List of human spaceflights, 1981–1990
This is a detailed list of human spaceflights from 1981 to 1990, spanning the end of the Soviet Union's Salyut space station program, the beginning of Mir, and the start of the US Space Shuttle program.
- Red indicates fatalities.
- Green indicates suborbital flights (including flights that failed to attain intended orbit).
| # | Crew | Launch spacecraft |
Habitation | Return spacecraft |
Brief mission summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 |  Vladimir Kovalyonok (3) Viktor Savinykh (1)
|
13 March 1981 Soyuz T-4
|
Salyut 6 | 26 May 1981 Soyuz T-4
|
||
| 81 | Vladimir Dzhanibekov (2) Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa
|
22 March 1981 Soyuz 39
|
Salyut 6 | 29 March 1981 Soyuz 39
|
First Mongolian in space (Gürragchaa). | |
| 82 |  John W. Young (5) Robert L. Crippen (1)
|
12 April 1981 STS-1, Columbia
|
14 April 1981 STS-1, Columbia
|
First Space Shuttle flight. Systems test. | ||
| 83 | Leonid Popov (2) Dumitru Prunariu
|
14 May 1981 Soyuz 40
|
Salyut 6 | 22 May 1981 Soyuz 40
|
First Romanian in space (Prunariu). Magnetic field observations. Final Soyuz flight. | |
| 84 | Joseph H. Engle (1) Richard H. Truly (1)
|
12 November 1981 STS-2, Columbia
|
14 November 1981 STS-2, Columbia
|
First re-use of a crewed orbital spacecraft. Systems test. Earth science observations. | ||
| 85 | Jack R. Lousma (2) C. Gordon Fullerton (1)
|
22 March 1982 STS-3, Columbia
|
30 March 1982 STS-3, Columbia
|
Further system testing. Miscellaneous scientific experiments and Earth science observations. | ||
| 86 | Anatoli Brergovoy Valentin Lebedev (2)
|
12 May 1982 Soyuz T-5
|
Salyut 7 | 10 December 1982 Soyuz T-7
|
First mission to Salyut 7. Deployment of radio communications satellite. | |
| 87 | Vladimir Dzhanibekov (3) Aleksandr Ivanchenkov (2) Jean-Loup Chrétien (1)
|
24 June 1982 Soyuz T-6
|
Salyut 7 | 2 July 1982 Soyuz T-6
|
First French citizen in space (Chrétien). | |
| 88 | Thomas K. Mattingly (2) Henry W. Hartsfield (1)
|
27 June 1982 STS-4, Columbia
|
4 July 1982 STS-4, Columbia
|
Final Space Shuttle R&D flight. Miscellaneous scientific experiments plus classified US Air Force payload. | ||
| 89 | Leonid Popov (3) Aleksandr Serebrov (1) Svetlana Savitskaya (1)
|
19 August 1982 Soyuz T-7
|
Salyut 7 | 27 August 1982 Soyuz T-5
|
Second woman in space (Savitskaya). | |
| 90 | Vance D. Brand (2) Robert F. Overmyer (1) Joseph P. Allen (1) William B. Lenoir
|
11 November 1982 STS-5, Columbia
|
16 November 1982 STS-5, Columbia
|
Launched commercial ANIK C-3 and SBS-C communications satellites. Planned EVA cancelled due to space suit malfunction. | ||
| 91 | Paul J. Weitz (2) Karol J. Bobko (1) Donald H. Peterson F. Story Musgrave (1)
|
4 April 1983 STS-6, Challenger
|
9 April 1983 STS-6, Challenger
|
First Space Shuttle EVA (Peterson and Musgrave). Deployment of first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-1). Miscellaneous science experiments. | ||
| 92 | Vladimir Titov (1) Gennadi Strekalov (2) Aleksandr Serebrov (2)
|
20 April 1983 Soyuz T-8
|
22 April 1983 Soyuz T-8
|
Failed to dock with Salyut 7. | ||
| 93 | Robert L. Crippen (2) Frederick H. Hauck (1) John M. Fabian (1) Sally K. Ride (1) Norman E. Thagard (1)
|
18 June 1983 STS-7, Challenger
|
24 June 1983 STS-7, Challenger
|
