În anul 1961, au avut loc un total de 50 tentative de lansări orbitale, din care 15 eșecuri.
| Țara | Succese | Eșecuri | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statele Unite | 29 | 12 | 41 |
| Rusia | 6 | 3 | 9 |
În tabelul de mai jos sunt afișate toate tentativele de lansare orbitală din 1961.
| IDL | Data | Lansator | Serie | Misiune | Centru | TR | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 A LAM | 1961-12-22 1912 | Atlas Agena B | 114D/2203 | Samos 5 (Samos E-5) | PA LC1-2 | US | S |
| 1961-F15 | 1961-12-21 1230 | Kosmos 63S1 | 2LK | - (DS-1 No. 2) | GTsP-4 Mayak-2 | RU | F |
| 1961 A KAP | 1961-12-12 2040 | Thor Agena B | 325/1119 | Discoverer 36 (CORONA C'''-5) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | S |
| 1961-F14 | 1961-12-11 0939 | Vostok 8K72 | E103-21 | - (Zenit-2 No. 1) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | F |
| 1961 A IOT | 1961-11-29 1507 | Atlas D | 93D | MA-5 (Mercury SC9) | CAPE LC14 | US | S |
| 1961-F13 | 1961-11-22 2045 | Atlas Agena B | 108D/2202 | Samos 4 (Samos 4 (E-5)) | PA LC1-1 | US | F |
| 1961 A THE | 1961-11-18 0812 | Atlas Agena B | 117D/6002 (AA2) | Ranger 2 (NASA P-33) | CAPE LC12 | US | S |
| 1961 A ETA | 1961-11-15 2226 | Thor Ablestar | 305/AB009? | Transit 4B | CAPE LC17B | US | S |
| 1961 A ZET | 1961-11-15 2122 | Thor Agena B | 326/1118 | Discoverer 35 (CORONA C'-10) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | S |
| 1961 A EPS | 1961-11-05 2000 | Thor Agena B | 330/1117 | Discoverer 34 (CORONA C'-9) | VAND 75-1-1 | US | S |
| 1961-F12 | 1961-11-01 1532 | Blue Scout II | D-8 | Mercury-Scout 1 (Mercury MS-1) | CAPE LC18B | US | F |
| 1961-F11 | 1961-10-27 1630 | Kosmos 63S1 | 1LK | - (DS-1 No. 1) | GTsP-4 Mayak-2 | RU | F |
| 1961-F10 | 1961-10-23 1923 | Thor Agena B | 329/1116 | Discoverer 33 (CORONA C'-8) | VAND 75-3-5 | US | F |
| 1961 A DEL | 1961-10-21 1353 | Atlas Agena B | 105D/1202 | Midas 4 (Midas ETS-II F2) | PA LC1-2 | US | S |
| 1961 A GAM | 1961-10-13 1922 | Thor Agena B | 328/1115 | Discoverer 32 (CORONA C'''-4) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | S |
| 1961 A BET | 1961-09-17 2100 | Thor Agena B | 324/1114 | Discoverer 31 (CORONA C'''-3) | VAND 75-1-1 | US | S |
| 1961 A ALP | 1961-09-13 1404 | Atlas D | 88D | MA-4 (Mercury SC8A) | CAPE LC14 | US | S |
| 1961 OME | 1961-09-12 1959 | Thor Agena B | 310/1113 | Discoverer 30 (CORONA C'''-2) | VAND 75-3-5 | US | S |
| 1961-F09 | 1961-09-09 1928 | Atlas Agena B | 106D/2120 | Samos 3 (SAMOS E-2) | PA LC1-1 | US | F |
| 1961 PSI | 1961-08-30 2000 | Thor Agena B | 323/1112 | Discoverer 29 (CORONA C'''-1) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | S |
| 1961 CHI | 1961-08-25 1829 | Scout X-1 | ST-6 | Explorer 13 (NASA S-55A) | WI LA3 | US | S |
| 1961 PHI | 1961-08-23 1004 | Atlas Agena B | 111D/6001 (AA1) | Ranger 1 (NASA P-32) | CAPE LC12 | US | S |
| 1961 UPS | 1961-08-16 0321 | Thor Delta | 312/D006 | Explorer 12 (NASA S-3) | CAPE LC17A | US | S |
