2010 in spaceflight
Encyclopedia
The year 2010 saw a number of notable events in spaceflight
. These included the first test flight of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which is intended to conduct commercial resupply missions to the International Space Station
(ISS) under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
program, and the maiden flights of the Falcon 9
and Minotaur IV
rockets. A second Naro-1 launch was also conducted, after the failure of the rocket's maiden flight in 2009; however, the second attempt also failed. The Molniya-M
was retired from service, making its final flight in September.
was launched as a target for the Boeing YAL-1
airborne laser platform. On 11 January, China conducted an ABM test
, involving two missiles. The first orbital launch occurred at 16:12 UTC on 16 January, when a Long March 3C
launched the Compass-G1
navigation satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre
.
Seventy-four orbital launches were attempted in 2010, with seventy being successful and four ending in failure. The last orbital launch was made on 29 December, when an Ariane 5ECA
launched the Hispasat-1E and Koreasat 6 spacecraft from Kourou.
ese mission to Venus
, was launched on an H-IIA
carrier rocket in May. Despite a successful launch, the spacecraft failed to enter Cytherocentric orbit
in December. It was intended to look for lightning and volcanoes on Venus. Engineers plan to re-attempt orbital insertion in 2016 or 2017 if the spacecraft is still operable. IKAROS
, the first operational solar sail
, was launched on the same rocket as Akatsuki.
The first Japanese asteroid
probe, Hayabusa
, returned to Earth on 13 June, having landed on 25143 Itokawa
in an effort to collect samples. It was also the world's first successful sample return mission
from an asteroid.
On 1 October at 10:59:57 UTC, China
successfully launched the Chang'e-2 spacecraft, the nation's second mission to explore the Moon
. A Long March 3C
rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre
. The spacecraft conducted a mission similar to that of the earlier Chang'e-1 spacecraft, but with a focus on mapping potential landing sites in preparation for the Chang'e-3 unmanned lunar lander.
missions and four Soyuz
flights for International Space Station
(ISS) crew rotation. STS-130
, using orbiter Endeavour
, was the first manned flight of the year, launching on 8 February with the Tranquility node and Cupola for the ISS. On 5 April, Discovery
launched on mission STS-131
, with the Leonardo MPLM
to resupply the outpost.
Soyuz TMA-18
launched the Expedition 23
crew to the ISS on 2 April; it was scheduled to spend around six months docked to the station to facilitate crew escape in an emergency. Shortly before, Soyuz TMA-16
undocked, transporting former ISS crewmembers back to Earth. On 14 May, Space Shuttle Atlantis
launched on its second-to-last flight, STS-132
, carrying the Rassvet
module to the ISS. Soyuz TMA-19
launched with Expedition 24
on 15 June. Soyuz TMA-01M
, the first flight of a modernised Soyuz-TMA
spacecraft, launched on 8 October with the Expedition 25
crew for the ISS. Then, to end the year, Expedition 26
launched aboard Soyuz TMA-20
on 15 December.
s, one affecting a Naro-1 rocket, and one affecting a Proton rocket. The first occurred on 15 April, when the GSLV Mk.II launched on its maiden flight. The rocket's third stage malfunctioned, resulting in the stage, and the GSAT-4
satellite, failing to achieve orbit and falling into the sea. The second failure occurred during the second launch of the Naro-1 rocket, carrying the STSAT-2B
spacecraft. The rocket exploded 137 seconds into the flight.
The third failure occurred on 5 December, when a Proton-M
with the first Blok DM-03 upper stage failed to inject three Glonass-M
satellites into orbit. Before launch, the Blok DM was fuelled incorrectly, resulting in the rocket being too heavy to reach its parking orbit. The fourth failure occurred on 25 December 2010, when a GSLV Mk.I exploded during the launch of GSAT-5P
. The rocket was destroyed by range safety
, after control of the liquid-fuelled boosters attached to the first stage was lost.
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Spaceflight
Spaceflight is the act of travelling into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft which may, or may not, have humans on board. Examples of human spaceflight include the Russian Soyuz program, the U.S. Space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station...
. These included the first test flight of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which is intended to conduct commercial resupply missions to the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS) under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services is a NASA program to coordinate the delivery of crew and cargo to the International Space Station by private companies. The program was announced on January 18, 2006...
program, and the maiden flights of the Falcon 9
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants...
and Minotaur IV
Minotaur IV
Minotaur IV, also known as Peacekeeper SLV and OSP-2 PK is an active expendable launch system derived from the Peacekeeper missile. It is operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010, carrying the HTV-2a Hypersonic Test Vehicle...
rockets. A second Naro-1 launch was also conducted, after the failure of the rocket's maiden flight in 2009; however, the second attempt also failed. The Molniya-M
Molniya-M
The Molniya-M , designation 8K78M, was a Russian carrier rocket derived from the R-7 Semyorka ICBM. First launched in 1964, it had replaced its predecessor, Molniya, by the end of 1965...
was retired from service, making its final flight in September.
Overview
The first suborbital launch of 2010 was conducted at 23:00 GMT on 10 January, when a Black Brant IXBlack Brant (rocket)
The Black Brant is a Canadian-designed sounding rocket built by Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over 800 Black Brants of various versions have been launched since they were first produced in 1961, and the type remains one of the most popular sounding rockets ever built...
was launched as a target for the Boeing YAL-1
Boeing YAL-1
The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed, weapons system is a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted inside a modified Boeing 747-400F. It is primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles , while in boost phase. The aircraft was designated...
airborne laser platform. On 11 January, China conducted an ABM test
2010 Chinese anti-ballistic missile test
The People's Republic of China carried out a land-based high-altitude anti-ballistic missile test on 11 January 2010. This reportedly made China the second country in the world after the United States of America to successfully destroy an incoming missile beyond the Earth's atmosphere.-Possible...
