2003 in spaceflight

This article outlines notable events occurring in 2003 in spaceflight, including major launches and EVAs. The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on 1 February 2003.

2003 in spaceflight
Space Shuttle Columbia launches on its last mission, STS-107. The orbiter disintegrated during reentry, killing all seven crew.
Orbital launches
First11 January
Last29 December
Total63
Successes60
Failures3
Partial failures0
Catalogued61
National firsts
Satellite Greece
 Nigeria
Space traveller China
 Israel
Rockets
Maiden flightsAtlas V 521
Delta II Heavy
Delta IV Medium
Strela
RetirementsAriane 4 44L
Ariane 5G
Space Shuttle Columbia
Titan 23G
Crewed flights
Orbital4
Total travellers13
Columbia at approximately 13:57 UTC on 1 February. Debris is already starting to come off from the left wing.

Launches

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

January

6 January
14:19
Titan 23G Vandenberg SLC-4W Lockheed Martin
Coriolis US Air Force Low Earth Technology developmentIn orbitOperational
9 January
03:17
Agni-I Balasore IC-4 IDRDL
IDRDL Suborbital Missile test9 JanuarySuccessful
13 January
00:45
Delta II 7320-10C Vandenberg SLC-2W Boeing IDS
ICESat NASA Low Earth Oceanography30 August 2010
09:00[1]
Partial spacecraft failure
CHIPSat NASA Low Earth AstrophysicsIn orbitOperational
Laser reliability issues limited ICESat operations. ICESat deactivated in February 2010 following failure of last laser in October 2009.
16 January
20:39
Space Shuttle Columbia Kennedy Space Center LC-39A United Space Alliance
STS-107 NASA Low Earth Research1 February
13:59
Failure
Spacehab-RDM NASA Low Earth (Columbia) Microgravity and Earth science research
EDO Pallet NASA Low Earth (Columbia) Cryogenic mission duration extension pallet
Crewed orbital flight with 7 astronauts, including the first Israeli space traveler
Final flight of Space Shuttle Columbia, disintegrated during re-entry resulting in loss of crew and vehicle.
25 January
20:13
Pegasus-XL Stargazer, Cape Canaveral Orbital Sciences
SORCE NASA Low Earth investigate total solar irradianceIn orbitOperational
29 January
18:06
Delta II 7925-9.5 Cape Canaveral SLC-17B Boeing IDS
GPS IIR-8 (USA-166) US Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
XSS-10 US Air Force Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitSuccessful
XSS-10 deactivated 30 January 2003

February

2 February
12:59
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roskosmos
Progress M-47 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics27 AugustSuccessful
ISS flight 10P
15 February
07:00
Ariane 4 44L Kourou ELA-2 Arianespace
Intelsat 907 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Final flight of Ariane 4 44L

March

11 March
00:59
Delta IV Medium Cape Canaveral SLC-37B Boeing IDS
DSCS III A-3 (USA-167) US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Maiden flight of Delta IV Medium
26 March
06:00
Privthvi-2 Balasore IDRDL
IDRDL Suborbital Missile test26 MarchSuccessful
28 March
01:27
H-IIA 2024 Tanegashima LA-Y1
IGS-1A Japanese Government Low Earth Reconnaissance18 July 2014Successful
IGS-1B Japanese Government Low Earth Reconnaissance26 July 2012Partial spacecraft failure
IGS-1B lost power in 2007, and concluded operations after just over half of its design life[2]
31 March
22:09
Delta II 7925-9.5 Cape Canaveral SLC-17A Boeing IDS
GPS IIR-9 (USA-168) US Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational

April

2 April
01:53
Molniya-M Plesetsk Site 16/2 VKS
Molniya 1-92 VKS Molniya CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
8 April
14:43
Titan IVB (401)/Centaur Cape Canaveral SLC-40 Lockheed Martin
Milstar 6 (USA-169) US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
9 April
22:52
Ariane 5G Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
INSAT 3A ISRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Galaxy 12 PanAmSat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
12 April
00:47
Atlas IIIB Cape Canaveral SLC-36B International Launch Services
AsiaSat 4 AsiaSat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
26 April
03:53
Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roskosmos
Soyuz TMA-2 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS Expedition 728 OctoberSuccessful
Crewed orbital flight with 2 cosmonauts
24 April
04:23
Proton-K/DM-2 Baikonur Site 81/24 VKS
Kosmos 2397 VKS Geosynchronous Missile warningIn orbitOperational
28 April
12:00
Pegasus-XL Stargazer, Cape Canaveral Orbital Sciences
GALEX NASA Low Earth Ultraviolet astronomyIn orbitOperational
29 April
05:50
Prithvi-2 Balasore IDRDL
IDRDL Suborbital Missile test29 AprilSuccessful

May

8 May
11:28
GSLV Satish Dhawan ISRO
GSAT-2 ISRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
9 May
04:29
M-V Uchinoura
Hayabusa (MUSES-C) ISAS Heliocentric Asteroid sample-return probe13 June 2010Partial spacecraft failure
MINERVA ISAS Heliocentric Asteroid landerIn orbitSpacecraft failure
Explored asteroid 1998 SF36
13 May
22:10
Atlas V 401 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 International Launch Services
HellasSat 2 Hellas-Sat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
First Greek satellite
24 May
16:34
Long March 3A Xichang
Beidou 2A Geosynchronous NavigationIn orbitOperational

June

2 June
17:45
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Baikonur Site 31/6 Starsem
Mars Express ESA Areocentric Mars probeIn orbitOperational
Beagle 2 ESA Heliocentric Mars lander25 December 2003Spacecraft failure
Maiden flight of Soyuz-FG/Fregat
Beagle 2 failed to contact Earth after landing on Mars
4 June
19:23
Kosmos-3M Plesetsk Site 132/1 VKS
Kosmos 2398 MO RF Low Earth In orbitOperational
6 June
22:15
Proton-K/Briz-M Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services
AMC-9 SES Americom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
8 June
10:34
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roskosmos
Progress M1-10 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics
Earth observation
3 OctoberSuccessful
ISS flight 11P
10 June
13:55
Zenit-3SL Ocean Odyssey Sea Launch
Thuraya 2 Thuraya Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
10 June
17:58
Delta II 7925 Cape Canaveral SLC-17A Boeing IDS
Spirit (MER-A/MER-2) NASA Heliocentric Mars rover4 January 2004Operational
Spirit lander NASA Heliocentric Mars lander4 January 2004Successful
11 June
22:38
Ariane 5G Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Optus C1 Optus/Australian Government Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
BSAT-2C BSAT Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
19 June
20:00
Molniya-M Plesetsk Site 43/3 VKS
Molniya 3-53 VKS Molniya CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
26 June
18:55
Pegasus-XL Stargazer, Vandenberg Orbital Sciences
Orbview 3 Orbview Low Earth Imaging3 March 2011Satellite failure
Ceased operations on 4 March 2007 after camera malfunction
30 June
14:15
Rokot/Briz-KM Plesetsk Eurockot
MIMOSA Low Earth 18 December 2011Successful
DTUSat Low Earth In orbitOperational
MOST Low Earth Space telescopeIn orbitOperational
Cute-I Low Earth In orbitOperational
QuakeSat Stanford University Low Earth Earth observationIn orbitOperational
AAU-Cubesat Low Earth In orbitOperational
Can X-1 Low Earth In orbitOperational
Cubesat XI Low Earth In orbitOperational
Cubesat XII Low Earth In orbitOperational
Cubesat XIII Low Earth In orbitOperational
Cubesat XIV Low Earth In orbitOperational
Monitor-E Low Earth In orbitOperational

July

8 July
04:18
Delta II 7925H Cape Canaveral SLC-17B Boeing IDS
Opportunity (MER-B/MER-1) NASA Heliocentric Mars roverIn orbitOperational
Opportunity lander NASA Heliocentric Mars landerIn orbitSuccessful
Maiden flight of Delta II Heavy
17 July
23:45
Atlas V 521 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 International Launch Services
Rainbow-1 Cablevision Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Maiden flight of Atlas V 521

