# 1974 in spaceflight

On 29 March 1974 Mariner 10 became the first spacecraft to fly by Mercury, that saw a spacecraft for the first and last time in the 20th century.

## Orbital launches

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| January ||||||||
| 17 January 10:07 | Kosmos 3M | Kosmos 3M | | Plesetsk (LC-132/2) | Plesetsk (LC-132/2) | VKS | VKS |
| 17 January 10:07 | | Kosmos 628 (Tsiklon) | MOM | LEO | Navigation | In orbit | Successful |
| 19 January 01:39 | Delta 2313 | Delta 2313 | | CCAFS (LC-17B) | CCAFS (LC-17B) | UK Ministry of Defence | UK Ministry of Defence |
| 19 January 01:39 | | Skynet 2A | UK MOD | Intended: GEO Achieved: LEO | Comms | 25 January 1974 | Failure |
| Placed in incorrect orbit due to carrier rocket malfunction ||||||
| 24 January 15:00 | Voskhod | Voskhod | | Plesetsk | Plesetsk | MOM | MOM |
| 24 January 15:00 | | Kosmos 629 (Zenit-2M) | MOM | LEO | Recon | 5 February 1974 | Success |
| 30 January 11:00 | Voskhod | Voskhod | | Plesetsk | Plesetsk | MOM | MOM |
| 30 January 11:00 | | Kosmos 630 (Zenit-4MK) | MOM | LEO | Aurora research | 13 February 1974 | Success |
| February ||||||||
| 6 February 00:34 | Kosmos-3M | Kosmos-3M | | LC-132/2, Plesetsk | LC-132/2, Plesetsk | VKS | VKS |
| 6 February 00:34 | | Kosmos 631 (Tselina-O) | VKS | LEO | ELINT | 3 October 1980 | Successful |
| 11 February 13:48 | Titan IIIE/Centaur | Titan IIIE/Centaur | | LC-41, CCAFS | LC-41, CCAFS | NASA | NASA |
| 11 February 13:48 | | Boilerplate | NASA | Intended: GSO | Test carrier rocket | 12 February 1974 | Failure |
| 11 February 13:48 | | Sphinx | NASA | Intended: GSO | Plasma research | 12 February 1974 | Failure |
| Upper stage turbopump malfunction ||||||
| 16 February 05:00 | M-3C | M-3C | | Kagoshima Space Center LP-M | Kagoshima Space Center LP-M | ISAS | ISAS |
| 16 February 05:00 | | MS T2 (Tansei 2) | ISAS | Highly elliptical orbit | Technology test | 22 January 1983 | Successful |
| First flight of M-3C ||||||
| 18 February | Scout D-1 | Scout D-1 | | San Marco mobile range, Kenya | San Marco mobile range, Kenya | CRS | CRS |
| 18 February | | San Marco 4 | CRS / NASA | Low Earth | Atmospheric | In orbit | Successful |
| March ||||||||
| April ||||||||
| May ||||||||
| June ||||||||
| July ||||||||
| 3 July | Soyuz (11A511) | Soyuz (11A511) | | LC-1/5, Baikonur | LC-1/5, Baikonur | | |
| 3 July | | Soyuz 14 | | LEO, docked to Salyut 3 | Crewed orbital flight | 19 July 1974 | Successful |
| 12 July 13:55 | Feng Bao 1 | Feng Bao 1 | | Jiquan Satellite Launch Center, LA-2B (Site 138) | Jiquan Satellite Launch Center, LA-2B (Site 138) | | |
| 12 July 13:55 | | JSSW | | Intended: Low Earth | Unknown | 12 July | Failure |
| Carrier rocket lost attitude control. ||||||
| 16 July | Scout | Scout | | Western Space and Missile Center at Vandenberg AFB | Western Space and Missile Center at Vandenberg AFB | NASA | NASA |
| 16 July | | Aeros 2 | NASA | | | | |
| August ||||||||
| 28 August 10:08 | Soyuz (11A511) | Soyuz (11A511) | | LC-1/5, Baikonur | LC-1/5, Baikonur | | |
| 28 August 10:08 | | Soyuz 15 | | LEO Plan: Dock to Salyut 3 | Crewed orbital flight | 28 August 1974 | Failure |
| Failed to dock with Salyut 3 ||||||
| September ||||||||
| October ||||||||
| 15 October 07:47 | Scout B-1 | Scout B-1 | | San Marco mobile range, Kenya | San Marco mobile range, Kenya | CRS | CRS |
| 15 October 07:47 | | Ariel 5 | SERC / NASA | Low Earth | X-ray astronomy | 14 March 1980 | Successful |
| November ||||||||
| December ||||||||
| 2 December 15:00 | Soyuz-U (11A511U) | Soyuz-U (11A511U) | | LC-1/5, Baikonur | LC-1/5, Baikonur | | |
| 2 December 15:00 | | Soyuz 16 | | LEO | Crewed orbital flight | 8 December 1974 | Successful |
| First successful crewed use of Soyuz-U launch vehicle ||||||
| 10 December 07:11:01 | Titan IIIE/Star-37 | Titan IIIE/Star-37 | | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 | NASA | NASA |
| 10 December 07:11:01 | | Helios-A | NASA / DFVLR | Heliocentric | Solar probe | In orbit | Successful |
| Achieved a closest approach to the Sun of 46.5 million km (0.31 AU) in February 1975, the closest approach achieved by an artificial satellite at that point; it was succeeded later by Helios-B. ||||||
* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

