2012 in spaceflight

The year 2012 saw a number of significant events in spaceflight. In May and October, the first Commercial Orbital Transportation Services resupply missions took place, during which the SpaceX Dragon became the first private spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station (ISS). In June, China launched the crewed Shenzhou 9 orbital mission, and North Korea achieved its first successful orbital launch in December. 2012 also saw China's first successful asteroid exploration mission, and the landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars. The Vega and Unha-3 rockets made their maiden flights in 2012, while the Proton-K made its last.

2012 in spaceflight
The Dragon spacecraft (pictured) conducted the first COTS demonstration logistics flight in May 2012, becoming the first commercial spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station.
Orbital launches
First9 January
Last19 December
Total77
Successes72
Failures2
Partial failures3
Catalogued75
National firsts
Satellite Hungary
 Poland
 Romania
 Belarus
 North Korea
Orbital launch North Korea
Rockets
Maiden flightsDelta IV-M+ (5,2)
Unha-3
Vega
RetirementsProton-K
Crewed flights
Orbital5
Total travellers15
EVAs5

A total of 77 orbital launches were attempted in 2012, of which 72 were successful, three were partially successful and two were failures. Five crewed orbital missions were conducted over the course of the year, all successfully, carrying a total of 15 individuals into orbit. The year also saw five EVAs by ISS astronauts. The majority of the year's orbital launches were conducted by Russia, China and the United States, with 29, 19 and 13 launches respectively. A total of 139 payloads were launched during the year, including communication and navigation satellites, logistics spacecraft and scientific probes. Additionally, a large number of suborbital sounding rockets and ballistic missiles were launched by scientific and military organisations.

Overview of orbital spaceflight

A total of 77 orbital launches were attempted in 2012, with 72 being reported as successful, and a total of 139 payloads launched.[1] The three most prolific spacefaring nations were Russia, with 29 launches and 27 successes; China, with 19 launches, all of which succeeded; and the United States, with 13 launches, of which 12 succeeded and one was a partial failure.[1] European nations conducted eight orbital launches, all successfully, while India and Japan conducted two each, also successfully. Iran and North Korea both achieved one successful orbital launch during 2012, but Iran also suffered one launch failures, while North Korea suffered one.[2][3]

Crewed spaceflight

Five crewed orbital launches were conducted during 2012, all successfully, carrying a total of 15 astronauts into orbit. Four of these missions were flown using Russian Soyuz spacecraft, while the fifth was a Chinese Shenzhou launch.[4] All of the year's crewed missions rendezvoused with space stations – the four Soyuz missions docked with the International Space Station (ISS), while China's Shenzhou 9 docked with the Tiangong-1 orbital laboratory. Five spacewalks were also undertaken in 2012, all by ISS crewmembers.[5][6][7][8][9]

Robotic exploration

Numerous significant milestones in robotic spaceflight occurred in 2012, including the landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars in August,[10] and the first commercial resupply missions to the ISS in May and October.[11][12] The latter also marked the first fully operational use of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. Elsewhere in the Solar System, NASA's Dawn spacecraft completed its mission to 4 Vesta in September 2012,[13] while China achieved its first asteroid flyby in December.

Launches

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

January

9 January
03:17:09
Long March 4B Taiyuan LC-9 SAST
Ziyuan 3 MLR Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[14]
VesselSat-2 Luxspace Low Earth (SSO) Communications27 October 2016[16]Successful
13 January
00:56:04
Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CALT
Fengyun 2-07[18] CMA Geosynchronous MeteorologyIn orbitOperational[19]
20 January
00:38:00
Delta IV-M+ (5,4) Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance
USA-233 (WGS-4) U.S. Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[20]
25 January
23:06:40
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos
Progress M-14M / 46P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics28 April
13:46
Successful[21]

