1973 in spaceflight

|8 January#if:time|
06:55 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Luna 21/Lunokhod 2
|MOM
|Selenocentric
|Lunar rover
|15 January 1973 (At moon)
|Successful
-
|11 January#if:time|
10:00 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 543 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|24 January 1973
|Successful
-
|20 January#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
08:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 547 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|13 February 1973
|Successful
-
|3 February#if:time|
05:48 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Baikonur
|Molniya 1-23
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|23 October 1977
|Successful
-
|8 February#if:time|
13:15 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 548 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|21 February 1973
|Successful
-
|15 February#if:time|
01:11 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|LC-31, Baikonur
|Prognoz-3
|MOM
|Molniya
|Solar flare detection
|31 December 1976
|Successful
-
|26 January#if:time|
04:37 GMT
|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
|LC-132, Plesetsk
|29 June 1980
|Kosmos 549 (Tselina-O)
|MO SSSR
|LEO
|ELINT
|Successful
-
|1 March#if:time|
12:40 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 550 (Zenit 4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|11 March 1973
|Successful
-
|6 March#if:time|
09:20 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 551 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|20 March 1973
|Successful
-
|6 March#if:time|
09:30 GMT
|Atlas-Agena SLV-3A
|LC-13, Cape Canaveral
|Rhyolite 2
|US Air Force
|Geosynchronous
|ELINT
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|9 March#if:time|
21:00 GMT
|Titan IIID
|SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB
|KH-9
|NRO/CIA
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|17 March 1973
|Successful
-
|20 March#if:time|
11:20 GMT
|Vostok (R-7 8A92M)
|Plesetsk
|Meteor 1-14
|MOM
|LEO
|Weather satellite
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
rowspan = "2"|22 March#if:time|
10:00 GMT
rowspan = "2"|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
rowspan = "2"|Plesetsk
rowspan = "2"
|Kosmos 552 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|3 April 1973
|Successful
-
|Nauka
|MOM
|LEO
|Technology Demonstration
|9 April 1973
|Successful
-
|3 April#if:time|
09:00 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Salyut 2 (Almaz)
|MOM
|LEO
|Space Station
|28 May 1973
|Failure
|Depressurised before crew launch could occur
-
|5 April#if:time|
11:11 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Plesetsk
|Molniya 2-5
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|6 January 1979
|Successful
-
|6 April#if:time|
02:11 GMT
|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D
|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-Centaur SLV-3D rocket.
-
|12 April#if:time|
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#if:time|
08:59 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 553 (Zenit 4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|7 May 1973
|Successful
|Destroyed in orbit after deactivation
-
|19 April#if:time|
10:19 GMT
|Kosmos 2I (R-12 11K63)
|LC-86, Kapustin Yar
|InterKosmos 9
|Interkosmos
|LEO
|Solar radiation detection
|Successful
-
|20 April#if:time|
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
-
rowspan = "2"|25 April#if:time|
10:45 GMT
rowspan = "2"|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
rowspan = "2"|Plesetsk
rowspan = "2"
|Kosmos 555 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|7 May 1973
|Successful
-
|Nauka
|MOM
|LEO
|Scientific research
|9 May 1973
|Successful
-
|5 May#if:time|
07:00 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 556 (Zenit 4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|14 May 1973
|Successful
-
|11 May#if:time|
00:20 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Kosmos 557 (Salyut/Zarya)
|MOM
|LEO
|Space Station
|22 May 1973
|Failure
|Loss of control in orbit
-
|14 May#if:time|
17:30 GMT
|Saturn INT-21
|LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
|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#if:time|
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#if:time|
13:19 GMT
|Kosmos 2I (R-12 11K63)
|LC-133, Plesetsk
|Kosmos 558 (DS-P1-Yu)
|MOM
|LEO
|22 December 1973
|Successful
-
|18 May#if:time|
11:00 GMT
|Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 559 (Zenit-4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|23 May 1973
|Successful
|Maiden flight of Soyuz-U carrier rocket
-
rowspan = "2"|21 May#if:time|
08:47 GMT
rowspan = "2"|Diamant-B
rowspan = "2"|CSG(Kourou)
rowspan = "2"|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#if:time|
10:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 560 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|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#if:time|
13:00 GMT
|Saturn IB
|LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center
|NASA
|Skylab 2, 3 Astronauts
|NASA
|LEO, docked to Skylab
|Manned orbital flight
|22 June 1973
|Successful
|First manned flight to Skylab
-
rowspan = "2"|25 May#if:time|
13:30 GMT
rowspan = "2"|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
rowspan = "2"|Plesetsk
rowspan = "2"
|Kosmos 561 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|6 June 1973
|Successful
-
|Nauka
|MOM
|LEO
|Gamma ray telescope
|20 June 1973
|Successful
-
|29 May#if:time|
10:16 GMT
|Vostok (R-7 8A92M)
|Plesetsk
|Meteor 1-15
|MOM
|LEO
|Weather satellite
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|5 June#if:time|
11:26 GMT
|Kosmos 2I (R-12 11K63)
|LC-133, Plesetsk
