2004 in spaceflight

This article outlines notable events occurring in 2004 in spaceflight, including major launches and EVAs. 2004 saw the flight of the first privately funded manned spaceflight.

2004 in spaceflight
SpaceShipOne landing after Flight 15P, the first privately funded manned spaceflight
Orbital launches
First 11 January
Last 26 December
Total 54
Successes 50
Failures 1
Partial failures 3
Catalogued 53
Rockets
Maiden flights Ariane 5G+
Delta IV Heavy
Soyuz-2.1a (suborbital)
Retirements Ariane 5G+
Atlas IIAS
Atlas IIIA
Crewed flights
Orbital 2
Suborbital 3
Total travellers 8

Launches

Date and time (UTC) Rocket Launch site LSP
Payload
(⚀ = CubeSat)
Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome
Remarks
11 January
04:13
UkraineZenit-3SL NorwayOcean Odyssey United NationsSea Launch
Estrela do Sul 1 (Telstar 14) Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Partial spacecraft failure
One of the payload's solar panels did not deploy, and several transponders were disabled. Its replacement, Telstar 14R, launched in 2011, suffered a similar issue.
29 January
11:58
RussiaSoyuz-U KazakhstanBaikonur Site 1/5 RussiaRoskosmos
RussiaProgress M1-11 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics3 JuneSuccessful
ISS flight 13P
5 February
23:46
United StatesAtlas IIAS United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-36A RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
United StatesAMC-10 SES Americom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
14 February
18:50
United StatesTitan IVB (402)/IUS United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-40 United StatesLockheed Martin
United StatesDSP-22 US Air Force Geosynchronous Missile warningIn orbitOperational
18 February
07:05
RussiaMolniya-M RussiaPlesetsk Site 16/2 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2405 Molniya Missile warningIn orbitOperational
2 March
07:17
European UnionAriane 5G+ FranceKourou ELA-3 FranceArianespace
European UnionRosetta ESA Heliocentric Comet probe30 September 2016Successful
European UnionPhilae ESA Heliocentric Comet lander9 July 2015Successful
Maiden flight of Ariane 5G+
Studied the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and asteroids 2867 Šteins and 21 Lutetia
13 March
05:40
United StatesAtlas IIIA United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-36B RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
MBSat MBSAT Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Final flight of Atlas IIIA
15 March
23:06
RussiaProton-M/Briz-M KazakhstanBaikonur Site 81/24 RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
FranceEutelsat W3A Eutelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
20 March
17:53
United StatesDelta II 7925 United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-17B United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesGPS IIR-11 US Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
27 March
03:30
RussiaProton-K/DM-2 KazakhstanBaikonur Site 81/23 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2406 (Raduga-1) Russian military Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
16 April
00:45
United StatesAtlas IIAS United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-36A RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
JapanSuperbird 6 SCC Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
18 April
15:59
ChinaLong March 2C ChinaJiuquan China
ChinaTansuo 1 (Shiyan 1) University of Harbin Low Earth Land resource mappingIn orbitOperational
ChinaNaxing 1 Tsinghua University Low Earth Earth imagingIn orbitOperational
19 April
03:19
RussiaSoyuz-FG KazakhstanBaikonur Site 1/5 RussiaRoskosmos
RussiaSoyuz TMA-4 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS Expedition 924 OctoberSuccessful
Manned orbital flight with 3 cosmonauts
20 April
16:57
