Timeline of Solar System Exploration - 1980s

1980s

1981

• Venera 13 – 30 October 1981 – Venus flyby and lander
• Venera 14 – 4 November 1981 – Venus flyby and lander

1983

• Venera 15 – 2 June 1983 – Venus orbiter
• Venera 16 – 7 June 1983 – Venus orbiter

1984

• Vega 1 – 15 December 1984 – Venus flyby, lander and balloon; continued on to Comet Halley flyby
• Vega 2 – 21 December 1984 – Venus flyby, lander and balloon; continued on to Comet Halley flyby

1985

• Sakigake – 7 January 1985 – Comet Halley flyby
• Giotto – 2 July 1985 – Comet Halley flyby
• Suisei (Planet-A) – 18 August 1985 – Comet Halley flyby

1986

• Mir – 20 February 1986 – First modular space station (completion 1996)

1988

• Phobos 1 – 7 July 1988 – Attempted Mars orbiter/Phobos landers (contact lost)
• Phobos 2 – 12 July 1988 – Mars orbiter/attempted Phobos landers (contact lost)

1989

• Magellan – 4 May 1989 – Venus orbiter
• Galileo – 18 October 1989 – Venus flyby, first Asteroid flyby, first Asteroid moon discovery, first Jupiter orbiter/atmospheric probe