1983 in spaceflight
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title: "1983 in spaceflight" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1983-in-spaceflight", "spaceflight-by-year"] description: "none" topic_path: "general/1983-in-spaceflight" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_in_spaceflight" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary none ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox Year in spaceflight"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| year | 1983 |
| maidens | Atlas H |
| | retired | Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D | | orbital | 6 | | totalcrew | 25 | ::
|year = 1983 |image = |caption =
|first = |last = |total = |success = |failed = |partial = |catalogued =
|maidens = Atlas H
|retired = Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D
|orbital = 6 |totalcrew = 25
|firstsat = |firsttrav =
| programme = Timeline of spaceflight | previous_mission = 1982 | next_mission = 1984
The following is an outline of 1983 in spaceflight.
Launches
|colspan="8"|
January
|- |date = 20 January |time = 17:26 |rocket = USSR Vostok-2M |site = USSR Plesetsk Site 16/2 |LSP = USSR |payload = {{TLS-PL |name = USSR Kosmos 1437 (Tselina-D 39) |user = |orbit = Low Earth |function = ELINT |outcome = Successful |d-date = 4 January 2022 |d-time = 00:04
|colspan="8"|
February
|- |date=9 February |time=13:47 |rocket=USAAtlas H |site=USAVandenberg SLC-3E |LSP=USA |remarks=Maiden flight of Atlas H |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USAOPS-0252 (NOSS 5) |user=US Navy |orbit=Low Earth |function=SIGINT |outcome=Successful |colspan="8"|
March
|- |date=2 March |time=09:37 |rocket=USSRProton-K |site=USSRBaikonur Site 200/39 |LSP=USSR |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USSRKosmos 1443 (TKS-3) FGB |user= |orbit=Low Earth (Salyut 7) |function=Logistics |outcome=Successful |d-date=19 September |d-time=00:28 |name=USSRKosmos-1443 (TKS-3) VA |user= |orbit=Low Earth (Salyut 7) |function=Sample return |outcome=Successful |d-date=23 August |date=28 March |time=15:52 |rocket=USAAtlas E/Star-37S-ISS |site=USAVandenberg SLC-3W |LSP=USA |remarks=Spacecraft failed in June 1984 |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USANOAA-8 (NOAA-E) |user=NOAA |orbit=Sun-synchronous |function=Meteorology |outcome=Spacecraft failure |colspan="8"|
April
|- |date=4 April |time=18:30 |rocket=USA |site=USAKennedy LC-39A |LSP=USAUnited Space Alliance |remarks=Crewed orbital flight with four astronauts; Maiden flight of Space Shuttle Challenger |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USASTS-6 |user=NASA |orbit=Low Earth |function=Satellite deployment |outcome=Successful |d-date=9 April |d-time=18:53 |name=USATDRS-1 (TDRS-A) |user=NASA |orbit=Geostationary |function=Communications |outcome=Operational |date=15 April |time=18:45 |rocket=USATitan 24B |site=USAVandenberg SLC-4W |LSP=USA |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USAOPS-2925 (KH-8-53) |user=NRO |orbit=Sun-synchronous |function=Reconnaissance |outcome=Successful |d-date=21 August |date=20 April |time=13:10 |rocket=USSRSoyuz-U |site=USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 |LSP=USSR |remarks=Crewed orbital flight with three cosmonauts; Failed to dock with Salyut 7 |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USSRSoyuz T-8 |user= |orbit=Low Earth Planned: Docked to Salyut 7 |function=Salyut 7 EO-2 |outcome=Docking failure |d-date=22 April |d-time=13:28 |colspan="8"|
May
|- |date=19 May |time=22:26 |rocket=USAAtlas-Centaur SLV-3D |site=USACape Canaveral LC-36A |LSP=USA |remarks=Final flight of Atlas-Centaur SLV-3D |payload={{TLS-PL |name=UNIntelsat 506 |user=Intelsat |orbit=Geosynchronous |function=Communications |outcome=Successful |colspan="8"|
June