United StatesDelta II 7920 United StatesVandenberg SLC-2W United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesGravity Probe B NASA Low Earth Test Einstein's Theory of relativityIn orbitSuccessful
26 April
20:37
RussiaProton-K/DM-2M KazakhstanBaikonur Site 200/39
RussiaEkspress AM11 RSCC Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
4 May
12:42
UkraineZenit-3SL NorwayOcean Odyssey United NationsSea Launch
United StatesDirecTV-7S DirecTV Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
17 May
11:12
United StatesGoFast United StatesBlack Rock Desert, Nevada, USA United StatesCSXT
United States CSXT Suborbital Test spacecraft17 MaySuccessful
First amateur space launch (apogee: 116 km)[1]
19 May
22:22
United StatesAtlas IIAS United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-36B RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
United StatesAMC-11 SES Americom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
20 May
17:47
United StatesTaurus 3120 United StatesVandenberg LC-576E United StatesOrbital Sciences
TaiwanFORMOSAT-2 (ROCSAT-2) NSPO Low Earth Earth imagingIn orbitOperational
25 May
12:34
RussiaSoyuz-U KazakhstanBaikonur Site 1/5 RussiaRoskosmos
RussiaProgress M-49 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics30 JulySuccessful
ISS flight 14P
28 May
06:00
UkraineTsyklon-2 KazakhstanBaikonur Site 90/20 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2405 VMF Low Earth ReconnaissanceIn orbitOperational
10 June
01:28
UkraineZenit-2 KazakhstanBaikonur Site 45/1 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2406 VKS Low Earth Signals intelligenceIn orbitOperational
16 June
22:27
RussiaProton-M/Briz-M KazakhstanBaikonur Site 200/39 RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
United NationsIntelsat 10-02 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
21 June
14:47
United StatesSpaceShipOne United StatesWhite Knight, Mojave Spaceport United StatesScaled Composites
United StatesFlight 15P Scaled Composites Suborbital Test spacecraft21 JuneSuccessful
Manned sub-orbital flight with 1 astronaut (Mike Melvill)
First privately funded manned spaceflight
Maiden flight of SpaceShipOne as a spacecraft
23 June
22:54
United StatesDelta II 7925 United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-17B United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesGPS IIR-12 US Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
29 June
03:59
UkraineZenit-3SL NorwayOcean Odyssey United NationsSea Launch
Telstar 18 Loral/Apstar Intended: Geosynchronous
Achieved: Medium Earth
CommunicationsIn orbitPartial launch failure
Premature cutout left payload in useless orbit
29 June
06:30
UkraineDnepr KazakhstanBaikonur Site 109/95 RussiaISC Kosmotras
LatinSat D (AprizeSat 2) Aprize Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
FranceDemeter CNES Low Earth SeismologyIn orbitOperational
Saudi ArabiaSaudiComsat 1 RSRI Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Saudi ArabiaSaudiComsat 2 RSRI Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Saudi ArabiaSaudiSat 2 RSRI Low Earth Earth imagingIn orbitOperational
LatinSat C (AprizeSat 1) Aprize Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
ItalyUnisat 3 Sapienza University of Rome Low Earth Technology developmentIn orbitOperational
United StatesAmsat Echo AMSAT Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
15 July
10:02
United StatesDelta II 7920-10L United StatesVandenberg SLC-2W United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesAura NASA Sun-synchronous (A-train) Atmospheric researchIn orbitOperational
18 July
00:44
European UnionAriane 5G+ FranceKourou ELA-3 FranceArianespace
CanadaAnik F2 Telesat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
22 July
17:46
RussiaKosmos-3M RussiaPlesetsk Site 132/1 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2409 (Parus) Low Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
25 July
07:05
ChinaLong March 2C ChinaTaiyuan China
