Timeline of first orbital launches by country
This is a timeline of first orbital launches by country. While a number of countries have built satellites, as of 2009, nine countries historically have developed the capability to send objects into orbit using their own launch vehicles. In addition, Russia and Ukraine inherited the space launchers and satellites capability from the Soviet Union, following its dissolution in 1991. Russia launches its rockets from its own and foreign (Kazakh) spaceports; Ukraine - only from foreign (Russian and Kazakh) spaceports and sea launches. Another two, France and the United Kingdom, after becoming space powers independently (but by using foreign spaceports), later joined space launcher facilities in the multi-national European Space Agency.
Thus, as of 2010, nine countries currently have a proven orbital launch capability. In all smaller cases where a country has conducted independent human spaceflights (as of 2009, three - USSR/Russia, USA, China), these launches were preceded by independent unmanned launch capability.
The race to launch the first satellite was closely contested by the Soviet Union and the United States, and was the beginning of the Space Race. The launching of satellites, while still contributing to national prestige, is a significant economic activity as well, with public and private rocket systems competing for launches, using cost and reliability as selling points.
List of first orbital launches by country
| Order |
Country[0] |
Satellite |
Rocket |
Location |
Date (UTC) |
| 1 |
Soviet Union[1] |
Sputnik 1 |
Sputnik-PS |
Baikonur, Soviet Union (today Kazakhstan) |
4 October 1957 |
| 2 |
United States |
Explorer 1 |
Juno I |
Cape Canaveral, United States |
1 February 1958 |
| 3 |
France[2] |
Astérix |
Diamant A |
Hammaguir, Algeria |
26 November 1965 |
| 4 |
Japan |
Ōsumi |
Lambda-4S |
Uchinoura, Japan |
11 February 1970 |
| 5 |
China |
Dong Fang Hong I |
Long March 1 |
Jiuquan, China |
24 April 1970 |
| 6 |
United Kingdom[3] |
Prospero X-3 |
Black Arrow |
Woomera, Australia |
28 October 1971 |
| — |
European Space Agency [4] |
CAT-1 |
Ariane 1 |
Kourou, French Guiana |
24 December 1979 |
| 7 |
India |
Rohini 1 |
SLV |
Sriharikota, India |
18 July 1980 |
| 8 |
Israel |
Ofeq 1 |
Shavit |
Palmachim, Israel |
19 September 1988 |
| — |
Ukraine[5][6] |
Strela-3 (x6, Russian) |
Tsyklon-3 |
Plesetsk, Russia |
28 September 1991 |
| — |
Russia[5] |
Kosmos 2175 |
Soyuz-U |
Plesetsk, Russia |
21 January 1992 |
| 9 |
Iran |
Omid |
Safir-2 |
Semnan, Iran |
2 February 2009 |
Notes
- 0 Countries and successor states indicated in bold retain orbital launch capability.
- 1 The Soviet Union's successor state, Russia, took over the Soviet space program after the Soviet Union's dissolution.
- 2 France launched its first satellite by its own rocket from Algeria, which had been a French territory when the spaceport was built but had achieved independence before the satellite launch. Later France provided a spaceport for ESA space launchers in French Guyana.
- 3 The UK only self-launched a single satellite and that from a foreign (Australian) spaceport. Later it joined the ESA.
- 4 The European Space Agency developed the Ariane rocket family. ESA signatories at the time of first launch were Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Italy, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, France and Ireland. Companies and/or governments of these countries (with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom) became shareholders in the commercial company Arianespace dealing with production, operation, and marketing. Later Norway became an ESA member and Arianespace shareholder. Additional subsequent ESA member states are Austria, Finland, Portugal, Greece, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic.
- 5 Russia and Ukraine inherited space launcher and satellite capability from the Soviet Union as successor states.
- 6 Ukraine provides its own space launcher to Russia and does not use its own space launcher to put satellites in orbit (first time - Sich-1 on August 31, 1995).
Other launches and projects
The above list includes confirmed satellite launches by rockets produced by the launching country. Lists with differing criteria might include the following launches.
