1977 in spaceflight explained

Year:1977
First:6 January
Last:27 December
Total:130
Catalogued:124
Maidens:Mu-3H
Tsyklon-3
Retired:Kosmos-2I
Titan IIIE
Orbital:3
Totalcrew:6

Spaceflight in 1977 included some important events such as the roll out of the Space Shuttle orbiter, Voyager 1 and Voyager space probes were launched. NASA received the Space Shuttle orbiter later named, on 14 January. This unpowered sub-orbital space plane was launched off the top of a modified 747 and was flown uncrewed until 13 August until a human crew landed the Enterprise for the first time.

In August and September, the two Voyager spacecraft to the outer planets were launched. Voyager 2, launched on 20 August, went on to fly past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 1, which was launched on 5 September, flew past Jupiter and Saturn, with a planned flyby of Pluto being cancelled in favour of a closer flyby of Titan.[1]

Launches

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Deep space rendezvous

DateSpacecraftEventRemarks
20 February Closest approach: 89km (55miles)
October

References

Footnotes


Notes and References

  1. Hughes, J. (1996) Larrousse Desk Reference Encloypedia London RD press, World Aircraft Information Files (2001) London Aerospace publishing Ltd
  2. Encyclopedia: Orlan . February 13, 2009 . Wade . Mark . 2009 . Encyclopedia Astronautica web site. https://web.archive.org/web/20090326054129/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/orlan.htm. 26 March 2009 . dead.