19
United States Delta E1 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-17B
United StatesExplorer 35 (IMP E) NASA Selenolentric Lunar orbiter Unknown Successful
21 July
06:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionZenit-4 #32 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 21 July Failure
25 July
03:48
United States Thor SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-2W
United StatesOPS 1879 (Multigroup 2&Setter 1B) USAF Low Earth Signal intelligence 12 June 1969 Successful
27 July
19:00
United States Atlas D OV1 United StatesVandenberg
United StatesOV1-11 USAF Low Earth Upper atmosphere research 27 July Failure
United StatesOV1-12 USAF Low Earth Solar flare research 22 July 1980 Successful
United StatesOV1-86 USAF Low Earth Geophysics, cosmic rays research 22 February 1972 Successful
OV1-11 failed to separate from the launch vehicle
28 July
14:21
United States Thor SLV-2A Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-2E
United StatesOGO 4 (POGO 2) NASA Low Earth orbit Geophysics research 16 August 1972 Successful
31 July
16:45
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 170 (OGCh #11) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 31 July Successful

August

August launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 August
22:32
United States Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D United StatesCape Canaveral LC-13
United StatesLunar Orbiter 5 NASA Selenocentric Lunar orbiter 31 January 1968 Successful
7 August
21:44
United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-1E
United StatesOPS 4827 KH-4A CIA Low Earth orbit Reconnaissance 1 September Successful
8 August
16:05
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 171 (OGCh #12) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 8 August Successful
9 August
05:45
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 172 (Zenit-4 #33) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 17 August Successful
16 August
17:07
United States Titan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4886 KH-8 4307 CIA Low Earth orbit Reconnaissance 28 August Successful
23 August
04:41
United States Thor LV-2F Burner 2 United StatesVandenberg
United StatesOPS 7202 DSMP-4A F3 USAF Low Earth orbit Meteorology In orbit Successful
24 August
04:59
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 173 (DS-P1-Yu #9) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 17 December Successful
31 August
08:00
Soviet UnionMolniya (M) Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 174 (Molniya 1Yu 11L) Highly elliptical orbit Deep space tracking system test 30 December 1968 Successful

September

September launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
1 September
10:30
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionZenit-2 #52 GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 1 September Failure
7 September
22:04:26
United StatesDelta G United StatesSLC-17B, Cape Canaveral NASA
United States Biosatellite 2 (Bios 2) NASA Low Earth Orbit Biological experiments 9 September 1967 Successful
8 September
07:57
United StatesAtlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-13 United StatesSLC-36B, Cape Canaveral NASA
United StatesSurveyor 5 NASA Translunar injection Lunar lander 11 September (on the Moon) Successful
11 September
10:30
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 175 (Zenit-4 #34) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 19 September Successful
12 September
17:00
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionSite 133/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 176 (DS-P1-Yu #10) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 3 March 1968 Successful
15 September
19:41
United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-1W
United StatesOPS 5089 KH-4B 1101 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance 4 October Successful
16 September
06:06
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 177 (Zenit-2 #53) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 24 October Successful
19 September
14:45
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 178 (OGCh #13) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 19 September Successful
19 September
18:37
United States Titan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4941 KH-8 4308 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance 30 September Successful
22 September
14:05
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 179 (OGCh #14) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 22 September Successful
25 September
08:25
United StatesScout A United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
United States OPS 4947 Transit 17 US Navy Low Earth Orbit Navigation Satellite In orbit Successful
26 September
10:20
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 180 (Zenit-2 #54) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 4 October Successful
27 September
11:00
Soviet UnionKosmos-3M Soviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet Union Zaliv-GVM #2 Low Earth Orbit Dummy payload 27 September Failure
27 September
22:11
Soviet UnionProton-K / Blok D 8K82K (11S824) Soviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionZond 4a (L1 4) MOM Lunar free-return Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond T+100 s Failure
First stage failure
28 September
00:45
United States Delta E1 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-17B
United NationsIntelsat II F4 (Pacific-2) Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Successful