February

3 February
00:04
Safir-1B Semnan LP-1 ISA
Navid ISA Low Earth Earth observation1 April[23]Successful[24]
13 February
10:00:00
Vega Kourou ELV Arianespace
LARES ASI Low Earth GeodesyIn orbitOperational[25]
ALMASat-1[26] Università di Bologna Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational[25]
Xatcobeo[27] Vigo/INTA Low Earth Technology demonstration31 August 2014Successful[25]
UniCubeSat-GG[27] Rome Low Earth Atmospheric science16 February 2015[29]Successful
Robusta[27] Montpellier Low Earth Technology demonstration28 January 2015[31]Partial spacecraft failure
e-st@r[27] Torino Low Earth Technology demonstration16 January 2015[33]Partial spacecraft failure
Goliat[27] Bucharest Low Earth Technology demonstration31 December 2014Partial spacecraft failure[25]
PW-Sat[27] Warsaw Low Earth Technology demonstration28 October 2014Successful[25]
MaSat-1 BME Low Earth Technology demonstration9 January 2015[35]Successful
Maiden flight of Vega rocket; all payloads CubeSats except LARES and ALMASat-1. First Hungarian, Romanian and Polish satellites.
14 February
19:36:37
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services
SES-4 SES World Skies Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[36]
24 February
16:12:04
Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CALT
Compass-G5 CNSA Geosynchronous NavigationIn orbitOperational[37]
24 February
22:15:00
Atlas V 551 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance
MUOS-1 U.S. Navy Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[38]

March

23 March
04:34:05
Ariane 5 ES Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Edoardo Amaldi ATV ESA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics3 October
01:23
Successful[39]
25 March
12:10:32
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services
Intelsat 22 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[40]
30 March
05:49:32
Proton-K / DM-2 Baikonur Site 81/24 RVSN RF
Kosmos 2479 (US-KMO) VKO Geosynchronous Missile defenseIn orbitOperational[41]
Final flight of Proton-K, final US-KMO satellite.
31 March
10:27:04
Long March 3B/E Xichang LC-2 CALT
Apstar-7 APT Satellite Holdings Geosynchronous CommunicationIn orbitOperational[42]

April

3 April
23:12:57
Delta IV-M+(5,2) Vandenberg SLC-6 United Launch Alliance
USA-234 (FIA-R) NRO Low Earth ReconnaissanceIn orbitOperational[43]
NRO Launch 25
12 April
22:38:55
Unha-3 Sohae KCST
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3[45] KCST Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration12 AprilLaunch failure[3]
Probable first stage failure, disintegrated over the Yellow Sea.[3]
20 April
12:50:24
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 31/6 Roscosmos
Progress M-15M / 47P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics20 August 2012Successful[46]
23 April
22:18:13
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services
Yahsat 1B Yahsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[47]
26 April
00:17
PSLV-XL Satish Dhawan Space Centre FLP ISRO
RISAT-1 ISRO Low Earth (SSO) Earth observation[48]In orbitOperational[49]
29 April
20:50:03[50]
Long March 3B/E Xichang LC-2 CALT
Compass-M3 CNSA Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[50]
Compass-M4 CNSA Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[50]

May

4 May
18:42:00
Atlas V 531 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance
USA-235 (AEHF-2) U.S. Air Force Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[51]
6 May
07:10:04[52]
Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 SAST
Tianhui 1B CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[52]
10 May
07:06:04[53]
Long March 4B Taiyuan LC-9 SAST
Yaogan 14 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) ReconnaissanceIn orbitOperational[53]
Tiantuo 1 NUDT Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration3 November 2014Successful
15 May
03:01:23
Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos
Soyuz TMA-04M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 31/3217 September
02:53
Successful[54]
Crewed flight
15 May
22:13:07
Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
JCSAT-13 SKY Perfect JSAT Group Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[55]
Vinasat-2 VNPT Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[56]
17 May
14:05
Soyuz-U Plesetsk Site 16/2 VKO
Kosmos 2480 (Kobalt-M No.8) VKO Low Earth Reconnaissance24 SeptemberSuccessful[57]
Final Soyuz-U launch from Plesetsk.
17 May
16:39
H-IIA Tanegashima LA-Y1 MHI
GCOM-W1 JAXA / NASA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[58]
Arirang-3 KARI Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[58]
SDS-4 JAXA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational[58]
Horyu-2 KIT Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration
Amateur radio
In orbitSuccessful[59]
17 May
19:12:14
Proton-M / Briz-M Baikonur Site 81/24 International Launch Services
Nimiq 6 Telesat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[60]
22 May
07:44:38[11]
Falcon 9 v1.0 Cape Canaveral SLC-40 SpaceX
Dragon C2+ SpaceX / NASA Low Earth (ISS) Flight test
ISS logistics
31 May
16:42
Successful[61]
New Frontier Celestis Low Earth Space burial27 JuneSuccessful
COTS Demo 2+,[62] orbital test manoeuvres and ISS rendezvous, berthing and cargo delivery. First commercial spacecraft to visit the ISS.[63] Celestis payload, containing cremated remains of 308 people including Gordon Cooper and James Doohan, remained intentionally attached to the upper stage.[64]
23 May[2] Safir-1B Semnan ISA
Fajr ISA Planned: Low Earth[2] Earth observation23 MayLaunch failure
Probable launch failure;[2] identity of launch attempt, rocket, satellite and launch time not confirmed.
26 May
15:56:04
Long March 3B/E Xichang LC-2 CALT
Chinasat-2A China Satcom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[65]
29 May
07:31:05
Long March 4C Taiyuan LC-9 SAST
Yaogan 15 CNSA Low Earth (SSO) ReconnaissanceIn orbitOperational[66]

