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2011 in spaceflight

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2011 in spaceflight
Space Shuttle Atlantis lands at the Shuttle Landing Facility on 21 July 2011, completing the final mission of the Space Shuttle programme.
Orbital launches
First20 January
Last28 December
Total84
Successes78
Failures6
Catalogued80
National firsts
Satellite Isle of Man
Rockets
Maiden flightsZenit-3F
Long March 2F/G
Atlas V 541
RetirementsSpace Shuttle
Delta II Heavy
Crewed flights
Orbital7
Total travellers28
EVAs10
2011 in spaceflight
← 2010
2012 →

The year 2011 saw a number of significant events in spaceflight, including the retirement of NASA's Space Shuttle after its final flight in July 2011, and the launch of China's first space station module, Tiangong-1, in September. A total of 84 orbital launches were conducted over the course of the year, of which 78 were successful. Russia, China and the United States conducted the majority of the year's orbital launches, with 35, 19 and 18 launches respectively; 2011 marked the first year that China conducted more successful launches than the United States.[1] Seven crewed missions were launched into orbit during 2011, carrying a total of 28 astronauts to the International Space Station. Additionally, the Zenit-3F and Long March 2F/G carrier rockets made their maiden flights in 2011, while the Delta II Heavy made its last.

Overview of orbital spaceflight

[edit]

A total of 84 orbital launches were attempted in 2011, with 78 being reported as successful; 80 launches reached orbit. 35 launches were conducted using Russian and former Soviet rockets, whilst China launched 19 rockets, and the United States launched 18. Europe conducted five launches, India and Japan launched three rockets each, and Iran conducted one launch.

Crewed launches

[edit]

Seven crewed spaceflights – four Soyuz and three Space Shuttle missions – were launched in 2011, carrying a total of 28 astronauts and cosmonauts into orbit. At the beginning of the year, the Expedition 26 crew was aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The first crewed flight of 2011 was STS-133, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 24 February. STS-133 carried Leonardo, the final American pressurised module of the ISS, for installation. Discovery returned to Earth on 9 March.

On 16 March, Expedition 27 began aboard the ISS with the departure of the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft, which had been docked since October 2010. On 4 April, Soyuz TMA-21 launched to the space station, delivering a further three crewmembers. On 16 May, Space Shuttle Space Shuttle Endeavour launched to the station on its final mission, STS-134, delivering and installing the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, before returning to Earth on 1 June. Expedition 28 began aboard the ISS on 23 May with the departure of Soyuz TMA-20, which had been launched in December 2010, and landed in the early morning of 24 May. Three more crewmembers were launched to the space station aboard Soyuz TMA-02M on 7 June.

The final Space Shuttle mission, STS-135, began on 8 July with the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, carrying supplies for the ISS aboard the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM). After resupplying the space station, Atlantis returned to Earth, landing at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 09:57 UTC on 21 July, and concluding thirty years of Space Shuttle operations. Two days before landing, Atlantis deployed PSSC-2, the last satellite to be launched from a Space Shuttle.

On 29 September, China launched its first space station module, Tiangong-1, which was placed into orbit by a Long March 2F/G carrier rocket flying from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Although no crewed missions to Tiangong-1 were conducted in 2011, the uncrewed Shenzhou 8 spacecraft, which was launched on 31 October, docked twice with the module to test its systems in preparation for a successful 2012 crewed docking.

ISS Expedition 28 ended, and Expedition 29 began, with the undocking of Soyuz TMA-21 on 16 September. The launch of Soyuz TMA-22 did not take place until 14 November, having been delayed by reliability concerns surrounding the Soyuz rocket after an uncrewed launch failure in August. A week later, Soyuz TMA-02M undocked, beginning Expedition 30, with the Soyuz spacecraft landing on 22 November. The final crewed launch of the year took place on 21 December, when Soyuz TMA-03M was launched to bring a further three crewmembers to the ISS.

Ten spacewalks were conducted in 2011, all of them by ISS or Space Shuttle astronauts. The final spacewalk by a Space Shuttle crew was conducted on 27 May, during the STS-134 mission.

Robotic exploration

[edit]

Numerous scientific exploration missions were begun in 2011. In March 2011, the MESSENGER probe became the first artificial satellite of the planet Mercury. In July, the Dawn spacecraft became the first artificial satellite of the asteroid 4 Vesta. The Mars Science Laboratory – at the time, the largest Mars rover ever constructed – was launched in November, conducting a successful landing on Mars in August 2012.[2]

Launch failures

[edit]

Six orbital launches failed in 2011, four of which failed to achieve orbit and the remaining two reached lower orbits than expected. The first failure occurred on 1 February, when a Rokot with a Briz-KM upper stage placed Kosmos 2470 into a useless orbit, from which it could not recover. The failure was later traced to a software problem on the Briz-KM.

The next failure occurred on 4 March, when the payload fairing of a Taurus-XL failed to separate, resulting in the rocket being too heavy to reach orbit. The Glory climate research satellite was lost in the failure, along with the KySat-1, Hermes and Explorer-1 [PRIME] CubeSats. The previous Taurus-XL launch, carrying the Orbiting Carbon Observatory in February 2009, also failed due to the fairing not separating.

No more launch failures occurred until mid-August when, over the space of a week, three consecutive orbital launches failed. On 17 August, a Proton-M/Briz-M launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying the Ekspress-AM4 communications satellite. In the morning of 18 August, the rocket's upper stage failed to conduct the fourth of five planned burns due to an attitude control system malfunction, leaving the spacecraft in a parking orbit. Later that same day, a Long March 2C launched from Jiuquan carrying the Shijian XI-04 satellite. The second stage vernier engine's mounting suffered a structural failure, resulting in a loss of control, and the rocket failed to reach orbit. Finally, on 24 August, a Soyuz-U carrying the Progress M-12M cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station suffered a third-stage engine failure and also failed to attain orbit.

The final launch failure of 2011 occurred on 23 December, when a Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat carrying the Meridian 5 satellite failed to achieve orbit due to a third-stage malfunction. Debris fell over Novosibirsk Oblast, with one piece hitting a house; however, no casualties were reported.