, involving two missiles. The first orbital launch occurred at 16:12 UTC on 16 January, when a Long March 3C
Long March 3C
The Long March 3C , also known as the Chang Zheng 3C, CZ-3C and LM-3C, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. A 3-stage rocket with two strapon liquid rocket boosters, it is a member of the Long March 3 rocket family, and...
launched the Compass-G1
Compass-G1
Compass-G1, also known as Beidou-2 G1 is a Chinese navigation satellite which will become part of the Compass navigation system. It was launched in January 2010, and became the third Compass satellite to be launched after Compass-M1 and Compass-G2....
navigation satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre
Xichang Satellite Launch Center
The Xichang Satellite Launch Center also known as Base 27 , is a People’s Republic of China space vehicle launch facility approximately 64 km northwest of Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province....
.
Seventy-four orbital launches were attempted in 2010, with seventy being successful and four ending in failure. The last orbital launch was made on 29 December, when an Ariane 5ECA
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
launched the Hispasat-1E and Koreasat 6 spacecraft from Kourou.
Space exploration
Akatsuki, the first JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese mission to Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
, was launched on an H-IIA
H-IIA
H-IIA is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency . The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch an interplanetary...
carrier rocket in May. Despite a successful launch, the spacecraft failed to enter Cytherocentric orbit
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
in December. It was intended to look for lightning and volcanoes on Venus. Engineers plan to re-attempt orbital insertion in 2016 or 2017 if the spacecraft is still operable. IKAROS
IKAROS
IKAROS is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency experimental spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched on 21 May, 2010, aboard an H-IIA rocket, together with the Akatsuki probe and four other small spacecraft...
, the first operational solar sail
Solar sail
Solar sails are a form of spacecraft propulsion using the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser to push enormous ultra-thin mirrors to high speeds....
, was launched on the same rocket as Akatsuki.
The first Japanese asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
probe, Hayabusa
Hayabusa
was an unmanned spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis....
, returned to Earth on 13 June, having landed on 25143 Itokawa
25143 Itokawa
25143 Itokawa is an Apollo and Mars-crosser asteroid. It was the first asteroid to be the target of a sample return mission, the Japanese space probe Hayabusa.-Discovery and naming:...
in an effort to collect samples. It was also the world's first successful sample return mission
Sample return mission
A sample return mission is a spacecraft mission with the goal of returning tangible samples from an extraterrestrial location to Earth for analysis. Sample return missions may bring back merely atoms and molecules or a deposit of complex compounds such as dirt and rocks...
from an asteroid.
On 1 October at 10:59:57 UTC, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
successfully launched the Chang'e-2 spacecraft, the nation's second mission to explore the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
. A Long March 3C
Long March 3C
The Long March 3C , also known as the Chang Zheng 3C, CZ-3C and LM-3C, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. A 3-stage rocket with two strapon liquid rocket boosters, it is a member of the Long March 3 rocket family, and...
rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre
Xichang Satellite Launch Center
The Xichang Satellite Launch Center also known as Base 27 , is a People’s Republic of China space vehicle launch facility approximately 64 km northwest of Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province....
. The spacecraft conducted a mission similar to that of the earlier Chang'e-1 spacecraft, but with a focus on mapping potential landing sites in preparation for the Chang'e-3 unmanned lunar lander.
Manned spaceflight
Seven manned launches were planned for 2010, with three Space ShuttleSpace Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
missions and four Soyuz
Soyuz programme
The Soyuz programme is a human spaceflight programme that was initiated by the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, originally part of a Moon landing project intended to put a Soviet cosmonaut on the Moon...
flights for International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS) crew rotation. STS-130
STS-130
STS-130 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . 's primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center, providing a 360-degree view around the station...
, using orbiter Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger...
, was the first manned flight of the year, launching on 8 February with the Tranquility node and Cupola for the ISS. On 5 April, Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...
launched on mission STS-131
STS-131
STS-131 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . launched on 5 April 2010 at 6:22 am from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A, and landed at 9:08 am on 20 April 2010 on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility...
, with the Leonardo MPLM
Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
A Multi-Purpose Logistics Module is a large pressurized container used on Space Shuttle missions to transfer cargo to and from the International Space Station . An MPLM was carried in the cargo bay of a Shuttle and berthed to the Unity or Harmony modules on the ISS. From there, supplies were...
to resupply the outpost.
Soyuz TMA-18
Soyuz TMA-18
Soyuz TMA-18 was a 2010 Soyuz flight to the International Space Station. TMA-18 was the 105th manned flight of a Soyuz spacecraft since the first manned flight in 1967.- Crew :- Backup crew :- Launch :...
launched the Expedition 23
Expedition 23
Expedition 23 was the twenty-third long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 23 began with the Soyuz TMA-16 undocking on 18 March 2010. Shortly thereafter cosmonauts Aleksandr Skvortsov and Mikhail Korniyenko and astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson arrived at the Space...
crew to the ISS on 2 April; it was scheduled to spend around six months docked to the station to facilitate crew escape in an emergency. Shortly before, Soyuz TMA-16
Soyuz TMA-16
The Soyuz TMA-16 was a manned flight to and from the International Space Station . It transported two members of the Expedition 21 crew and a Canadian entrepreneur from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the ISS. TMA-16 was the 103rd flight of a Soyuz spacecraft, the first flight launching...
undocked, transporting former ISS crewmembers back to Earth. On 14 May, Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
launched on its second-to-last flight, STS-132
STS-132
STS-132 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated...