June

1 June
05:22:59
Zenit-3SL Ocean Odyssey Sea Launch
Intelsat 19 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitPartial spacecraft failure
Second solar panel initially failed to deploy after launch.[67] It eventually deployed, but was damaged.
13 June
16:00:37
Pegasus-XL Stargazer, Kwajalein Atoll Orbital Sciences
NuSTAR NASA Low Earth X-ray astronomyIn orbitOperational[68]
16 June
10:37:24[69]
Long March 2F Jiuquan LA-4/SLS-1 CALT
Shenzhou 9 CNSA Low Earth (Tiangong-1) Technology demonstration29 June
02:01[70]
Successful[4]
Shenzhou-9-GC (Orbital Module)[72] CNSA Low Earth (Tiangong-1) Space rendezvous2 DecemberSuccessful
Crewed flight; first Chinese woman in space,[73][74]and first crewed mission to Tiangong-1.
20 June
12:28
Atlas V 401 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance
USA-236 (SDS) NRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[75]
NRO Launch 38
29 June
13:15
Delta IV Heavy Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance
USA-237 (Mentor 6) NRO Geosynchronous ELINTIn orbitOperational[76]
NRO Launch 15, first flight of Delta IV with RS-68A engines.

July

5 July
21:36:07[77]
Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Echostar XVII Hughes Network Systems Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
MSG 3 EUMETSAT Geosynchronous MeteorologyIn orbitOperational
9 July
18:38:30
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 International Launch Services
SES-5 SES Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[78]
15 July
02:40:03
Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos
Soyuz TMA-05M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 32/3319 November
01:56
Successful[79]
Crewed flight
21 July
02:06:18[80]
H-IIB Tanegashima LA-Y2 JAXA[81][82]
Kounotori 3 JAXA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics14 SeptemberSuccessful[83]
Raiko Wakayama/Tohuku Low Earth Technology demonstration6 August 2013[85]Successful
FITSAT-1 (Niwaka) FIT Low Earth Technology demonstration4 July 2013[87]Successful
We-Wish Meisei Electric Low Earth Technology demonstration11 March 2013[89]Successful
F-1 FPT Low Earth Technology demonstrationMay 2013[91]Successful
TechEdSat San Jose Low Earth Technology demonstration5 May 2013[93]Successful
All payloads CubeSats other than Kounotori 3. CubeSats carried aboard Kounotori and deployed from the ISS.
22 July
06:41:39
Soyuz-FG / Fregat Baikonur Site 31/6 Roscosmos
Kanopus V-1 Roscosmos Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[94]
BelKA-2 NASRB Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[94]
Zond-PP Roscosmos Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration
Earth observation
In orbitSpacecraft failure[95]
TET-1 DLR Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational[94]
exactView 1 exactEarth Low Earth (SSO) AIS ship trackingIn orbitOperational[94]
First Belarusian satellite.
25 July
15:43:04
Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CALT
Tianlian I-03 CNSA Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[96]
28 July
01:35:34[97]
Rokot / Briz-KM Plesetsk Site 133/3 VKO
Gonets M-3 Gonets Satellite System Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Gonets M-4 Gonets Satellite System Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
Kosmos 2481 (Strela-3M) VKO Low Earth CommunicationsIn orbitOperational
MiR (Yubileiny 2) NPO PM Low Earth Amateur radio
Technology demonstration
In orbitOperational

