By country
United States41
Soviet Union9
By rocket
Launches by month
174414464474
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
All launches of 1961
50 launches
| # | Date | Mission | Rocket | Spaceport | Country | Payloads | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 31, 1961 | SAMOS F-11961 ALP | Atlas Agena A | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Success |
| 2 | Feb 4, 1961 | 1VA No. 11961 BET | Molniya 8K78 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Failure · 0.4 |
| 3 | Feb 12, 1961 | 1VA No. 21961 GAM | Molniya 8K78 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Success |
| 4 | Feb 16, 1961 | NASA S-56A1961 DEL | Scout X-1 | Wallops | United States | 1 | Success |
| 5 | Feb 17, 1961 | ARGON 11961 EPS | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 3 | Success |
| 6 | Feb 18, 1961 | CORONA RM-21961 ZET | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 1 | Success |
| 7 | Feb 22, 1961 | Transit 3B1961 ETA | Thor Ablestar | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 2 | Success |
| 8 | Feb 25, 1961 | NASA S-451961-F01 | Juno II | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 9 | Mar 9, 1961 | Vostok-3 No. 11961 THE | Vostok 8K72 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Success |
| 10 | Mar 25, 1961 | Vostok-3 No. 21961 IOT | Vostok 8K72 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Success |
| 11 | Mar 25, 1961 | P-141961 KAP | Thor Delta | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Success |
| 12 | Mar 30, 1961 | CORONA C'-41961-F02 | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 3 | Failure |
| 13 | Apr 8, 1961 | ARGON 21961 LAM | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 3 | Success |
| 14 | Apr 12, 1961 | Vostok-3A No. 31961 MU | Vostok 8K72 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Success |
| 15 | Apr 25, 1961 | Mercury SC81961-F03 | Atlas D | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 16 | Apr 27, 1961 | NASA S-151961 NU | Juno II | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Success |
| 17 | May 24, 1961 | NASA S-45A1961-F04 | Juno II | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 18 | Jun 8, 1961 | ARGON 31961-F05 | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Failure |
| 19 | Jun 16, 1961 | CORONA C'-51961 XI | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 5 | Success |
| 20 | Jun 29, 1961 | Transit 4A1961 OMI | Thor Ablestar | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 3 | Success |
| 21 | Jun 30, 1961 | NASA S-551961-F06 | Scout X-1 | Wallops | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 22 | Jul 7, 1961 | CORONA C'-61961 PI | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 5 | Success |
| 23 | Jul 12, 1961 | NASA A-31961 RHO | Thor Delta | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Success |
| 24 | Jul 12, 1961 | Midas ETS-II F11961 SIG | Atlas Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Success |
| 25 | Jul 21, 1961 | ARGON 41961-F07 | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Failure |
| 26 | Aug 4, 1961 | CORONA C'-71961-F08 | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 4 | Failure |
| 27 | Aug 6, 1961 | Vostok-3A No. 41961 TAU | Vostok 8K72 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Success |
| 28 | Aug 16, 1961 | NASA S-31961 UPS | Thor Delta | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Success |
| 29 | Aug 23, 1961 | NASA P-321961 PHI | Atlas Agena B | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Failure · 0.4 |
| 30 | Aug 25, 1961 | NASA S-55A1961 CHI | Scout X-1 | Wallops | United States | 1 | Success |
| 31 | Aug 30, 1961 | CORONA C'''-11961 PSI | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 5 | Success |
| 32 | Sep 9, 1961 | SAMOS E-21961-F09 | Atlas Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 33 | Sep 12, 1961 | CORONA C'''-21961 OME | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 4 | Success |
| 34 | Sep 13, 1961 | Mercury SC8A1961 A ALP | Atlas D | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Success |
| 35 | Sep 17, 1961 | CORONA C'''-31961 A BET | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 5 | Success |
| 36 | Oct 13, 1961 | CORONA C'''-41961 A GAM | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 4 | Success |
| 37 | Oct 21, 1961 | Midas ETS-II F21961 A DEL | Atlas Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 3 | Success |
| 38 | Oct 23, 1961 | CORONA C'-81961-F10 | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Failure |
| 39 | Oct 27, 1961 | DS-1 No. 11961-F11 | Kosmos 63S1 | Kapustin Yar | Soviet Union | 1 | Failure |
| 40 | Nov 1, 1961 | Mercury MS-11961-F12 | Blue Scout II | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 41 | Nov 5, 1961 | CORONA C'-91961 A EPS | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 5 | Success |
| 42 | Nov 15, 1961 | CORONA C'-101961 A ZET | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Success |
| 43 | Nov 15, 1961 | Transit 4B1961 A ETA | Thor Ablestar | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 2 | Success |
| 44 | Nov 18, 1961 | NASA P-331961 A THE | Atlas Agena B | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Failure · 0.4 |
| 45 | Nov 22, 1961 | Samos 4 (E-5)1961-F13 | Atlas Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 1 | Failure |
| 46 | Nov 29, 1961 | Mercury SC91961 A IOT | Atlas D | Cape Canaveral & Kennedy | United States | 1 | Success |
| 47 | Dec 11, 1961 | Zenit-2 No. 11961-F14 | Vostok 8K72 | Baikonur | Soviet Union | 1 | Failure |
| 48 | Dec 12, 1961 | CORONA C'''-51961 A KAP | Thor Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 6 | Success |
| 49 | Dec 21, 1961 | DS-1 No. 21961-F15 | Kosmos 63S1 | Kapustin Yar | Soviet Union | 1 | Failure |
| 50 | Dec 22, 1961 | Samos E-51961 A LAM | Atlas Agena B | Vandenberg | United States | 2 | Success |
Source: GCAT launch list, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0). Dates are UTC.