Satellites, space stations, and deep space probes.
| Label | Operator | Status | Orbit | Launch Date | Mission Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kosmos-1264 Космос-1264 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 4/15/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Columbia (STS-1) | NASA Johnson Space Center | retired | LEO | 4/12/1981 | Human Spaceflight |
| Kosmos-1263 Космос-1263 | Proto-Vozdhusnoy Oborony | retired |
| LEO |
| 4/9/1981 |
| Technology Demonstration |
| Kosmos-1262 Космос-1262 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 4/7/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1261 Космос-1261 | Proto-Vozdhusnoy Oborony | retired | HEO | 3/31/1981 | Missile Warning Tracking |
| [Kosmos] (1981-F02) [Космос] | State Space Corporation Roscosmos | retired | suborbital | 3/28/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Molniya-3 (1981-030A) Молния-3 | ISS Reshetnev | retired | HEO | 3/24/1981 | Communications |
| Soyuz-39 Союз-39 | NPO Energomash | retired | LEO | 3/22/1981 | Human Spaceflight |
| Kosmos-1260 Космос-1260 | Russian Navy | retired | LEO | 3/20/1981 | Signals Intelligence |
| Raduga (1981-027A) Радуга | Russian Space Forces | retired | GEO | 3/18/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1259 Космос-1259 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/17/1981 | Earth Observation |
| DSP F9 | U.S. Space Force | retired | GEO | 3/16/1981 | Missile Warning Tracking |
| Kosmos-1258 Космос-1258 | Russian Ministry of Defense | retired | LEO | 3/14/1981 | Technology Demonstration |
| Soyuz T-4 Союз Т-4 | NPO Energomash | retired | LEO | 3/12/1981 | Human Spaceflight |
| Kosmos-1257 Космос-1257 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1256 Космос-1256 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1255 Космос-1255 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1254 Космос-1254 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1253 Космос-1253 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1252 Космос-1252 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1250 Космос-1250 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1251 Космос-1251 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/6/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1248 Космос-1248 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 3/5/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1249 Космос-1249 | Russian Navy | retired | LEO | 3/5/1981 | Signals Intelligence |
| OPS 1166 | U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) | retired | LEO | 2/28/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Hinotori ひのとり | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) | retired | LEO | 2/21/1981 | Science Exploration |
| Comstar 204 | COMSAT | retired | GEO | 2/21/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1247 Космос-1247 | Proto-Vozdhusnoy Oborony | retired | HEO | 2/19/1981 | Missile Warning Tracking |
| Kosmos-1246 Космос-1246 | Progress Rocket Space Center | retired | LEO | 2/18/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1245 Космос-1245 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 2/13/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1244 Космос-1244 | Russian Navy | retired | LEO | 2/12/1981 | Positioning Navigation Timing |
| Kiku-3 きく3号 | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) | retired | HEO | 2/11/1981 | Technology Demonstration |
| Interkosmos-21 Интеркосмос-21 | Interkosmos | retired | LEO | 2/6/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1243 Космос-1243 | Russian Ministry of Defense | retired | LEO | 2/2/1981 | Technology Demonstration |
| Molniya-1 (1981-009A) Молния-1 | Russian Space Forces | retired | HEO | 1/30/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1242 Космос-1242 | Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoe Upravleniye | retired | LEO | 1/27/1981 | Signals Intelligence |
| Progress-12 Прогресс-12 | NPO Energomash | retired | LEO | 1/24/1981 | Human Spaceflight |
| [Kosmos] (1981-F01) [Космос] | ISS Reshetnev | retired | suborbital | 1/23/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1241 Космос-1241 | Russian Ministry of Defense | retired | LEO | 1/21/1981 | Technology Demonstration |
| Kosmos-1240 Космос-1240 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 1/20/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Kosmos-1238 Космос-1238 | Proto-Vozdhusnoy Oborony | retired | LEO | 1/16/1981 | Technology Demonstration |
| Kosmos-1239 Космос-1239 | Military-Topographic Service of the Soviet Army | retired | LEO | 1/16/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Molniya-3 (1981-002A) Молния-3 | ISS Reshetnev | retired | HEO | 1/9/1981 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1237 Космос-1237 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 1/6/1981 | Earth Observation |
| Ekran (1980-104A) Экран | Ministry of Comms. Union Radio Comms. | retired | GEO | 12/26/1980 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1236 Космос-1236 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 12/26/1980 | Earth Observation |
| Prognoz-8 Прогноз-8 | Institut Kosmicheksiye Issledovaniya | retired | HEO | 12/25/1980 | Science Exploration |
| Kosmos-1228 Космос-1228 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 12/23/1980 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1235 Космос-1235 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 12/23/1980 | Communications |
| Kosmos-1234 Космос-1234 | Russian Space Forces | retired | LEO | 12/23/1980 | Communications |