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2011 in spaceflight

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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.

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 →

Overview of orbital spaceflight

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

January

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20 January
12:29:01 		  Zenit-3F   Baikonur Site 45/1   Roscosmos
  Elektro-L No.1 Roscosmos Geostationary Meteorology In orbit Operational[5]
Maiden flight of Zenit-3F.
20 January
21:10[7] 		  Delta IV-H   Vandenberg SLC-6   United Launch Alliance
  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] 		  H-IIB   Tanegashima LA-Y2   JAXA[9]
  Kounotori 2 (HTV-2) JAXA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 30 March Successful
28 January
01:31:41 		  Soyuz-U   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Progress M-09M / 41P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 26 April
13:22:53		 Successful
  Kedr RKK Energia Low Earth Amateur radio 4 January 2012[10] Successful

February

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1 February
14:00 		  Rokot / Briz-KM   Plesetsk Site 133/3   VKS
  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 		  Minotaur I   Vandenberg SLC-8   Orbital Sciences
  USA-225 (RPP) NRO Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational[13]
NRO Launch 66
16 February
21:50[14] 		  Ariane 5 ES   Kourou ELA-3   Arianespace
  Johannes Kepler ATV ESA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 21 June Successful
24 February
21:53:24 		  Space Shuttle Discovery   Kennedy LC-39A   United Space Alliance
  STS-133 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 9 March
16:57:17		 Successful
  Leonardo (PMM)[15] ASI / NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS assembly In orbit Operational
  ExPRESS-4 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics In orbit Operational
Crewed flight, final flight of Discovery.
26 February
03:07 		  Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat   Plesetsk Site 43/4   RVSN RF
  Kosmos 2471 (Glonass-K 701) VKS Medium Earth Navigation 12 November 2021 Successful[16]

March

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4 March
10:09:43 		  Taurus-XL 3110   Vandenberg LC-576E   Orbital Sciences
  Glory NASA Intended: Low Earth (SSO) Climatology 4 March Launch failure
⚀   KySat-1 Kentucky Space Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration
⚀   Hermes Colorado Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration
⚀   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 		  Atlas V 501   Cape Canaveral SLC-41   United Launch Alliance
  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 		  Delta IV-M+ (4,2)   Cape Canaveral SLC-37B   United Launch Alliance
  USA-227 (SDS-3) NRO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
NRO Launch 27

April

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4 April
22:18:20[19][20] 		  Soyuz-FG   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Soyuz TMA-21 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 27/28 16 September
03:59:39		 Successful
9 April
20:47:04 		  Long March 3A   Xichang LC-3   CNSA
  Compass-IGSO3 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational
14 April
04:24 		  Atlas V 411[21]   Vandenberg SLC-3E   United Launch Alliance
  USA-229 (NOSS) NRO Low Earth ELINT In orbit Operational
  USA-229 (NOSS) NRO Low Earth ELINT In orbit Operational
NRO Launch 34
20 April
04:42[22][23][24] 		  PSLV   Satish Dhawan FLP   ISRO
  Resourcesat-2 ISRO Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
    YouthSat ISRO / MGU Low Earth (SSO) Education In orbit Operational
  X-Sat CREST Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
22 April
21:37[25][26][27] 		  Ariane 5 ECA[28]   Kourou ELA-3   Arianespace
  Yahsat 1A Yahsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
  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 		  Soyuz-U   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Progress M-10M / 42P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 29 October
13:00:31		 Successful

May

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4 May
17:41:33[30] 		  Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat   Plesetsk Site 43/4   RVSN RF
  Meridian 4 VKS Medium Earth Communications In orbit Operational
7 May
18:10 		  Atlas V 401   Cape Canaveral SLC-41   United Launch Alliance
  USA-230 (SBIRS-GEO 1) U.S. Air Force Geosynchronous Missile defense In orbit Operational
16 May
12:56 		  Space Shuttle Endeavour   Kennedy LC-39A   United Space Alliance
  STS-134 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 1 June
06:35		 Successful
  AMS-02[15] NASA Low Earth (ISS) Cosmic-ray observatory In orbit Operational
  ExPRESS-3 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics In orbit Operational
Crewed flight, final flight of Endeavour.
20 May
19:15[32] 		  Proton-M/Briz-M Enhanced   Baikonur Site 200/39     International Launch Services
  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] 		  Ariane 5 ECA   Kourou ELA-3   Arianespace
    ST-2 SingTel / Chunghwa Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
  INSAT-4G/GSAT-8[34] ISRO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational

June

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7 June
20:12:45 		  Soyuz-FG   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Soyuz TMA-02M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 28/29 22 November
02:26		 Successful
10 June
14:20 		  Delta II 7320   Vandenberg SLC-2W   United Launch Alliance
    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] 		  Safir-1A   Semnan LP-1   ISA
  Rasad 1 ISA Low Earth Earth observation 6 July 2011 Successful
20 June
16:13[35] 		  Long March 3B   Xichang LC-2   CNSA
  ChinaSat 10 China Satellite Communications Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 June
14:38 		  Soyuz-U   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Progress M-11M / 43P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 1 September
10:21:41		 Successful
27 June
16:00[36] 		  Soyuz-U   Plesetsk Site 16/2   VKS
  Kosmos 2472 (Kobalt-M No.7) VKS Low Earth Reconnaissance 24 October Successful
30 June
03:09 		  Minotaur I   MARS LP-0B   Orbital Sciences
  USA-231 (ORS-1) ORSO Low Earth Reconnaissance 12 March 2018[37] Successful

July

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6 July
04:28[38] 		  Long March 2C   Jiuquan SLS-2   CNSA
  Shijian 11-03 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
8 July
15:29 		  Space Shuttle Atlantis   Kennedy LC-39A   United Space Alliance
  STS-135 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics 21 July 2011
09:57		 Successful
    Raffaelo MPLM NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics Successful
  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] 		  Long March 3C   Xichang LC-2   CNSA
  Tianlian I-02 (1B) CNSA Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
13 July
02:27[41][42] 		  Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat   Baikonur Site 31/6     Starsem
  Globalstar M081 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M083 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M085 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M088 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M089 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M091 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
15 July
11:18 		  PSLV-XL   Satish Dhawan FLP   ISRO
  GSAT-12 ISRO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
15 July
23:16 		  Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced   Baikonur Site 200/39     International Launch Services
  SES-3 SES World Skies (July–September)
SES S.A. (September—) 		Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
  KazSat-2 JSC KazSat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
16 July
06:41 		  Delta IV-M+ (4,2)   Cape Canaveral SLC-37B   United Launch Alliance
  USA-232 (GPS-IIF-2) U.S. Air Force Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
18 July
02:31[43] 		    Zenit-3F   Baikonur Site 45/1   Roscosmos
  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] 		  Long March 3A   Xichang LC-3   CNSA
  Compass-IGSO4 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational
29 July
07:42[45] 		  Long March 2C   Jiuquan SLS-2   CNSA
  Shijian 11-02 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational

August

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5 August
16:25[46] 		  Atlas V 551   Cape Canaveral SLC-41   United Launch Alliance
  Juno NASA Jovicentric Jupiter orbiter In orbit Operational
6 August
22:52[47] 		  Ariane 5 ECA   Kourou ELA-3   Arianespace
  Astra 1N SES Astra (August–September)
SES S.A. (September—) 		Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
  BSAT-3c / JCSAT-110R BSAT / JSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
11 August
16:15[48] 		  Long March 3B/E   Xichang LC-2   CNSA
  Paksat-1R SUPARCO Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
15 August
22:57[49] 		  Long March 4B   Taiyuan LC-2   CNSA
  Hai Yang 2A CAST Low Earth (SSO) Oceanography In orbit Operational
17 August
07:12[50] 		  Dnepr   Dombarovsky Site 13   ISC Kosmotras
  Sich-2 NKAU Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
  NigeriaSat-2 NASRDA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
  NigeriaSat-X NASRDA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
  RASAT TÜBİTAK Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Successful
  EduSAT GAUSS Srl Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
  AprizeSat-5 exactEarth Low Earth (SSO) Communications In orbit Operational
  AprizeSat-6 exactEarth Low Earth (SSO) Communications In orbit Operational
  BPA-2 Hartron-Arkos Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Successful
17 August
21:25[52] 		  Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced   Baikonur Site 200/39   Khrunichev
  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] 		  Long March 2C   Jiuquan SLS-2   CNSA
  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] 		  Soyuz-U   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  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

