1973 in spaceflight

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1973 saw the launch of the first American Space station known as Skylab on a Saturn rocket.

Contents



Launches

[edit]

This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1973.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Date and time
(UTC)		 Rocket Site LSP Payload Operator Orbit Function Decay
(UTC)		 Outcome Remarks
8 January
06:55 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Luna 21/Lunokhod 2 MOM[disambiguation needed] Selenocentric Lunar rover 15 January 1973 (At moon) Successful
11 January
10:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 543 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 24 January 1973 Successful
20 January
03:36 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 544 (Tselina-O) MO SSSR LEO ELINT 15 June 1980 Successful
24 January
11:44 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 545 (DS-P1-Yu) MO SSSR LEO 31 July 1973 Successful
26 January
11:44 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-107, Kapustin Yar Kosmos 546 (Tsiklon mockup) MO SSSR LEO Boilerplate Still in orbit Successful
1 February
08:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 547 (Zenit 2M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 13 February 1973 Successful
3 February
05:48 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Baikonur Molniya 1-23 MOM[disambiguation needed] Molniya Comsat 23 October 1977 Successful
8 February
13:15 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 548 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 21 February 1973 Successful
15 February
01:11 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) LC-31/6, Baikonur Prognoz-3 MOM[disambiguation needed] Molniya Solar flare detection 31 December 1976 Successful
26 January
04:37 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 549 (Tselina-O) MO SSSR LEO ELINT 29 June 1980 Successful
1 March
12:40 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 550 (Zenit 4MK) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 11 March 1973 Successful
6 March
09:20 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 551 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 20 March 1973 Successful
6 March
09:30 GMT		 Atlas-Agena SLV-3A LC-13, Cape Canaveral Rhyolite 2 US Air Force Geosynchronous ELINT Still in orbit Successful
9 March
21:00 GMT		 Titan IIID SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB KH-9 NRO/CIA LEO Reconnaissance 17 March 1973 Successful
20 March
11:20 GMT		 Vostok (R-7 8A92M) Plesetsk Meteor 1-14 MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Weather satellite Still in orbit Successful
22 March
10:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 552 (Zenit 2M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 3 April 1973 Successful
Nauka MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Technology Demonstration 9 April 1973 Successful
3 April
09:00 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Salyut 2 (Almaz) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Space Station 28 May 1973 Failure Depressurised before crew launch could occur
5 April
11:11 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Plesetsk Molniya 2-5 MOM[disambiguation needed] Molniya Comsat 6 January 1979 Successful
6 April
02:11 GMT		 Atlas SLV-3D Centaur LC-36B, Cape Canaveral Pioneer 11 (Pioneer G) NASA Solar escape Planetry probe N/A Successful First spacecraft to visit Saturn
Maiden flight of Atlas SLV-3D Centaur rocket.
12 April
11:49 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 553 (DS-P1-Yu) MO SSSR LEO 11 November 1973 Successful
19 April
08:59 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 553 (Zenit 4MK) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 7 May 1973 Successful Destroyed in orbit after deactivation
19 April
10:19 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-86, Kapustin Yar InterKosmos 9 Interkosmos LEO Solar radiation detection Successful
20 April
23:47 GMT		 Delta (1914) LC-17B, Cape Canaveral Anik A2 Telesat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful
25 April Tsyklon-2 LC-90, Baikonur US-A MO SSSR Intended: LEO Ocean Surveillance 25 April 1973 Failure Engine failure
25 April
10:45 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 555 (Zenit 2M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 7 May 1973 Successful
Nauka MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Scientific research 9 May 1973 Successful
5 May
07:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 556 (Zenit 4MK) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 14 May 1973 Successful
11 May
00:20 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Kosmos 557 (Salyut/Zarya) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Space Station 22 May 1973 Failure Loss of control in orbit
14 May
17:30 GMT		 Saturn INT-21 LC-39A, KSC NASA Skylab NASA LEO Space Station 11 July 1979 Successful First American Space Station
First, last, and only flight of Saturn INT-21 rocket
Damaged during launch, but repaired
16 May
16:40 GMT		 Titan IIIB (24B) SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB OPS 2093 (KH-8) NRO/US Air Force LEO Reconnaissance 13 June 1973 Successful
