1981 in spaceflight
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Contents |
Launches
[edit]
This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1981.
| ← Jan • Feb • Mar • Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug • Sep • Oct • Nov • Dec → |
| Date/Time (GMT) |
Rocket | Site | LSP | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (GMT) |
Outcome | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 January, 12:15 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1237 (Zenit-6U) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 20 January 1981 | Successful | |
| 9 January, 14:57 GMT | Molniya-M/ML (R-7 8K78M/ML) |
LC-41/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Molniya 3-14 | MOM | Molniya | Comsat | 3 July 1999 | Successful | |
| 10 January, 18:22 GMT | Nike Tomahawk | Siple Station, Ellsworth Island | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Ionospheric research | 10 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 198 km (123 mi) | |
| 14 January, 22:00 GMT | TT-500A | LA-T, Tanegashima | NASDA | NASDA | Sub-orbital | Test rocket | 14 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 300 km (186 mi) | |
| 16 January, 09:00 GMT | Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) |
LC-132/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1238 (Taifun-1) | MO SSSR | LEO | Radar calibration | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 16 January, 12:00 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1239 (Zenit-4MT) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 28 January 1981 | Successful | |
| 19 January, 03:37 GMT | Black Brant VB | Fort Churchill | NRCC | NRCC | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 19 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 263 km (163 mi) | |
| 20 January, 04:50 GMT | Astrobee-F | White Sands | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Ultraviolet astronomy | 20 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 209 km (130 mi) | |
| 20 January, 11:00 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-31/6, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1240 (Yantar-2K) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 17 February 1981 | Successful | |
| 21 January, 00:25 GMT | Black Brant 8C | White Sands | NASA | SPAR-9 | NASA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 21 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 209 km (130 mi) |
| 21 January, 08:29 GMT | Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) |
LC-132/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1241 (DS-P1-M) | MO SSSR | LEO | ASAT target | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 21 January, 21:46 GMT | S-310 | Kagoshima | ISAS | ISAS | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 21 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 174 km (108 mi) | |
| 23 January, 11:20 GMT | Tsyklon-3 (R-36 11K68) |
LC-32/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Geo-IK S/N 1 | MO SSSR | Intended: MEO | Geodetics | 23 January 1981 | Failure | Fairing failed to separate |
| 24 January, 14:18 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-1/5, Baikonur | RVSN | Progress 12 | MOM | LEO, docked to Salyut 6 | Resupply Salyut 6 | 20 March 1981, 16:58:58 GMT | Successful | |
| 26 January, 07:20 GMT | Black Brant IVB | Fort Churchill | NRCC | NRCC | Sub-orbital | Auroral research | 26 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 584 km (363 mi) | |
| 27 January, 14:58 GMT | Vostok-2M (R-7 8A92M) |
Plesetsk | Kosmos-1242 (Tselina-D) | MOM | LEO | SIGINT satellite | Still in orbit | Successful | ||
| 29 January, 04:12 GMT | Astrobee-F | Fort Churchill | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 29 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 189 km (117 mi) | |
| 29 January, 17:00 GMT | S-520 | LA-K, Kagoshima | ISAS | TPE-2 | ISAS | Sub-orbital | Ionospheric/tether research | 29 January 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 323 km (201 mi) |
| 30 January, 16:27 GMT | Molniya-M/ML (R-7 8K78M/ML) |
Plesetsk | RVSN | Molniya 1-49 | MOM | Molniya | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 2 February, 02:19 GMT | Tsyklon-2 (R-36 11K69) |
LC-90, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1243 (IS-A) | MO SSSR | LEO | ASAT test | 2 February 1981 | Failure | Intended to destroy Kosmos-1241, passed within 50 m (164 ft) of target, failed to explode. |
| 4 February, 01:10 GMT | Aries | LC-36, White Sands | US Air Force | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | ABM technology development | 4 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 387 km (240 mi) | |
| 4 February, 05:00 GMT | Centaure | Thumba | ISRO | ISRO | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 4 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |
| 4 February, 15:00 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-141 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 4 February 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 4 February, 15:33 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-139 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 4 February 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 4 February, 15:53 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-140 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 4 February 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 5 February, 11:25 GMT | Sergeant | Poker Flat | US Air Force | FWIF IV | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Auroral research | 5 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 130 km (81 mi) |