August

1 August
19:35:13
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos
Progress M-16M / 48P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics9 February 2013Successful[98]
Sfera-53 Roscosmos Low Earth Atmospheric density24 November[100]Successful[101]
Fast rendezvous test;[102] Sfera-53 deployed from ISS at 18:29 UTC on 20 August during a spacewalk.
2 August
20:54
Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Intelsat 20 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[103]
HYLAS-2 Avanti Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[103]
6 August
19:31:00
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Khrunichev
Telkom-3 PT Telkom Planned: Geosynchronous
Achieved: Medium Earth
CommunicationsIn orbitLaunch failure[104]
Ekspress MD2 RSCC Planned: Geosynchronous
Achieved: Medium Earth
CommunicationsIn orbit
Briz-M stage failure 7 seconds into its third burn.[105] Stage exploded on 16 October, generating over 500 pieces of orbital debris.
19 August
06:54:59
Zenit-3SL Ocean Odyssey Sea Launch
Intelsat 21 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[106]
30 August
08:05:27[107]
Atlas V 401 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance
Van Allen Probe A (RBSP-A) NASA Highly elliptical Magnetospheric researchIn orbitSuccessful
Van Allen Probe B (RBSP-B) NASA Highly elliptical Magnetospheric researchIn orbitSuccessful
Launch of the two Van Allen Probes, formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes. Van Allen Probe B ceased operations on 19 July 2019;[108] Van Allen Probe A was deactivated on 18 October 2019.[109]

September

9 September
04:23
PSLV-CA Satish Dhawan FLP ISRO
SPOT 6 CNES Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[110]
PROITERES Osaka Institute of Technology Low Earth (SSO) Amateur radio
Technology demonstration
In orbitOperational[110]
13 September
21:39:00[111]
Atlas V 401 Vandenberg SLC-3E United Launch Alliance
USA-238 (NOSS) NRO Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational
USA-238 (NOSS) NRO Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational
CINEMA 1 UCB Low Earth Magnetospheric researchIn orbitOperational
CXBN Morehead Low Earth X-ray astronomyIn orbitOperational
CP 5 CalPoly Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
CSSWE CU-Boulder Low Earth Magnetospheric researchIn orbitOperational
Aeneas USC / NRO Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
STARE A Lawrence Livermore Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
SMDC-ONE 2.1 U.S. Army Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
SMDC-ONE 2.2 U.S. Army Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
AeroCube 4 The Aerospace Corporation Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
AeroCube 4.5A The Aerospace Corporation Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
AeroCube 4.5B The Aerospace Corporation Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
NRO Launch 36
17 September
16:28:40
Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Baikonur Site 31/6 Starsem
MetOp-B EUMETSAT Low Earth (SSO) MeteorologyIn orbitOperational[112]
18 September
19:10:04
Long March 3B/E Xichang LC-2 CALT
Compass-M5 CNSA Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[113]
Compass-M6 CNSA Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[113]
28 September
21:18:07
Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Astra 2F SES Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[114]
GSAT-10 ISRO Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[115]
29 September[116]
04:12:04
Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 SAST
VRSS-1 MPPCTII Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[117]

October

4 October
12:10:00
Delta IV M+(4,2) Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance
USA-239 (GPS IIF-3) U.S. Air Force Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[118]
8 October
00:35:07[119]
Falcon 9 v1.0 Cape Canaveral SLC-40 SpaceX
SpaceX CRS-1 NASA Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics28 October
19:22[12]
Successful[12]
Orbcomm-2 F1 Orbcomm Low Earth Communications10 OctoberLaunch failure[120][121]
First flight of Commercial Resupply Services programme.[122] First stage engine failure resulted in a too-low orbit for Orbcomm payload; CRS-1 nonetheless placed into correct orbit.
12 October
18:15:01
Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT Kourou ELS Arianespace
Galileo IOV 3 ESA Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[123]
Galileo IOV 4 ESA Medium Earth NavigationIn orbitOperational[123]
14 October
03:25:05
Long March 2C/SMA Taiyuan LC-9 CALT
Shijian 9A CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational[124]
Shijian 9B CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational[124]
14 October
08:37:00
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 International Launch Services
Intelsat 23 Intelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[125]
23 October
10:51:11[126]
Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 31/6 Roscosmos
Soyuz TMA-06M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS)[127] Expedition 33/3416 March 2013
03:06
Successful[128]
Crewed flight
25 October
15:33:04
Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CALT
Compass-G6 CNSA Geosynchronous NavigationIn orbitOperational[129]
Compass navigation system became commercially operational in Asia-Pacific region in December 2012.[130]
31 October
07:41:18
Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos
Progress M-17M / 49P[132] Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) ISS logistics21 April 2013Successful[133]