|- |date=9 June |time=23:23 |rocket=USAAtlas H |site=USAVandenberg SLC-3E |LSP=USA |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USAOPS-6432 (NOSS 6) |user=US Navy |orbit=Low Earth |function=SIGINT |outcome=Successful |date=16 June |time=11:59 |rocket=FRAAriane 1 |site=FRAKourou ELA |LSP=FRACNES |remarks=Eutelsat 1F1 retired in 1996 |payload={{TLS-PL |name=FRAEutelsat 1F1 |user=Eutelsat |orbit=Geosynchronous |function=Communications |outcome=Successful |name=West GermanyOscar 10 |user=AMSAT |orbit=Geosynchronous transfer |function=Amateur radio |outcome=Successful |date=18 June |time=11:33 |rocket=USASpace Shuttle Challenger |site=USAKennedy LC-39A |LSP=USAUnited Space Alliance |remarks=Crewed orbital flight with five astronauts; including the first female American astronaut, Sally Ride Anik C2 retired 7 January 1998 |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USASTS-7 |user=NASA |orbit=Low Earth |function=Satellite deployment |outcome=Successful |d-date=24 June |d-time=14:56 |name=CANAnik C2 |user=Telesat Canada |orbit=Current: Graveyard Operational: Geostationary |function=Communications |outcome=Successful |name=IndonesiaPalapa B1 |user=Telkom Indonesia |orbit=Geostationary |function=Communications |outcome=Successful |name=West GermanySPAS-I |orbit=Low Earth (Challenger) |user=NASA |function=Microgravity research |outcome=Successful |d-date=24 June |d-time=14:56 |name=West GermanyUSAOSTA-2 |user=NASA |orbit=Low Earth (Challenger) |function=Scientific experiments |outcome=Successful |d-date=24 June |d-time=14:56 |date=20 June |time=18:45 |rocket=USATitan 34D |site=USAVandenberg SLC-4E |LSP=USA |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USAOPS-0721 (KH-9-18) |user=NRO |orbit=Sun-synchronous |function=Reconnaissance |outcome=Successful |d-date=21 March 1984 |name=USAOPS-3899 (SSF-C-7) |user=NRO |orbit=Sun-synchronous |function=ELINT |outcome=Successful |date=27 June |time=09:12 |rocket=USSRSoyuz-U |site=USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 |LSP=USSR |remarks=Crewed orbital flight with two cosmonauts |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USSRSoyuz T-9 |user= |orbit=Low Earth (Salyut 7) |function=Salyut 7 EO-2 |outcome=Successful |d-date=23 November |d-time=19:58 |colspan="8"|
July
|- |date=14 July |time=10:21 |rocket=USAAtlas E/SGS-2 |site=USAVandenberg SLC-3W |LSP=USA |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USAGPS-8 |user=US Air Force |orbit=Medium Earth |function=Navigation |outcome=Successful |date=31 July |time=15:41 |rocket=USATitan 34B |site=USAVandenberg SLC-4W |LSP=USA |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USAOPS-7304 (Jumpseat 7) |user=NRO |orbit=Molniya |function=SIGINT |outcome=Successful |colspan="8"|
August
|- |date=17 August |time=12:08 |rocket=USSRSoyuz-U |site=USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 |LSP=USSR |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USSRProgress 17 |user= |orbit=Low Earth (Salyut 7) |function=Logistics |outcome=Successful |d-date=17 September |d-time=23:43 |date=30 August |time=06:32 |rocket=USASpace Shuttle Challenger |site=USAKennedy LC-39A |LSP=USAUnited Space Alliance |remarks=Crewed orbital flight with five astronauts |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USASTS-8 |user=NASA |orbit=Low Earth |function=Satellite deployment |outcome=Successful |d-date=5 September |d-time=07:40 |name=INDINSAT 1B |user=ISRO |orbit=Geostationary |function=Communications |outcome=Successful |name=USAPayload Flight Test Article |user=NASA |orbit=Low Earth (Challenger) |function=Payload compatibility testing |outcome=Successful |d-date=5 September |d-time=07:40 |colspan="8"|
October
|- |date=19 October |time=00:45 |rocket=FRAAriane 1 |site=FRAKourou ELA |LSP=FRACNES |payload={{TLS-PL |name=UNIntelsat 507 |user=Intelsat |orbit=Geosynchronous |function=Communications |outcome=Successful |date=20 October |time=09:59 |rocket=USSRSoyuz-U |site=USSRBaikonur |LSP=USSR |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USSRProgress 18 |user= |orbit=Low Earth (Salyut 7) |function=Logistics |outcome=Successful |d-date=16 November |d-time=04:18 |colspan="8"|
November