, carrying the Rassvet
Rassvet (ISS module)
Rassvet , also known as the Mini-Research Module 1 and formerly known as the Docking Cargo Module , is a component of the International Space Station . The module's design is similar to the Mir Docking Module launched on STS-74 in 1995. Rassvet is primarily used for cargo storage and as a docking...
module to the ISS. Soyuz TMA-19
Soyuz TMA-19
- Backup crew :- Launch :Soyuz TMA-19 was launched by a Soyuz-FG carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch occurred successfully on 15 June 2010, with the rocket lifting off at 21:35 UTC. After its separation from the last stage of the Soyuz-FG rocket,...
launched with Expedition 24
Expedition 24
Expedition 24 was the twenty-fourth long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 24 initially had 2 planned spacewalks, one Russian and one American Extra-vehicular Activity . The U.S. EVA was re-planned and a second U.S. EVA was added.- Crew :Source: NASA- Backup crew :*...
on 15 June. Soyuz TMA-01M
Soyuz TMA-01M
- Backup crew :- Spacecraft :Soyuz TMA-01M is the first spacecraft of the new modernized Soyuz TMA-M series, developed and built by RKK Energia as an upgrade of the baseline Soyuz-TMA, which has been in use since 2002. 36 obsolete pieces of equipment have been replaced with 19 new-generation...
, the first flight of a modernised Soyuz-TMA
Soyuz-TMA
The Soyuz-TMA is a recent revision of the Soyuz spacecraft, superseded in 2010 by the Soyuz TMA-M..It is used by the Russian Federal Space Agency for human spaceflight...
spacecraft, launched on 8 October with the Expedition 25
Expedition 25
Expedition 25 was the twenty-fifth long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 25 began with the Soyuz TMA-18 undocking on 25 September 2010...
crew for the ISS. Then, to end the year, Expedition 26
Expedition 26
The Expedition 26 was the twenty-sixth long-duration mission to the International Space Station. The expedition's first three crew members – one US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts – arrived at the station on board Soyuz TMA-01M on 10 October 2010...
launched aboard Soyuz TMA-20
Soyuz TMA-20
Soyuz TMA-20 was a manned spaceflight to the International Space Station and was part of the Soyuz programme. It lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 15, 2010, and docked with the ISS two days later...
on 15 December.
Launch failures
Four orbital launch failures occurred in 2010, two affecting Geosynchronous Satellite Launch VehicleGeosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation...
s, one affecting a Naro-1 rocket, and one affecting a Proton rocket. The first occurred on 15 April, when the GSLV Mk.II launched on its maiden flight. The rocket's third stage malfunctioned, resulting in the stage, and the GSAT-4
GSAT-4
GSAT-4, also known as HealthSat, was an experimental communication and navigation satellite launched in April 2010 by the Indian Space Research Organisation on the maiden flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.II rocket. It failed to reach orbit after the rocket's third stage...
satellite, failing to achieve orbit and falling into the sea. The second failure occurred during the second launch of the Naro-1 rocket, carrying the STSAT-2B
STSAT-2B
STSAT-2B, or Science and Technology Satellite 2B, was a South Korean satellite which was lost in the failure of the second flight of the Naro-1 carrier rocket. It was to have been operated by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and was intended to demonstrate technology for future spacecraft...
spacecraft. The rocket exploded 137 seconds into the flight.
The third failure occurred on 5 December, when a Proton-M
Proton-M
The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally...
with the first Blok DM-03 upper stage failed to inject three Glonass-M
GLONASS
GLONASS , acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces...
satellites into orbit. Before launch, the Blok DM was fuelled incorrectly, resulting in the rocket being too heavy to reach its parking orbit. The fourth failure occurred on 25 December 2010, when a GSLV Mk.I exploded during the launch of GSAT-5P
GSAT-5P
GSAT-5P, or GSAT-5 Prime, was an Indian communications satellite which was lost in a launch failure in December 2010. Part of the Indian National Satellite System, it was intended to operate in geosynchronous orbit as a replacement for INSAT-3E....
. The rocket was destroyed by range safety
Range safety
In rocketry, range safety is assured by the systems which protect people and assets on the rocket range in cases when a launch vehicle might endanger them. Range safety is usually the responsibility of a Range Safety Officer...
, after control of the liquid-fuelled boosters attached to the first stage was lost.
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Deep Space Rendezvous
| Date | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 January | Cassini Cassini-Huygens Cassini–Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI spacecraft mission studying the planet Saturn and its many natural satellites since 2004. Launched in 1997 after nearly two decades of gestation, it includes a Saturn orbiter and an atmospheric probe/lander for the moon Titan, although it has also returned... |
65th flyby of Titan Titan (moon) Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found.... |
Closest approach: 1073 kilometres (666.7 mi) |
| 28 January | Cassini | 66th flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 7490 kilometres (4,654.1 mi) |
| 31 January | Artemis P1 THEMIS (satellite) The Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms mission was originally a constellation of five NASA satellites to study energy releases from Earth's magnetosphere known as substorms, magnetic phenomena that intensify auroras near Earth's poles... |
Lunar flyby | Closest approach: 11992 kilometres (7,451.5 mi) at 08:13 UTC |
| 1 February | Artemis P2 THEMIS (satellite) The Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms mission was originally a constellation of five NASA satellites to study energy releases from Earth's magnetosphere known as substorms, magnetic phenomena that intensify auroras near Earth's poles... |
Lunar flyby | Closest approach: 69222 kilometres (43,012.7 mi) at 14:44 UTC |
| 13 February | Artemis P1 | Lunar flyby | Closest approach: 2958 kilometres (1,838 mi) at 10:06 UTC |
| 13 February | Cassini | Flyby of Mimas Mimas (moon) Mimas is a moon of Saturn which was discovered in 1789 by William Herschel. It is named after Mimas, a son of Gaia in Greek mythology, and is also designated Saturn I.... |
Closest approach: 9520 kilometres (5,915.5 mi) |