17 May
13:19 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 558 (DS-P1-Yu) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO 22 December 1973 Successful
18 May
11:00 GMT		 Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) Plesetsk Kosmos 559 (Zenit-4MK) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 23 May 1973 Successful Maiden flight of Soyuz-U carrier rocket
21 May
08:47 GMT		 Diamant-B CSG(Kourou) SEREB Castor CNES Intended:LEO Technology development 21 May 1973 Failure Final flight of Diamant-B
Fairing failed to separate
Pollux CNES Intended:LEO Technology development
23 May
10:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 560 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 5 June 1973 Successful
25 May Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Zaliv (Tsiklon) RVSN Intended: LEO Navigation 25 May 1973 Failure Failed to reach orbit
25 May
13:00 GMT		 Saturn IB LC-39B, KSC NASA Skylab 2, 3 Astronauts NASA LEO, docked to Skylab Manned orbital flight 22 June 1973 Successful First manned flight to Skylab
25 May
13:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 561 (Zenit 2M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 6 June 1973 Successful
Nauka MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Gamma ray telescope 20 June 1973 Successful
29 May
10:16 GMT		 Vostok (R-7 8A92M) Plesetsk Meteor 1-15 MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Weather satellite Still in orbit Successful
5 June
11:26 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 562 (DS-P1-Yu) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO 7 January 1974 Successful
6 June
11:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 563 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 18 June 1973 Successful
8 June
15:50 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 564 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 565 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 566 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 567 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 568 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 569 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 570 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 571 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
10 June
10:10 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 572 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 23 June 1973 Successful
10 June
14:13 GMT		 Delta (1913) LC-17B, Cape Canaveral Explorer 49 (RAE) NASA Selenocentric Astronomy Still in orbit Successful
12 June
07:14 GMT		 Titan IIIC LC-40, Cape Canaveral DSP F-4 (IMEWS 4 US Air Force Geosynchronous Missile early warning Still in orbit Successful
15 June
06:00 GMT		 Soyuz (R-7 11A511) LC-1/5, Baikonur Kosmos 573 (Soyuz 7K-T) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Test spacecraft 17 June 1973, 06:01 GMT Successful
20 June
06:16 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 574 (Tsiklon) MO SSSR LEO Navigation Still in orbit Successful
21 June
13:29 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 575 (Zenit 2M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 3 July 1973 Successful
26 June
01:22 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Tselina-O RVSN Intended: LEO SIGINT Never left ground Failure Exploded on pad after fuelling error
9 killed
26 June
17:00 GMT		 Titan IIIB (24B) SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB OPS 4018 (KH-8) US Air Force Intended:LEO Reconnaissance 26 June 1973 Failure Agena upper stage malfunction
Failed to reach orbit
27 June
11:50 GMT		 Soyuz-M (R-7 11A511M) Plesetsk Kosmos 576 (Zenit-4MT/Orion) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance/Topography 9 July 1973 Successful
4 July Voskhod (R-7 11A57) LC-43, Plesetsk Zenit 4M MOM[disambiguation needed] Intended:LEO Reconnaissance 4 July 1973 Successful
11 July
09:58 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Plesetsk Molniya 2-6 MOM[disambiguation needed] Molniya Comsat 5 August 1978 Successful
13 July
20:24 GMT		 Titan IIID SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB OPS 8261 (KH-9) NRO/CIA LEO Reconnaissance 12 October 1973 Successful
16 July
17:10 GMT		 Delta (0300) SLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB ITOS E NASA/NOAA Intended:LEO Weather 16 July 1973 Failure Second stage malfunction
21 July
19:30 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Mars 4 MOM[disambiguation needed] Intended:Areocentric
Actual:Heliocentric		 Mars orbiter Still in orbit Failure Retro-rockets failed, did not enter Martian orbit
25 July
11:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 577 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 7 August 1973 Successful
25 July
18:55 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Mars 5 MOM[disambiguation needed] Areocentric Mars orbiter Still in orbit Partial Failure Computer malfunction a few days after entering Martian orbit
28 July
11:10 GMT		 Saturn IB LC-39B, KSC NASA Skylab 3, 3 Astronauts NASA LEO, docked to Skylab Manned orbital flight 25 September 1973 Partial Failure Thruster malfunction, nearly required rescue mission
1 August
14:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 578 (Zenit 2M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 13 August 1973 Successful
5 August
17:45 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Mars 6 MOM[disambiguation needed] Heliocentric Mars lander 12 March 1974 Failure Disappeared shortly before landing
8 August
17:00 GMT		 Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur Mars 7 MOM[disambiguation needed] Heliocentric Mars lander Still in orbit Failure Missed planet due to premature separation
17 August
04:49 GMT		 Thor-Burner 2A SLC-10W, Vandenberg AFB DMSP 5B F4 US Air Force LEO Weather Satellite Still in orbit Successful
21 August
12:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 579 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 3 September 1973 Successful
21 August
16:07 GMT		 Titan IIIB (33B) SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB Jumpseat 3 (OPS 7724) NRO/US Air Force Molniya SIGINT Still in orbit Successful
22 August
11:24 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 580 (DS-P1-Yu) MO SSSR LEO 1 April 1974 Successful
23 August
22:57 GMT		 Atlas SLV-3D Centaur LC-36A, Cape Canaveral Intelsat IV F7 Intelsat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful
24 August
10:59 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 581 (Zenit 4M) MOM[disambiguation needed] LEO Reconnaissance 6 September 1973 Successful
28 August
10:08 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 582 (Tselina-O) MO SSSR LEO ELINT 5 September 1980 Successful
30 August
00:07 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Plesetsk Molniya 1-24 MOM Molniya Comsat 5 December 1979 Successful
30 August
10:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 583 (Zenit 2M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 12 September 1973 Successful
6 September
10:40 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 584 (Zenit 4M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 20 September 1973 Successful
8 September
01:50 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 585 (Sfera) MO SSSR LEO Still in orbit Successful
14 September
00:31 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 586 (Tsiklon) MO SSSR LEO Navigation Still in orbit Successful
18 September Feng Bao 1 (FB1) LA-2B, Jiuquan JSSW 1 Intended: LEO Reconnaissance 18 September 1973 Failure
21 September
13:05 GMT		 Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) Plesetsk Kosmos 587 (Zenit-4MK) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 4 October 1973 Successful
27 September
12:18 GMT		 Soyuz (R-7 11A511) LC-1/5, Baikonur Soyuz 12, 2 Cosmonauts MOM LEO Manned orbital flight 29 September 1973 Successful Return-to-flight after Soyuz 11 incident
27 September
17:15 GMT		 Titan IIIB (24B) SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB OPS 6275 (KH-8) NRO/US Air Force LEO Reconnaissance 29 October 1973 Successful
2 October
21:46 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 588 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 589 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 590 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 591 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 592 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 593 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 594 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 595 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
3 October
13:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 596 (Zenit 2M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 9 October 1973 Failure Parachute failed to deploy during recovery
Nauka RVSN LEO Magnetosphere research 9 October 1973 Successful
6 October
12:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 597 (Zenit 4MK) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 12 October 1973 Successful
10 October
10:45 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 598 (Zenit 4M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 16 October 1973 Successful
15 October
08:45 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 599 (Zenit 2M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 28 October 1973 Successful
16 October
12:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 600 (Zenit 4M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 23 October 1973 Successful
16 October
14:00 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 601 (DS-P1-Yu) MO SSSR LEO 15 August 1984 Successful
19 October
10:26 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Plesetsk Molniya 2-7 MOM Molniya Comsat 8 July 1983 Successful
20 October
10:14 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 602 (Zenit 4MK) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 29 October 1973 Successful
26 October
02:26 GMT		 Delta (1913) LC-17B, Cape Canaveral Explorer 50 (IMP) NASA HEO[disambiguation needed] Magnetosphere research Still in orbit Successful
27 October
11:09 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 603 (Zenit 4M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 9 November 1973 Successful
29 October
14:00 GMT		 Vostok (R-7 8A92M) Plesetsk Kosmos 604 (Tselina) MOM LEO SIGINT 19 January 1992 Successful
30 October