|- |date=18 November |time=06:32 |rocket=USAAtlas E/Star-37S-ISS |site=USAVandenberg SLC-3W |LSP=USA |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USADMSP 5D-2 F7 |user=US Air Force |orbit=Sun-synchronous |function=Meteorology |outcome=Successful |date=28 November |time=16:00 |rocket=USASpace Shuttle |site=USAKennedy LC-39A |LSP=USAUnited Space Alliance |remarks=Crewed orbital flight with six astronauts; Maiden flight of Spacelab Long Module |payload={{TLS-PL |name=USASTS-9 |user=NASA |orbit=Low Earth |function=Microgravity research |outcome=Successful |o-span=2 |d-date=8 December |d-time=23:47 |d-span=2 |name=[[File:European_Space_Agency_logo.svg|23px]]USASpacelab Long Module 1 |user=NASA/ESRO |orbit=Low Earth (Columbia) |function=Microgravity research |o-span=inherit |d-span=inherit |}
Suborbital launches
|colspan=8|
January-March
|- |date =7 February |time =08:44 |rocket =USA Minuteman 1B |flight = |site =USA Vandenberg AFB, LF-06 |LSP =USA US Air Force |remarks =Target for HOE 1, was not intercepted. |empty = |payload = {{TLS-PL |name =USA Reentry vehicle |cubesat = |user =USAF |orbit =Suborbital |function =ABM target |d-date =7 February |d-time = |outcome =Successful |d-span = |o-span = |date =7 February |time =09:10 |rocket =USA HOE |flight =HOE 1 |site =USA Meck Island, Kwajalein Missile Range |LSP =USA US Air Force |remarks =Failed to intercept the target. |empty = |payload = {{TLS-PL |name =USA HOE 1 |cubesat = |user =USAF |orbit =Suborbital |function =ABM test |d-date =7 February |d-time = |outcome =Spacecraft failure |d-span = |o-span = |colspan=8|
April-June
|- |date =28 May |time = |rocket =USA Minuteman 1B |flight = |site =USA Vandenberg AFB, LF-03 |LSP =USA US Air Force |remarks =Target for HOE 2, was not intercepted. |empty = |payload = {{TLS-PL |name =USA Reentry vehicle |cubesat = |user =USAF |orbit =Suborbital |function =ABM target |d-date =28 May |d-time = |outcome =Successful |d-span = |o-span = |date =28 May |time = |rocket =USA HOE |flight =HOE 2 |site =USA Meck Island, Kwajalein Missile Range |LSP =USA US Air Force |remarks =Failed to intercept the target. |empty = |payload = {{TLS-PL |name =USA HOE 2 |cubesat = |user =USAF |orbit =Suborbital |function =ABM test |d-date =28 May |d-time = |outcome =Spacecraft failure |d-span = |o-span = |colspan=8|
July-September
|- |colspan=8|
October-December
|- |date =15 December |time = |rocket =USA Minuteman 1B |flight = |site =USA Vandenberg AFB, LF-03 |LSP =USA US Air Force |remarks =Target for HOE, was not intercepted. |empty = |payload = {{TLS-PL |name =USA Reentry vehicle |cubesat = |user =USAF |orbit =Suborbital |function =ABM target |d-date =15 December |d-time = |outcome =Successful |d-span = |o-span = |date =15 December |time = |rocket =USA HOE |flight =HOE 3 |site =USA Meck Island, Kwajalein Missile Range |LSP =USA US Air Force |remarks =Failed to intercept the target. |empty = |payload = {{TLS-PL |name =USA HOE 3 |cubesat = |user =USAF |orbit =Suborbital |function =ABM test |d-date =15 December |d-time = |outcome =Spacecraft failure |d-span = |o-span = |}
Deep-space rendezvous
::data[format=table]
| Date (GMT) | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 October | Venera 15 | Entered Cytherean orbit | Radar mapper mission |
| 14 October | Venera 16 | Entered Cytherean orbit | Radar mapper mission |
| 21 October | ISEE-3/ICE | 4th flyby of the Moon | Closest approach: 17440 km |
| 22 December | ISEE-3/ICE | 5th flyby of the Moon | Closest approach: 120 km |
| :: |
EVAs
::data[format=table]
| Start date/time | Duration | End time | Spacecraft | Crew | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 April | |||||
| 21:05 | 4 hours | ||||
| 10 minutes | 8 April | ||||
| 01:15 | STS-6 () | USAStory Musgrave | |||
| USADonald H. Peterson | Test spacesuits and tools for future space construction.{{cite web | url=http://www.thespacerace.com/forum/index.php?topic=1102.0 | title=Mission: STS 6 | access-date=15 February 2009 | last=Ottawan |
| 1 November | |||||
| 04:47 | 2 hours | ||||
| 50 minutes | 07:36 | Salyut 7 EO-2 | USSRVladimir Lyakhov | ||
| USSRAleksandr Aleksandrov | Installed a new solar panel to increase the station's electrical output. | ||||
| 3 November | |||||
| 03:47 | 2 hours | ||||
| 55 minutes | 06:42 | Salyut 7 EO-2 | USSRVladimir Lyakhov | ||
| USSRAleksandr Aleksandrov | Installed a second new solar panel, increasing electrical output by 50%. | ||||
| :: |
References
Footnotes
References
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