November

2 November
21:04:00
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Roscosmos
Luch 5B Gonets Satellite System Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[134]
Yamal-300K Gazprom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[134]
10 November
21:05:07
Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Eutelsat 21B Eutelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[135]
Star One C3 Star One Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[135]
14 November
11:42:46
Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Plesetsk Site 43/4 VKO
Meridian 6 VKO Molniya CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[136]
18 November
22:53:04[137]
Long March 2C Taiyuan LC-9 CALT
Huanjing 1C CNSA Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational
Xinyan 1 CASC Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstration5 October 2019Successful[138]
Fengniao 1 SAST Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
Fengniao 1A SAST Low Earth (SSO) Technology demonstrationIn orbitOperational
20 November
18:31:00
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services
EchoStar XVI EchoStar Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[139]
25 November
04:06:04
Long March 4C Jiuquan SLS-2 SAST
Yaogan 16A CNSA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational[140]
Yaogan 16B CNSA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational[140]
Yaogan 16C CNSA Low Earth ELINTIn orbitOperational[140]
27 November
10:13:03[141]
Long March 3B/E Xichang LC-2 CALT
ChinaSat 12 / SupremeSAT-I China Satcom / SupremeSAT Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[141]
Part of satellite's communications payload was leased to SupremeSAT, a Sri Lankan satellite operator, as SupremeSAT-I.

December

2 December
02:02:51
Soyuz ST-A / Fregat Kourou ELS Arianespace
Pléiades-HR 1B CNES Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[142]
3 December
20:43:59
Zenit-3SL Ocean Odyssey Sea Launch
Eutelsat 70B Eutelsat Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[143]
8 December
13:13:43
Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services
Yamal-402 Gazprom Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational; partial launch failure[144]
Briz-M stage failure 4 minutes before scheduled shut down on its fourth burn.[145]
11 December
18:03
Atlas V 501 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance
USA-240 (X-37B OTV-3) U.S. Air Force Low Earth Technology demonstration17 October 2014Successful[146][147]
270-day X-37B endurance mission ultimately extended to over 680 days.[146]
12 December
00:49:46[148][149]
Unha-3 Sohae KCST
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 KCST Low Earth Technology demonstrationIn orbitSpacecraft failure[150]
First successful North Korean orbital launch, first North Korean satellite;[151] satellite reached orbit but malfunctioned thereafter.[150]
18 December
16:13:04[152]
Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 SAST
Göktürk-2 MSB Low Earth (SSO) Earth observationIn orbitOperational[153]
19 December
12:12:35
Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos
Soyuz TMA-07M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS) Expedition 34/3514 May 2013
02:31
Successful[154]
Crewed flight
19 December
21:49:07
Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace
Skynet 5D Astrium Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[155]
Mexsat-3 SCT Geosynchronous CommunicationsIn orbitOperational[155]
Skynet 5D military communications satellite operated by Astrium Services on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence.

Suborbital flights

Deep space rendezvous

Date (UTC) Spacecraft Event Remarks
1 January GRAIL-B Lunar orbit insertion Joined its twin, GRAIL-A, which entered lunar orbit on 31 December 2011.[214]
2 January Cassini 80th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 29,415 kilometres (18,278 mi).[215]
30 January Cassini 81st flyby of Titan Closest approach: 31,131 kilometres (19,344 mi).[215]
19 February Cassini 82nd flyby of Titan Closest approach: 3,803 kilometres (2,363 mi).[215]
9 March Cassini Flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 9,000 kilometres (5,600 mi).[215]
27 March Cassini 17th flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 74 kilometres (46 mi).[215]
14 April Cassini 18th flyby of Enceladus
Flyby of Tethys
Closest approach to Enceladus: 74 kilometres (46 mi).[215]
Closest approach to Tethys: 9,000 kilometres (5,600 mi).[215]
2 May Cassini 20th flyby of Enceladus
Flyby of Dione
Closest approach to Enceladus: 74 kilometres (46 mi).[215]
Closest approach to Dione: 8,000 kilometres (5,000 mi).[215]
20 May Cassini Flyby of Methone
Flyby of Telesto
Closest approach to Methone: 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi).[215]
Closest approach to Telesto: 11,000 kilometres (6,800 mi).[215]
21 May Cassini 83rd flyby of Titan Closest approach: 955 kilometres (593 mi).[215]
6 June Cassini 84th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 959 kilometres (596 mi).[215]
24 July Cassini 85th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 1,012 kilometres (629 mi).[215]
6 August Curiosity Landing on Mars in Gale Crater Used the Sky Crane soft landing system. Successful landing at 05:14 UTC.[10]
5 September[13][216] Dawn Leaving Vestiocentric orbit Headed for Ceres, which it reached on 6 March 2015.[217]
26 September Cassini 86th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 956 kilometres (594 mi).[215]
13 November Cassini 87th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 973 kilometres (605 mi).[215]
29 November Cassini 88th flyby of Titan Closest approach to Titan: 1,014 kilometres (630 mi).[215]
13 December Chang'e 2 Flyby of 4179 Toutatis First Chinese asteroid flyby. Closest approach to 4179 Toutatis: less than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) (770 metres).[218]
17 December GRAIL Lunar impact at "Sally K. Ride" site Both GRAIL satellites concluded their mission by impacting the Moon's surface.[219][220]
22 December Cassini Distant flyby of Titan
Flyby of Rhea
Closest approach to Titan: 715,000 kilometres (444,000 mi).[215]
Closest approach to Rhea: 23,000 kilometres (14,000 mi).[215]