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10 September
13:08:52[57] 		  Delta II 7920H   Cape Canaveral SLC-17B   United Launch Alliance
  GRAIL-A (Ebb) NASA Selenocentric Lunar orbiter 17 December 2012
22:28:51[58]		 Successful
  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] 		  Long March 3B/E   Xichang LC-2   CNSA
  Chinasat-1A China Satcom Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
20 September
22:47 		  Proton-M / Briz-M   Baikonur Site 81/24   Khrunichev
  Kosmos 2473 (Garpun #1) VKS Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 September
21:38 		  Ariane 5 ECA   Kourou ELA-3   Arianespace
  Arabsat 5C Arabsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
  SES-2 SES S.A. Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
23 September
04:36:50 		  H-IIA   Tanegashima LA-Y1   MHI
  IGS Optical 4 CSICE Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance In orbit Successful[60]
24 September
20:18 		  Zenit-3SL   Ocean Odyssey   Sea Launch
  Atlantic Bird 7 Eutelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
27 September
15:49 		  Minotaur IV+   Kodiak LP-1   Orbital Sciences
  TacSat-4 U.S. Air Force Highly elliptical Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
29 September
13:16:03[61] 		  Long March 2F/G T1   Jiuquan SLS-1   CNSA
  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] 		  Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced   Baikonur Site 200/39     International Launch Services
  QuetzSat 1 SES Satellite Leasing Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Intended for lease to QuetzSat.

October

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

November

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4 November
12:51:41[68] 		  Proton-M / Briz-M   Baikonur Site 81/24   Khrunichev
  Kosmos 2475 (Glonass-M 743) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
  Kosmos 2476 (Glonass-M 744) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
  Kosmos 2477 (Glonass-M 745) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
8 November
20:16 		  Zenit-2M   Baikonur Site 45/1   Roscosmos
  Fobos-Grunt Roscosmos Intended: Areocentric
Achieved: Low Earth 		Phobos sample return 15 January 2012 Spacecraft failure
  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] 		  Long March 4B   Taiyuan LC-2   CNSA
  Yaogan 12 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational
  Tian Xun 1 Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration 7 February 2016[72] Successful
14 November
04:14[73] 		  Soyuz-FG   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Soyuz TMA-22 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 29/30 27 April 2012 Successful
20 November
00:15[74] 		  Long March 2D   Jiuquan SLS-2   CNSA
  Shiyan 4 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
  Chuang Xin 1C CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational
25 November
19:10:34 		  Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced   Baikonur Site 200/39     International Launch Services
  AsiaSat 7 AsiaSat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
26 November
15:02 		  Atlas V 541   Cape Canaveral SLC-41   United Launch Alliance
  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 		  Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat   Plesetsk Site 43/4   RVSN RF
  Kosmos 2478 (Glonass-M 746) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational
29 November
18:50[75] 		  Long March 2C   Taiyuan LC-2   CNSA
  Yaogan 13 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational

December

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1 December
21:07[76] 		  Long March 3A   Xichang LC-3   CNSA
  Compass-IGSO5 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational
11 December
11:17 		  Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced   Baikonur Site 81/24   Roscosmos
  Luch 5A Gonets Satellite System Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
  Amos-5 SCL Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
12 December
01:21 		  H-IIA   Tanegashima LA-Y1   MHI
  IGS Radar 3 CSICE Low Earth (SSO) Reconnaissance (radar) In orbit Operational
17 December
02:03:08 		  Soyuz ST-A / Fregat   Kourou ELS   Arianespace
  Pléiades-HR 1A CNES Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation/Reconnaissance In orbit Operational
  FASat-Charlie (SSOT) MDN Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation/Reconnaisance In orbit Operational
  ELISA 1 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
  ELISA 2 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
  ELISA 3 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
  ELISA 4 CNES / DGA Low Earth (SSO) ELINT In orbit Operational
19 December
16:41[77] 		  Long March 3B/E   Xichang LC-2   CNSA
  NigComSat-1R NIGCOMSAT / NASRDA Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
21 December
13:16 		  Soyuz-FG   Baikonur Site 1/5   Roscosmos
  Soyuz TMA-03M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 30/31 1 July 2012
08:14[78]		 Successful
22 December
03:26 		  Long March 4B   Taiyuan LC-2   CNSA
  Ziyuan 1-02C CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation In orbit Operational
23 December
12:08 		  Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat   Plesetsk Site 43/4   VKO
  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 		  Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat   Baikonur Site 31/6     Starsem
  Globalstar M080 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M082 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M084 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M086 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  Globalstar M090 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational
  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] 		  Terrier-Oriole   Wallops Island   MDA
 Aegis 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] 		 Black Brant IX   Poker Flat   NASA
 FIRE Colorado Suborbital Astronomy 28 January Spacecraft failure[80]
5 February
08:11:11[80] 		 Black Brant IX  Poker Flat  NASA
  Polar NOx VPI Suborbital Geospace 5 February Spacecraft failure[80]
February[79]   Shahab-3     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]   Sejjil-2    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]
1 March
21:00[79] 		  UGM-133 Trident II D5   USS Nevada, Pacific Ocean  US Navy
US Navy Suborbital Missile test 1 March Successful
Demonstration and Shakedown Operation 22 (DASO-22)
2 March
13:40[79] 		  Juno   Fort Wingate LC-96   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]  Terrier-Oriole  Kauai   MDA
  ARAV-B MDA Suborbital Radar target 9 March Successful
Tracked by STSS satellites
11 March   Dhanush  Sea launch from Indian Ocean   DRDO
DRDO Suborbital Target 11 March Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
11 March   Prithvi II   Integrated Test Range IC-3   DRDO
DRDO Suborbital Missile test 11 March Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
15 March[79]   Kavoshgar   Semnan   ISA
  Kavoshgar-4 ISA Suborbital Biological 15 March Successful
Apogee: 120 kilometres (75 mi)
16 March[79]  Terrier-Oriole  Kauai   MDA
  ARAV-B MDA Suborbital Radar target 16 March Successful
Tracked by both STSS Demo satellites
23 March
18:50:00[80] 		 Black Brant IX  White Sands  NASA
  EVE CU Boulder Suborbital SDO calibration[81] 23 March Successful[80]
29 March
04:01[82] 		  VSB-30   Esrange   EuroLaunch
    TEXUS-49 DLR/ESA Suborbital Microgravity 29 March Successful
Apogee: 268 kilometres (167 mi)
15 April
06:52[79] 		  UGM-96 Trident I C4 (LV-2)[83] FTM-15   Meck   MDA
MDA Suborbital ABM target 15 April Successful
15 April
07:03[79] 		  RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 FTM-15   USS O'Kane, Pacific Ocean   US Navy
  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]  R-29RMU Sineva  K-84 Ekaterinburg, Barents Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 26 April Successful
27 April
08:00:00[80] 		 Black Brant IX   Poker Flat   NASA
  WFF Suborbital Test flight 27 April Successful[80]
6 May[84]
23:02[85] 		  Tianying 3C   Hainan   CNSA
  Kunpeng-1 CSSAR Suborbital Environment monitoring 23:09 Successful
Apogee: 196.6 kilometres (122.2 mi).
11 May
18:00[79] 		  Improved Orion   Barreira do Inferno   AEB
INPE Suborbital Microgravity 11 May Successful
20 May
13:21[citation needed] 		  SpaceLoft XL   Spaceport America   UP Aerospace
Suborbital Technology demonstration 20 May Successful
  Goddard Celestis Suborbital Space burial Successful
Apogee: 118.3 kilometres (73.5 mi), successfully recovered.
20 May
14:50[79] 		  R-29RMU2.1 Layner   K-84 Ekaterinburg, Barents Sea   VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 20 May Successful
Maiden flight of Layner missile
10 June
11:11:16[80] 		  Terrier-Orion   Wallops Island   NASA
  SubTec IV[79] GSFC Suborbital Technology demonstration 10 June Successful[80]
22 June
13:35 		  LGM-30G Minuteman III   Vandenberg LF-10   U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Suborbital Test flight 22 June Successful
23 June
10:18:00[80] 		 Terrier-Orion  Wallops Island  NASA
  RockOn Colorado Suborbital Student experiments 23 June Successful[80]
28 June
11:55[79] 		  RSM-56 Bulava  K-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
28 June[79]   Shahab-1  Iran  IRGC
IGRC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79]  Shahab-1  Iran  IGRC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79]   Shahab-2  Iran  IRGC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79]  Shahab-2  Iran  IRGC
IRGC Suborbital Missile test 28 June Successful
Part of an exercise with 14 missile launches, apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
28 June[79]   Ghadr-1[79]  Iran  IRGC
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] 		  SRALT   C-17, Pacific Ocean   MDA
  FTX-17 MDA Suborbital Radar target 9 July Successful
Tracked by STSS Demo satellites
9 July
09:00:00[80] 		 Black Brant VB  Wallops LA-2[79]  NASA
 Daytime Dynamo NASA Suborbital Geospace 9 July Successful[80]
9 July
09:00:15[80] 		 Terrier-Orion  Wallops LA-2[79]  NASA
 Daytime Dynamo NASA Suborbital Geospace 9 July Successful[80]
11 July
15:35[79] 		 Gradicom II   Chamical   CITEFA
CITEFA Suborbital Test flight 11 July Successful
Apogee: 100 kilometres (62 mi)
21 July
07:00[86] 		  Nike-Improved Orion  Esrange  EuroLaunch
  PHOCUS Stockholm/SSC Suborbital Atmospheric 21 July Successful
21 July
11:58:00[80] 		  Terrier-Orion   Wallops Island   NASA
  RockSat-X Wallops Flight Facility Suborbital Student experiments 21 July Successful[80]
27 July
10:01[79] 		  LGM-30G Minuteman III   Vandenberg LF-04   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]  R-29RMU Sineva  K-84 Ekaterinburg, Barents Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 27 July Successful
11 August
14:45[79] 		  Minotaur IV Lite   Vandenberg SLC-8  Orbital
  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] 		 RSM-56 Bulava  K-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 27 August Successful
1 September
13:53[79] 		  Terrier-Oriole FTM-16 E2   Kauai   MDA
MDA Suborbital ABM target 1 September Successful
SM-3 Block 1B target
1 September
13:54[79] 		  RIM-161C SM-3 Block 1B FTM-16 E2   USS Lake Erie, Pacific Ocean   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] 		  RS-12M Topol   Plesetsk  RVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 3 September Successful
15 September[87]   Kavoshgar   Semnan   ISA
  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] 		  Prithvi II   Integrated Test Range IC-3[79]   DRDO
DRDO Suborbital Missile test 27 September Successful
27 September
07:08[87] 		 RS-26 Rubezh   Plesetsk  RVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 27 September Launch failure
29 September[citation needed]   R-29RMU2.1 Layner   K-114 Tula, Barents Sea   VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 30 September Successful
30 September
04:02[89] 		  Agni-II   ITR IC-4[79]   Indian Army
Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 30 September Successful
Travelled 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) downrange
5 October
05:56[79] 		  SRALT FTT-12   C-17, Pacific Ocean   MDA
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM target 5 October Successful
Intercepted by THAAD missile
5 October
05:56[79] 		  R-17 Elbrus FTT-12   MLP, Barking Sands   U.S. Army
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM target 5 October Successful
Intercepted by THAAD missile
5 October
06:00[79] 		  THAAD FTT-12   Barking Sands   U.S. Army
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM test 5 October Successful
Intercepted target missile
5 October
06:00[79] 		  THAAD FTT-12   Barking Sands   U.S. Army
U.S. Army / MDA Suborbital ABM test 5 October Successful
Intercepted target missile
8 October
10:25:01[80] 		 Black Brant IX  White Sands  NASA
  PICTURE Boston Suborbital Astronomy 8 October Spacecraft failure[80]
11 October
21:15:00[80] 		 Terrier-Orion  Andøya  NASA
 CHAMPS Colorado Suborbital Geospace 11 October Successful[80]
13 October
13:50:00[80] 		 Terrier-Orion   Andøya  NASA
 CHAMPS Colorado Suborbital Geospace 13 October[80] Successful
28 October
03:40[79] 		 RSM-56 Bulava  K-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 28 October Successful
2 November
07:50[79] 		  Jericho III   Palmachim   Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force Suborbital Missile test 2 November Successful
3 November
06:45[79] 		  RS-12M Topol   Plesetsk   RVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 3 November Successful
6 November
07:00[80] 		  Black Brant IX   White Sands   NASA
XQC F5 Wisconsin Suborbital Astronomy 6 November Successful[80]
15 November
03:30[90] 		  Agni IV   Integrated Test Range IC-4   DRDO
Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 15 November Successful
17 November
11:30 		  UGM-27 Polaris (STARS)   Barking Sands LC-42   U.S. Air Force
  AHW Flight 1A U.S. Army Suborbital Technology demonstration 17 November Successful
25 November
23:00[79] 		  Improved Orion   Barreira do Inferno   AEB
INPE Suborbital Microgravity 25 November Successful
27 November
09:10[91] 		  VSB-30   Esrange   EuroLaunch
 /  TEXUS-48 DLR/ESA Suborbital Microgravity 27 November Successful
2 December
22:00[79] 		  VS-30   Barreira do Inferno   AEB
  Brasil-Alemanha INPE Suborbital Microgravity 2 December Successful
3 December
07:21:31[79] 		  VS-30/Improved Orion   Ny-Ålesund   Andøya
    ICI-3 (CanoRock 4) Oslo/Andøya Suborbital Atmospheric 3 December Successful[92]
10 December
10:30:00[93] 		 Black Brant IX  White Sands  NASA
Colorado Suborbital Astronomy 10 December Successful
19 December
14:48[94] 		  S-310   Uchinoura   JAXA
JAXA/TPU/TU Suborbital Ionospheric 19 December Successful
19 December   MN-300   Kapustin Yar   Roshydromet
  MR-30 Roshydromet Suborbital Meteorology
Test flight		 19 December Successful
Maiden flight of MN-300
23 December  RSM-56 Bulava  K-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 23 December Successful
23 December  RSM-56 Bulava  K-535 Yuri Dolgorukiy, White Sea  VMF
VMF Suborbital Missile test 23 December Successful
27 December
12:00 		  RS-18 UR-100N   Baikonur  RVSN
RVSN Suborbital Missile test 27 December Successful
?   UGM-133 Trident II D5   USS ?, Pacific Ocean  US Navy
US Navy Suborbital Missile test ? Successful
Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 44
?   UGM-133 Trident II D5   USS ?, Pacific Ocean  US 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

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Start Date/Time Duration End Time Spacecraft Crew Remarks
21 January
10:05 		5 hours
23 minutes 		15:49 Expedition 26
ISS Pirs 		  Dmitri Kondratyev
  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 		  Dmitri Kondratyev
  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 		  Stephen Bowen
  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 		  Stephen Bowen
  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 		  Andrew Feustel
  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 		  Andrew Feustel
  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 		  Andrew Feustel
  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 		  Gregory Chamitoff
  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 		  Ronald Garan
  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 		  Sergei Volkov
  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   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

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  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.
  12. ^ "GEO IK 2". N2YO.com. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Vandenberg launches Minotaur I". 30th Space Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  14. ^ "Mission Update – Ariane 5 opens a busy year of Arianespace missions with the milestone launch of another Automated Transfer Vehicle for Europe". Arianespace. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  15. ^ a b Bergin, Chris (11 February 2009). "Downstream shuttle planning: CLFs, AMS noted, MAF working on extra ETs". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
  16. ^ "Спутник "Глонасс-К" вывели из состава орбитальной группировки" ["Glonass-K" satellite removed from orbital constellation]. TASS (in Russian). 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Preparations underway for X-37B landing" Archived 2 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Vandenberg.af.mil, 30 May 2012. Retrieved: 1 June 2012.
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