1978 in spaceflight
The Pioneer Venus Orbiter atop an Atlas-Centaur before launch
|
|
| Orbital launches | |
|---|---|
| First | 6 January |
| Last | 28 December |
| Total | 128 |
| Catalogued | 124 |
| National firsts | |
| Space traveller |
 Czechoslovakia Poland East Germany
|
| Rockets | |
| Retirements |
Atlas-Agena Mu-3H |
| Manned flights | |
| Orbital | 5 |
| Total travellers | 10 |
1978 saw the launch of the Pioneer Venus missions launched by the United States, on 20 May and 8 August. The Pioneer Venus Multiprobe landed four spacecraft on the planet, one of which transmitted data for 67 minutes before being destroyed by atmospheric pressure. ISEE-C, which was launched on 8 December, flew past comet 1P/Halley in 1985.
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Wikipedia