1981 in spaceflight Launches Launches

| Date_and_time_UTC_ | Rocket | Site | Orbit | Function_ | Decay_UTC_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May, 07:55 UTC | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | Sub-orbital | X-Ray astronomy | 4 May 1981 |
| 6 May, 08:00 UTC | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | Sub-orbital | Aeronomy | 6 May 1981 |
| 7 May, 13:21 UTC | Kosmos-3M | LC-132/1, Plesetsk | LEO | Comsat | Still in orbit |
| 8 May, 05:27 UTC | Skylark 7 | LA-S, Esrange | Sub-orbital | Microgravity research | 8 May 1981 |
| 14 May, 17:16:38 UTC | Soyuz-U | LC-1/5 , Baikonur | LEO , docked to Salyut 6 | Manned orbital flight | 22 May 1981 |
| 14 May, 21:45 UTC | Vostok-2M | Plesetsk | LEO | Weather satellite | Still in orbit |
| 15 May, 06:07:17 UTC | Scout G-1 | SLC-5 , Vandenberg AFB | LEO ( Polar ) | Navigation | Still in orbit |