ChinaEuropean UnionTan Ce 2 CASC/ESA High Earth (High-eccentricity) Magnetosphere researchIn orbitOperational
3 August
07:18
United StatesDelta II 7925H United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-17B United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesMESSENGER NASA Mercurian Mercury probe30 April 2015Successful
Became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury on 4 April 2011
4 August
22:32
RussiaProton-M/Briz-M KazakhstanBaikonur Site 200/39 RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
SpainAmazonas Hispasat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
11 August
05:03
RussiaSoyuz-U KazakhstanBaikonur Site 1/5 RussiaRoskosmos
RussiaProgress M-50 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics22 DecemberSuccessful
ISS flight 15P
29 August
07:50
ChinaLong March 2C ChinaJiuquan China
ChinaFSW-19 (FSW-2) Geosynchronous Earth imaging7 November
23:55
Successful
31 August
23:17
United StatesAtlas IIAS United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-36A RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
United StatesSDS-3-4 (USA-179) NRO Geosynchronous ClassifiedIn orbitOperational
Final flight of Atlas IIAS
6 September
10:35
IsraelShavit-1 IsraelPalmachim Israel
IsraelOfeq-6 Intended: Low Earth (retrograde) ReconnaissanceT+270Launch failure
Loss of control during third stage burn
8 September
23:14
ChinaLong March 4B ChinaTaiyuan China
ChinaShi Jian 6A CASC Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
ChinaShi Jian 6B CASC Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
20 September
10:31
IndiaGSLV IndiaSatish Dhawan IndiaISRO
IndiaEDUSAT (GSAT-3) ISRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
23 September
15:07
RussiaKosmos-3M RussiaPlesetsk Site 132/1 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2408 Russian military Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
RussiaKosmos 2409 Russian military Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
24 September
16:50
RussiaSoyuz-U RussiaPlestsk Site 16/2 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2410 Russian military Low Earth Reconnaissance9 January 2005Failure
Re-entry capsule could not be located
27 September
08:00
ChinaLong March 2D ChinaJiuquan China
ChinaFSW-20 (FSW-3) Low Earth Earth imagingIn orbitOperational
29 September
15:12
United StatesSpaceShipOne United StatesWhite Knight, Mojave Spaceport United StatesScaled Composites
United StatesFlight 16P Scaled Composites Suborbital Ansari X Prize qualification29 SeptemberSuccessful
Manned sub-orbital flight with 1 astronaut (Mike Melvill)
4 October
14:49
United StatesSpaceShipOne United StatesWhite Knight, Mojave Spaceport United StatesScaled Composites
United StatesFlight 17P Scaled Composites Suborbital Ansari X Prize qualification4 OctoberSuccessful
Manned sub-orbital flight with 1 astronaut (Brian Binnie)
Final flight of SpaceShipOne
14 October
03:06
RussiaSoyuz-FG KazakhstanBaikonur Site 1/5 RussiaRoskosmos
RussiaSoyuz TMA-5 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS Expedition 1024 April 2005Successful
Manned orbital flight with 3 cosmonauts
14 October
21:23
RussiaProton-M/Briz-M KazakhstanBaikonur Site 200/39 RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
United StatesAMC-15 SES Americom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
19 October
01:20
ChinaLong March 3A ChinaXichang China
ChinaFeng Yun 2C Geosynchronous Weather satelliteIn orbitOperational
29 October
22:11
RussiaProton-K/DM-2M KazakhstanBaikonur Site 200/39 Russia
RussiaEkspress AM-1 RSCC Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
6 November
03:10
ChinaLong March 4B ChinaTaiyuan China
ChinaZi Yuan 2C Geosynchronous Earth imagingIn orbitOperational
6 November
05:39
United StatesDelta II 7925 United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-17B United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesGPS IIR-13 US Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