| 16 February | Mars Express Mars Express Mars Express is a space exploration mission being conducted by the European Space Agency . The Mars Express mission is exploring the planet Mars, and is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency. "Express" originally referred to the speed and efficiency with which the spacecraft was... |
Flyby of Phobos Phobos (moon) Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Both moons were discovered in 1877. With a mean radius of , Phobos is 7.24 times as massive as Deimos... |
Closest approach: 991 kilometres (615.8 mi) |
| 22 February | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 574 kilometres (356.7 mi) |
| 25 February | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 398 kilometres (247.3 mi) |
| 28 February | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 226 kilometres (140.4 mi) |
| 1 March | Artemis P2 | Lunar flyby | Closest approach: 68036 kilometres (42,275.7 mi) at 04:11 UTC |
| 2 March | Cassini | 2nd flyby of Rhea Rhea (moon) Rhea is the second-largest moon of Saturn and the ninth largest moon in the Solar System. It was discovered in 1672 by Giovanni Domenico Cassini.-Name:Rhea is named after the Titan Rhea of Greek mythology, "mother of the gods"... |
Closest approach: 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) |
| 3 March | Cassini | Flyby of Helene Helene (moon) Helene is a moon of Saturn. It was discovered by Pierre Laques and Jean Lecacheux in 1980 from ground-based observations at Pic du Midi Observatory, and was designated . In 1988 it was officially named after Helen of Troy, who was the granddaughter of Cronus in Greek mythology... |
Closest approach: 1803 kilometres (1,120.3 mi) |
| 3 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 67 kilometres (41.6 mi) |
| 7 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 107 kilometres (66.5 mi) |
| 10 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 286 kilometres (177.7 mi) |
| 13 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 476 kilometres (295.8 mi) |
| 16 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 662 kilometres (411.3 mi) |
| 19 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 848 kilometres (526.9 mi) |
| 23 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 1341 kilometres (833.3 mi) |
| 26 March | Mars Express | Flyby of Phobos | Closest approach: 1304 kilometres (810.3 mi) |
| 28 March | Artemis P2 | Lunar flyby | Closest approach: 9366 kilometres (5,819.8 mi) at 07:34 UTC |
| 5 April | Cassini | 67th flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 7462 kilometres (4,636.7 mi) |
| 7 April | Cassini | 2nd flyby of Dione Dione (moon) Dione is a moon of Saturn discovered by Cassini in 1684. It is named after the titan Dione of Greek mythology. It is also designated Saturn IV.- Name :... |
Closest approach: 504 kilometres (313.2 mi) |
| 28 April | Cassini | 9th flyby of Enceladus Enceladus (moon) Enceladus is the sixth-largest of the moons of Saturn. It was discovered in 1789 by William Herschel. Until the two Voyager spacecraft passed near it in the early 1980s very little was known about this small moon besides the identification of water ice on its surface... |
Closest approach: 103 kilometres (64 mi) |
| 18 May | Cassini | 10th flyby of Enceladus | Closest approach: 201 kilometres (124.9 mi) |
| 20 May | Cassini | 68th flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 1400 kilometres (869.9 mi) |
| 5 June | Cassini | 69th flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 2044 kilometres (1,270.1 mi) |
| 13 June | Hayabusa Hayabusa was an unmanned spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis.... |
Earth reentry | Sample canister successful recovered |
| 21 June | Cassini | 70th flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 955 kilometres (593.4 mi) |
| 7 July | Cassini | 71st flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 1005 kilometres (624.5 mi) |
| 10 July | Rosetta Rosetta (spacecraft) Rosetta is a robotic spacecraft of the European Space Agency on a mission to study the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Rosetta consists of two main elements: the Rosetta space probe and the Philae lander. The spacecraft was launched on 2 March 2004 on an Ariane 5 rocket and will reach the comet by... |
Flyby of 21 Lutetia 21 Lutetia 21 Lutetia is a large main-belt asteroid of an unusual spectral type. It measures about 100 kilometers in diameter . It was discovered in 1852 by Hermann Goldschmidt, and is named after Lutetia, the Latin name for Paris.... |
Closest approach: 3100 kilometres (1,926.3 mi) |
| 13 August | Cassini | 11th flyby of Enceladus | Closest approach: 2554 kilometres (1,587 mi) |
| 25 August | Artemis P1 | LL2 orbit insertion | |
| 24 September | Cassini | 72nd flyby of Titan | Closest approach: 8175 kilometres (5,079.7 mi) |
| 6 October | Chang'e 2 Chang'e 2 Chang'e 2 is a Chinese unmanned lunar probe that was launched on 1 October 2010. It was a follow-up to the Chang'e 1 lunar probe, which was launched in 2007. Chang'e 2 was part of the first phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, and conducted research from a 100-kilometer-high lunar orbit... |
Lunar orbit insertion | |
| 16 October | Cassini | Flyby of Pallene Pallene (moon) Pallene is a very small natural satellite of Saturn. It is one of three small moons known as the Alkyonides that lie between the orbits of the larger Mimas and Enceladus. It is also designated as '.-Discovery:... |
Closest approach: 36000 kilometres (22,369.4 mi) |
| 22 October | Artemis P2 | LL1 orbit insertion | |
| 4 November | Deep Impact | Flyby of Hartley 2 103P/Hartley Comet Hartley 2, designated as 103P/Hartley by the Minor Planet Center, is a small periodic comet with an orbital period of 6.46 years. It was discovered by Malcolm Hartley in 1986 at the Schmidt Telescope Unit, Siding Spring Observatory, Australia... |
Closest approach: 700 kilometres (435 mi) |
| 11 November | Cassini | 73rd flyby of Titan | |
| 30 November | Cassini | 12th flyby of Enceladus | Closest approach: 47.9 kilometres (29.8 mi) |
| 7 December | Closest approach: 550 kilometres (341.8 mi) |
||
| 8 December | Closest approach: 80800 kilometres (50,206.9 mi) | ||
| 21 December | Cassini | 13th flyby of Enceladus | Closest approach: 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) |
| December | not confirmed. |
- Distant, non-targeted flybys of Dione, Enceladus, Mimas, Rhea, TethysTethys (moon)Tethys or Saturn III is a mid-sized moon of Saturn about across. It was discovered by G. D. Cassini in 1684 and is named after titan Tethys of Greek mythology. Tethys is pronounced |Odysseus]] is about 400 km in diameter, while the largest graben—Ithaca Chasma is about 100 km wide and...
and Titan by Cassini will occur throughout the first half of the year.