October

October launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
3 October
05:00
Soviet UnionMolniya (M) Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionMolniya-1 06 Molniya Communications 4 March 1969 Successful
11 October
07:57
United States Thor LV-2F Burner 2 United StatesVandenberg
United StatesOPS 1264 DSAP-4A F4 USAF Sun-synchronous orbit Meteorology In orbit Successful
11 October
11:30
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 181 (Zenit-2 #55) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 19 October Successful
16 October
08:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 182 (Zenit-4 #35) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 24 October Successful
18 October
13:30
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 161/35, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 183 (OGCh #15) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 18 October Successful
18 October
15:58
United States Delta C United StatesCape Canaveral LC-17B
United StatesOSO 4 NASA Low Earth Solar astronomy 15 June 1982 Successful
22 October
08:40
Soviet UnionMolniya (M) Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionMolniya-1 07 Molniya Communications 31 December 1969 Successful
24 October
22:49
Soviet UnionVostok-2M Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 184 (Meteor-1 #8) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology 2 April 1989 Successful
25 October
19:15
United States Titan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4W
United StatesOPS 4995 KH-8 4309 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance 5 November Successful
27 October
02:21
Soviet UnionTsyklon-2A Soviet UnionSite 90/19, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 185 (I2-BM #1) Low Earth Orbit Test spacecraft 14 January 1969 Successful
27 October
09:29
Soviet UnionSoyuz Soviet UnionSite 31/6, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 186 (Soyuz Test #3) Low Earth Orbit Uncrewed test of Soyuz spacecraft 31 October Successful
28 October
13:15
Soviet UnionR-36-O Soviet UnionSite 162/36, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 187 (OGCh #16) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 28 October Successful
30 October
08:12
Soviet UnionSoyuz Soviet UnionSite 1/5, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 188 (Soyuz Test #4) Low Earth Orbit Uncrewed test of Soyuz spacecraft 2 November Successful
30 October
17:59
Soviet UnionKosmos-3M Soviet UnionSite 132/2, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 189 (Tselina-O #1) Low Earth Orbit SIGINT 8 June 1978 Successful

November

November launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
2 November
21:31
United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-1E
United StatesOPS 0562 KH-4A 1044 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance 2 December Successful
United StatesFacade USAF Low Earth SIGINT 28 March 1969 Successful
3 November
11:20
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 190 (Zenit-4 #36) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 11 November Successful
5 November
23:37
United States Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D United StatesCape Canaveral LC-12
United States ATS-3 NASA Geosynchronous Communications / Meteorology In orbit Successful
7 November
07:39:01
United States Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-14 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-36B
United States Surveyor 6 NASA Translunar injection Lunar lander 10 November
01:01:06
Successful
9 November
12:00
United StatesSaturn V United StatesLC-39A, Kennedy Space Center NASA
United States Apollo 4 NASA Highly elliptical orbit Test Saturn V and Apollo Command Module reentry 9 November
20:37
Successful
United StatesLTA-10R NASA Highly elliptical orbit Instrumented dynamic Simulation payload 9 November Successful
Maiden flight of the Saturn V. LTA-10R remained attached to the S-IVB upper stage
10 November
17:53
United States Delta E1 United StatesVandenberg SLC-2E
United StatesESSA-6 ESSA Low Earth (SSO) Meteorology In orbit Successful
21 November
14:29
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionPlesetsk Site 133/1
Soviet UnionKosmos 191 (DS-P1-Yu #11) Low Earth Orbit Radar Calibration 2 March 1968 Successful
22 November
19:07
Soviet UnionProton K / Blok D Soviet UnionPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM
Soviet UnionZond 4b MOM Lunar Free-return Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond 22 November Failure
Second stage failure
23 November
15:00
Soviet UnionKosmos-3M Soviet UnionPlesetsk Site 132/2
Soviet UnionKosmos 192 (Zaliv #1) Low Earth Orbit Navigation In orbit Successful
25 November
11:30
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 193 (Zenit-2 #56) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 3 December Successful
29 November
04:49
United StatesRedstone Sparta AustraliaLA-8, Woomera WRE
Australia WRESAT WRE Low Earth orbit Atmospheric experiments 10 January 1968 Successful
First Australian satellite

December

December launches
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
3 December
12:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 194 (Zenit-4 #37) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 11 December Successful
5 December
01:03
United StatesScout B United StatesSLC-5, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force
OV3-6 US Air Force Low Earth Orbit Magnetospheric Research 9 March 1969 Successful
5 December
18:45
United States Titan IIIB Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-4W
United StatesOPS 5000 KH-8 4310 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance 16 December Successful
9 December
22:25
United States Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D United StatesVandenberg SLC-1W
United StatesOPS 1001 KH-4A 1102 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance 25 December Successful
13 December
14:08
United States Delta E1 United StatesCape Canaveral LC-17B
United StatesPioneer 8 NASA Heliocentric Solar orbiter In orbit Successful
United StatesTTR NASA Heliocentric Technology Demonstration In orbit Successful
16 December
12:00
Soviet UnionVoskhod Soviet UnionSite 41/1, Plesetsk
Soviet UnionKosmos 195 (Zenit-2 #57) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance 24 December Successful
19 December
06:30
Soviet UnionKosmos Soviet UnionKapustin Yar, Site 86/1
Soviet UnionKosmos 196 (DS-U1-G #2) Low Earth Orbit Solar research 7 July 1968 Successful
Final flight of the original Kosmos (63S1)
26 December
09:01
Soviet UnionKosmos-2 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar, Site 86/1
Soviet UnionKosmos 197 (DS-U2-V #3) Low Earth Orbit Ionosphere research 30 January 1968 Successful
27 December
11:28
Soviet UnionTsyklon-2A Soviet UnionSite 90/19, Baikonur
Soviet UnionKosmos 198 (US-AO #3) Low Earth Orbit Prototype of US-A satellite In orbit Successful