Two communications satellites launched. First American woman in space (Ride). Investigation into behavior of ant colony in zero gravity. Various microgravity experiments. | ||
| 94 | Vladimir Lyakhov (2) Aleksandr Aleksandrov (1)
|
26 June 1983 Soyuz T-9
|
Salyut 7 | 23 November 1983 Soyuz T-9
|
||
| 95 | Richard H. Truly (2) Daniel C. Brandenstein (1) Dale A. Gardner (1) Guion Bluford (1) William E. Thornton (1)
|
30 August 1983 STS-8, Challenger
|
5 September 1983 STS-8, Challenger
|
First African-American in space (Bluford). First night launch and landing. Deployed INSAT-1B satellite for India. Observation of behavior of rats in space. | ||
| — | Vladimir Titov Gennady Strekalov
|
26 September 1983 Soyuz T-10-1
|
Launch failed due to fire. Crew ejected. | |||
| 96 | John W. Young (6) Brewster H. Shaw (1) Owen K. Garriott (2) Robert A. Parker (1) Byron K. Lichtenberg (1) Ulf Merbold (1)
|
28 November 1983 STS-9, Columbia
|
8 December 1983 STS-9, Columbia
|
First Spacelab (orbital laboratory) mission. First ESA astronaut, first West German astronaut and first non-American on US flight (Merbold). | ||
| 97 | Vance D. Brand (3) Robert L. Gibson (1) Bruce McCandless II (1) Ronald E. McNair (1) Robert L. Stewart (1)
|
3 February 1984 STS-41-B, Challenger |
11 February 1984 STS-41-B, Challenger |
First untethered spacewalk (McCandless and Stewart). WESTAR-VI and PALAPA-B2 satellites deployed but failed to attain correct orbits. | ||
| 98 | Leonid Kizim (2) Vladimir Solovyov (1) Oleg Atkov
|
4 February 1984 Soyuz T-10
|
Salyut 7 | 2 October 1984 Soyuz T-11
|
||
| 99 | Yury Malyshev (2) Gennadi Strekalov (3) Rakesh Sharma
|
3 April 1984 Soyuz T-11
|
Salyut 7 | 11 April 1984 Soyuz T-10
|
First Indian in space (Sharma). Earth observation program. Life sciences and materials processing experiments. | |
| 100 | Robert L. Crippen (3) Francis R. Scobee (1) George D. Nelson (1) James D. A. van Hoften (1) Terry J. Hart
|
6 April 1984 STS-41-C, Challenger |
13 April 1984 STS-41-C, Challenger |
LDEF deployed for later retrieval. Capture, repair and redeployment of malfunctioning Solar Maximum Mission satellite. | ||
| 101 | Vladimir Dzhanibekov (4) Igor Volk Svetlana Savitskaya (2)
|
17 July 1984 Soyuz T-12
|
Salyut 7 | 29 July 1984 Soyuz T-12
|
First EVA by a female astronaut (Savitskaya). | |
| 102 | Henry W. Hartsfield (2) Michael L. Coats (1) Judith A. Resnik (1) Steven A. Hawley (1) Richard M. Mullane (1) Charles D. Walker (1)
|
30 August 1984 STS-41-D, Discovery |
5 September 1984 STS-41-D, Discovery |
Testing of experimental solar arrays. Three satellites deployed. | ||
| 103 | Robert L. Crippen (4) Jon A. McBride (1) Kathryn D. Sullivan (1) Sally K. Ride (2) David C. Leestma (1) Marc Garneau (1) Paul D. Scully-Power
|
5 October 1984 STS-41-G, Challenger |
13 October 1984 STS-41-G, Challenger |
ERBS satellite deployed. Radar imaging. First EVA by an American woman (Sullivan). First Canadian in space (Garneau). First flight including two women. | ||
| 104 | Frederick H. Hauck (2) David M. Walker (1) Anna L. Fisher Dale A. Gardner (2) Joseph P. Allen (2)
|
8 November 1984 STS-51-A, Discovery |
16 November 1984 STS-51-A, Discovery |
Deployed two communications satellites. Retrieved two malfunctioning satellites. | ||
| 105 | Thomas K. Mattingly (3) Loren J. Shriver (1) Ellison S. Onizuka (1) James F. Buchli (1) Gary E. Payton
|
24 January 1985 STS-51-C, Discovery |