August

8 August
03:31
Zenit-3SL Ocean Odyssey Sea Launch
Echostar 9 (Telstar 13) EchoStar Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
12 August
14:20
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 31/6 VKS
Kosmos 2399 Low Earth Reconnaissance9 DecemberFailure
Film capsule failed to deorbit
13 August
02:09
Pegasus-XL Stargazer, Vandenberg Orbital Sciences
SCISAT-1 CSA Low Earth Atmospheric researchIn orbitOperational
19 August
10:50
Kosmos-3M Plesetsk Site 132/1 VKS
Kosmos 2400 (Strela 3) Low Earth In orbitOperational
Kosmos 2401 (Strela 3) Low Earth In orbitOperational
22 August
16:30
VLS-1 Alcântara
SATEC Intended: Low Earth Never left groundLaunch failure
Unosat Intended: Low Earth Never left ground
Rocket exploded on the launch pad
25 August
05:35
Delta II 7920H Cape Canaveral SLC-17B Boeing IDS
Spitzer Space Telescope (SIRTF) NASA Heliocentric Infrared astronomyIn orbitOperational
29 August
01:47
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roskosmos
Progress M-48 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) Logistics28 January 2004Successful
ISS flight 12P
29 August
23:13
Delta IV Medium Cape Canaveral SLC-37B Boeing IDS
DSCS III B-6 (USA-170) US Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational

September

9 September
04:29
Titan IVB (401)/Centaur Cape Canaveral SLC-40 Lockheed Martin
Mentor-3 (USA-171) NRO Geosynchronous ELINTIn orbitOperational
16 September Kaituozhe-1 Taiyuan
PS-2 Intended: Low Earth Microsat16 SeptemberLaunch failure
Fourth stage failed to ignite
27 September
06:11
Kosmos-3M Plesetsk Site 132/1 VKS
Mozhaets-4 Low Earth In orbitOperational
NigeriaSat-1 Low Earth In orbitOperational
UK-DMC Low Earth In orbitOperational
BILSAT-1 Low Earth In orbitOperational
Larets Low Earth In orbitOperational
STSat-1 Low Earth In orbitOperational
Rubin-4-DSI Low Earth In orbitOperational
NigeriaSat-1 is the first Nigerian satellite
27 September
23:14
Ariane 5G Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Eurobird 3 Eutelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
INSAT 3E ISRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitSuccessful[3]
SMART-1 ESA Selenocentric Lunar probe27 September 2006
05:42:22
Successful
Final flight of Ariane 5G

October

1 October
04:02
Zenit-3SL Ocean Odyssey Sea Launch
Galaxy 13 (Horizons 1) PanAmSat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitoperational
15 October
01:00
Long March 2F Jiuquan
Shenzhou 5 Low Earth 15 October
22:53
Successful
Shenzhou spacecraft orbital module Low Earth Reconnaissance30 May 2004Successful
Crewed orbital flight with 1 astronaut (Yang Liwei), first Chinese space traveller and indigenous crewed spaceflight
17 October
04:54
PSLV Satish Dhawan ISRO
RESOURCESAT-1 (IRS-P6) ISRO Low Earth Earth observationIn orbitOperational
18 October
05:38
Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roskosmos
Soyuz TMA-3 Roskosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS Expedition 830 April 2004Successful
Crewed orbital flight with 3 cosmonauts
18 October
16:17
Titan 23G/Star 37 Vandenberg SLC-4W Lockheed Martin
DMSP 5D-2 (USA-172) US Air Force Low Earth Weather satelliteIn orbitOperational
Final flight of Titan 23G
21 October
03:16
Long March 4B Taiyuan
Zi Yuan 1-2 (CBERS-2) CAAC/INPE Low Earth Earth resourcesIn orbitOperational
Chuangxin-1 CAS Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
30 October
13:43
Rockot/Briz-KM Plesetsk Site 133 Eurockot
SERVIS-1 Low Earth In orbitOperational

November

3 November
07:20
Long March 2D Jiuquan
FSW-18 (FSW-3) SAST Low Earth Imaging18 DecemberSuccessful
14 November
16:34
Long March 3A Xichang
Zhongxing 20 Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
24 November
06:22
Proton-K/DM-2M Baikonur Site 81/23 VKS
Yamal-201 Gazprom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Yamal 202 Gazprom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
29 November
04:33
H-IIA 2024 Tanegashima LA-Y1
IGS-2A Japanese Government Low Earth ReconnaissanceT+60 secondsLaunch failure
IGS-2B Low Earth Reconnaissance
SRB failed to separate. Destroyed by RSO.