EVAs
| Start Date/Time | Duration | End Time | Spacecraft | Crew | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 January 10:05 |
5 hours |
15:49 | ISS International Space Station The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes... Pirs |
 Oleg KotovOleg Kotov Oleg Valeriyevich Kotov was born October 27, 1965, in Simferopol, Crimean oblast in Ukrainian SSR. After a career as a military pilot, he joined the Russian cosmonaut corps. He has flown two long duration spaceflight on the International Space Station logging just short of a year in space... Maksim SurayevMaksim Surayev Maksim Viktorovich Surayev is a Russian cosmonaut.-Personal:Surayev was born in Chelyabinsk. During his childhood, Suraev lived in several places due to his father's military commitments. First he moved from his birthplace, Chelyabinsk in the Urals, to Siberia. When his father entered the military... |
Prepared the Poisk module for future dockings. |
| 12 February 02:17 |
6 hours 32 minutes |
08:49 | STS-130 STS-130 STS-130 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . 's primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center, providing a 360-degree view around the station... ISS Quest |
 Robert L. BehnkenRobert L. Behnken Robert Louis "Bob" Behnken is an engineer, U. S. Air Force officer and a NASA astronaut. Behnken holds a Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering and has reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Bob Behnken has logged over 1000 flight hours in 25 different aircraft. He flew on Space... Nicholas PatrickNicholas Patrick Nicholas James MacDonald Patrick, Ph.D., is a British-born engineer and a NASA astronaut. His flight on the 2006 Discovery STS-116 mission made him the fifth Briton to go into space.... |
Removed a protective cover on a port on the Unity node where Tranquility was berthed half way through the spacewalk. The pair then transferred a spare parts platform for the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator from the shuttle to the station. Once that task is completed Behnken and Patrick made several connections on the newly installed Tranquility node to begin its activation. |
| 14 February 02:20 |
5 hours 54 minutes |
08:14 | STS-130 ISS Quest |
Robert L. Behnken Nicholas Patrick |
Installed ammonia plumbing and connectors between Unity, Destiny and Tranquility and covered them with thermal insulation. Prepared the nadir port on Tranquility for the relocation of the Cupola, and installed handrails on the exterior of Tranquility. |
| 17 February 02:15 |
5 hours 48 minutes |
08:03 | STS-130 ISS Quest |
Robert L. Behnken Nicholas Patrick |
Installed additional ammonia plumbing between Unity and Tranquility, removed insulation and launch locks from the Cupola, installed additional handrails on the exterior of Tranquility and performed get-ahead tasks to support the installation of a Power Data Grapple Fixture Power Data Grapple Fixture A Power Data Grapple Fixture is a connection fixture used on the International Space Station . PDGFs can be "grappled" by the Canadarm2 robotic arm, in order to allow Canadarm2 to manipulate a grappled object, or be controlled by operators based inside the ISS.The Canadarm2 is self-relocatable and... (PDGF) on the exterior of Zarya Zarya Zarya , also known as the Functional Cargo Block or FGB , was the first module of the International Space Station to be launched. The FGB provided electrical power, storage, propulsion, and guidance to the ISS during the initial stage of assembly... with cable installation on Unity and the S0 truss. |
| 9 April 05:31 |
6 hours 27 minutes |
11:58 | STS-131 STS-131 STS-131 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . launched on 5 April 2010 at 6:22 am from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A, and landed at 9:08 am on 20 April 2010 on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility... ISS Quest |
Richard Mastracchio Richard Mastracchio Richard Alan "Rick" Mastracchio is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. He has flown on three NASA Space Shuttle missions as a mission specialist... Clayton AndersonClayton Anderson Clayton Conrad Anderson is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. Launched on STS-117, he replaced Sunita Williams on June 10, 2007 as a member of the ISS Expedition 15 crew.-Education:... |
Relocated new an ammonia tank from the Shuttle's payload bay to a temporary stowage location and disconnected the fluid lines to the old ammonia tank on the S1 truss. Retrieved a Japanese seed experiment from the exterior of the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module The Japanese Experiment Module , also known with the nickname , is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on space shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124... laboratory for return to earth and replaced a failed gyroscope on the S0 truss. Performed get-ahead tasks including the opening of a window flap on the zenith CBM of Harmony, and removed launch restraint bolts from a Flex Hose Rotary Coupler (FHRC) on the P1 truss. |
| 11 April 05:30 |
7 hours 26 minutes |
12:56 | STS-131 ISS Quest |
Richard Mastracchio Clayton Anderson |
The old ammonia tank was removed from the S1 truss and was replaced with the new tank. The electrical connections to the tank were made, but the fluid lines were deferred to the mission's third EVA due to time constraints since the installation was prolonged by a problem with the bolts that hold the tank to the truss. The old tank was relocated to a temporary stowage location on the station and a foot restraint was relocated in preparation for a future shuttle mission's spacewalk. |
| 13 April 06:14 |
6 hours 24 minutes |
12:36 | STS-131 ISS Quest |
Richard Mastracchio Clayton Anderson |
The fluid lines were connected to the new ammonia tank and the old tank was moved to the shuttle's payload bay for return to Earth. Micro-meteoroid debris shields from the Quest airlock which were no longer necessary were brought inside the airlock for return to Earth inside the Leonardo MPLM Multi-Purpose Logistics Module A Multi-Purpose Logistics Module is a large pressurized container used on Space Shuttle missions to transfer cargo to and from the International Space Station . An MPLM was carried in the cargo bay of a Shuttle and berthed to the Unity or Harmony modules on the ISS. From there, supplies were... . The Z1 truss was prepared for the installation of a spare antenna on the next shuttle mission, and a foot restraint was relocated in preparation for a future spacewalk. The retrieval of an external carrier plate on Columbus Columbus (ISS module) Columbus is a science laboratory that is part of the International Space Station and is the largest single contribution to the ISS made by the European Space Agency .... was deferred to another shuttle mission due to time constraints after problems were encountered with attaching the old ammonia tank to a carrier in the payload bay, and several other tasks were deferred to later EVAs due to the replanning from the problems with the mission's second EVA. |
| 17 May 11:54 |
7 hours 25 minutes |
19:19 | STS-132 STS-132 STS-132 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission, during which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on 16 May 2010. STS-132 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on 14 May 2010. The primary payload was the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module, along with an Integrated... ISS Quest |