|Kosmos 562 (DS-P1-Yu)
|MOM
|LEO
|7 January 1974
|Successful
-
|6 June#if:time|
11:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 563 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|18 June 1973
|Successful
-
rowspan = "8"|8 June#if:time|
15:50 GMT
rowspan = "8"|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
rowspan = "8"|LC-132, Plesetsk
rowspan = "8"
|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#if:time|
10:10 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 572 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|23 June 1973
|Successful
-
|10 June#if:time|
14:13 GMT
|Delta (1913)
|LC-17B, Cape Canaveral
|Explorer 49 (RAE)
|NASA
|Selenocentric
|Astronomy
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|12 June#if:time|
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#if:time|
06:00 GMT
|Soyuz (R-7 11A511)
|LC-1, Baikonur
|Kosmos 573 (Soyuz)
|MOM
|LEO
|Test spacecraft
|17 June 1973, 06:01 GMT
|Successful
-
|20 June#if:time|
06:16 GMT
|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
|LC-132, Plesetsk
|Kosmos 574 (Tsiklon)
|MO SSSR
|LEO
|Navigation
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|21 June#if:time|
13:29 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 575 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|3 July 1973
|Successful
-
|26 June#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
11:50 GMT
|Soyuz-M (R-7 11A511M)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 576 (Zenit-4MT/Orion)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance/Topography
|9 July 1973
|Successful
-
|4 July
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|LC-43, Plesetsk
|Zenit 4M
|MOM
|Intended:LEO
|Reconnaissance
|4 July 1973
|Successful
-
|11 July#if:time|
09:58 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Plesetsk
|Molniya 2-6
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|5 August 1978
|Successful
-
|13 July#if:time|
20:24 GMT
|Titan IIID
|SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB
|OPS 8261 (KH-9)
|NRO/CIA
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|12 October 1973
|Successful
-
|16 July#if:time|
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#if:time|
19:30 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Mars 4
|MOM
|Intended:Areocentric
Actual:Heliocentric
|Mars orbiter
|Still in orbit
|Failure
|Retro-rockets failed, did not enter Martian orbit
-
|25 July#if:time|
11:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 577 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|7 August 1973
|Successful
-
|25 July#if:time|
18:55 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Mars 5
|MOM
|Areocentric
|Mars orbiter
|Still in orbit
|Partial Failure
|Computer malfunction a few days after entering Martian orbit
-
|28 July#if:time|
11:10 GMT
|Saturn IB
|LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center
|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#if:time|
14:00 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 578 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|13 August 1973
|Successful
-
|5 August#if:time|
17:45 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Mars 6
|MOM
|Heliocentric
|Mars lander
|12 March 1974
|Failure
|Disappeared shortly before landing
-
|8 August#if:time|
17:00 GMT
|Proton-K
|LC-81, Baikonur
|Mars 7
|MOM
|Heliocentric
|Mars lander
|Still in orbit
|Failure
|Missed planet due to premature separation
-
|17 August#if:time|
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#if:time|
12:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 579 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|3 September 1973
|Successful
-
|21 August#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
22:57 GMT
|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D
|LC-36A, Cape Canaveral
|Intelsat IV F7
|Intelsat
|Geosynchronous
|Comsat
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|24 August#if:time|
10:59 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 581 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|6 September 1973
|Successful
-
|28 August#if:time|
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#if:time|
00:07 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Plesetsk
|Molniya 1-24
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|5 December 1979
|Successful
-
|30 August#if:time|
10:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 583 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|12 September 1973
|Successful
-
|6 September#if:time|
10:40 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 584 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|20 September 1973
|Successful
-
|8 September#if:time|
01:50 GMT
|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
|LC-132, Plesetsk
|Kosmos 585 (Sfera)
|MO SSSR
|LEO
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|14 September#if:time|
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#if:time|
13:05 GMT
|Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 587 (Zenit-4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|4 October 1973
|Successful
-
|27 September#if:time|
12:18 GMT
|Soyuz (R-7 11A511)
|LC-1, Baikonur
|Soyuz 12, 2 Cosmonauts
|MOM
|LEO
|Manned orbital flight
|29 September 1973
|Successful
|Return-to-flight after Soyuz 11 incident
-
|27 September#if:time|
17:15 GMT
|Titan IIIB (24B)
|SLC-4W, Vandenberg AFB
|OPS 6275 (KH-8)
|NRO/US Air Force
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|29 October 1973
|Successful
-
rowspan = "8"|2 October#if:time|
21:46 GMT
rowspan = "8"|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
rowspan = "8"|LC-132, Plesetsk
rowspan = "8"
|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
-
rowspan = "2"|3 October#if:time|
13:00 GMT
rowspan = "2"|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
rowspan = "2"|Plesetsk
rowspan = "2"
|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#if:time|
12:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 597 (Zenit 4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|12 October 1973
|Successful
-
|10 October#if:time|
10:45 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 598 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|16 October 1973
|Successful
-
|15 October#if:time|
08:45 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 599 (Zenit 2M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|28 October 1973
|Successful
-
|16 October#if:time|
12:00 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 600 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|23 October 1973
|Successful
-
|16 October#if:time|
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#if:time|
10:26 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Plesetsk
|Molniya 2-7
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|8 July 1983
|Successful
-
|20 October#if:time|
10:14 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 602 (Zenit 4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|29 October 1973
|Successful
-
|26 October#if:time|
02:26 GMT
|Delta (1913)
|LC-17B, Cape Canaveral
|Explorer 50 (IMP)
|NASA
|HEO
|Magnetosphere research
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|27 October#if:time|
11:09 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 603 (Zenit 4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|9 November 1973
|Successful
-
|29 October#if:time|
14:00 GMT
|Vostok (R-7 8A92M)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 604 (Tselina)
|MOM
|LEO
|SIGINT
|19 January 1992
|Successful
-
|30 October#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
05:45 GMT
|Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D
|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#if:time|
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#if:time|
12:38 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 607 (Zenit-4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|22 November 1973
|Successful
-
rowspan = "3"|10 November#if:time|
20:09 GMT
rowspan = "3"|Titan IIID
rowspan = "3"|SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB
rowspan = "3"
|OPS 6630 (KH-9)
|NRO/CIA
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|13 March 1974
|Successful
-
|OPS 7705 (SSF)
|NRO/US Air Force
|LEO
|SIGINT
|26 December 1978
|Successful
-
|OPS 6630 P/L 2 (SSF)
|NRO/US Air Force
|LEO
|SIGINT
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|14 November#if:time|
20:40 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Baikonur
|Molniya 1-25
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|26 May 1979
|Successful
-
|16 November#if:time|
14:01 GMT
|Saturn IB
|LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center
|NASA
|Skylab 4
|NASA
|LEO, docked to Skylab
|Manned orbital flight
|8 February 1974
|Successful
|Final flight of Skylab programme
-
|20 November#if:time|
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#if:time|
10:00 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Baikonur
|Kosmos 609 (Zenit-4M)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|4 December 1973
|Successful
-
|27 November#if:time|
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#if:time|
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#if:time|
11:43 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 612 (Zenit-4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|11 December 1973
|Successful
-
|30 November#if:time|
05:20 GMT
|Soyuz (R-7 11A511)
|LC-1, Baikonur
|Kosmos 613 (Soyuz)
|MOM
|LEO
|Test spacecraft
|29 January 1974, 05:29 GMT
|Successful
-
|30 November#if:time|
13:08 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Plesetsk
|Molniya 1-26
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|9 June 1985
|Successful
-
|4 December#if:time|
15:00 GMT
|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
|LC-132, Plesetsk
|Kosmos 614 (Strela)
|MO SSSR
|LEO
|Comsat
|Still in orbit
|Successful
-
|13 December#if:time|
11:10 GMT
|Kosmos 2I (R-12 11K63)
|LC-133, Plesetsk
|Kosmos 615 (DS-P1-I)
|MO SSSR
|LEO
|17 December 1975
|Successful
-
rowspan = "2"|13 December#if:time|
23:57 GMT
rowspan = "2"|Titan IIIC
rowspan = "2"|LC-40, Cape Canaveral
rowspan = "2"
|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#if:time|
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#if:time|
12:00 GMT
|Soyuz-M (R-7 11A511M)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 616 (Zenit 4MT)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|28 December 1973
|Successful
-
|18 December#if:time|
11:55 GMT
|Soyuz (R-7 11A511)
|LC-1, Baikonur
|Soyuz 13, 2 Cosmonauts
|MOM
|LEO
|Manned orbital flight
|26 December 1973
|Successful
|Orion 2 astrophysics research /Astronomy mission
-
rowspan = "8"|19 December#if:time|
09:43 GMT
rowspan = "8"|Kosmos 3M (R-14 11K65M)
rowspan = "8"|LC-132, Plesetsk
rowspan = "8"
|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#if:time|
12:30 GMT
|Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
|Plesetsk
|Kosmos 625 (Zenit-4MK)
|MOM
|LEO
|Reconnaissance
|3 January 1974
|Successful
-
|25 December#if:time|
11:17 GMT
|Molniya-M (R-7 8K78M)
|Plesetsk
|Molniya 2-8
|MOM
|Molniya
|Comsat
|24 November 1985
|Successful
-
|26 December#if:time|
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#if:time|
20:19 GMT
|Tsiklon-2
|LC-90, Baikonur
|Kosmos 626 (US-A/RORSAT)
|MO SSSR
|LEO
|Ocean reconnaissance
|22 March 1974
|Successful
-
|29 December#if:time|
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 in 1973

*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 (130,354 km)

References