December

2 December
10:04
Atlas IIAS Vandenberg SLC-3E
NOSS-3 (USA-173) NRO Low Earth Naval SIGINTIn orbitOperational
NOSS-3 (USA-173) NRO Low Earth Naval SIGINTIn orbitOperational
NRO launch 18
5 December
06:00
Strela Baikonur Site 175 VKS
Gruzomaket Low Earth In orbitSuccessful
Maiden flight of Strela rocket
10 December
17:42
Proton-K/Briz-M Baikonur Site 81/24 VKS
Kosmos 2402 (GLONASS) KNITs Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
Kosmos 2403 (GLONASS) KNITs Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
Kosmos 2404 (GLONASS) KNITs Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
18 December
02:30
Atlas IIIB Cape Canaveral SLC-36B International Launch Services
UHF F/O F11 (USA-174) US Navy Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
21 December
08:05
Delta II 7925-9.5 Cape Canaveral SLC-17A Boeing IDS
GPS IIR-10 (USA-175) US Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational
24 December Sounding Rocket III Jiu Peng Air Base NSPO
NSPO Suborbital Ionospheric research24 DecemberSuccessful
Apogee: ~280 km (174 mi)
27 December
21:30
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Baikonur Site 31/6 Starsem
AMOS-2 Spacecom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
28 December
20:37
Proton-K/DM-2M Baikonur Site 200/39 VKS
Ekspress AM22 RSCC Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
29 December
19:06
Long March 2C Xichang
Tan Ce 1 (Double Star 1) CNSA/ESA High Earth (High-eccentricity) Magnetosphere research14 October 2007Successful

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (GMT) Spacecraft Event Remarks
19 JuneNozomi3rd flyby of the Earth
21 SeptemberGalileoDeorbited into the Jovian atmosphere
9 DecemberNozomiFlyby of MarsDamaged by solar flares
24 DecemberBeagle 2Crashed at Isidis Planitia, Mars
24 DecemberMars ExpressAreocentric orbit injection

EVAs

Start Date/Time Duration End Time Spacecraft Crew Function Remarks
15 January
12:50
6 hours
51 minutes
19:41 Expedition 6
ISS Quest
Kenneth Bowersox
Donald Pettit
Released the remaining launch locks on the P1 radiator assembly, removed debris on a sealing ring of Unity's docking port, and tested an ammonia reservoir on the station's P6 truss.[4]
8 April
12:40
6 hours
26 minutes
19:06 Expedition 6
ISS Quest
Kenneth Bowersox
Donald Pettit
Reconfigured cables on the S0 (S-Zero), S1 and P1 trusses, replaced a Power Control Module on the Mobile Transporter, installed Spool Positioning Devices on Destiny, and reinstalled a thermal cover on an S1 Radiator Beam Valve Module.[4]

Orbital launch summary

By country

China: 7Europe: 4India: 2Brazil: 1Russia: 21Ukraine: 3USA: 23Japan: 3
Country Launches Successes Failures Partial
failures
Remarks
 China7610
 Europe4400
 India2200
 Japan3210
 Brazil1010
 Russia212100
 Ukraine3300
 United States232210
World646040

By rocket

By family

By type

By configuration

By spaceport

5
10
15
20
25
30
Brazil
China
France
India
International waters
Japan
Kazakhstan
Russia
United States
Site Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks
Alcântara Brazil1010
Baikonur Kazakhstan141400
Cape Canaveral United States161600Two launches used Stargazer aircraft
Jiuquan China2200
Kennedy United States1010
Kourou France4400
Ocean Odyssey International waters3300
Plesetsk Russia7700
Satish Dhawan India2200
Taiyuan China2110
Tanegashima Japan2110
Uchinoura Japan1100
Vandenberg United States6600Two launches used Stargazer aircraft
Xichang China3300
Total646040

By orbit

5
10
15
20
25
30
  •   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
Transatmospheric0000
Low Earth2926305 to ISS
Medium Earth / Molniya6600
Geosynchronous / GTO232300
High Earth / Lunar transfer1100
Heliocentric / Planetary transfer5500
Total646130

References

Generic references:
Spaceflight portal
  • 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).

Footnotes

  1. http://reentrynews.aero.org/2003002a.html
  2. Blau, Patrick (31 July 2012). "IGS 1B Re-Entry". Spaceflight 101. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/after-10-years-in-orbit-insat3e-expires/article5859974.ece
  4. NASA (2003). "Expedition Six Spacewalks". NASA. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.


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