Garrett Reisman Garrett Reisman Garrett Erin Reisman is an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He was a backup crew member for Expedition 15 and joined Expedition 16 aboard the International Space Station for a short time before becoming a member of Expedition 17. He returned to Earth 14 June 2008 on board STS-124 on... Stephen G. BowenStephen G. Bowen Stephen Gerard Bowen is a US Navy submariner and a NASA astronaut; he was the second submariner to travel into space. Bowen has been on three spaceflights, all of which were Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station... |
Installed a spare space-to-ground Ku-band antenna on the Z1 truss; installed new tool platform on Dextre, and broke torque on bolts holding replacement batteries to the ICC-VLD cargo carrier. |
| 19 May 10:38 |
7 hours 9 minutes |
17:47 | STS-132 ISS Quest |
Stephen G. Bowen Michael T. Good Michael T. Good Michael Timothy "Bueno" Good is a NASA astronaut and retired commissioned officer in the United States Air Force, holding the rank of Colonel. Mike Good flew aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis for its STS-125 mission. STS-125 was the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission... |
Repaired Atlantis Orbiter Boom Sensor System Orbiter Boom Sensor System The Orbiter Boom Sensor System is a 50-foot boom carried on board NASA's Space Shuttles. The boom can be grappled by the Canadarm and serves as an extension of the arm, doubling its length to a combined total of 100 feet... (OBSS); P6 battery replacement (4 of 6 units); and removed gimbal locks from the Ku-band antenna installed on the first EVA of the mission. |
| 21 May 10:27 |
6 hours 46 minutes |
17:13 | STS-132 ISS Quest |
Michael T. Good Garrett Reisman |
P6 battery replacement (final 2 of 6 units); installed ammonia "jumpers" at the P4/P5 interface; retrieved a spare PDGF from Atlantis payload bay and stowed it inside the Quest airlock. The spacewalkers also replenished supplies of EVA tools in toolboxes on the exterior of the station. |
| 27 July 04:11 |
6 hours 42 minutes |
10:53 | Expedition 24 Expedition 24 Expedition 24 was the twenty-fourth long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 24 initially had 2 planned spacewalks, one Russian and one American Extra-vehicular Activity . The U.S. EVA was re-planned and a second U.S. EVA was added.- Crew :Source: NASA- Backup crew :*... ISS Pirs |
Fyodor Yurchikhin Fyodor Yurchikhin Fyodor Nikolayevich Yurchikhin , is a Russian cosmonaut and RSC Energia test-pilot who has flown on three spaceflights. His first spaceflight was a 10-day Space Shuttle mission STS-112. His second was a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station as a Flight Engineer for Expedition... Mikhail KorniyenkoMikhail Korniyenko Mikhail Borisovich Korniyenko is a Russian cosmonaut.-Personal:... |
Replaced an ATV video camera on Zvezda, routed command and data handling lines from Zvezda and Zarya to the new Rassvet Rassvet (ISS module) Rassvet , also known as the Mini-Research Module 1 and formerly known as the Docking Cargo Module , is a component of the International Space Station . The module's design is similar to the Mir Docking Module launched on STS-74 in 1995. Rassvet is primarily used for cargo storage and as a docking... module as well as made KURS connections between Rassvet and Zarya to allow future automated dockings to the new module. Then the two cosmonauts jettisoned the old ATV video camera. |
| 7 August 11:19 |
8 hours 3 minutes |
19:22 | Expedition 24 ISS Quest |
Tracy Caldwell Dyson Tracy Caldwell Dyson Tracy Caldwell Dyson, PhD is an American chemist and NASA astronaut. Caldwell Dyson was a Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle Endeavour flight STS-118 in August 2007. She was part of the Expedition 24 crew on the International Space Station between April 4, 2010 and September 25, 2010... |
Attempted to replace failed S1 ammonia pump module. The spacewalkers did not complete all of the planned tasks due to a quick disconnect that got stuck and would not release. The pair had to complete a "bake-out" in order to ensure there was no ammonia on their suits before re-entering the Space Station. |
| 11 August 12:27 |
7 hours 26 minutes |
19:53 | Expedition 24 ISS Quest |
Douglas H. Wheelock Tracy Caldwell Dyson |
Completed removal of failed pump module from the S1 truss and began installation preparations on the replacement pump. |
| 16 August 10:20 |
7 hours 20 minutes |
17:40 | Expedition 24 ISS Quest |
Douglas H. Wheelock Tracy Caldwell Dyson |
Installed new pump module on the S1 truss. |
| 15 November 14:55 |
6 hours 27 minutes |
21:22 | Expedition 25 ISS Pirs |
Fyodor Yurchikhin Oleg Skripochka |
Install a multipurpose workstation on Zvezda, retrieve camera, retrieve kontur, install new materials experiment, collect samples below insulation. |
By country
| Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Europe |
6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | ||
| / | 31 | 30 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | With Russian assistance | |
| 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
By family
| Family | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angara | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Ariane | Europe |
6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| Atlas Atlas (rocket family) Atlas is a family of U.S. space launch vehicles. The original Atlas missile was designed in the late 1950s and produced by the Convair Division of General Dynamics, to be used as an intercontinental ballistic missile... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Delta | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Falcon 9 Falcon 9 Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants... |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| H-II | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Jericho | |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Long March | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Minotaur | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| R-7 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | ||
| R-14 R-14 Usovaya The R-14 Chusovaya was a theatre ballistic missile developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was given the NATO reporting name SS-5 Skean and was known by GRAU index 8K65. It was designed by Mikhail Kuzmich Yangel. Chusovaya is the name of a river in Russia... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| R-36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| SLV Satellite Launch Vehicle The Indian Satellite Launch Vehicle or SLV was a project started in the early 1970s by Indian Space Research Organisation to develop the technology needed to launch satellites. The project was headed by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. SLV was intended to reach a height of 400 km and carry a payload of... |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Space Shuttle Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons... |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Universal Rocket Universal Rocket The Universal Rocket or UR family of missiles and carrier rockets is a Russian, previously Soviet rocket family. Intended to allow the same technology to be used in all Soviet rockets, the UR is produced by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre. Several variants were originally... |
14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | ||
By type
| Rocket | Country | Family | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ariane 5 Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... |
Europe |
Ariane | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| Atlas V Atlas V Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance... |
Atlas | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Delta II Delta II Delta II was an American space launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II is part of the Delta rocket family and was in service from 1989 until November 1, 2011... |