## Suborbital launches

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →
| Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | Launch site | LSP | LSP |
| Date and time (UTC) | | Payload | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome |
| Remarks ||||||
| January-March ||||||||
| 12 January 19:12 | Skylark | Skylark | | El Arenosillo | El Arenosillo | NASA | NASA |
| 12 January 19:12 | | H-GR-58 | DFVLR | Sub-orbital | Astronomy | 12 Jan 1974 | Successful |
| 5 January 01:45 | Aerobee 200A | Aerobee 200A | | White Sands | White Sands | NASA | NASA |
| 5 January 01:45 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy/Ultraviolet astronomy | 5 January 1974 | Successful |
| 8 January 01:40 | Aerobee 200A | Aerobee 200A | | White Sands | White Sands | NASA | NASA |
| 8 January 01:40 | | | NASA/NRL | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy/Ultraviolet astronomy | 8 January 1974 | Successful |
| 11 January 22:00 | R-36 | R-36 | | Baikonur (LC-162/36) | Baikonur (LC-162/36) | RVSN | RVSN |
| 11 January 22:00 | | Dkh | RVSN | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 12 January 1974 | Successful |
| 15 January 20:00 | Black Brant VC | Black Brant VC | | White Sands (LC-36) | White Sands (LC-36) | NASA | NASA |
| 15 January 20:00 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Solar research | 15 January 1974 | Successful |
| 16 January 02:00 | Kappa 9M | Kappa 9M | | Kagoshima (LC-36) | Kagoshima (LC-36) | ISAS | ISAS |
| 16 January 02:00 | | | ISAS | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere & Solar research | 16 January 1974 | Successful |
| 16 January 17:40 | Nike Apache | Nike Apache | | Wallops Island | Wallops Island | NASA | NASA |
| 16 January 17:40 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | 16 January 1974 | Successful |
| 16 January 18:13 | Super Arcas | Super Arcas | | Wallops Island | Wallops Island | NASA | NASA |
| 16 January 18:13 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 16 January 1974 | Successful |
| 16 January 01:40 | Aerobee 200A | Aerobee 200A | | White Sands | White Sands | NASA | NASA |
| 16 January 01:40 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Solar research | 16 January 1974 | Successful |
| 17 January 02:37 | Nike Tomahawk | Nike Tomahawk | | Poker Flat | Poker Flat | NASA | NASA |
| 17 January 02:37 | | | NASA/NRL | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 17 January 1974 | Successful |
| 19 January 11:34 | Skua | Skua | | El Arenosillo | El Arenosillo | RAE | RAE |
| 19 January 11:34 | | | RAE | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 19 January 1974 | Success |
| 19 January | R-36M | R-36M | | LC-103, Baikonur | LC-103, Baikonur | RVSN | RVSN |
| 19 January | | POR | RVSN | Sub-orbital | ICBM Test | 20 January 1974 | Success |
| 21 January 02:39 | Nike Tomahawk | Nike Tomahawk | | Poker Flat | Poker Flat | NASA | NASA |
| 21 January 02:39 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 21 January 1974 | Success |
| 21 January 11:30 | Skua 4 | Skua 4 | | El Arenosillo | El Arenosillo | RAE | RAE |
| 21 January 11:30 | | | RAE | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 21 January 1974 | Success |
| 22 January 02:41 | Nike Tomahawk | Nike Tomahawk | | Poker Flat | Poker Flat | NASA | NASA |
| 22 January 02:41 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Plasma research | 22 January 1974 | Success |
| 22 January 11:00 | Lambda 3H | Lambda 3H | | Area 3L, Kagoshima | Area 3L, Kagoshima | ISAS | ISAS |
| 22 January 11:00 | | | ISAS | Sub-orbital | X-ray astronomy | 22 January 1974 | Success |
| 22 January 01:40 | Aerobee 200A | Aerobee 200A | | White Sands | White Sands | NASA | NASA |
| 22 January 01:40 | | | NASA/NRL | Sub-orbital | Solar research | 22 January 1974 | Successful |