8 November
18:30
RussiaSoyuz-2.1a RussiaPlesetsk Site 43/4 Russia
RussiaZenit-8 (Obilik) Suborbital Test carrier rocket8 NovemberSuccessful
Maiden flight of Soyuz-2.1a
18 November
10:45
ChinaLong March 2C ChinaXichang China
ChinaShiyan Weixing 2 Low Earth Earth observationIn orbitOperational
20 November
17:16
United StatesDelta II 7320 United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-17A United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesSwift NASA Low Earth Gamma-ray researchIn orbitOperational
14 December TaiwanSounding Rocket IV TaiwanJiu Peng Air Base TaiwanNSPO
NSPO Suborbital Ionospheric research14 DecemberSuccessful
Apogee: ~280 km (174 mi)
17 December
12:07
United StatesAtlas V 521 United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-41 RussiaUnited StatesInternational Launch Services
United StatesAMC-16 SES Americom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
18 December
16:26
European UnionAriane 5G+ FranceKourou ELA-3 FranceArianespace
FranceHelios 2A DGA Low Earth ReconnaissanceIn orbitOperational
SpainNanosat 01 INTA Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
FranceEssaim 1 DGA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational
FranceEssaim 2 DGA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational
FranceEssaim 3 DGA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational
FranceEssaim 4 DGA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational
FranceParasol CNES Sun-synchronous (A-train) AeronomyIn orbitOperational
Final flight of Ariane 5G+
21 December
21:50
United StatesDelta IV Heavy 9250H United StatesCape Canaveral SLC-37B United StatesBoeing IDS
United StatesDemoSat (USA-181) US Air Force Intended: Subsynchronous
Actual: Medium Earth
Test launch vehicleIn orbitPartial launch failure
United StatesSparkie (3CSat1) US Air Force Low Earth Cloud imaging22 DecemberSatellite failure
United StatesRalphie (3CSat2) US Air Force Low Earth Cloud imaging22 DecemberSatellite failure
Maiden flight of Delta IV Heavy
Premature cut-off of second stage (burn one) left all payloads in wrong orbits.
Both nanosats failed to contact ground after separation
22 December RussiaR-36 RussiaDombarovskiy RussiaRVSN
RussiaDummy warhead RVSN Suborbital Missile test22 DecemberSuccessful
23 December
22:19
RussiaSoyuz-U KazakhstanBaikonur Site 1/5 RussiaRoskomsos
RussiaProgress M-51 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics9 March 2005Successful
ISS flight 16P
24 December
11:20
UkraineTsyklon-3 RussiaPlesetsk Site 32/2 RussiaVKS
UkraineSich-1M NKAU Low Earth Earth observationIn orbitPartial launch failure
UkraineMK-1TS NKAU Low Earth Earth observation 
Both satellites placed into incorrect orbits due to premature third stage cutoff
26 December
13:53
RussiaProton-K/DM-2 KazakhstanBaikonur Site 200/39 RussiaVKS
RussiaKosmos 2411 (GLONASS) KNITs Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
RussiaKosmos 2412 (GLONASS) KNITs Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
RussiaKosmos 2413 (GLONASS) KNITs Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (GMT) Spacecraft Event Remarks
2 JanuaryStardustFlyby of 81P/Wild (Wild 2)Dust collection (samples returned to Earth in 2006)
3 JanuarySpiritLanding on MarsGusev Crater
24 JanuaryOpportunityLanding on MarsMeridiani Planum
4 FebruaryUlysses2nd flyby of Jupiter
19 MayHayabusaFlyby of the Earth
11 JuneCassiniFlyby of PhoebeClosest approach: 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi)
1 JulyCassiniFirst orbiter of SaturnSaturnian orbit injection
8 SeptemberGenesisCapsule crash-landing on Earth0.4 milligrams (0.0062 gr) of solar sample aboard
26 OctoberCassiniFlyby of TitanClosest approach: 1,200 kilometres (750 mi)
15 NovemberSMART-1Selenocentric orbit injectionFirst European Lunar mission
13 DecemberCassiniFlyby of TitanClosest approach: 2,336 kilometres (1,452 mi)