| 1961 TAU | 1961-08-06 0600 | Vostok 8K72 | E103-17 | Vostok-2 (Vostok-3A No. 4) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | S |
| 1961-F08 | 1961-08-04 0001 | Thor Agena B | 309/1111 | Discoverer 28 (CORONA C'-7) | VAND 75-1-1 | US | F |
| 1961-F07 | 1961-07-21 2235 | Thor Agena B | 322/1110 | Discoverer 27 (ARGON 4) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | F |
| 1961 SIG | 1961-07-12 1511 | Atlas Agena B | 97D/1201 | Midas 3 (Midas ETS-II F1) | PA LC1-2 | US | S |
| 1961 RHO | 1961-07-12 1025 | Thor Delta | 286/D005 | Tiros 3 (NASA A-3) | CAPE LC17A | US | S |
| 1961 PI | 1961-07-07 2329 | Thor Agena B | 308/1109 | Discoverer 26 (CORONA C'-6) | VAND 75-3-5 | US | S |
| 1961-F06 | 1961-06-30 1709 | Scout X-1 | ST-5 | S-55 (NASA S-55) | WI LA3 | US | F |
| 1961 OMI | 1961-06-29 0423 | Thor Ablestar | 315/AB008 | Transit 4A/GRAB (Transit 4A) | CAPE LC17B | US | S |
| 1961 XI | 1961-06-16 2302 | Thor Agena B | 303/1107 | Discoverer 25 (CORONA C'-5) | VAND 75-1-1 | US | S |
| 1961-F05 | 1961-06-08 2116 | Thor Agena B | 302/1108 | Discoverer 24 (ARGON 3) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | F |
| 1961-F04 | 1961-05-24 1948 | Juno II | AM-19G | NASA S-45A | CAPE LC26B | US | F |
| 1961 NU | 1961-04-27 1416 | Juno II | AM-19E | Explorer 11 (NASA S-15) | CAPE LC26B | US | S |
| 1961-F03 | 1961-04-25 1615 | Atlas D | 100D | MA-3 (Mercury SC8) | CAPE LC14 | US | F |
| 1961 MU | 1961-04-12 0607 | Vostok 8K72 | E103-16 | Vostok (Vostok-3A No. 3) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | S |
| 1961 LAM | 1961-04-08 1921 | Thor Agena B | 307/1106 | Discoverer 23 (ARGON 2) | VAND 75-3-5 | US | S |
| 1961-F02 | 1961-03-30 2034 | Thor Agena B | 300/1105 | Discoverer 22 (CORONA C'-4) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | F |
| 1961 KAP | 1961-03-25 1517 | Thor Delta | 295/D004 | Explorer 10 (P-14) | CAPE LC17A | US | S |
| 1961 IOT | 1961-03-25 0554 | Vostok 8K72 | E103-15 | Korabl'-Sputnik-5 (Vostok-3 No. 2) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | S |
| 1961 THE | 1961-03-09 0629 | Vostok 8K72 | E103-14 | Korabl'-Sputnik-4 (Vostok-3 No. 1) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | S |
| 1961-F01 | 1961-02-25 0013 | Juno II | AM-19F | NASA S-45 | CAPE LC26B | US | F |
| 1961 ETA | 1961-02-22 0345 | Thor Ablestar | 313/AB007 | Transit 3B | CAPE LC17B | US | S |
| 1961 ZET | 1961-02-18 2257 | Thor Agena B | 261/1102 | Discoverer 21 (CORONA RM-2) | VAND 75-3-5 | US | S |
| 1961 EPS | 1961-02-17 2025 | Thor Agena B | 298/1104 | Discoverer 20 (ARGON 1) | VAND 75-3-4 | US | S |
| 1961 DEL | 1961-02-16 1305 | Scout X-1 | ST-4 | Explorer 9 (NASA S-56A) | WI LA3 | US | S |
| 1961 GAM | 1961-02-12 0034 | Molniya 8K78 | L1-6V | Venera (1VA No. 2) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | S |
| 1961 BET | 1961-02-04 0118 | Molniya 8K78 | L1-7V | Tyazholiy Sputnik (1VA No. 1) | NIIP-5 LC1 | RU | S |
| 1961 ALP | 1961-01-31 2021 | Atlas Agena A | 70D/2102 | Samos 2 (SAMOS F-1) | PA LC1-1 | US | S |