| 6 February, 08:00 GMT | Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) |
LC-132/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Interkosmos-21 | Interkosmos | LEO | Technology development | 7 July 1982 | Successful | Deactivated 2 June 1982 |
| 7 February, 20:13:45 GMT | Petrel 2 | Esrange | SERC | SERC | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 7 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 140 km (87 mi) | |
| 7 February, 20:30 GMT | Nike Orion | Kiruna | SSC | OXYGEN | SSC | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 7 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 120 km (75 mi) |
| 9 February | Minuteman III | LF-08, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | GT-79GM | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 9 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 km (808 mi) |
| 9 February | Minuteman III | LF-09, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | GT-80GM | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 9 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 km (808 mi) |
| 11 February, 08:30 GMT | N-II | LA-N, Tanegashima | NASDA | Kiku 3 (ETS-4) | NASDA | MEO | Test carrier rocket/technology development | Still in orbit | Successful | Maiden flight of N-II |
| 12 February, 05:27 GMT | Centaure 2B | Thumba | ISRO | ISRO | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 12 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 158 kilometres (98 mi) | |
| 12 February, 18:21 GMT | Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) |
LC-132/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1244 (Parus) | MO SSSR | LEO | Navigation | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 13 February, 11:15 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1245 (Zenit-6U) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance satellite | 27 February 1981 | Successful | |
| 13 February, 17:15 GMT | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Solar research | 13 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 265 km (165 mi) | |
| 17 February, 17:15 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-143 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 17 February 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 17 February, 17:51 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-142 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 17 February 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 17 February, 19:17 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-144 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 17 February 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 18 February, 09:00 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-31/6, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1246 (Yantar-1KFT) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 13 March 1981 | Successful | |
| 18 February | INTA-300 | El Arenosillo | INTA | INTA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 18 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 285 km (177 mi) | |
| 18 February | Minuteman IB | LF-06, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | ABRES IRS-1 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test re-entry vehicle | 18 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 km (808 mi) |
| 19 February, 10:00 GMT | Molniya-M/2BL (R-7 8K78M/2BL) |
LC-16/2, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1247 (Oko) | MOM | Molniya | Missile early warning | Still in orbit | Successful so far | First launch from LC-16/2 |
| 21 February, 00:30 GMT | Mu-3S | LA-M, Kagoshima | ISAS | Hinotori (ASTRO-A) | ISAS | LEO | Solar research | 11 July 1991 | Successful | |
| 21 February, 23:23 GMT | Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | LC-36A, Cape Canavaral | Comstar 4 (Parallax 1/Esiafi 1) | LMGT (1981-2001) SSC Parallax (2001-2002) Tongasat (2002—) |
GSO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful | Renamed Parallax 1 in 2001 and Esiafi 1 in 2002 | |
| 21 February | Minuteman III | LF-26, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | GT-81GM | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 21 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 km (808 mi) |
| 25 February, 17:20 GMT | Sergeant-Hydac | Poker Flat | US Air Force | HAVE SLED | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test flight | 25 February 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 400 km (249 mi) |
| 28 February, 19:15 GMT | Titan 24B/Agena-D | SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB | OPS 1166 (KH-8) | US Air Force/NRO | LEO | Reconnaissance | 20 June 1981 | Successful | ||
| 1 March, 09:20 GMT | OTRAG | Seba Oasis | OTRAG | OTRAG | Sub-orbital | Test flight | 1 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |
| 5 March, 15:00 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-41/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1249 (Yantar-2K) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 4 April 1981 | Successful | |
