1971 in Spaceflight

1971 In Spaceflight


Salyut 1, the first space station and Soyuz 11, the first mission to successfully dock with it, were launched in 1971. The crew were killed during reentry when their spacecraft depressurised
Orbital launches
First 12 January
Last 29 December
Total 133
Successes 118
Failures 15
Catalogued 120
National firsts
Orbital launch United Kingdom
Rockets
Maiden flights Soyuz-M
Delta M6
Thor LV-2F Burner IIA
Titan III(24)B
Titan III(33)B
Titan IIID
Retirements Black Arrow
Delta E1
Delta M
Delta M6
Delta N6
Europa
Long March 1
R-36OM
Soyuz-L
Thor LV-2F Burner II
Thorad SLV-2G Agena-D
Titan III(23)B
Manned flights
Orbital 4
Total travellers 12

1971 saw the last three known deaths of cosmonauts of the Soviet space program and the only deaths in space. Their mission was to man humanity's first space station. The experimental bay door failed to separate so the first crew failed to dock and second crew were killed on re-entry. 1971 also saw the launch of the first and only British satellite on top of a British rocket after that success the program was cancelled.

Read more about 1971 In Spaceflight:  Launches, Off-world Launches, Deep Space Rendezvous in 1971