1981 in spaceflight Launches Launches

| Date_and_time_UTC_ | Rocket | Site | Orbit | Function_ | Decay_UTC_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 March, 19:24 UTC | Titan III C | LC-40 , Cape Canaveral | GEO . Moved to Graveyard orbit after retirement | Missile early warning | Still in orbit |
| 17 March, 08:40 UTC | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) | LC-31 , Baikonur | LEO | Reconnaissance | 31 March 1981 |
| 18 March, 04:40 UTC | Proton-K / DM | LC-200/40 , Baikonur | GEO . Moved to Graveyard orbit after retirement | Comsat | Still in orbit |
| 20 March, 23:45 UTC | Tsyklon-2 (R-36 11K69) | LC-90, Baikonur | LEO | Ocean reconnaissance | 22 May 1982 |
| 22 March, 14:58 UTC | Soyuz-U (R-7 11A511U) | LC-31/6 , Baikonur | LEO , docked to Salyut 6 | Manned orbital flight | 30 March 1981 |
| 24 March, 03:00 UTC | Black Brant 8C | LC-36, White Sands | Sub-orbital | Ultraviolet astronomy | 24 March 1981 |