27 January 1985 STS-51-C, Discovery |
First mission for the U.S. Department of Defense. Classified payload, possibly intelligence-gathering satellite. | ||
| 106 | Karol J. Bobko (2) Donald E. Williams (1) M. Rhea Seddon (1) Jeffrey A. Hoffman (1) S. David Griggs Charles D. Walker (2) E. Jake Garn
|
12 April 1985 STS-51-D, Discovery |
19 April 1985 STS-51-D, Discovery |
Communications satellite deployed. Miscellaneous scientific experiments. First senator in space (Garn). | ||
| 107 | Robert F. Overmyer (2) Frederick D. Gregory (1) Don L. Lind Norman E. Thagard (2) William E. Thornton (2) Lodewijk van den Berg Taylor G. Wang
|
29 April 1985 STS-51-B, Challenger |
6 May 1985 STS-51-B, Challenger |
Second Spacelab mission; microgravity experiments. Observation of behaviour of monkeys and rodents in space. | ||
| 108 | Vladimir Dzhanibekov (5)
|
5 June 1985 Soyuz T-13
|
Salyut 7 | 26 September 1985 Soyuz T-13
|
Repair of crippled Salyut 7 station. | |
| Viktor Savinykh (2)
|
21 November 1985 Soyuz T-14
| |||||
| 109 | Daniel C. Brandenstein (2) John O. Creighton (1) Shannon W. Lucid (1) Steven R. Nagel (1) John M. Fabian (2) Patrick Baudry Sultan Salman Al Saud
|
17 June 1985 STS-51-G, Discovery |
24 June 1985 STS-51-G, Discovery |
Three communications satellites deployed. Miscellaneous scientific experiments. First Saudi and the first Arab in space (Al-Saud). | ||
| 110 | C. Gordon Fullerton (2) Roy D. Bridges F. Story Musgrave (2) Anthony W. England Karl G. Henize Loren W. Acton John-David F. Bartoe
|
29 July 1985 STS-51-F, Challenger |
6 August 1985 STS-51-F, Challenger |
Spacelab-2 mission. Miscellaneous science experiments. Three communications satellites deployed. | ||
| 111 | Joseph H. Engle (2) Richard O. Covey (1) James D.A. van Hoften (2) John M. Lounge (1) William F. Fisher
|
27 August 1985 STS-51-I, Discovery |
3 September 1985 STS-51-I, Discovery |
Three communications satellites deployed. Retrieval, repair and redeployment of LEASAT-3 satellite. | ||
| 112 | Vladimir Vasyutin Aleksandr Volkov (1)
|
17 September 1985 Soyuz T-14
|
Salyut 7 | 21 November 1985 Soyuz T-14
|
||
| Georgi Grechko (3)
|
26 September 1985 Soyuz T-13
| |||||
| 113 | Karol J. Bobko (3) Ronald J. Grabe (1) David C. Hilmers (1) Robert L. Stewart (2) William A. Pailes
|
3 October 1985 STS-51-J, Atlantis |
7 October 1985 STS-51-J, Atlantis |
Second U.S. Department of Defense mission. Classified payload, believed to be two communications satellites. | ||
| 114 | Henry W. Hartsfield (3) Steven R. Nagel (1) James F. Buchli (2) Guion Bluford (2) Bonnie J. Dunbar (1) Reinhard Furrer Ernst Messerschmid Wubbo J. Ockels
|
30 October 1985 STS-61-A, Challenger |
6 November 1985 STS-61-A, Challenger |
German-sponsored Spacelab mission. Microgravity experiments. First Dutchman in space (Ockels). | ||
| 115 | Brewster H. Shaw (2) Bryan D. O'Connor (1) Mary L. Cleave (1) Sherwood C. Spring Jerry L. Ross (1) Rodolfo Neri Vela Charles D. Walker (3)
|
26 November 1985 STS-61-B, Atlantis |
3 December 1985 STS-61-B, Atlantis |
Three communications satellites deployed. Demonstration of in-orbit construction techniques. First Mexican in space (Neri Vela). | ||
| 116 | Robert L. Gibson (2) Charles F. Bolden (1) Franklin R. Chang-Diaz (1) Steven A. Hawley (2) George D. Nelson (2) Robert J. Cenker Clarence W. Nelson
|
12 January 1986 STS-61-C, Columbia |