| 5 March, 16:48 GMT | Sergeant-Hydac | Poker Flat | US Air Force | HAVE SLED | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test flight | 5 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 400 km (249 mi) |
| 5 March, 18:09 GMT | Tsyklon-2 (R-36 11K69) |
LC-90, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1249 (US-A) | MO SSSR | LEO | Ocean reconnaissance | 19 July 1981 | Successful | |
| 6 March, 11:31 GMT | Kosmos-3M (R-14 11K65M) |
LC-132/2, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1250 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |
| Kosmos-1251 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| Kosmos-1252 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| Kosmos-1253 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| Kosmos-1254 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| Kosmos-1255 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| Kosmos-1256 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| Kosmos-1257 (Strela-1M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |||||
| 7 March, 08:09 GMT | Taurus-Orion | Poker Flat | US Air Force | AURORAL E1 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Auroral research | 7 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 156 km (97 mi) |
| 7 March, 08:09 GMT | Taurus-Orion | Poker Flat | US Air Force | AURORAL E3 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy/Ionospheric/Plasma research | 7 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 203 km (126 mi) |
| 7 March, 08:26 GMT | Taurus-Orion | Poker Flat | US Air Force | AURORAL E2 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Auroral research | 7 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 169 km (105 mi) |
| 7 March, 08:38 GMT | Paiute-Tomahawk | Poker Flat | US Air Force | AURORAL E4 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Auroral research | 7 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 187 km (116 mi) |
| 8 March, 16:00 GMT | Nike Orion | Poker Flat | US Air Force | CWAS 1 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 8 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 140 km (87 mi) |
| 12 March, 04:30 GMT | Sergeant-Hydac | Poker Flat | US Air Force | HAVE SLED | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test flight | 12 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 400 km (249 mi) |
| 12 March, 19:00 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-1/5, Baikonur | RVSN | Soyuz T-4, 2 cosmonauts | MOM | LEO, docked to Salyut 6 | Manned orbital flight | 25 May 1981, 12:37 GMT | Successful | Salyut 6 Expedition 6 |
| 13 March, 16:00 GMT | Nike-Orion | Fort Churchill | NASA | CWAS 2 | NASA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 13 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 140 km (87 mi) |
| 14 March, 16:55 GMT | Tsyklon-2 (R-36 11K69) |
LC-90, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1258 (IS-A) | MO SSSR | LEO | ASAT test | 14 March 1981 | Failure | Intended to destroy Kosmos-1241. Spacecraft malfunction |
| 15 March | Minuteman IB | LF-03, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | ABERS TDV-4 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test re-entry vehicle | 15 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 km (808 mi) |
| 16 March, 19:24 GMT | Titan IIIC | LC-40, Cape Canaveral | IMEWS 11 | US Air Force | GEO. Moved to Graveyard orbit after retirement | Missile early warning | Still in orbit | Successful | Retired on 1 January 1992 | |
| 17 March, 08:40 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-31, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1259 (Zenit 6U) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 31 March 1981 | Successful | |
| 18 March, 04:40 GMT | Proton-K/DM | LC-200/40, Baikonur | RVSN | Raduga 8 | MOM | GEO. Moved to Graveyard orbit after retirement | Comsat | Still in orbit | Failure | Deactivated on 11 April 1981 |
| 20 March, 23:45 GMT | Tsyklon-2 (R-36 11K69) |
LC-90, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1260 (US-P/EORSAT) | MO SSSR | LEO | Ocean reconnaissance | 22 May 1982 | Successful | |
| 22 March, 14:58 GMT | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) |
LC-31/6, Baikonur | RVSN | Soyuz 39, 2 cosmonauts | MOM | LEO, docked to Salyut 6 | Manned orbital flight | 30 March 1981 | Successful | |
| 24 March, 03:00 GMT | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Ultraviolet astronomy | 24 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 261 km (162 mi) | |
| 24 March, 03:31 GMT | Molniya-M | LC-41/1, Plesetsk Cosmodrome | RVSN | Molniya 3-15 | MOM | Molniya | Comsat | 19 October 1992 | Successful | |
| 25 March, 08:05 GMT | Taurus-Tomahawk | Poker Flat | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 25 March 1981 | Successful | [[Apogee | |
| 28 March, 01:54 GMT | Black Brant VB | Fort Churchill | NRCC | FALCONS | NRCC | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 28 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 327 km (203 mi) |
| 28 March, 01:54 GMT | Black Brant IVB | Fort Churchill | NRCC | FALCONS | NRCC | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 28 March 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 675 km (419 mi) |
| 28 March, 09:30 GMT | Soyuz-U | LC-31/6, Baikonur | RVSN | Yantar-2K 979 | MOM | Intended: LEO | Reconnaissance satellite | 28 March 1981 | Failure | Carrier rocket malfunction, failed to orbit |