Delta | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Delta IV | Delta | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Dnepr | R-36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Falcon 9 Falcon 9 Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants... |
Falcon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| GSLV Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation... |
SLV | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| H-IIA H-IIA H-IIA is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency . The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch an interplanetary... |
H-II | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Kosmos Kosmos (rocket family) The Kosmos rockets are a series of Soviet and subsequently Russian rockets, derived from the R-12 and R-14 missiles, the most well known of which is the Kosmos-3M, which has made over 440 launches, and is still in service... |
R-12/R-14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 2 | Long March | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 3 | Long March | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 4 | Long March | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Minotaur IV Minotaur IV Minotaur IV, also known as Peacekeeper SLV and OSP-2 PK is an active expendable launch system derived from the Peacekeeper missile. It is operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010, carrying the HTV-2a Hypersonic Test Vehicle... |
Minotaur | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| Molniya Molniya (rocket) Molniya 8K78 was a modification of the well-known R-7 Semyorka rocket and had four stages.This derivative of the original three stage Vostok rocket was especially designed to bring high flying satellites into orbit or to launch probes to other planets. The first launch of this rocket was on... |
R-7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | |
| Naro | |
Angara | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Proton | Universal Rocket | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | ||
| PSLV Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle , commonly known by its abbreviation PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation . It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that... |
SLV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Shavit Shavit Shavit is a space launch vehicle produced by Israel to launch small satellites into low earth orbit. It was first launched on September 19, 1988 , making Israel the eighth country to have a space launch capability after the USSR, United States, France, Japan, People's Republic of China, United... |
Jericho | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Soyuz | R-7 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Space Shuttle Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons... |
Space Shuttle | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| UR-100 UR-100 The UR-100 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed and deployed by the Soviet Union from 1966 to 1996. УР in its designation stands for "универсальная ракета"... |
Universal Rocket | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
By configuration
| Rocket | Country | Type | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ariane 5ECA Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales... |
Europe |
Ariane 5 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| Atlas V Atlas V Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance... 401 |
Atlas V | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Atlas V Atlas V Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance... 501 |
Atlas V | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| Atlas V Atlas V Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance... 531 |
Atlas V | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| Delta II Delta II Delta II was an American space launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II is part of the Delta rocket family and was in service from 1989 until November 1, 2011... 7420 |
Delta II | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | |
| Delta IV-M+(4,2) | Delta IV | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Delta IV-H | Delta IV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Dnepr-1 | Dnepr | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Falcon 9 Falcon 9 Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants... |
Falcon 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| GSLV Mk.I Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation... |
GSLV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| GSLV Mk.II Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation... |
GSLV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| H-IIA H-IIA H-IIA is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency . The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch an interplanetary... 202 |
H-IIA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Kosmos-3M | Kosmos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 2D Long March 2D The Long March 2D , also known as the Chang Zheng 2D, CZ-2D and LM-2D, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is a 2-stage carrier rocket mainly used for launching LEO and SSO satellites. It is mainly launched from areas 2B and 2S at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center but can be launched from China's... |
Long March 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 3A Long March 3A The Long March 3A , also known as the Chang Zheng 3A, CZ-3A and LM-3A, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is a 3-stage rocket, and is usually used to place communications satellites and Beidou navigation satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits.It has formed the basis of the Long March... |
Long March 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 3B Long March 3B The Long March 3B , also known as the Chang Zheng 3B, CZ-3B and LM-3B, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre... |
Long March 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 3C Long March 3C The Long March 3C , also known as the Chang Zheng 3C, CZ-3C and LM-3C, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. A 3-stage rocket with two strapon liquid rocket boosters, it is a member of the Long March 3 rocket family, and... |
Long March 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 4B Long March 4B The Long March 4B , also known as the Chang Zheng 4B, CZ-4B and LM-4B is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Launched from Launch Complex 1 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre, it is a 3-stage rocket, used mostly to place satellites into low Earth and sun synchronous orbits... |
Long March 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Long March 4C Long March 4C The Long March 4C, also known as the Chang Zheng 4C, CZ-4C and LM-4C, previously designated Long March 4B-II, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from the Jiuquan and Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centres, and consists of 3 stages... |
Long March 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Minotaur IV Minotaur IV Minotaur IV, also known as Peacekeeper SLV and OSP-2 PK is an active expendable launch system derived from the Peacekeeper missile. It is operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010, carrying the HTV-2a Hypersonic Test Vehicle... |
Minotaur IV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| Minotaur IV Minotaur IV Minotaur IV, also known as Peacekeeper SLV and OSP-2 PK is an active expendable launch system derived from the Peacekeeper missile. It is operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and made its maiden flight on 22 April 2010, carrying the HTV-2a Hypersonic Test Vehicle... /HAPS |
Minotaur IV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Maiden flight | |
| Molniya-M Molniya-M The Molniya-M , designation 8K78M, was a Russian carrier rocket derived from the R-7 Semyorka ICBM. First launched in 1964, it had replaced its predecessor, Molniya, by the end of 1965... /2BL |
Molniya | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | |
| Naro-1 | |
Naro | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Proton-M Proton-M The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally... /DM-2 |
Proton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Proton-M Proton-M The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally... /DM-03 |
Proton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Proton-M Proton-M The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally... /Briz-M Briz-M The Briz-M , is a Russian orbit insertion upper stage manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M rocket.- Characteristics :... |
Proton | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | ||
| PSLV-CA Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle , commonly known by its abbreviation PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation . It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that... |
PSLV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Rokot/Briz-KM | UR-100 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Shavit-2 | Shavit | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat Fregat Fregat is a type of rocket stage developed by NPO Lavochkin in the 1990s. Its main engine is a liquid propellant rocket that uses UDMH and N2O4 as propellants.- Specifications :... |
Soyuz | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Soyuz-U Soyuz-U The Soyuz-U launch vehicle is an improved version of the original Soyuz LV. Soyuz-U is part of the R-7 family of rockets based on the R-7 Semyorka missile. Members of this rocket family were designed by the TsSKB design bureau and constructed at the Progress Factory in Samara, Russia.... |
Soyuz | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Soyuz-FG Soyuz-FG The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle is an improved version of the Soyuz-U, from the R-7 family of rockets, designed and constructed by TsSKB-Progress in Samara... |
Soyuz | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Space Shuttle Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons... |
Space Shuttle | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
By launch site
| Site | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baikonur Baikonur Cosmodrome The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level... |
24 | 23 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Cape Canaveral Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads... |
8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Dombarovsky Dombarovsky Dombarovsky is an interceptor aircraft base in Orenburg Oblast, Russia located 6 km northwest of the village of Dombarovsky, near Yasny... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Jiuquan Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is a People's Republic of China space vehicle launch facility .The facility is part of Dongfeng Aerospace City , and is located in the Gobi desert, Ejin Banner , Alxa League , Inner Mongolia, situated about 1,600 km from Beijing.- History :It was founded in 1958,... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Kennedy Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program... |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Kodiak Kodiak Launch Complex The Kodiak Launch Complex is a commercial rocket launch facility for sub-orbital and orbital space launch vehiclesowned and operated by the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, a public corporation of the State of Alaska.... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Kourou | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Naro | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Palmachim Palmachim Airbase Palmachim Air Force Base is an Israeli military facility and spaceport located near the cities of Rishon LeZion and Yavne on the Mediterranean Sea. It is named after nearby Kibbutz Palmachim on the Mediterranean shore.... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Plesetsk Plesetsk Cosmodrome Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:... |
6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Satish Dhawan Satish Dhawan Space Centre The Satish Dhawan Space Centre is the launch centre for the Indian Space Research Organisation . It is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, north of Chennai in South India. It was originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range , and was sometime known as Sriharikota Launching Range... |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Taiyuan Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center also known as Base 25 , is a People's Republic of China space and defence launch facility . It is situated in Kelan County, Xinzhou Prefecture, Shanxi Province and is the second of three launch sites having been founded in March 1966 and coming into full... |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Tanegashima Tanegashima Space Center The is one of Japan's space development facilities. It is located on Tanegashima, an island located 115 km south of Kyūshū. It was established in 1969 when the National Space Development Agency of Japan was formed... |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Vandenberg Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Xichang Xichang Satellite Launch Center The Xichang Satellite Launch Center also known as Base 27 , is a People’s Republic of China space vehicle launch facility approximately 64 km northwest of Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province.... |
8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | ||
By orbit
| Orbital regime | Launches | Successes | Failures | Accidentally Achieved |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Earth Low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km... |
37 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 12 to ISS |
| Medium Earth Medium Earth Orbit Medium Earth orbit , sometimes called intermediate circular orbit , is the region of space around the Earth above low Earth orbit and below geostationary orbit .... |
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Geosynchronous Geosynchronous orbit A geosynchronous orbit is an orbit around the Earth with an orbital period that matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period... /transfer |
28 | 26 | 2 | 0 | |
| High Earth High Earth orbit A High Earth Orbit is a geocentric orbit whose apogee lies above that of a geosynchronous orbit .Highly Elliptical Orbits are a subset of High Earth Orbits.-Examples of satellites in High Earth Orbit:... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Including highly elliptical Highly Elliptical Orbit A highly elliptical orbit is an elliptic orbit with a low-altitude perigee and a high-altitude apogee. It is a type of high Earth orbit.... , Molniya Molniya orbit Molniya orbit is a type of highly elliptical orbit with an inclination of 63.4 degrees, an argument of perigee of -90 degree and an orbital period of one half of a sidereal day... and lunar transfer orbits |
| Heliocentric orbit Heliocentric orbit A heliocentric orbit is an orbit around the Sun. All planets, comets, and asteroids in our Solar System are in such orbits, as are many artificial probes and pieces of debris. The moons of planets in the Solar System, by contrast, are not in heliocentric orbits as they orbit their respective planet... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Including planetary transfer orbits |