EVAs

Start Date/Time Duration End Time Spacecraft Crew Function Remarks
26 February
21:17
3 hours
55 minutes
27 February
01:12
Expedition 8
ISS Pirs
United Kingdom/United StatesMichael Foale
RussiaAlexander Kaleri
Replaced microgravity experiment cassette containers, attached the Russian experiment Matryoshka to Zvezda, and removed a JAXA micro-meteor impact experiment.[2] Reduced duration due a cooling system malfunction in Kaleri's spacesuit.
24 June
21:56
14 minutes 22:10 Expedition 9
ISS Pirs
RussiaGennady Padalka
United StatesMichael Fincke
Spacewalk cut short due to a pressure problem in Fincke's prime oxygen tank in his spacesuit.[3][4] Rescheduled for 30 June.
30 June
21:19
5 hours
40 minutes
1 July
02:59
Expedition 9
ISS Pirs
RussiaGennady Padalka
United StatesMichael Fincke
Replaced a Remote Power Controller (RPC) that failed in late April, causing a loss of power in Control Moment Gyroscope No. 2 (CMG 2).[3][5]
3 August
06:58
4 hours
30 minutes
11:28 Expedition 9
ISS Pirs
RussiaGennady Padalka
United StatesMichael Fincke
Removed laser retro reflectors from the Zvezda assembly compartment, and installed three updated laser retro reflectors and one internal videometer target in preparation for the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Installed two antennas, and removed and replaced Kromka experiment packages.[3][6]
3 September
16:43
5 hours
20 minutes
22:04 Expedition 9
ISS Pirs
RussiaGennady Padalka
United StatesMichael Fincke
Replaced the Zarya Control Module flow control panel, installed four safety tether fairleads on Zarya's handrails, installed three communications antennas, and removed covers from the antennas.[3][7]

Orbital launch summary

By country

China: 8Europe: 3India: 1International: 3Israel: 1Russia: 22USA: 16Circle frame.svg
Country Launches Successes Failures Partial
failures
Remarks
 China8800
 Europe3300
 India1100
United Nations International3201Sea Launch
 Israel1010
 Russia /
 CIS
222101
 United States161501
World545013

By rocket

Rocket Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks
Ariane 5G+ European Union Europe 3 3 0 0 Maiden and final flights
Atlas II  United States 4 4 0 0 Final flight
Atlas III  United States 1 1 0 0
Atlas V  United States 1 1 0 0
Delta II  United States 7 7 0 0
Delta IV  United States 1 0 0 1
Dnepr  Ukraine 1 1 0 0
GSLV Mk I(b)  India 1 1 0 0
Kosmos-3M  Russia 2 2 0 0
Long March 2C  People's Republic of China 4 4 0 0
Long March 2D  People's Republic of China 1 1 0 0
Long March 3A  People's Republic of China 1 1 0 0
Long March 4B  People's Republic of China 2 2 0 0
Molniya-M  Russia 1 1 0 0
Proton-K  Russia 4 4 0 0
Proton-M  Russia 4 4 0 0
Shavit-1  Israel 1 0 1 0
Soyuz-FG  Russia 2 2 0 0
Soyuz-U  Russia 5 5 0 0
Taurus-XL  United States 1 1 0 0
Titan IVB  United States 1 1 0 0
Tsyklon-2  Ukraine 1 1 0 0
Tsyklon-3  Ukraine 1 0 0 1
Zenit-2  Ukraine 1 1 0 0
Zenit-3SL  International 3 2 0 1

By orbit

Orbital regime Launches Successes Failures Accidentally
Achieved
Remarks
Low Earth orbit 26 25 1 0 6 to ISS
Medium Earth orbit 4 4 0 2
Geosynchronous/transfer 20 18 2 0
High Earth orbit 2 2 0 0 Molniya orbits
Heliocentric orbit 2 2 0 0 Including planetary transfer orbits

References

  • Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
  • Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
  • Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.
  • Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
  • Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report".
  • McDowell, Jonathan. "Jonathan's Space Report".
  • 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.
  • "Space Information Center". JAXA.
  • "Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).
Generic references:

Footnotes

  1. "GoFast". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. NASA (2004). "Expedition 8 Spacewalks". NASA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 NASA (2004). "Expedition 9 Spacewalks". NASA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  4. NASA (2004). "International Space Station Status Report #04-32". NASA. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  5. NASA (2004). "International Space Station Status Report #04-36". NASA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  6. NASA (2004). "International Space Station Status Report #04-43". NASA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  7. NASA (2004). "International Space Station Status Report #04-50". NASA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.