18 January 1986 STS-61-C, Columbia |
Deployment of communications satellite. Miscellaneous science experiments. | ||
| — | Francis R. Scobee (2) Michael J. Smith Judith A. Resnik (2) Ellison S. Onizuka (2) Ronald E. McNair (2) Gregory B. Jarvis S. Christa McAuliffe
|
28 January 1986 STS-51-L, Challenger
|
Disintegrated 73 seconds after launch with loss of all crew. | |||
| 117 | Leonid Kizim (3) Vladimir Solovyov (2)
|
13 March 1986 Soyuz T-15
|
Mir Salyut 7 Mir |
16 July 1986 Soyuz T-15
|
First expedition to Mir. Last expedition to Salyut 7. | |
| 118 | Alexander Laveykin
|
7 February 1987 Soyuz TM-2
|
Mir | 30 July 1987 Soyuz TM-2
|
Mir crew rotation and maintenance. | |
| Yuri Romanenko (3)
|
29 December 1987 Soyuz TM-3
| |||||
| 119 | Aleksandr Viktorenko (1) Mohammed Faris
|
22 July 1987 Soyuz TM-3
|
Mir | 30 July 1987 Soyuz TM-2
|
Mir crew rotation. First Syrian in space (Faris). | |
| Aleksandr Aleksandrov (2)
|
29 December 1987 Soyuz TM-3
| |||||
| 120 | Anatoli Levchenko
|
21 December 1987 Soyuz TM-4
|
Mir | 29 December 1987 Soyuz TM-3
|
Mir crew rotation. Biological experiments and astronomical observations. | |
| Vladimir Titov (2) Musa Manarov (1)
|
21 December 1988 Soyuz TM-6
| |||||
| 121 | Anatoly Solovyev (1) Victor Savinykh (3) Aleksandr Aleksandrov
|
7 June 1988 Soyuz TM-5
|
Mir | 17 June 1988 Soyuz TM-4
|
||
| 122 | Vladimir Lyakhov (3) Abdul Ahad Mohmand
|
29 August 1988 Soyuz TM-6
|
Mir | 7 September 1988 Soyuz TM-5
|
Mir crew rotation. First Afghan in space (Mohmand). | |
| Valeri Polyakov (1)
|
27 April 1989 Soyuz TM-7
| |||||
| 123 | Frederick H. Hauck (3) Richard O. Covey (2) John M. Lounge (2) George D. Nelson (3) David C. Hilmers (2)
|
28 September 1988 STS-26, Discovery
|
3 October 1988 STS-26, Discovery
|
First "Return to Flight" Space Shuttle mission after Challenger Disaster. Deployment of Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-3 (TDRS-3). | ||
| 124 | Aleksandr Volkov (2) Sergei Krikalev (1)
|
26 November 1988 Soyuz TM-7
|
Mir | 27 April 1989 Soyuz TM-7
|
Mir crew rotation. Technology experiments. First European EVA (Chrétien). | |
| Jean-Loup Chrétien (2)
|
21 December 1988 Soyuz TM-6
| |||||
| 125 | Robert L. Gibson (3) Guy S. Gardner (1) Richard M. Mullane (2) Jerry L. Ross (2) William M. Shepherd (1)
|
2 December 1988 STS-27, Atlantis
|
6 December 1988 STS-27, Atlantis
|
U.S. Department of Defense mission. Classified payload, reportedly Lacrosse 1 radar reconnaissance satellite. | ||
| 126 | Michael L. Coats (2) John E. Blaha (1) James P. Bagian (1) James F. Buchli (3) Robert C. Springer (1)
|
13 March 1989 STS-29, Discovery
|
18 March 1989 STS-29, Discovery
|
Deployment of Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-4 (TDRS-4). Miscellaneous science experiments. | ||
| 127 | David M. Walker (2) Ronald J. Grabe (2) Norman E. Thagard (3) Mary L. Cleave (2) Mark C. Lee (1)
|
4 May 1989 STS-30, Atlantis
|
8 May 1989 STS-30, Atlantis
|
Magellan probe deployed. | ||
| 128 | Brewster H. Shaw (3) Richard N. Richards (1) James C. Adamson (1) David C. Leestma (2) Mark N. Brown (1)
|
8 August 1989 STS-28, Columbia
|
13 August 1989 STS-28, Columbia
|
U.S. Department of Defense mission. Classified payload, reportedly military communications and reconnaissance satellites. | ||
| 129 | Alexander Viktorenko (2) Aleksandr Serebrov (3)
|
