1981 in spaceflight Launches Launches

| Date_and_time_UTC_ | Rocket | Site | Orbit | Function_ | Decay_UTC_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 August, 00:04 UTC | Trident C-4 | USSSimon Bolivar , ETR | Sub-orbital | Operational test flight | 28 August 1981 |
| 28 August, 16:18 UTC | Kosmos-3M | LC-132/1, Plesetsk | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit |
| 28 August | R-5V | Kapustin Yar | Sub-orbital | Solar research | 28 August 1981 |
| August | MR-12 | Professor Zubov | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | Within an hour of launch |
| 3 September, 18:29 UTC | Titan III D | SLC-4E , Vandenberg AFB | LEO ( SSO ) | Reconnaissance | 23 November 1984 |
| 4 September, 08:00 UTC | Soyuz-U | Baikonur | LEO | Reconnaissance | 18 September 1981 |
| 4 September, 11:06 UTC | Kosmos-3M | LC-132/1, Plesetsk | LEO | Navigation | Still in orbit |
| 5 September, 01:00 UTC | S-520 | LA-K, Kagoshima | Sub-orbital | Ionosphere research | 5 September 1981 |
| 7 September, 09:38 UTC | S-310 | Kagoshima | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | 7 September 1981 |