Suborbital launches

Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks

January-December

25 January
23:16
FranceDragon Adélie LandDumont d'Urville Station, Terre Adelie
France CNES Suborbital Ionosphere research 25 January Successful
Apogee: 340 km
31 January
23:05
Soviet UnionMR-12 Soviet UnionKheysa
Soviet Union AN SSSR Suborbital Thermosphere research 31 January Successful
Apogee: 172 km
6 February
02:10
JapanL-3H JapanKagoshima Space Center LP-L
Japan ISAS Suborbital Ionosphere research, X-ray astronomy 6 February Successful
Apogee: 2150 km
9 February Soviet UnionRT-15 Soviet UnionKapustin Yar, Site 84 Soviet UnionRVSN
Soviet Union RVSN Suborbital Missile test 4 December Successful
5 March
23:05
United StatesAtlas SLV-3 United StatesVandenberg AFB, SLC-3E United StatesUS Air Force
United StatesSV-5D FV-2 US Air Force Suborbital Lifting body reentry test 5 March Successful
Second test of PRIME
4 August
03:53
European UnionEuropa F6/1 AustraliaLA-6A, Woomera ELDO
Suborbital Test launcher with dummy third stage N/A Failure
Second stage failed to ignite. Apogee: 180 km
11 October
16:22
United StatesSparta SV-8 AustraliaLA-8, Woomera United StatesUS Army
United StatesRe-entry vehicle US Army Suborbital Re-entry vehicle test 11 October Successful
Apogee: 137 km
12 October
14:15
Soviet UnionKosmos-3 Soviet UnionBaikonur Site 41/15
Soviet UnionVKZ 1 Suborbital Aeronomy, ionosphere and radiation belt research T+52 min Successful
Launched on the strictly vertical trajectory. Apogee: 4,400 km
19 October
17:33
United StatesScout B United StatesLA-3A, Wallops Island US Air Force
United StatesRAM C-1 NASA Suborbital Technology Demonstration 19 October Successful
31 October
13:14
United StatesSparta SV-9 AustraliaLA-8, Woomera United StatesUS Army
United StatesRe-entry vehicle US Army Suborbital Re-entry vehicle test 31 October Successful
Apogee: 111 km
November France LEX 02B/1 France CERES Ile du Levant France ONERA
France ONERA Suborbital Test flight November Successful
Apogee: 115 km
November France LEX 02B/2 France CERES Ile du Levant France ONERA
France ONERA Suborbital Test flight November Successful
Apogee: 115 km
November France LEX 02B/4 France CERES Ile du Levant France ONERA
France SECT Meteo ONERA Suborbital Meteorology November Successful
Apogee: 101 km
4 December
21:01
European UnionEuropa F6/2 AustraliaLA-6A, Woomera ELDO
N/A ELDO Suborbital Test launcher with dummy third stage and boilerplate spacecraft N/A Failure
Second stage failed to separate. Apogee: 200 km

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (UTC) Spacecraft Event Remarks
8 February Lunar Orbiter 3 Selenocentric orbit insertion Returned 182 images
20 April Surveyor 3 Lunar landing in Oceanus Procellarum
8 May Lunar Orbiter 4 Selenocentric orbit insertion Returned 163 images
17 July Surveyor 4 Lunar impact Failed lander, impacted Sinus Medii
22 July Explorer 35 Selenocentric orbit insertion
5 August Lunar Orbiter 5 Selenocentric orbit insertion Returned 213 images
11 September Surveyor 5 Lunar landing in Mare Tranquillitatis
1 October Lunar Orbiter 2 Lunar impact
10 October Lunar Orbiter 3 Lunar impact
18 October Venera 4 Venus probe Atmospheric probe functioned for 94 minutes in the Venerian atmosphere
19 October Mariner 5 Flyby of Venus Closest approach 3,990 kilometres (2,480 mi)
31 October Lunar Orbiter 4 Lunar impact
10 November Surveyor 6 Lunar landing in 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. ^ a b c d e f g McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathon's Space Report. Retrieved 30 December 2018.

References

Generic references:
Spaceflight portal