In November 2011, Russia's Fobos-Grunt Martian sample return probe launched successfully, but experienced a malfunction post-launch and became stranded in orbit. The spacecraft, which was Russia's first attempt at an interplanetary mission since the 1996 Mars 96 mission, disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean on 15 January 2012.[3][4] China's first Mars probe, Yinghuo-1, which was being carried by the same rocket as Fobos-Grunt, was also lost in the incident.

Orbital launches

[edit]
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload
(⚀ = CubeSat) 		Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks

January

[edit]
20 January
12:29:01 		Ukraine Zenit-3F Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 45/1 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Elektro-L No.1 Roscosmos Geostationary Meteorology In orbit Operational[5]
Maiden flight of Zenit-3F.
20 January
21:10[7] 		United States Delta IV-H United States Vandenberg SLC-6 United States United Launch Alliance
United States USA-224 (KH-11) NRO Low Earth Earth observation In orbit Operational
NRO Launch 49, first Delta IV Heavy launch from Vandenberg.[6]
22 January
05:37:57[8] 		Japan H-IIB Japan Tanegashima LA-Y2 Japan JAXA[9]
Japan Kounotori 2 (HTV-2) JAXA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 30 March Successful
28 January
01:31:41 		Russia Soyuz-U Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Progress M-09M / 41P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 26 April
13:22:53		 Successful
Russia Kedr RKK Energia Low Earth Amateur radio 4 January 2012[10] Successful

February

[edit]
1 February
14:00 		Russia Rokot / Briz-KM Russia Plesetsk Site 133/3 Russia VKS
Russia Kosmos 2470 (Geo-IK-2 No.11) VKS Low Earth Geodesy 15 July 2013[12] Launch failure
Upper stage malfunctioned due to problems with the flight software,[11] reached lower orbit than planned.
6 February
12:26 		United States Minotaur I United States Vandenberg SLC-8 United States Orbital Sciences
United States USA-225 (RPP) NRO Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational[13]
NRO Launch 66
16 February
21:50[14] 		Europe Ariane 5 ES France Kourou ELA-3 France Arianespace
Europe Johannes Kepler ATV ESA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 21 June Successful
24 February
21:53:24 		United States Space Shuttle Discovery United States Kennedy LC-39A United States United Space Alliance
United States STS-133 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 9 March
16:57:17		 Successful
United Nations Leonardo (PMM)[15] ASI / NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS assembly In orbit Operational
United Nations ExPRESS-4 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics In orbit Operational
Crewed flight, final flight of Discovery.
26 February
03:07 		Russia Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat Russia Plesetsk Site 43/4 Russia RVSN RF
Russia Kosmos 2471 (Glonass-K 701) VKS Medium Earth Navigation 12 November 2021 Successful[16]

March

[edit]
4 March
10:09:43 		United States Taurus-XL 3110 United States Vandenberg LC-576E United States Orbital Sciences
United States Glory NASA Intended: Low Earth (SSO) Climatology 4 March Launch failure
⚀ United States KySat-1 Kentucky Space Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration
⚀ United States Hermes Colorado Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration
⚀ United States Explorer-1 [PRIME] Montana State Intended: Low Earth Radiation
All payloads CubeSats except Glory, which would have been part of the A-train constellation. Fairing failed to separate.
5 March
22:46 		United States Atlas V 501 United States Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United States United Launch Alliance
United States USA-226 (X-37B FLT-2) U.S. Air Force Low Earth Technology demonstration 16 June 2012
12:48[17][18]		 Successful
11 March
23:38 		United States Delta IV-M+ (4,2) United States Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United States United Launch Alliance
United States USA-227 (SDS-3) NRO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
NRO Launch 27

April

[edit]
4 April
22:18:20[19][20] 		Russia Soyuz-FG Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Soyuz TMA-21 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 27/28 16 September
03:59:39		 Successful
9 April
20:47:04 		China Long March 3A China Xichang LC-3 China CNSA
China Compass-IGSO3 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational
14 April
04:24 		United States Atlas V 411[21] United States Vandenberg SLC-3E United States United Launch Alliance
United States USA-229 (NOSS) NRO Low Earth ELINT In orbit Operational
United States USA-229 (NOSS) NRO Low Earth ELINT In orbit Operational
NRO Launch 34
20 April
04:42[22][23][24] 		India PSLV India Satish Dhawan FLP India ISRO
India Resourcesat-2 ISRO Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
India Russia YouthSat ISRO / MGU Low Earth (SSO) Education In orbit Operational
Singapore X-Sat CREST Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
22 April
21:37[25][26][27] 		Europe Ariane 5 ECA[28] France Kourou ELA-3 France Arianespace
United Arab Emirates Yahsat 1A Yahsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
United Nations New Dawn[29] Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Partial spacecraft failure
New Dawn's C-Band antenna failed to deploy.
27 April
13:05:21 		Russia Soyuz-U Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Progress M-10M / 42P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 29 October
13:00:31		 Successful

May

[edit]
4 May
17:41:33[30] 		Russia Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Russia Plesetsk Site 43/4 Russia RVSN RF
Russia Meridian 4 VKS Medium Earth Communications In orbit Operational
7 May
18:10 		United States Atlas V 401 United States Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United States United Launch Alliance
United States USA-230 (SBIRS-GEO 1) U.S. Air Force Geosynchronous Missile defense In orbit Operational
16 May
12:56 		United States Space Shuttle Endeavour United States Kennedy LC-39A United States United Space Alliance
United States STS-134 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 1 June
06:35		 Successful
United Nations AMS-02[15] NASA Low Earth (ISS) Cosmic-ray observatory In orbit Operational
United Nations ExPRESS-3 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics In orbit Operational
Crewed flight, final flight of Endeavour.
20 May
19:15[32] 		Russia Proton-M/Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 200/39 Russia United States International Launch Services
Canada Telstar 14R Telesat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Partial spacecraft failure
Second solar panel failed to deploy due to tangled cable[31]
20 May
20:38[33] 		Europe Ariane 5 ECA France Kourou ELA-3 France Arianespace
Singapore Taiwan ST-2 SingTel / Chunghwa Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
India INSAT-4G/GSAT-8[34] ISRO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational

June

[edit]
7 June
20:12:45 		Russia Soyuz-FG Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Soyuz TMA-02M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 28/29 22 November
02:26		 Successful
10 June
14:20 		United States Delta II 7320 United States Vandenberg SLC-2W United States United Launch Alliance
Argentina United States SAC-D CONAE / NASA Low Earth (SSO) Oceanography In orbit Operational
Final scheduled flight of Delta II 7300 series; spacecraft carrying NASA's Aquarius instrument.
15 June
09:14[citation needed] 		Iran Safir-1A Iran Semnan LP-1 Iran ISA
Iran Rasad 1 ISA Low Earth Earth observation 6 July 2011 Successful
20 June
16:13[35] 		China Long March 3B China Xichang LC-2 China CNSA
China ChinaSat 10 China Satellite Communications Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 June
14:38 		Russia Soyuz-U Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Progress M-11M / 43P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 1 September
10:21:41		 Successful
27 June
16:00[36] 		Russia Soyuz-U Russia Plesetsk Site 16/2 Russia VKS
Russia Kosmos 2472 (Kobalt-M No.7) VKS Low Earth Reconnaissance 24 October Successful
30 June
03:09 		United States Minotaur I United States MARS LP-0B United States Orbital Sciences
United States USA-231 (ORS-1) ORSO Low Earth Reconnaissance 12 March 2018[37] Successful

July

[edit]
6 July
04:28[38] 		China Long March 2C China Jiuquan SLS-2 China CNSA
China Shijian 11-03 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
8 July
15:29 		United States Space Shuttle Atlantis United States Kennedy LC-39A United States United Space Alliance
United States STS-135 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 21 July 2011
09:57		 Successful
Italy United States Raffaelo MPLM NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics Successful
United States PSSC-2 U.S. Air Force Low Earth Technology demonstration 8 December Successful
Crewed flight, final flight of Atlantis and of Space Shuttle programme.
11 July
15:41[39][40] 		China Long March 3C China Xichang LC-2 China CNSA
China Tianlian I-02 (1B) CNSA Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
13 July
02:27[41][42] 		Russia Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 31/6 Europe Russia Starsem
United States Globalstar M081 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M083 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M085 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M088 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M089 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M091 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
15 July
11:18 		India PSLV-XL India Satish Dhawan FLP India ISRO
India GSAT-12 ISRO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
15 July
23:16 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 200/39 Russia United States International Launch Services
Netherlands SES-3 SES World Skies (July–September)
SES S.A. (September—) 		Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Kazakhstan KazSat-2 JSC KazSat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
16 July
06:41 		United States Delta IV-M+ (4,2) United States Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United States United Launch Alliance
United States USA-232 (GPS-IIF-2) U.S. Air Force Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
18 July
02:31[43] 		Ukraine Russia Zenit-3F Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 45/1 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Spektr-R (RadioAstron) Roscosmos High Earth Radio astronomy 30 May 2019 Successful
Russian scientific satellite with a 10 m (33 ft) radio telescope on board. Together with some of the largest ground-based radio telescopes, the Spektr-R formed interferometric baselines extending up to 350,000 km (220,000 mi).
26 July
21:44[44] 		China Long March 3A China Xichang LC-3 China CNSA
China Compass-IGSO4 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational
29 July
07:42[45] 		China Long March 2C China Jiuquan SLS-2 China CNSA
China Shijian 11-02 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational

August

[edit]
5 August
16:25[46] 		United States Atlas V 551 United States Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United States United Launch Alliance
United States Juno NASA Jovicentric Jupiter orbiter In orbit Operational
6 August
22:52[47] 		Europe Ariane 5 ECA France Kourou ELA-3 France Arianespace
Luxembourg Astra 1N SES Astra (August–September)
SES S.A. (September—) 		Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Japan BSAT-3c / JCSAT-110R BSAT / JSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
11 August
16:15[48] 		China Long March 3B/E China Xichang LC-2 China CNSA
Pakistan Paksat-1R SUPARCO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
15 August
22:57[49] 		China Long March 4B China Taiyuan LC-2 China CNSA
China Hai Yang 2A CAST Low Earth (SSO) Oceanography In orbit Operational
17 August
07:12[50] 		Ukraine Dnepr Russia Dombarovsky Site 13 Russia ISC Kosmotras
Ukraine Sich-2 NKAU Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
Nigeria NigeriaSat-2 NASRDA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
Nigeria NigeriaSat-X NASRDA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
Turkey RASAT TÜBİTAK Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Successful
Italy EduSAT GAUSS Srl Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
Canada AprizeSat-5 exactEarth Low Earth (SSO) Communications In orbit Operational
Canada AprizeSat-6 exactEarth Low Earth (SSO) Communications In orbit Operational
Ukraine BPA-2 Hartron-Arkos Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Successful
17 August
21:25[52] 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 200/39 Russia Khrunichev
Russia Ekspress AM-4 RSCC Intended: Geosynchronous
Achieved: GTO 		Communications 25 March 2012 Launch failure
Briz-M upper stage failed before the planned fourth burn. An insufficient time slot was allocated for re-setting the gyroscopes of the upper stage control system before launch, which led to loss of adequate attitude control in flight.[51]
18 August
09:28[54] 		China Long March 2C China Jiuquan SLS-2 China CNSA
China Shijian 11-04 CNSA Intended: Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration 18 August Launch failure
Failed to reach orbit. Second stage's vernier engine support structure failed in flight, led to loss of attitude control.[53]
24 August
13:00[56] 		Russia Soyuz-U Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Progress M-12M / 44P Roscosmos Intended: Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 24 August Launch failure
Third stage engine failure 325 seconds after launch due to the gas generator fuel supply pipeline being blocked by contaminants.[55]

