1961 Rocket Launch Recap
Our roundup of all the launches that happened in 1961, along with key stats, trends and info. You can learn more about our data, and how we present it here.
Include notable suborbital launches
62
Total Launches
39
Successful Launches
23
Failed Launches
62.90%
Success Rate
4
Humans launched to space
Notable 1961 Achievements
How 1961 Compares to Previous Years
There were 39 successful launch attempts in 1961 and 23 failed launch attempts. These figures include test/development launches, which are more prone to failure.
Rocket Launches by Year
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Nation in 1961
In 1961, companies and agencies from 2 Nations attempted launches. These Nations were the United States (53 launches) and Russia (9 launches).
Total Rocket Launches by Nation in 1961
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Launch Service Providers in 1961
5 Launch Service Providers completed launches in 1961, including United States Air Force (33 launches), NASA (17 launches) and Soviet Space Program (7 launches).
Top Space Launch Service Providers in 1961 by total launch count
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Launch Vehicle in 1961
16 different Launch Vehicles launched off in 1961. The top 3 were the Thor DM-21 Agena-B (17 launches), Atlas LV-3 Agena B (8 launches) and Vostok-K (5 launches) launch vehicles.
Top 10 Launch Vehicles in 1961 by total launch count
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Launch Sites in 1961
Rockets launched from 5 Launch Sites in 1961. The most active launch sites were Vandenberg SFB (24 launches), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (22 launches) and Baikonur Cosmodrome (7 launches).
Top Launch Sites in 1961
By RocketLaunch.org
Astronauts Launched by Nationality in 1961
In 1961, 4 humans from 2 nations were launched into space. These nations were Russia (2 astronauts) and the United States (2 astronauts).
Astronauts Launched by Nationality in 1961
By RocketLaunch.org
Where we launched to in 1961
We launched off to 3 different locations beyond earth in 1961 (including flybys). Most launches were to Suborbital (14 launches), Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (9 launches) and Venus (2 launches).
Top Launch Destinations in 1961
By RocketLaunch.org
That's a wrap! 👏
Don't forget to share this recap with fellow space-enthusiasts! And if you want more, view our Space Age Timeline to access all our annual recaps.
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