EVAs

Start Date/Time Duration End Time Spacecraft Crew Remarks
16 February
14:31[5]
6 hours
15 minutes
20:46 Expedition 29/30

ISS Pirs

Oleg Kononenko

Anton Shkaplerov

Moved Strela 1 crane from ISS Pirs module to Poisk module, installed four materials experiments on the exterior of the ISS, and installed supporting struts on the EVA ladder on Pirs.
20 August
16:37[6]
5 hours
51 minutes
22:28 Expedition 31/32

ISS Pirs

Gennady Padalka

Yuri Malenchenko

Relocated Strela 2 telescoping boom from Pirs docking compartment to Zarya control module, in preparation for undocking of Pirs, which will pave the way for arrival of the Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module in 2013. Also installed micrometeoroid debris shields on Zvezda service module, retrieved two experiments from Pirs' exterior, installed two support struts for hatch ladder and deployed two small tracking satellites.[101]
30 August
12:16
8 hours
17 minutes
20:33 Expedition 31/32

ISS Quest

Sunita Williams

Akihiko Hoshide

Connected two power cables between the US and Russian orbital segments; removed and replaced Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) 1. The crew had difficulty in removing connecting bolts of the old MBSU, and were unable to tighten up the bolts for the new unit. The new MBSU was tied down for future trouble-shooting, with all other tasks deferred to a future EVA. Third-longest EVA in history.[7]
5 September
11:06
6 hours
28 minutes
17:34 Expedition 31/32

ISS Quest

Sunita Williams

Akihiko Hoshide

Installed the new MBSU unit, working around difficulty with one of the bolts; replaced one of the cameras mounted on the Canadarm2. During this spacewalk, Sunita Williams broke Peggy Whitson's 2007 record for most total time spacewalking by a woman.[8][221]
1 November
12:29
6 hours
38 minutes
19:07 Expedition 32/33

ISS Quest

Sunita Williams

Akihiko Hoshide

Reconfigured and isolated a leak in the ammonia cooling system of power channel 2B on the P6 truss by bypassing a leaking cooling loop and re-connecting jumpers to an unused loop of the Early External Thermal Control System (EETCS), and by redeploying the trailing Thermal Control Radiator of the system.[9][222]

Orbital launch statistics

By country

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

China: 19Europe: 8India: 2Iran: 2Japan: 2North Korea: 2Russia: 26Ukraine: 3USA: 13
Country Launches Successes Failures Partial
failures
Remarks
 China191900
 Europe8800
 India2200
 Iran2110
 Japan2200
 North Korea2110First successful orbital launch
 Russia262411Includes 2 Soyuz launches from Kourou
 Ukraine3300Includes 3 Zenit from Sea Launch
 United States131201
World777232

By rocket

By family

By type

By configuration

By spaceport

5
10
15
20
25
30
China
France
India
International waters
Iran
Japan
Kazakhstan
Marshall Islands
North Korea
Russia
United States
Site Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks
Baikonur Kazakhstan211911
Cape Canaveral United States10901
Kourou France101000
Jiuquan China5500
Kwajalein Marshall Islands1100
Ocean Odyssey International waters3300
Plesetsk Russia3300
Satish Dhawan India2200
Semnan Iran2110
Sohae North Korea2110
Tanegashima Japan2200
Taiyuan China5500
Vandenberg United States2200
Xichang China9900
Total777232

By orbit

10
20
30
40
  •   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 Earth39372012 to ISS, 1 to Tiangong-1
Medium Earth / Molniya5501
Geosynchronous / GTO323110
High Earth / Lunar transfer1100
Heliocentric / Planetary transfer0000
Total777431

See also

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).

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