September

[edit]
10 September
13:08:52[57] 		United States Delta II 7920H United States Cape Canaveral SLC-17B United States United Launch Alliance
United States GRAIL-A (Ebb) NASA Selenocentric Lunar orbiter 17 December 2012
22:28:51[58]		 Successful
United States GRAIL-B (Flow) NASA Selenocentric Lunar orbiter 17 December 2012
22:29:21[58]		 Successful
Final launch of Delta II Heavy, final Delta II launch from Cape Canaveral, and last launch from SLC-17.
18 September
16:33[59] 		China Long March 3B/E China Xichang LC-2 China CNSA
China Chinasat-1A China Satcom Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
20 September
22:47 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 81/24 Russia Khrunichev
Russia Kosmos 2473 (Garpun #1) VKS Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 September
21:38 		Europe Ariane 5 ECA France Kourou ELA-3 France Arianespace
Saudi Arabia Arabsat 5C Arabsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Netherlands SES-2 SES S.A. Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
23 September
04:36:50 		Japan H-IIA Japan Tanegashima LA-Y1 Japan MHI
Japan IGS Optical 4 CSICE Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance In orbit Successful[60]
24 September
20:18 		Ukraine Zenit-3SL Norway Ocean Odyssey United Nations Sea Launch
United States Atlantic Bird 7 Eutelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
27 September
15:49 		United States Minotaur IV+ United States Kodiak LP-1 United States Orbital Sciences
United States TacSat-4 U.S. Air Force Highly elliptical Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
29 September
13:16:03[61] 		China Long March 2F/G T1 China Jiuquan SLS-1 China CNSA
China Tiangong-1 CMSA Low Earth Space station 2 April 2018
00:16[62]		 Successful
Maiden flight of Long March 2F/G, first Chinese space station prototype.
29 September
18:32[63] 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 200/39 Russia United States International Launch Services
Isle of Man QuetzSat 1 SES Satellite Leasing Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Intended for lease to QuetzSat.

October

[edit]
2 October
20:15 		Russia Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat Russia Plesetsk Site 43/4 Russia RVSN RF
Russia Kosmos 2474 (Glonass-M 742) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
5 October
21:00 		Ukraine Zenit-3SLB Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 45/1 United Nations Land Launch
United Nations Intelsat 18 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
7 October
08:21 		China Long March 3B/E China Xichang LC-2 China CNSA
France Eutelsat W3C Eutelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
12 October
05:31 		India PSLV-CA India Satish Dhawan FLP India ISRO
India France Megha-Tropiques[64] ISRO / CNES Low Earth Climatology 7 March 2023[65] Successful
India SRMSAT SRM Low Earth Climatology In orbit Operational
Luxembourg VesselSat-1 Luxspace Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
⚀ India Jugnu IITK Low Earth Earth observation In orbit Operational
19 October
18:48 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 200/39 Russia United States International Launch Services
Isle of Man ViaSat-1 ViaSat-IOM / ManSat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 October[66][67]
10:30 		Russia Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT France Kourou ELS France Arianespace
European Union Galileo IOV 1 ESA Medium Earth Navigation / Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
European Union Galileo IOV 2 ESA Medium Earth Navigation / Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
First Soyuz launch from Kourou.
28 October
09:48:01 		United States Delta II 7920-10 United States Vandenberg SLC-2W United States United Launch Alliance
United States NPP NASA / NOAA Low Earth Meteorology In orbit Operational
⚀ United States AubieSat 1 Auburn University Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
⚀ United States DICE-1 Space Dynamics Laboratory Low Earth Magnetospheric research In orbit Operational
⚀ United States DICE-2 Space Dynamics Laboratory Low Earth Magnetospheric research In orbit Operational
⚀ United States E1P-U2 Montana State Low Earth Radiation In orbit Operational
⚀ United States M-Cubed University of Michigan Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
⚀ United States RAX-2 University of Michigan Low Earth Auroral In orbit Operational
30 October
10:11 		Russia Soyuz-U Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Progress M-13M / 45P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 25 January 2012 Successful
Russia Chibis-M (RS-39) IKI Low Earth Ionospheric research 15 October 2014 Successful
31 October
21:58:10 		China Long March 2F Y8 China Jiuquan SLS-1 China CNSA
China Shenzhou 8 CMSA Low Earth (Tiangong-1) Technology demonstration 17 November
11:36		 Successful
China Shenzhou-8-GC CMSA Low Earth (Tiangong-1) Technology demonstration 2 April 2012 Successful
Uncrewed flight, first Chinese orbital docking.

November

[edit]
4 November
12:51:41[68] 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 81/24 Russia Khrunichev
Russia Kosmos 2475 (Glonass-M 743) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
Russia Kosmos 2476 (Glonass-M 744) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
Russia Kosmos 2477 (Glonass-M 745) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
8 November
20:16 		Ukraine Zenit-2M Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 45/1 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Fobos-Grunt Roscosmos Intended: Areocentric
Achieved: Low Earth 		Phobos sample return 15 January 2012 Spacecraft failure
China Yinghuo-1 CNSA Intended: Areocentric
Achieved: Low Earth 		Mars orbiter
First Russian attempt at an interplanetary mission since 1996.[69]
First Chinese Mars probe
Spacecraft stranded in low Earth orbit, as telemetry was lost soon after launch and the two trans-Martian injection burns by the payload did not take place[70]
9 November
03:21[71] 		China Long March 4B China Taiyuan LC-2 China CNSA
China Yaogan 12 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational
China Tian Xun 1 Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration 7 February 2016[72] Successful
14 November
04:14[73] 		Russia Soyuz-FG Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Soyuz TMA-22 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 29/30 27 April 2012 Successful
20 November
00:15[74] 		China Long March 2D China Jiuquan SLS-2 China CNSA
China Shiyan 4 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
China Chuang Xin 1C CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
25 November
19:10:34 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 200/39 Russia United States International Launch Services
China AsiaSat 7 AsiaSat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
26 November
15:02 		United States Atlas V 541 United States Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United States United Launch Alliance
United States Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity) NASA TMI to Martian Surface Mars rover 6 August 2012
05:18		 Successful[2]
Maiden flight of Atlas V 541, largest Mars rover yet launched.
28 November
08:25:57 		Russia Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat Russia Plesetsk Site 43/4 Russia RVSN RF
Russia Kosmos 2478 (Glonass-M 746) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
29 November
18:50[75] 		China Long March 2C China Taiyuan LC-2 China CNSA
China Yaogan 13 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational

December

[edit]
1 December
21:07[76] 		China Long March 3A China Xichang LC-3 China CNSA
China Compass-IGSO5 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational
11 December
11:17 		Russia Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 81/24 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Luch 5A Gonets Satellite System Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Israel Amos-5 SCL Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
12 December
01:21 		Japan H-IIA Japan Tanegashima LA-Y1 Japan MHI
Japan IGS Radar 3 CSICE Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance (radar) In orbit Operational
17 December
02:03:08 		Russia Soyuz ST-A / Fregat France Kourou ELS France Arianespace
France Pléiades-HR 1A CNES Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation/Reconnaissance In orbit Operational
Chile FASat-Charlie (SSOT) MDN Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation/Reconnaisance In orbit Operational
France ELISA 1 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
France ELISA 2 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
France ELISA 3 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
France ELISA 4 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
19 December
16:41[77] 		China Long March 3B/E China Xichang LC-2 China CNSA
Nigeria NigComSat-1R NIGCOMSAT / NASRDA Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 December
13:16 		Russia Soyuz-FG Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 1/5 Russia Roscosmos
Russia Soyuz TMA-03M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 30/31 1 July 2012
08:14[78]		 Successful
22 December
03:26 		China Long March 4B China Taiyuan LC-2 China CNSA
China Ziyuan 1-02C CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
23 December
12:08 		Russia Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat Russia Plesetsk Site 43/4 Russia VKO
Russia Meridian 5 VKO Intended: Molniya Communications 23 December Launch failure
Third stage engine malfunctioned 421 seconds after launch, failed to reach orbit; first launch conducted by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces
28 December
17:09 		Russia Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Kazakhstan Baikonur Site 31/6 Europe Russia Starsem
United States Globalstar M080 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M082 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M084 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M086 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M090 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
United States Globalstar M092 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational

Suborbital flights

[edit]
Date and time (UTC) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP
Payload
(⚀ = CubeSat) 		Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
22 January
06:10[79] 		United States Terrier-Oriole United States Wallops Island United States MDA
United StatesAegis Radar Test MDA Suborbital Radar target 22 January Successful
Aegis Radar target, not intercepted, Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 January
10:46:00[80] 		CanadaBlack Brant IX United States Poker Flat United States NASA
United StatesFIRE Colorado Suborbital Astronomy 28 January Spacecraft failure[80]
5 February
08:11:11[80] 		CanadaBlack Brant IX United StatesPoker Flat United StatesNASA
United States Polar NOx VPI Suborbital Geospace 5 February Spacecraft failure[80]
February[79] Iran Shahab-3 Iran Iran IRGC
IGRC Suborbital Missile test February Successful
Two missiles with a range of 1,900 kilometres were fired into the Indian Ocean prior to 19 February[citation needed]
February[79] Iran Sejjil-2 Iran IranIRGC
IGRC Suborbital Missile test February Successful
Two missiles with a range of 1,900 kilometres were fired into the Indian Ocean prior to 19 February[citation needed]
1 March
21:00[79] 		United States UGM-133 Trident II D5 United States USS Nevada, Pacific Ocean United StatesUS Navy
US Navy Suborbital Missile test 1 March Successful
Demonstration and Shakedown Operation 22 (DASO-22)
2 March
13:40[79] 		United States Juno United States Fort Wingate LC-96 United States U.S. Army
U.S. Army Suborbital Target 2 March Successful
Target for MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3 MSE test, successfully intercepted
9 March[79] United StatesTerrier-Oriole United StatesKauai United States MDA
United States ARAV-B MDA Suborbital Radar target 9 March Successful
Tracked by STSS satellites
11 March India Dhanush IndiaSea launch from Indian Ocean India DRDO
DRDO Suborbital Target 11 March Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
11 March India Prithvi II India Integrated Test Range IC-3 India DRDO
DRDO Suborbital Missile test 11 March Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
15 March[79] Iran Kavoshgar Iran Semnan Iran ISA
Iran Kavoshgar-4 ISA Suborbital Biological 15 March Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
16 March[79] United StatesTerrier-Oriole United StatesKauai United States MDA
United States ARAV-B MDA Suborbital Radar target 16 March Successful
Tracked by both STSS Demo satellites
23 March
18:50:00[80] 		CanadaBlack Brant IX United StatesWhite Sands United StatesNASA
United States EVE CU Boulder Suborbital SDO calibration[81] 23 March Successful[80]
29 March
04:01[82] 		Brazil VSB-30 Sweden Esrange Europe EuroLaunch
Germany Europe TEXUS-49 DLR/ESA Suborbital Microgravity 29 March Successful
Apogee: 268 kilometres (167 mi)
15 April
06:52[79] 		United States UGM-96 Trident I C4 (LV-2)[83] FTM-15 Marshall Islands Meck United States MDA
MDA Suborbital ABM target 15 April Successful
15 April
07:03[79] 		United States RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 FTM-15 United States USS O'Kane, Pacific Ocean United States US Navy
United States FTM-15 US Navy Suborbital ABM test 15 April Successful
First intercept of an IRBM by an SM-3 (FTM-15 Stellar Charon)
26 April[79] RussiaR-29RMU Sineva RussiaK-84 Ekaterinburg, Barents Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 26 April Successful
27 April
08:00:00[80] 		CanadaBlack Brant IX United States Poker Flat United States NASA
United States WFF Suborbital Test flight 27 April Successful[80]
6 May[84]
23:02[85] 		China Tianying 3C China Hainan China CNSA
China Kunpeng-1 CSSAR Suborbital Environment monitoring 23:09 Successful
Apogee: 196.6 kilometres (122.2 mi).
11 May
18:00[79] 		United States Improved Orion Brazil Barreira do Inferno Brazil AEB
INPE Suborbital Microgravity 11 May Successful
20 May
13:21[citation needed] 		United States SpaceLoft XL United States Spaceport America United States UP Aerospace
Suborbital Technology demonstration 20 May Successful
United States Goddard Celestis Suborbital Space burial Successful
Apogee: 118.3 kilometres (73.5 mi), successfully recovered.
20 May
14:50[79] 		Russia R-29RMU2.1 Layner Russia K-84 Ekaterinburg, Barents Sea Russia VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 20 May Successful
Maiden flight of Layner missile
10 June
11:11:16[80] 		United States Terrier-Orion United States Wallops Island United States NASA
United States SubTec IV[79] GSFC Suborbital Technology demonstration 10 June Successful[80]
22 June
13:35 		United States LGM-30G Minuteman III United States Vandenberg LF-10 United States U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Suborbital Test flight 22 June Successful
23 June
10:18:00[80] 		United StatesTerrier-Orion United StatesWallops Island United StatesNASA
United States RockOn Colorado Suborbital Student experiments 23 June Successful[80]
28 June
11:55[79] 		Russia RSM-56 Bulava RussiaK-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
28 June[79] Iran Shahab-1 IranIran IranIRGC
IGRC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79] IranShahab-1 IranIran IranIGRC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79] Iran Shahab-2 IranIran IranIRGC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79] IranShahab-2 IranIran IranIRGC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79] Iran Ghadr-1[79] IranIran IranIRGC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 500 kilometres (310 mi)
9 July
02:04[79] 		United States SRALT United States C-17, Pacific Ocean United States MDA
United States FTX-17 MDA Suborbital Radar target 9 July Successful
Tracked by STSS Demo satellites
9 July
09:00:00[80] 		CanadaBlack Brant VB United StatesWallops LA-2[79] United StatesNASA
United StatesDaytime Dynamo NASA Suborbital Geospace 9 July Successful[80]
9 July
09:00:15[80] 		United StatesTerrier-Orion United StatesWallops LA-2[79] United StatesNASA
United StatesDaytime Dynamo NASA Suborbital Geospace 9 July Successful[80]
11 July
15:35[79] 		ArgentinaGradicom II Argentina Chamical Argentina CITEFA
CITEFA Suborbital Test flight 11 July Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
21 July
07:00[86] 		United States Nike-Improved Orion SwedenEsrange EuropeEuroLaunch
Sweden PHOCUS Stockholm/SSC Suborbital Atmospheric 21 July Successful
21 July
11:58:00[80] 		United States Terrier-Orion United States Wallops Island United States NASA
United States RockSat-X Wallops Flight Facility Suborbital Student experiments 21 July Successful[80]
27 July
10:01[79] 		United States LGM-30G Minuteman III United States Vandenberg LF-04 United States U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Suborbital Test flight 27 July Launch failure
An anomaly was detected five minutes after launch and the flight was terminated.
27 July[79] RussiaR-29RMU Sineva RussiaK-84 Ekaterinburg, Barents Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 27 July Successful
11 August
14:45[79] 		United States Minotaur IV Lite United States Vandenberg SLC-8 United StatesOrbital
United States HTV-2b U.S. Air Force Suborbital Technology demonstration 11 August Spacecraft failure
Second flight of the HTV-2, loss of contact approximately 20 minutes after launch at Mach 20.
27 August
03:20[79] 		RussiaRSM-56 Bulava RussiaK-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 27 August Successful
1 September
13:53[79] 		United States Terrier-Oriole FTM-16 E2 United States Kauai United States MDA
MDA Suborbital ABM target 1 September Successful
SM-3 Block 1B target
1 September
13:54[79] 		United States RIM-161C SM-3 Block 1B FTM-16 E2 United States USS Lake Erie, Pacific Ocean United States US Navy
US Navy Suborbital ABM test 1 September Spacecraft failure
First launch of SM-3 Block 1B, intercept failed
3 September
09:46[79] 		Russia RS-12M Topol Russia Plesetsk RussiaRVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 3 September Successful
15 September[87] Iran Kavoshgar Iran Semnan Iran ISA
Iran Kavoshgar-5 ISA Suborbital Biological 15 September Launch failure
First Iranian attempt to launch a monkey into space; failed to reach orbit
26 September[88]
03:20[79] 		India Prithvi II India Integrated Test Range IC-3[79] India DRDO
DRDO Suborbital Missile test 27 September Successful
27 September
07:08[87] 		RussiaRS-26 Rubezh Russia Plesetsk RussiaRVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 27 September Launch failure
29 September[citation needed] Russia R-29RMU2.1 Layner Russia K-114 Tula, Barents Sea Russia VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 30 September Successful
30 September
04:02[89] 		India Agni-II India ITR IC-4[79] India Indian Army
Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 30 September Successful
Travelled 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) downrange
5 October
05:56[79] 		United States SRALT FTT-12 United States C-17, Pacific Ocean United States MDA
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM target 5 October Successful
Intercepted by THAAD missile
5 October
05:56[79] 		Russia R-17 Elbrus FTT-12 United States MLP, Barking Sands United States U.S. Army
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM target 5 October Successful
Intercepted by THAAD missile
5 October
06:00[79] 		United States THAAD FTT-12 United States Barking Sands United States U.S. Army
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM test 5 October Successful
Intercepted target missile
5 October
06:00[79] 		United States THAAD FTT-12 United States Barking Sands United States U.S. Army
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM test 5 October Successful
Intercepted target missile
8 October
10:25:01[80] 		CanadaBlack Brant IX United StatesWhite Sands United StatesNASA
United States PICTURE Boston Suborbital Astronomy 8 October Spacecraft failure[80]
11 October
21:15:00[80] 		United StatesTerrier-Orion NorwayAndøya United StatesNASA
United StatesCHAMPS Colorado Suborbital Geospace 11 October Successful[80]
13 October
13:50:00[80] 		United StatesTerrier-Orion Norway Andøya United StatesNASA
United StatesCHAMPS Colorado Suborbital Geospace 13 October[80] Successful
28 October
03:40[79] 		RussiaRSM-56 Bulava RussiaK-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 28 October Successful
2 November
07:50[79] 		Israel Jericho III Israel Palmachim Israel Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force Suborbital Missile test 2 November Successful
3 November
06:45[79] 		Russia RS-12M Topol Russia Plesetsk Russia RVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 3 November Successful
6 November
07:00[80] 		Canada Black Brant IX United States White Sands United States NASA
XQC F5 Wisconsin Suborbital Astronomy 6 November Successful[80]
15 November
03:30[90] 		India Agni IV India Integrated Test Range IC-4 India DRDO
Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 15 November Successful
17 November
11:30 		United States UGM-27 Polaris (STARS) United States Barking Sands LC-42 United States U.S. Air Force
United States AHW Flight 1A U.S. Army Suborbital Technology demonstration 17 November Successful
25 November
23:00[79] 		United States Improved Orion Brazil Barreira do Inferno Brazil AEB
INPE Suborbital Microgravity 25 November Successful
27 November
09:10[91] 		Brazil VSB-30 Sweden Esrange Europe EuroLaunch
Germany/Europe TEXUS-48 DLR/ESA Suborbital Microgravity 27 November Successful
2 December
22:00[79] 		Brazil VS-30 Brazil Barreira do Inferno Brazil AEB
Brazil Brasil-Alemanha INPE Suborbital Microgravity 2 December Successful
3 December
07:21:31[79] 		Brazil VS-30/Improved Orion Norway Ny-Ålesund Norway Andøya
Sweden Norway ICI-3 (CanoRock 4) Oslo/Andøya Suborbital Atmospheric 3 December Successful[92]
10 December
10:30:00[93] 		CanadaBlack Brant IX United StatesWhite Sands United StatesNASA
Colorado Suborbital Astronomy 10 December Successful
19 December
14:48[94] 		Japan S-310 Japan Uchinoura Japan JAXA
JAXA/TPU/TU Suborbital Ionospheric 19 December Successful
19 December Russia MN-300 Russia Kapustin Yar Russia Roshydromet
Russia MR-30 Roshydromet Suborbital Meteorology
Test flight		 19 December Successful
Maiden flight of MN-300
23 December RussiaRSM-56 Bulava RussiaK-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 23 December Successful
23 December RussiaRSM-56 Bulava RussiaK-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea RussiaVMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 23 December Successful
27 December
12:00 		Russia RS-18 UR-100N Kazakhstan Baikonur RussiaRVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 27 December Successful
? United States UGM-133 Trident II D5 United States USS ?, Pacific Ocean United StatesUS Navy
US Navy Suborbital Missile test ? Successful
Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 44
? United States UGM-133 Trident II D5 United States USS ?, Pacific Ocean United StatesUS Navy
US Navy Suborbital Missile test ? Launch failure
Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 44 ?

