1963 in spaceflight

For launches in the first half of the year, see 1963 in spaceflight (January–June), for launches in the second half, see 1963 in spaceflight (July–December)

A North American X-15 made two suborbital flights in July and August, becoming the first reusable spacecraft
Orbital launches
First	4 January
Last	21 December
Total	70
Successes	50
Failures	17
Partial failures	3
Catalogued	55
Rockets
Maiden flights	Atlas LV-3A Agena-D Atlas LV-3C Centaur-B Polyot 11A59 Scout X-2B Scout X-3M Scout X-4 Thor DSV-2A Ablestar TAT SLV-2A Agena-B TAT SLV-2A Agena-D Voskhod 11A57
Retirements	Atlas LV-3B Atlas LV-3C Centaur-B Scout X-2B Scout X-2M Scout X-3M
Manned flights
Orbital	3
Suborbital	2
Total travellers	4

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (GMT)	Spacecraft	Event	Remarks
5 April	Luna 4	Flyby of the Moon	Failed lander, closest approach: 8,336 kilometres (5,180 mi)
19 June	Mars 1	Flyby of Mars	Closest approach: 193,000 kilometres (120,000 mi), communications system failed before flyby

Orbital launch summary

By country

		Soviet Union   United States
Orbital launch attempts by country in 1963

Country	Launches	Successes	Failures	Partial failures	Remarks
Soviet Union	24	15	9	0
United States	46	35	8	3

By rocket

Rocket	Country	Launches	Successes	Failures	Partial failures	Remarks
Atlas LV-3A Agena-B	United States	3	1	1	1
Atlas LV-3A Agena-D	United States	5	5	0	0	Maiden flight
Atlas LV-3B	United States	1	1	0	0	Retired
Atlas LV-3C Centaur-B	United States	1	1	0	0	Only flight
Delta B	United States	6	6	0	0
Delta C	United States	1	1	0	0
Kosmos-2I 63S1	Soviet Union	8	4	4	0
Molniya 8K78	Soviet Union	1	0	1	0
Molniya-L 8K78L	Soviet Union	3	1	2	0	Maiden flight
Polyot 11A59	Soviet Union	1	1	0	0	Maiden flight
Scout X-2B	United States	1	0	1	0	Only flight
Scout X-2M	United States	1	0	1	0	Retired
Scout X-3	United States	2	0	1	1
Scout X-3M	United States	1	1	0	0	Only flight
Scout X-4	United States	2	1	0	1	Maiden flight
Thor DSV-2A Ablestar	United States	2	2	0	0	Maiden flight
Thor DM-21 Agena-B	United States	1	1	0	0
Thor SLV-2 Agena-D (Thor DM-21 Agena-D)	United States	8	6	2	0	Redesignated midyear
Thrust Augmented Thor SLV-2A Agena-B	United States	1	1	0	0	Maiden flight
Thrust Augmented Thor SLV-2A Agena-D	United States	10	8	2	0	Maiden flight
Voskhod 11A57	Soviet Union	1	1	0	0	Maiden flight
Vostok-K 8K72K	Soviet Union	2	2	0	0
Vostok-2 8A92	Soviet Union	8	6	2	0

By orbit

Orbital regime	Launches	Achieved	Not Achieved	Accidentally Achieved	Remarks
Low Earth	57	44	13	2
Medium Earth	5	4	1	0
High Earth	5	3	2	0	Including Highly elliptical orbits
Geosynchronous/transfer	2	2	0	0
Heliocentric	1	0	1	0

References

Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report".  Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".  Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches". Gunter's Space Page.  "Space Information Center". JAXA.  McDowell, Jonathan. "Jonathan's Space Report". Jonathan's Space Page.  "Mission Set Database". NASA GSFC.  "NASASpaceFlight.com".  "Launch Logs". Orbital Report News Agency.  "Space Calendar". NASA JPL.  "Southwest Space Archive".  "Launch Forecast". Space.com.  "Spaceflight Now".  Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".  "U.S. Space Objects Registry".  "Хроника освоения космоса ('Chronicle of space exploration')" (in Russian). Cosmoworld.ru.

Generic references: