References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

start-1899	1900-1949	1950-1964	1965-1969	1970-1974	1975-1979	1980-1984	1985-1989	1990-1994	1995-1999
2000-end

1980 January 17 NASA launches Fltsatcom-3. [1] February 14 US launches Solar Maximum Mission Observatory to study solar flares. [1] March 5 Earth satellites record gamma rays from remnants of supernova N-49. [1] April 9 Soyuz 35 carries two cosmonauts to Salyut 6. [1] May 26 Soyuz 36 carries two cosmonauts (one Hungarian) to Salyut 6. [1] June 1 H Debehogne discovers asteroids #2543 Machado and #3411. [1] June 3 Crew of Soyuz 36 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 35. [1] June 5 Soyuz T-2 carries two cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station. [1] June 9 Soyuz T-2 returns to Earth. [1] June 11 E Bowell discovers asteroid #2531 Cambridge. [1] June 14 E Bowell discovers asteroid #2937 Gibbs, #2938 Hopi and #3160 Angerhofer. [1] June 17 C Shoemaker discovers asteroid #2586 Matson. [1] June 18 C Shoemaker discovers asteroid #2891 McGetchin. [1] E Bowell discovers asteroid #2569 Madeline. [1] July 18 Rohini 1, first Indian satellite, launches into orbit. [1] July 23 Soyuz 37 ferries two cosmonauts (one Vietnamese) to Salyut 6. [1] July 31 Soyuz 37 crew returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 36. [1] September 18 Soyuz 38 carries two cosmonauts (one Cuban) to Salyut 6 space station. [1] September 26 Soyuz 38 returns to Earth. [1] October 1 Cosmonauts Ryumin and Popov break space endurance record of 176 days. [1] October 11 Cosmonauts Popov and Ryumin set space endurance record of 184 days. [1] October 30 NASA launches Flt Satcom-4. [1] November 8 Voyager 1 space probe discovers 15th moon of Saturn. [1] November 11 Crew of Soyuz 35 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 37. [1] November 12 The NASA space probe Voyager I makes its closest approach to Saturn, when it flies within 77,000 miles of the planet's cloud-tops and sends the first high resolution images of the world back to scientists on Earth. [1] [120] November 26 Space shuttle Columbia mated to solid rocket boosters and external tank at Vehicle Assembly Building. [1] November 27 Soyuz T-3 carries three cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station, launched. [1] December 6 NASA launches Intelsat V. [1] December 10 Soyuz T-3 returns to Earth. [1] December 29 Shuttle STS-1 moves from Vandenberg Air Force Base to Launch Complex 39A. [1] 1981 February 20 Flight readiness firing of space shuttle Columbia's main engines; 20 seconds. [1] February 21 NASA launches Comstar D-4. [1] Japan launches Hinotori satellite to study solar flares (580/640 k). [1] March 6 Soyuz 39 returns to Earth. [1] March 12 Soyuz T-4 carries two cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station. [1] March 19 Three workers are killed and five injured during a test of the Space Shuttle Columbia. [1] [119] March 22 Soyuz 39 carries two cosmonauts (one Mongolian) to Salyut 6. [1] March 26 Soyuz T-4 lands. [1] April 10 Computer glitch keeps Space Shuttle Columbia grounded. [1] April 12 Space Shuttle Columbia (John Young, Robert Crippen) launches on the maiden Space Transit System-1 mission. [1] [119] April 14 First Space Shuttle-Columbia 1-returns to Earth. [1] May 14 NASA launches space vehicle S-192. [1] May 15 Soyuz 40 carries two cosmonauts (one Rumanian) to Salyut 6. [1] May 22 Soyuz 40 returns to Earth. [1] May 23 NASA launches Intelsat V. [1] May 26 Soyuz T-4 returns to Earth. [1] June 4 E Bowell discovers asteroids #2494 Inge, #2797 Teucer, #2870 Haupt. [1] June 19 European Space Agency's Ariane carries two satellites into orbit. [1] India's APPLE satellite, first to be stabilized on three axes, launched. [1] July 2 L E Gonzalez discovers asteroid #3495 Colchagua. [1] July 25 Voyager 2 encounters Saturn. [1] July 26 E Bowell discovers asteroids #2845 Franklinken and #2882 Tedesco. [1] August 4 Space Shuttle Columbia mated with solid rocket boosters and external tank for STS-2 mission. [1] August 6 NASA launches Fltsatcom-5, it failed. [1] August 25 Voyager 2's closest approach to Saturn (63,000 miles/100,000 km). [1] August 26 Space Shuttle vehicle moves to Launch Complex 39A for STS-2 mission. [1] September 19 Satellites China 10 and 11 launched into Earth orbit by B-1 rocket. [1] November 4 Columbia shuttle launch scrubbed with 31 seconds remaining. [1] November 12 Second shuttle mission-first time spacecraft launched twice (Columbia 2). [1] [119] November 14 Second Space Shuttle Mission - Columbia 2 - returns to Earth. [1] December 11 Spacelab I arrives at Kennedy Space Center. [1] December 15 NASA launches Intelsat V. [1] 1982 February 3 Columbia space shuttle moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating for STS-3 mission. [1] February 16 Assembled STS-3 vehicle moves from Vandenberg Air Force Base to launch pad. [1] March 1 Russian spacecraft Venera 14 lands on Venus, sends back data. [1] March 4 NASA launches Intelsat V. [1] March 5 Russian spacecraft Venera 14 lands on Venus, sends back data. [1] March 10 Sygyzy: all nine planets align on the same side of the Sun. [1] [116] March 22 Third Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 3 launched. [1] March 30 Third space shuttle mission - Columbia 3 lands at White Sands New Mexico. [1] April 6 Space shuttle Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center from White Sands. [1] April 19 USSR Salyut 7 space station put into orbit. [1] April 22 Launch of STS-3-Lousma and Fullerton. [1] May 13 Soyuz T-5 is launched; Berezovoi and Lebedev begin 211 days in space. [1] May 16 Space shuttle Columbia moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating in preparation for STS-4. [1] May 25 STS-4 vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] June 24 Jean-Loup Chretien, first spacionaut, two others, lift off (Soyuz T-16). [1] June 26 A Gilmore and P Kilmartin discover asteroid #3521. [1] June 27 4th Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 4 launched. [1] June 30 Orbiter Challenger (OV-099) rolled out at Palmdale. [1] July 1 Space shuttle Challenger moves overland to Dryden. [1] Kosmos 1383, first search and rescue satellite, launched. [1] July 2 Soyuz T-6 returns to Earth. [1] July 4 4th Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 4 lands at Edwards Air Force Base. [1] July 5 Space shuttle Challenger flies to Kennedy Space Center via Ellington Air Force Base, Texas. [1] July 15 Space Shuttle Columbia flies to Kennedy Space Center via Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. [1] July 16 NASA launches Landsat 4 to thematic map the Earth. [1] July 24 E Bowell discovers asteroid #2763 Jeans. [1] July 26 Canada's Anik D1 Comsat launched by US Delta rocket. [1] August 19 Soyuz T-7 launched, Svetlana Savtiskaya second woman in space. [1] August 26 NASA launches Telesat-F. [1] August 27 Soyuz T-7 returns to Earth. [1] September 9 Space shuttle Columbia mated with solid rocket boosters and external tank in preparation for STS-5. [1] Conestoga 1, first private commercial rocket, makes suborbital flight. [1] September 21 STS-5 vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] September 28 NASA launches Intelsat V. [1] October 16 Mount Palomar Observatory first to detect Halley's comet on 13th return. [1] October 28 NASA launches RCA-E. [1] November 11 5th space shuttle mission-Columbia 5-launches first commercial flight. [1] November 16 5th Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 5-lands at Edwards Air Force Base. [1] November 22 Space shuttle Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. [1] November 23 Space shuttle Challenger moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base and mated for STS-6. [1] November 30 STS-6 vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] December 10 Soyuz T-5 returns to Earth, 211 days after take-off. [1] December 18 Flight readiness firing of Challenger space shuttle's main engines; 20 seconds. [1] 1983 January 22 Second flight readiness firing of space shuttle Challenger's main engines; 22 seconds. [1] January 23 Russian radioactive satellite falls into Indian Ocean. [1] January 26 Dutch/British infrared satellite IRAS launched from California. [1] February 20 Japan launches Tenma satellite to study x-rays (450/570 km). [1] April 4 6th space shuttle mission, Challenger 1 launched. [1] April 7 STS-6: Space Shuttle Challenger astronauts Story Musgrave and Donald H. Peterson perform the first space shuttle spacewalk (duration: 4 hours, 10 minutes). [1] [115] April 9 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 returns to Earth. [1] April 11 NASA launches RCA-F. [1] April 17 India enters space age launching SLV-3 rocket. [1] April 20 Soyuz T-8 launched; mission aborted when capsule fails to dock. [1] April 22 Soyuz T-8 returns to Earth. [1] April 25 Pioneer 10 travels beyond Pluto's orbit. [5] April 28 NASA launches GOES-F. [1] May 11 Comet C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) approaches 0.0312 astronomical units (AUs) of Earth. [1] May 19 NASA launches Intelsat V. [1] May 21 Space shuttle Challenger moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base, for mating for STS-7 mission. [1] May 26 NASA launches Exosat. [1] Space shuttle Challenger moves to launch pad for STS-7. [1] June 7 A Gilmore and P Kilmartin discovers asteroid #3152. [1] June 13 Pioneer 10 becomes first man-made object to leave solar system. [1] [5] [115] June 16 European Space Agency launches European Communications Satellite 1, Oscar 10. [1] June 18 STS-7: Space Shuttle Challenger 2 mission launched; Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space. [1] [115] June 22 First time a satellite is retrieved from orbit by Space Shuttle. [1] June 24 7th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 2 lands at Edwards Air Force Base. [1] [5] June 27 Soyuz T-9 carries two cosmonauts to Salyut 7 space station. [1] NASA launches space vehicle S-205. [1] June 28 NASA launches Galaxy-A. [1] June 29 Space shuttle Challenger flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly Air Force Base. [1] July 10 E Bowell discovers asteroids #3222 Lillerand #3751. [1] July 11 E Bowell discovers asteroid #3485 Barucci. [1] August 2 STS-8 vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] August 30 STS-8: Space Shuttle Challenger carries Guion S. Bluford, the first African-American astronaut, into space. [1] [115] September 5 8th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 3-lands at Edwards Air Force Base. [1] September 8 NASA launches RCA-6. [1] September 9 Space shuttle Challenger returns to Kennedy Space Center via Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. [1] September 22 NASA launches Galaxy-B. [1] September 23 Space shuttle Columbia moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating in preparation of STS-9. [1] September 26 Cosmonauts Titov and Strekalov are saved from exploding Soyuz T-10. [1] September 28 STS-9 vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] October 17 STS-9 vehicle moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base due to solid rocket booster nozzle problem. [1] October 19 US space shuttle Columbia moves to Orbiter Processing Facility. [1] November 5 Orbiter Discovery (OV-103) moves overland to Dryden. [1] November 6 Space shuttle Discovery transported to Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. [1] November 8 STS-9 vehicle again moves to launch pad. [1] November 9 Space shuttle Discovery flies from Vandenberg Air Force Base to Kennedy Space Center. [1] November 25 Soyuz T-9 returns to Earth, 149 days after take-off. [1] November 28 9th Space Shuttle Mission - Columbia 6 - is launched. [1] December 8 9th Space Shuttle Mission - Columbia 6 - lands at Edwards Air Force Base. [1] December 15 Space shuttle Columbia flies to Kennedy Space Center via El Paso, Kelly Air Force Base. [1] 1984 January 6 Space shuttle Challenger moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating of STS 41 B mission. [1] January 11 STS 41-B vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] January 29 Space Shuttle 41-B (STS-11) Challenger launched. [1] February 3 STS-41-B: Space Shuttle Challenger is launched on the 10th space shuttle mission. [1] [114] February 7 Astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart make the first untethered space walk. [1] [114] February 8 First time eight people in space. [1] Soyuz T-10 launches with crew of three to Salyut 7. [1] February 11 STS-41-B: Space Shuttle Challenger makes the first shuttle landing at the Kennedy Space Center. [1] [114] March 1 NASA launches Landsat-D Prime (Landsat 5) to thematic map the Earth. [1] March 14 Space shuttle Challenger moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating of STS 41-C mission. [1] March 19 STS 41-C vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] April 2 Soyuz T-11 carries three cosmonauts (one Indian-Rakesh Sharma) to Salyut 7. [114] (April 3 [1]) April 6 11th Space Shuttle Mission (41-C)- Challenger 5 is launched; first time 11 people in space. [1] April 10 Damaged Solar Max satellite snared by Challenger shuttle. [1] April 11 Space Shuttle Challenger astronauts complete first in-space satellite repair. [1] Soyuz T-11 returns to Earth. [1] April 13 11th Space Shuttle Mission (41C) - Challenger 5 - returns to Earth. [1] April 18 Space Shuttle Challenger flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly Air Force Base. [1] May 11 A transit of Earth from Mars takes place. [1] [114] May 12 Space shuttle Discovery (OV-103) moves from Orbiter Processing Facility to Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC, for mating for 41-D (STS-14) for the first use of this Shuttle. [1] May 19 STS 41-D vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] June 2 Flight readiness firing of space shuttle Discovery's main engines. [1] B A Skiff discovers asteroid #3617. [1] June 9 NASA launches Intelsat V, it failed. [1] June 10 US missile shoots down an incoming missile in space for first time. [1] June 18 Perth Observatory discovers asteroid #3541. [1] June 25 STS 41-D launch attempt scrubbed because of computer problem. [1] June 26 First flight of space shuttle Discovery (41-D) scrubbed at T -4s. [1] June 29 USSR offers to start talking about banning Strategic Defence Initiative. [1] July 3 Dolphin rocket launched off San Clemente Island. [1] July 14 STS 41-D vehicle moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for remanifest of payloads. [1] July 17 Soyuz T-12 carries three cosmonauts to space station Salyut 7. [1] July 25 Salyut 7 cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a space walk. [1] [114] August 9 STS 41-D vehicle again moves out to the launch pad. [1] August 16 NASA launches Ampte. [1] August 27 US President Ronald Reagan announces the Teacher in Space project. [1] August 30 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D) - Discovery 1 - launched (6 days). [1] [114] September 5 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D) - Discovery 1 - lands at Edwards Air Force Base. [1] [114] September 8 Space shuttle Challenger moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating of STS 41G mission. [1] September 10 Space shuttle Discovery returns to Kennedy Space Center via Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. [1] September 13 STS 41-G launch vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] September 21 NASA launches Galaxy-C. [1] October 2 Three cosmonauts return after a record 237 days in orbit. [1] October 5 13th Space Shuttle Mission (41-G) - Challenger 6 - launched. Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in space. [1] [5] [114] October 11 Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan becomes the first American woman to perform a space walk. [1] [114] October 13 STS 41-G mission lands at Kennedy Space Center. [1] October 18 Space shuttle Discovery moves to Vandenberg Air Force Base for mating of STS 51A mission. [1] October 23 STS 51-A launch vehicle moves to launch pad. [1] October 24 Intelsat 5 re-enters Earth's atmosphere five months after it failed. [1] November 7 STS 51-A launch scrubbed because of high shear winds. [1] November 8 STS 51-A mission launched. Anna Fisher becomes the first "mom" to go into orbit. [1] November 12 Space shuttle astronauts snare a satellite; first space salvage. [1] November 14 Astronauts aboard Discovery pluck a second satellite from orbit. [1] NASA launches NATO-3D. [1] November 16 14th Shuttle Mission (51A) - Discovery 2 - lands at Kennedy Center. [1] November 20 SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) is founded. [5] December 10 First planet outside our solar system discovered. [1] December 15 USSR launches Vega 1 for rendezvous with Halley's Comet. [1] December 21 USSR launches Vega 2 for fly-by of Halley's Comet. [1]