| 30 March, 05:52 GMT | Nike-Orion | Poker Flat | DNA | LADY LOU Ba | DNA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy research | 30 March 1981 | Successful | |
| 31 March, 09:40 GMT | Molniya-M | LC-41/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1261 (Oko) | MOM | Molniya | Missile defence | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |
| 1 April, 09:04:35 GMT | Taurus-Tomahawk | Poker Flat | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 1 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) | |
| 1 April, 09:10 GMT | Trident C-4 | USS Simon Bolivar, ETR | US Navy | DASO-7 | US Navy | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 1 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) |
| 1 April | Minuteman III | LF-04, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | GT-75GM2 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 1 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) |
| 2 April | Taurus-Orion | Wallops Island | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 2 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |
| 3 April, 06:20:55 GMT | Nike-Orion | Poker Flat | DNA | DNA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | 3 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 140 kilometres (87 mi) | |
| 3 April | Taurus-Orion | Wallops Island | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 3 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 200 kilometres (120 mi) | |
| 4 April | Minuteman IB | LF-06, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | ABRES 500-PAS-1 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Re-entry test | 4 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) |
| 7 April, 10:51 GMT | Soyuz-U | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1262 (Zenit-6) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 21 April 1981 | Successful | |
| 7 April, 14:00 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-146 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 7 April 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 7 April, 14:19 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-147 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 7 April 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 7 April, 14:40 GMT | Pershing 1A | LC-16, Cape Canaveral | US Air Force | FOT-148 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 7 April 1981 | Apogee: 250 kilometres (160 mi) | |
| 9 April, 12:00 GMT | Kosmos-3M | LC-132/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1263 (Taifun-1) | MO SSSR | LEO | Radar calibration | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |
| 12 April, 12:00:03 GMT | Space Shuttle Columbia | LC-39A, Kennedy | United Space Alliance | STS-1, 2 astronauts | NASA | LEO | Manned orbital flight | 14 April 1981, 18:20:57 GMT | Successful | Maiden flight of Space Shuttle orbiter and Space Shuttle Columbia |
| DFI | NASA | LEO, attached to Columbia | Flight recorder | Successful | ||||||
| 15 April, 10:30 GMT | Soyuz-U | Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1264 (Zenit-6) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 29 April 1981 | Successful | |
| 16 April, 11:30 GMT | Soyuz-U | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1265 (Zenit-6) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 28 April 1981 | Successful | |
| 18 April | MR-UR-100U | LC-172, Baikonur | RVSN | RVSN | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 18 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |
| 21 April, 03:45 GMT | Tsyklon-2 | LC-90, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1266 (US-A/RORSAT) | MO SSSR | LEO | Reconnaissance | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 24 April, 21:32 GMT | Titan 34B | SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | OPS-7225 (SDS-1) | US NRO | Molniya | Comsat | Still in orbit | Partial failure | |
| 25 April, 02:01 GMT | Proton-K | LC-200/39, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1267 (TKS-2) | MOM | LEO, docked to Salyut 6 | Technology demonstration | 29 July 1982 | Successful | |
| 27 April, 23:15 GMT | Aries | LC-36, White Sands | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Ultraviolet astronomy | 27 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 263 kilometres (163 mi) | |
| 28 April, 09:00 GMT | Soyuz-U | Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1268 (Zenit-6) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 12 May 1981 | Successful | |
| 30 April, 06:00 GMT | Skylark 7 | LA-S, Esrange | DFVLR | TEXUS-3B | DFVLR | Sub-orbital | Microgravity research | 30 April 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 253 kilometres (157 mi) |
| 4 May, 07:55 GMT | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | NASA | XRB-2 | NASA | Sub-orbital | X-Ray astronomy | 4 May 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 294 kilometres (183 mi) |
| 6 May, 08:00 GMT | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | 6 May 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 322 kilometres (200 mi) | |
| 7 May, 13:21 GMT | Kosmos-3M | LC-132/1, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1269 (Strela-2M) | MO SSSR | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |
| 8 May, 05:27 GMT | Skylark 7 | LA-S, Esrange | DFVLR | TEXUS 4 | DFVLR | Sub-orbital | Microgravity research | 8 May 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 258 kilometres (160 mi) |
