1981 in spaceflight
The launch of STS-1, the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle | |
| Orbital launches | |
|---|---|
| First | 6 January |
| Last | 23 December |
| Total | 126 |
| Successes | 119 |
| Failures | 6 |
| Partial failures | 1 |
| Catalogued | 123 |
| National firsts | |
| Satellite | Bulgaria |
| Space traveller | Mongolia Romania |
| Rockets | |
| Maiden flights | N-II Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Retirements | Feng Bao 1 |
| Crewed flights | |
| Orbital | 5 |
| Total travellers | 10 |
The following is an outline of 1981 in spaceflight.