00:37 GMT		 Scout A-1 SLC-5, Vandenberg AFB Vought Transit-O 20 US Navy LEO Navigation Still in orbit Successful Final flight of Scout A rocket
30 October
19:00 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Interkosmos 10 (DS-U2-IK) Interkosmos LEO Geophyiscal research 1 July 1977 Successful
31 October
18:24 GMT		 Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) LC-43, Plesetsk Kosmos 605 (Bion 1) MOM LEO Biological research 22 November 1973 Successful
2 November
13:01 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) LC-41, Plesetsk Kosmos 606 (Oko) MOM Molniya Missile Early Warning Still in orbit Successful
3 November
05:45 GMT		 Atlas SLV-3D Centaur LC-36B, Cape Canaveral Mariner 10 NASA Heliocentric Planetry probe Still in orbit Successful Flybys of Venus and Mercury
First spacecraft to visit Mercury
Deactivated: 24 March 1975
6 November
17:02 GMT		 Delta (0300) SLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB NASA NOAA 3 (ITOS-F) NASA/NOAA LEO Weather satellite Still in orbit Successful Final flight of Delta 0100 series
10 November
12:38 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 607 (Zenit-4MK) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 22 November 1973 Successful
10 November
20:09 GMT		 Titan IIID SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB OPS 6630 (KH-9) NRO/CIA LEO Reconnaissance 13 March 1974 Successful
OPS 7705 (SSF[disambiguation needed]) NRO/US Air Force LEO SIGINT 26 December 1978 Successful
OPS 6630 P/L 2 (SSF[disambiguation needed]) NRO/US Air Force LEO SIGINT Still in orbit Successful
14 November
20:40 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Baikonur Molniya 1-25 MOM Molniya Comsat 26 May 1979 Successful
16 November
14:01 GMT		 Saturn IB LC-39B, KSC NASA Skylab 4 NASA LEO, docked to Skylab Manned orbital flight 8 February 1974 Successful Final flight of Skylab programme
20 November
12:29 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 608 (DS-P1-Yu) MO SSSR LEO 10 July 1974 Successful
21 November
10:00 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Baikonur Kosmos 609 (Zenit-4M) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 4 December 1973 Successful
27 November
00:08 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 610 (Tselina-O) MO SSSR LEO SIGINT/ELINT 15 September 1980 Successful
28 November
09:29 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 611 (DS-P1-Yu) MO SSSR LEO 19 June 1974 Successful
28 November
11:43 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 612 (Zenit-4MK) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 11 December 1973 Successful
30 November
05:20 GMT		 Soyuz (R-7 11A511) LC-1/5, Baikonur Kosmos 613 (Soyuz 7K-T) MOM LEO Test spacecraft 29 January 1974, 05:29 GMT Successful
30 November
13:08 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Plesetsk Molniya 1-26 MOM Molniya Comsat 9 June 1985 Successful
4 December
15:00 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 614Kosmos 614 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
13 December
11:10 GMT		 Kosmos-2I (R-12 11K63) LC-133, Plesetsk Kosmos 615Kosmos 615 (DS-P1-I) MO SSSR LEO 17 December 1975 Successful
13 December
23:57 GMT		 Titan IIIC LC-40, Cape Canaveral DSCS II F-3 US Air Force Geosynchronous
Then: Graveyard orbit		 Comsat Still in orbit Successful Deactivated: 1 August 1982
DSCS II F-4 US Air Force Geosynchronous
Then: Graveyard orbit		 Comsat Still in orbit Successful Deactivated: 20 December 1993
16 December
06:18 GMT		 Delta (1900) SLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB NASA Explorer 51 (AE-C) NASA LEO/MEO Atmospheric research 12 December 1978 Successful
17 December
12:00 GMT		 Soyuz-M (R-7 11A511M) Plesetsk Kosmos 616 (Zenit 4MT) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 28 December 1973 Successful
18 December
11:55 GMT		 Soyuz (R-7 11A511) LC-1/5, Baikonur Soyuz 13, 2 Cosmonauts MOM LEO Manned orbital flight 26 December 1973 Successful Orion 2 astrophysics research /Astronomy mission
19 December
09:43 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 617 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 618 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 619 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 620 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 621 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 622 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 623 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
Kosmos 624 (Strela) MO SSSR LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful
21 December
12:30 GMT		 Voskhod (R-7 11A57) Plesetsk Kosmos 625 (Zenit-4MK) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 3 January 1974 Successful
25 December
11:17 GMT		 Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M) Plesetsk Molniya 2-8 MOM Molniya Comsat 24 November 1985 Successful
26 December
16:30 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Aureole 2 (DS-U2-GKA) MO SSSR/CNES LEO Auroral research 30 April 1974 Successful
27 December
20:19 GMT		 Tsyklon-2 LC-90, Baikonur Kosmos 626 (US-A/RORSAT) MO SSSR LEO Ocean reconnaissance 22 March 1974 Successful
29 December
04:12 GMT		 Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 627 (Tsiklon) MO SSSR LEO Navigation Still in orbit Successful