Deep space rendezvous

[edit]
Date (UTC) Spacecraft Event Remarks
9 January Mars Express Flyby of Phobos Closest approach: 100 kilometres (62 mi). Mars Express made a total of 8 flybys of Phobos at a distance of less than 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) between 20 December and 16 January.
9 January Artemis P1 Spacecraft left LL2 orbit and joined Artemis P2 in LL1 orbit
11 January Cassini 3rd flyby of Rhea Closest approach: 76 kilometres (47 mi)[95]
15 February Stardust (NExT) Flyby of Tempel 1 Closest approach: 181 kilometres (112 mi). Observed changes since Deep Impact flyby and imaged crater created by Deep Impact impactor, as well as new terrain.
18 February Cassini 74th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 3,651 kilometres (2,269 mi)
18 March MESSENGER Hermocentric orbit injection First artificial satellite of Mercury; elliptical orbit with a periapsis of 200 kilometers (120 mi) and an apoapsis of 15,000 km (9,300 mi).[96]
19 April Cassini 75th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 10,053 kilometres (6,247 mi)
8 May Cassini 76th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 1,873 kilometres (1,164 mi)
8 June Chang'e 2 Departed lunar orbit Travelled to L2 Lagrangian point, which it reached in August 2011.[97]
20 June Cassini 77th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 1,359 kilometres (844 mi)
27 June Artemis P1 Lunar orbit insertion Initial orbital parameters were: apogee 3,543 kilometres (2,202 mi), perigee 27,000 kilometres (17,000 mi). Over the following three months, the orbit was lowered to an apogee of 97 kilometres (60 mi) and a perigee of 18,000 kilometres (11,000 mi), with an inclination of 20 degrees; retrograde orbit.
16 July Dawn Vestiocentric orbit injection First artificial satellite of 4 Vesta.[98] Initial orbit was 16,000 kilometres (9,900 mi) high and was reduced to 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi) until 11 August.
17 July Artemis P2 Lunar orbit insertion Initial orbital parameters were similar to Artemis P1. Over the following three months the orbit was lowered to an apogee of 97 kilometres (60 mi) and a perigee of 18,000 kilometres (11,000 mi), with an inclination of 20 degrees; prograde orbit.
25 August Cassini Second-closest flyby of Hyperion[99] Closest approach: 25,000 kilometres (16,000 mi)
12 September Cassini 78th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 5,821 kilometres (3,617 mi)
16 September Cassini Flyby of Hyperion Closest approach: 58,000 kilometres (36,000 mi)
1 October Cassini 14th flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 99 kilometres (62 mi)
19 October Cassini 15th flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 1,231 kilometres (765 mi)
6 November Cassini 16th flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 496 kilometres (308 mi)
12 December Cassini 3rd flyby of Dione Closest approach: 99 kilometres (62 mi)
13 December Cassini 79th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 3,586 kilometres (2,228 mi)
31 December GRAIL-A Lunar orbit insertion Twin satellite Grail-B's insertion occurred a day later, on 1 January 2012.

EVAs

[edit]
Start Date/Time Duration End Time Spacecraft Crew Remarks
21 January
10:05 		5 hours
23 minutes 		15:49 Expedition 26
ISS Pirs 		Russia Dmitri Kondratyev
Russia Oleg Skripochka 		Prepared the ISS Poisk module for future dockings.[100]
16 February
13:15 		6 hours
23 minutes 		18:15 Expedition 26
ISS Pirs 		Russia Dmitri Kondratyev
Russia Oleg Skripochka 		Installed a radio antenna, deployed a nanosatellite, installed two experiments and retrieved two exposure panels on a third experiment.
28 February
15:46 		6 hours
34 minutes 		22:20 STS-133
ISS Quest 		United States Stephen Bowen
United States Alvin Drew 		Removed a failed coolant pump and routed a power extension cable.
2 March
15:41 		6 hours
14 minutes 		21:55 STS-133
ISS Quest 		United States Stephen Bowen
United States Alvin Drew 		Removed or repaired thermal insulation, swapped out an attachment bracket on the Columbus module, installed a camera assembly on Dextre and installed a light on a cargo cart.
20 May
07:10 		6 hours
19 minutes 		13:29 STS-134
ISS Quest 		United States Andrew Feustel
United States Gregory Chamitoff 		Completed installation of a new set of MISSE experiments, started installing a new wireless video system, installed an ammonia jumper, a new light on the CETA cart on the S3 truss segment, and a cover on the starboard SARJ.
22 May
06:05 		8 hours
07 minutes 		14:12 STS-134
ISS Quest 		United States Andrew Feustel
United States Michael Fincke 		Hooked up a jumper to transfer ammonia to the Port 6 PVTCS, lubricated the SARJ and one of the "hands" on Dextre, and installed a stowage beam on the S1 truss.
25 May
05:43 		6 hours
54 minutes 		12:37 STS-134
ISS Quest 		United States Andrew Feustel
United States Michael Fincke 		Installed PDGF (except for data cable), routed power cables from Unity to Zarya, finished installation of wireless video system, took pictures of Zarya's thrusters and captured infrared video of an experiment in ELC 3.
27 May
04:15 		7 hours
24 minutes 		11:39 STS-134
ISS Quest 		United States Gregory Chamitoff
United States Mike Fincke 		Installed OBSS on S1 truss, removed the EFGF and replaced it with a spare PDGF, and released some torque on the bolts that were holding the spare arm for Dextre down against ELC 3. Final shuttle spacewalk.[101]
12 July
13:22 		6 hours
31 minutes 		19:53 Expedition 28
ISS Quest 		United States Ronald Garan
United States Michael Fossum 		Moved a failed cooling pump from the station to the shuttle Atlantis, transferred a robotic refuelling apparatus from the shuttle to the ISS, installed a materials science experiment on the station's truss, serviced a robot arm attachment fitting, installed a thermal cover over the unused docking port PMA-3, and fixed a protruding wire on a grapple fixture on the Zarya module.
3 August
14:51 		6 hours
22 minutes 		21:22 Expedition 28
ISS Pirs 		Russia Sergei Volkov
Russia Aleksandr Samokutyayev 		Launched Kedr satellite, installed BIORISK experiment outside Pirs, and installed laser communication equipment to transmit scientific data from the Russian Orbital Segment.

Orbital launch statistics

[edit]

By country

[edit]

For the purposes of this section, the yearly tally of orbital launches by country assigns each flight to the country of origin of the rocket, not to the launch services provider or the spaceport. For example, Soyuz launches by Arianespace in Kourou are counted under Russia because Soyuz-2 is a Russian rocket.

China: 19Europe: 5India: 3Iran: 1Japan: 3Russia: 29Ukraine: 6USA: 18
Country Launches Successes Failures Partial
failures 		Remarks
 China 19 18 1 0
 Europe 5 5 0 0
 India 3 3 0 0
 Iran 1 1 0 0
 Japan 3 3 0 0
 Russia 29 25 4 0 Includes two European Soyuz launches from Kourou, French Guiana by Arianespace.
Fobos-Grunt launched successfully, but failed while on its parking orbit.[102]
 Ukraine 6 6 0 0 Includes one Zenit from Sea Launch and one from Land Launch.
 United States 18 17 1 0
World 84 78 6 0

By rocket

[edit]

By family

[edit]

By type

[edit]

By configuration

[edit]

By spaceport

[edit]
5
10
15
20
25
30
China
France
India
International waters
Iran
Japan
Kazakhstan
Russia
United States
Site Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks
Baikonur  Kazakhstan 25 23 2 0
Cape Canaveral  United States 7 7 0 0
Dombarovsky  Russia 1 1 0 0
Kourou  France 7 7 0 0
Jiuquan  China 6 5 1 0
Kennedy Space Center  United States 3 3 0 0
Kodiak  United States 1 1 0 0
MARS  United States 1 1 0 0
Ocean Odyssey United Nations International waters 1 1 0 0
Plesetsk  Russia 6 4 2 0
Satish Dhawan  India 3 3 0 0
Semnan  Iran 1 1 0 0
Tanegashima  Japan 3 3 0 0
Taiyuan  China 4 4 0 0
Vandenberg  United States 6 5 1 0
Xichang  China 9 9 0 0
Total 84 78 6 0

By orbit

[edit]
  •   Transatmospheric
  •   Low Earth
  •   Low Earth (ISS)
  •   Low Earth (SSO)
  •   Low Earth (retrograde)
  •   Medium Earth
  •   Geosychronous
    (transfer)
  •   Inclined GSO
  •   High Earth
  •   Heliocentric
Orbital regime Launches Successes Failures Accidentally
achieved 		Remarks
Transatmospheric 0 0 0 0
Low Earth 44 40 4 0 14 to ISS, 1 to Tiangong-1
Medium Earth / Molniya 8 7 1 0
Geosynchronous / GTO 27 26 1 1
High Earth / Lunar transfer 3 3 0 0
Heliocentric / Planetary transfer 2 2 0 0
Total 84 78 6 1

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  • Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
  • Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
  • Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.[dead link]
  • Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
  • Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report". Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  • McDowell, Jonathan. "GCAT Orbital Launch Log".
  • Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".
  • Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".
  • Webb, Brian. "Southwest Space Archive".
  • Zak, Anatoly. "Russian Space Web".
  • "ISS Calendar". Spaceflight 101.
  • "NSSDCA Master Catalog". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
  • "Space Calendar". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.[dead link]
  • "Space Information Center". JAXA.[dead link]
  • "Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).
Generic references:

Spaceflight portal

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ "China Now Tops U.S. in Space Launches". Wired. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Nasa's Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars". BBC. 6 August 2012.
  3. ^ "Phobos-Grunt: Failed probe likely to return late Sunday". BBC. 15 January 2012.
  4. ^ "Phobos-Grunt: Failed Russian Mars Probe Falls to Earth". ABC News. 15 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Elektro-L". RussianSpaceWeb.com. 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Largest-Ever Rocket, With Secret Payload, Launched On West Coast". CBS Radio. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  7. ^ "United Launch Alliance Launches First West Coast Delta IV Heavy Mission". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Launch Result of H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 with KOUNOTORI2 (HTV2) Onboard". JAXA. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Japan's rocket delivering supplies". The Gazette. Tokyo. Associated Press. 23 January 2011. p. P6. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "ARISSat-1/KEDR Amateur Radio Satellite Deorbits". Spacedaily.com. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  11. ^ Военный спутник, запущенный на "Рокоте", скорее всего, утрачен (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 1 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
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