| 14 May, 17:16:38 GMT | Soyuz-U | LC-1/5, Baikonur | RVSN | Soyuz 40 | MOM | LEO, docked to Salyut 6 | Manned orbital flight | 22 May 1981 | Successful | |
| 14 May, 21:45 GMT | Vostok-2M | Plesetsk | RVSN | Meteor-2 | MOM | LEO | Weather satellite | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 15 May, 06:07:17 GMT | Scout G-1 | SLC-5, Vandenberg AFB | NASA | Nova 1 | US Navy | LEO (Polar) | Navigation | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |
| 18 May, 11:50 GMT | Soyuz-U | LC-31/6, Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1270 (Yantar-2K) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 17 June 1981 | Successful | |
| 19 May, 03:49 GMT | Vostok-2M | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1271 (Tselina-D) | MOM | LEO | ELINT | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 21 May, 09:10 GMT | Soyuz-U | Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1272 (Zenit-6) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 4 June 1981 | Successful | |
| 22 May, 07:10 GMT | Soyuz-U | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1273 (Zenit-4MKT) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 4 June 1981 | Successful | |
| 22 May, 22:29 GMT | Delta 3914 | LC-17A, Cape Canaveral | NASA | GOES-5 | NOAA | GSO | Weather satellite | Still in orbit | Successful so far | |
| 23 May, 22:42 GMT | Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | LC-36B, Cape Canaveral | NASA | Intelsat 501 | Intelsat | GSO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 27 May, 04:25 GMT | Black Brant VC | LC-36, White Sands | NASA | NASA | Sub-orbital | Ultraviolet astronomy | 27 May 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 225 kilometres (140 mi) | |
| 31 May, 05:00 GMT | SLV | FLP, Sriharikota | ISRO | Rohini 2 | ISRO | LEO | Technology demonstration | 8 June 1981 | Failure | Placed in incorrect orbit, quickly decayed. |
| May | MR-12 | Professor Zubov | MO SSSR | MO SSSR | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | Within an hour of launch | Successful | Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |
| May | MR-12 | Professor Zubov | MO SSSR | MO SSSR | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | Within an hour of launch | Successful | Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |
| May | MR-12 | Professor Zubov | MO SSSR | MO SSSR | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | Within an hour of launch | Successful | Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |
| May | MR-12 | Professor Zubov | MO SSSR | MO SSSR | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | Within an hour of launch | Successful | Apogee: 150 kilometres (93 mi) | |
| 3 June, 14:00 GMT | Soyuz-U | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1274 (Yantar-2K) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 3 July 1981 | Successful | |
| 3 June | SSBS S3 | BL-B, Biscarosse | DMA | DMA | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 3 June 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) | |
| 4 June, 15:41 GMT | Kosmos-3M | LC-132/2, Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1275 (Parus) | MO SSSR | LEO | Navigation | Still in orbit | Successful | |
| 9 June, 03:33 GMT | Molniya-M | Plesetsk | RVSN | Molniya-3 | MOM | Molniya | Comsat | 10 February 1998 | Successful | |
| 12 June | DOT | Kwajalein Atoll | US Air Force | DOT-4 | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Test interceptor | 12 June 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 303 kilometres (188 mi) |
| 12 June | Minuteman III | LF-09, Vandenberg AFB | US Air Force | GT-82GM | US Air Force | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 12 June 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) |
| 16 June, 07:00 GMT | Soyuz-U | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1276 (Yantar-4MKT) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 29 June 1981 | Successful | |
| 17 June, 09:30 GMT | Soyuz-U | Baikonur | RVSN | Kosmos-1277 (Zenit-6) | MOM | LEO | Reconnaissance | 1 July 1981 | Successful | |
| 19 June, 12:32:59 GMT | Ariane 1 | ELA-1, CSG | Arianespace | Meteosat 2 | ESA | GEO, then graveyard orbit | Weather satellite | Still in orbit | Successful | Retired on 4 December 1991 |
| Apple | ISRO | GEO | Comsat | Still in orbit | Successful | Retired on 20 September 1983 | ||||
| CAT-3 | ESA | GTO | Flight data recorder | Still in orbit | Successful | Recorded carrier rocket performance | ||||
| 19 June, 19:37:04 GMT | Molniya-M | Plesetsk | RVSN | Kosmos-1278 (Oko) | MOM | Molniya | Missile detection | 2 September 2000 | Successful | |
| 19 June | Poseidon | USS Lewis and Clark, ETR | US Navy | FOT-43 | US Navy | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 19 June 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) |
| 19 June | Poseidon | USS Lewis and Clark, ETR | US Navy | FOT-43 | US Navy | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 19 June 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) |
| 19 June | Poseidon | USS Lewis and Clark, ETR | US Navy | FOT-43 | US Navy | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 19 June 1981 | Successful | Apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi) |
| 19 June | Poseidon | USS Lewis and Clark |