Deep Space Rendezvous [edit]

Date (GMT) Spacecraft Event Remarks
15 January Luna 21 Delivered Lunokhod 2 between Mare Serenitatis and the Taurus Mountains
15 June Explorer 49 Entered Selenocentric orbit Radio telescope
3 December Pioneer 10 Flyby of Jupiter Closest approach: 130,354 kilometres (80,998 mi)

EVAs [edit]

Start Date/Time Duration End Time Spacecraft Crew Remarks
26 May
00:40		 40 minutes 01:20 CM-116
SLM-1		 United StatesPaul J. Weitz Using a 10-foot (3.0 m) long tool, Weitz stood in the open hatch of the Command Module (as Joe Kerwin held onto his legs) and tried to remove a strap preventing the release of a solar panel on Skylab.[1]
7 June
15:15		 3 hours
25 minutes		 18:40 Skylab
SLM-1		 United StatesPete Conrad
United StatesJoseph P. Kerwin		 Used long-handled cable cutters to remove debris that prevented the solar array system from deploying and then forced the solar array system to deploy, providing the Skylab with electrical power needed to operate.
19 June
10:55		 1 hour
36 minutes		 12:31 Skylab
SLM-1		 United StatesPete Conrad
United StatesPaul J. Weitz		 Replaced exposed film cassettes with fresh film and repaired an electrical contact.
6 August
17:30		 6 hours
31 minutes		 7 August
00:01		 Skylab
SLM-2		 United StatesOwen K. Garriott
United StatesJack R. Lousma		 Erected a twin-pole solar shield to improve temperature control in Skylab, replaced film cassettes in the solar observatory and installed micrometeoroid detection panels.
24 August
16:24		 4 hours
31 minutes		 20:55 Skylab
SLM-2		 United StatesOwen K. Garriott
United StatesJack R. Lousma		 Installed a new gyroscope selection box, and replaced the film in the solar observatory.
22 September
11:18		 2 hours
41 minutes		 13:59 Skylab
SLM-2		 United StatesOwen K. Garriott
United StatesAlan Bean		 Replaced the film on the solar observatory and collected the Thermal Coatings Experiment Panel for return to earth.[2]
22 November
17:42		 6 hours
33 minutes		 23 November
00:15		 Skylab
SLM-3		 United StatesEdward Gibson
United StatesWilliam R. Pogue		 Replaced the film on the solar observatory and repaired the antenna for the earth resources experiment package.
25 December
16:00		 7 hours
1 minute		 23:01 Skylab
SLM-3		 United StatesGerald P. Carr
United StatesWilliam R. Pogue		 Used the extreme ultraviolet electronographic camera and the coronagraph contamination camera to photograph Comet Kohoutek. They also replaced the film on the solar observatory.
29 December
17:00		 3 hours
29 minutes		 20:29 Skylab
SLM-3		 United StatesGerald P. Carr
United StatesEdward Gibson		 Photographed Comet Kohoutek as it appeared from behind the sun and recovered the Thermal Control Coatings Experiment panel.

References [edit]
Generic references:
Portal icon Spaceflight portal

Footnotes [edit]

  1. ^ Belew, Leland F. (1977). "Skylab, Our First Space Station" (PDF). NASA. p. 61. Retrieved February 7, 2009. 
  2. ^ Ledbetter, James (1974). "Skylab Crew Systems Mission Evaluation" (PDF). NASA. pp. 301, p.338. Retrieved February 11, 2009. 


Timeline of spaceflight
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1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
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Preceded by
1972		 Timeline of spaceflight
1973		 Succeeded by
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