5 September 1989 Soyuz TM-8
|
Mir | 19 February 1990 Soyuz TM-8
|
Mir equipment installation. | |
| 130 | Donald E. Williams (2) Michael J. McCulley Franklin R. Chang-Diaz (2) Shannon W. Lucid (2) Ellen S. Baker (1)
|
18 October 1989 STS-34, Atlantis
|
23 October 1989 STS-34, Atlantis
|
Galileo probe deployed. | ||
| 131 | Frederick D. Gregory (2) John E. Blaha (2) F. Story Musgrave (3) Manley L. Carter Kathryn C. Thornton (1)
|
22 November 1989 STS-33, Discovery
|
27 November 1989 STS-33, Discovery
|
U.S. Department of Defense mission. Classified payload, reportedly reconnaissance satellite. First African-American Shuttle Commander. | ||
| 132 | Daniel C. Brandenstein (3) James D. Wetherbee (1) Bonnie J. Dunbar (2) G. David Low (1) Marsha S. Ivins (1)
|
9 January 1990 STS-32, Columbia
|
20 January 1990 STS-32, Columbia
|
Deployment of defense communications satellite. Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) retrieval. | ||
| 133 | Anatoly Solovyev (2) Alexander Balandin
|
11 February 1990 Soyuz TM-9
|
Mir | 17 July 1990 Soyuz TM-9
|
||
| 134 | John O. Creighton (2) John H. Casper (1) Richard M. Mullane (3) David C. Hilmers (3) Pierre J. Thuot (1)
|
28 February 1990 STS-36, Atlantis
|
4 March 1990 STS-36, Atlantis
|
U.S. Department of Defense mission. Classified payload, reportedlyreconnaissance satellite. | ||
| 135 | Loren J. Shriver (2) Charles F. Bolden (2) Steven A. Hawley (3) Bruce McCandless II (2) Kathryn D. Sullivan (2)
|
24 April 1990 STS-31, Discovery
|
29 April 1990 STS-31, Discovery
|
Hubble Space Telescope deployed. | ||
| 136 | Gennadi Strekalov (4) Gennadi Manakov (1)
|
3 August 1990 Soyuz TM-10
|
Mir | 10 December 1990 Soyuz TM-10
|
||
| 137 | Richard N. Richards (2) Robert D. Cabana (1) William M. Shepherd (2) Bruce E. Melnick (1) Thomas D. Akers (1)
|
6 October 1990 STS-41, Discovery
|
10 October 1990 STS-41, Discovery
|
Ulysses probe deployed. Miscellaneous science experiments. | ||
| 138 | Richard O. Covey (3) Frank L. Culbertson (1) Robert C. Springer (2) Carl J. Meade (1) Charles D. Gemar (1)
|
15 November 1990 STS-38, Atlantis
|
20 November 1990 STS-38, Atlantis
|
U.S. Department of Defense mission. Classified payload, reportedly reconnaissance satellite. | ||
| 139 | Vance D. Brand (4) Guy S. Gardner (2) Jeffrey A. Hoffman (2) John M. Lounge (3) Robert A. Parker (2) Samuel T. Durrance (1) Ronald A. Parise (1)
|
2 December 1990 STS-35, Columbia
|
10 December 1990 STS-35, Columbia
|
Ultraviolet and X-ray astronomy (ASTRO-1 observatory). | ||
| 140 | Viktor Afanasyev (1) Musa Manarov (2)
|
2 December 1990 Soyuz TM-11
|
Mir | 26 May 1991 Soyuz TM-11
|
Mir crew rotation. First Japanese in space (Akiyama). | |
 Toyohiro Akiyama
|
10 December 1990 Soyuz TM-10
| |||||
See also
- List of human spaceflight programs
- List of human spaceflights
- List of human spaceflights, 1961–1970
- List of human spaceflights, 1971–1980
- List of human spaceflights, 1991–2000
- List of human spaceflights, 2001–2010
- List of human spaceflights, 2011–present
References
- Vostok and Voskhod flight history
- Mercury flight history
- X-15 flight history (altitudes given in feet)
- Gemini flight history
- Apollo flight history (student resource)
- Skylab flight history
- Apollo-Soyuz flight history
- Space Shuttle flight history infographic
- Shenzhou flight history timeline
- SpaceShipOne flight history