| 22 January 01:40 | Minuteman I | Minuteman I | | LF-06, Vandenberg AFB | LF-06, Vandenberg AFB | USAF | USAF |
| 22 January 01:40 | | | USAF | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 22 January 1974 | Successful |
| 23 January 11:30 | Skua | Skua | | El Arenosillo | El Arenosillo | RAE | RAE |
| 23 January 11:30 | | | RAE | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 23 January 1974 | Success |
| 23 January 12:50 | Black Brant VB | Black Brant VB | | Churchill | Churchill | NRC | NRC |
| 23 January 12:50 | | | NRC | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy/Ionosphere/Aurora research | 23 January 1974 | Success |
| 25 January 11:30 | Skua | Skua | | El Arenosillo | El Arenosillo | RAE | RAE |
| 25 January 11:30 | | | RAE | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 25 January 1974 | Success |
| 25 January | UR-100N | UR-100N | | Baikonur Cosmodrome | Baikonur Cosmodrome | RVSN | RVSN |
| 25 January | | | RVSN | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 25 January 1974 | Success |
| 26 January | Minuteman III | Minuteman III | | LF-25, Vandenberg AFB | LF-25, Vandenberg AFB | USAF | USAF |
| 26 January | | GT-24GB-1 | USAF | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 26 January 1974 | Success |
| 26 January | UR-100N | UR-100N | | Baikonur Cosmodrome | Baikonur Cosmodrome | RVSN | RVSN |
| 26 January | | GT-24GB-1 | RVSN | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 26 January 1974 | Success |
| 27 January 19:08 | Nike Tomahawk | Nike Tomahawk | | Andøya | Andøya | NASA | NASA |
| 27 January 19:08 | | Ferdinand 35 (Polar 3) | NDRE | Sub-orbital | Aurora research | 27 January 1974 | Success |
| 30 January | SSBS S2 | SSBS S2 | | BLB, Biscarosse | BLB, Biscarosse | DMA | DMA |
| 30 January | | | DMA | Sub-orbital | Missile test | 30 January 1974 | Success |
| 1 February 06:30 | JCR | JCR | | Area T, Tanegashima | Area T, Tanegashima | NASDA | NASDA |
| 1 February 06:30 | | | NASDA | Sub-orbital | Test flight | 1 February 1974 | Successful |
| 4 February 14:40 | Skylark 6AC | Skylark 6AC | | LA-2SL, Woomera | LA-2SL, Woomera | BAC | BAC |
| 4 February 14:40 | | | BAC | Sub-orbital | Astronomy | 4 February 1974 | Successful |
| 4 February | MR-UR-100 | MR-UR-100 | | LC-177, Baikonur | LC-177, Baikonur | RVSN | RVSN |
| 4 February | | | RVSN | Sub-orbital | ICBM test | 4 February 1974 | Successful |
| 6 February 22:48 | Black Brant IVB | Black Brant IVB | | Andoya | Andoya | DLR | DLR |
| 6 February 22:48 | | | DLR | Sub-orbital | Aurora research (DLR A-BB4-63 Auroral mission) | 6 February 1974 | Successful |
| 6 February | Polaris A3 | Polaris A3 | | Submarine, WTR | Submarine, WTR | US Navy | US Navy |
| 6 February | | | US Navy | Sub-orbital | SLBM test | 6 February 1974 | Successful |
| 6 February | Polaris A3 | Polaris A3 | | Submarine, WTR | Submarine, WTR | US Navy | US Navy |
| 6 February | | | US Navy | Sub-orbital | SLBM test | 6 February 1974 | Successful |
| 9 February 02:10 | Aerobee 200A | Aerobee 200A | | White Sands | White Sands | NASA | NASA |
| 9 February 02:10 | | | NASA | Sub-orbital | Astronomy | 9 February 1974 | Successful |
| 9 February 06:30 | LS-C | LS-C | | Area T, Tanegashima | Area T, Tanegashima | NASDA | NASDA |
| 9 February 06:30 | | | NASDA | Sub-orbital | Test flight | 9 February 1974 | Successful |
| April-June ||||||||
| July-September ||||||||
| 11 July 05:01 | K63D | K63D | | Vladimirovka test range, near Kapustin Yar | Vladimirovka test range, near Kapustin Yar | | |
| 11 July 05:01 | | BOR-3 No.302 | | Suborbital | Re-entry test for Spiral program | 11 July | Partial success |
| Subscale model of the Spiral spaceplane. After nominal flight, parachute system failed and the craft crashed. Apogee: 100 km ||||||
| October-December ||||||||
* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

## Deep Space Rendezvous

| Date (GMT) | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
| 5 February | Mariner 10 | Flyby of Venus | Gravity assist; Closest approach: 5,768 kilometres (3,584 mi) |
| 10 February | Mars 4 | Flyby of Mars | Closest approach: 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi) (orbiter mission) |
| 12 February | Mars 5 | Areocentric orbit injection |
| 9 March | Mars 7 | Lander missed mars by 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) |
| 12 March | Mars 6 | Lander lost a few seconds before anticipated landing |
| 29 March | Mariner 10 | 1st flyby of Mercury | Closest approach: 703 kilometres (437 mi) |
| 2 June | Luna 22 | Selenocentric orbit injection | Photographic mission |
| 21 September | Mariner 10 | 2nd flyby of Mercury | Closest approach: 48,069 kilometres (29,869 mi) |
| 2 November | Luna 23 | Landed rough at Mare Crisium, the Moon | Sample return mission |
| 3 December | Pioneer 11 | Flyby of Jupiter | Gravity assist; Closest approach: 42,960 kilometres (26,690 mi) |

## EVAs

| Start Date/Time | Duration | End Time | Spacecraft | Crew | Remarks |
| 3 February 15:19 | 5 hours 19 minutes | 20:38 | Skylab SLM-3 | Gerald P. Carr Edward Gibson | Retrieved the final film from the solar observatory and photographed Kohoutek using an electronographic camera. |