Unconfirmed launches
- Iraq developed and tested the Tammouz space launch vehicle without a payload or upper stages on 5 December 1989. According to a press release by the Iraqi News Agency, the warhead completed six orbits, but this was never confirmed.[1]
- North Korea announced on 31 August 1998 that they successfully launched Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1 from Musudan-ri, but this was never confirmed. Another launch on 5 April 2009, with the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite, was also reported to have reached orbit;[2] however, US and South Korean officials stated that the launch failed to reach orbit.[3]
Failed launches
- South Korea first attempted the launch of its STSAT-2 satellite to be delivered by the Russo-South Korean Naro (KSLV-1) launch vehicle from their own Naro spaceport on 25 August 2009. One of the payload fairings did not separate causing STSAT-2 to not reach earth orbit. The Second launch also failed within 137 seconds when it lost contact with ground control on June 10, 2010[4]
Launches of non-domestic launch vehicles
- Some countries ( Italy, Australia, Kazakhstan) have no self-developed rocket systems, but have provided their spaceports (San Marco platform, Woomera, Baikonur Cosmodrome) for launches of their own and foreign satellites on foreign launchers (San Marco 2 on 26 April 1967, WRESAT on 29 November 1967, KazSat on 17 June 2006).
- More than three dozen other countries (beginning with Canada on 29 September 1962) launched their satellites onboard foreign rockets (including those listed above, and Chinese, Indian, etc.) from foreign spaceports.
- Second (after failed Europa rocket program under ELDO) European launcher program under European Space Agency, which currently has 17 members and Guiana Space Centre spaceport, is acting since first successful launch in 24 December 1979 when Ariane 1 launcher placed the technological capsule CAT-1 on orbit.
- In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the private German company OTRAG tried to develop low-cost commercial space launchers. Only sub-orbital tests of the first prototypes of these rockets were carried out.
- Sea Launch is a consortium of four companies from the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Norway: Boeing, Energia, Yuzhmash and Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and Aker Kværner, respectively. Its first demonstration satellite, DemoSat, was launched on 27 March 1999 using a Ukrainian-mainly Zenit 3SL rocket from the Ocean Odyssey (a former drilling-rig) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Sea Launch has launched numerous satellites since, with few failures.
- Air Launch, Kistler, Beal, Liberty, SpaceX and other private companies are developing orbital rockets and launch systems.
Abandoned projects
- South Africa developed the space launcher RSA-3 in the 1980s. This rocket was tested 3 times without a satellite payload in 1989 and 1990. The program was postponed and canceled in 1994.
- Germany had a preliminary development of numerous rocket space launchers and re-usable launch systems (Sänger II, etc.) after WWII. These were never realized as national or European projects. Also, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the private German company OTRAG tried to develop low-cost commercial space launchers. Only sub-orbital tests of the first prototypes of these rockets were carried out.
- Canada had developed the gun-based space launchers Martlet and GLO as the joint Canadian-American Project HARP in the 1960s. These rockets were never tested.
- Spain developed the space launcher Capricornio (Capricorn) in the 1990s. This rocket was never tested.
- Australia, Argentina, Egypt and Romania tried to develop space launchers at various times.
Future projects
- South Korea will continue its space program including two series of space launchers
- North Korea will launch several more satellites according to national space program of Korean Committee of Space Technology [5][6]
- Brazil announced that it plans to launch its VLS-1 rocket from the Alcântara Launch Center in 2011.[7][8]
- Romanian private company, ARCA, is developing a number of orbital launch systems (Haas, Stabilo, Orizont) that are expected to be launched from Black Sea military bases.[9]
- Indonesia intends to develop its space launchers RPS-420 (Pengorbitan) and RX-550 by 2012-2014.
- Ukraine is a manufacturer of space launchers Tsyklon (Cyclone), Zenit, Dnipro (Dnepr), Mayak. It already counts as a space power, performing a launches of own rockets using a Kazakh, Russian and Sea Launch spaceport facility. Ukraine has no indigenous vehicle-launch facility, but currently plans of a domestic launch facility by its conventional launchers and the launch system with airplane-base start (Svityaz) both indigenously and under cooperation with Brazil and other countries from spaceports outside the territory of Ukraine.
- Australia is now developing its space launcher Ausroc.
- Kazakhstan has plans to develop own airplane-based Ishym space launch system in cooperation with Russia (another project of ground Bayterek system from Baikonur spaceport will use the Russian launchers).
- Pakistan has developed two varieties of military ballistic rockets (Ghauri and Shaheen) in recent years that will form the basis for conversion into its own space launcher.[10]
- Taiwan has been developing its own spacecraft for several years.
- Malaysia announced in 2006 that there is an intention to develop a domestic space launcher in the near future.
- Turkey announced in 2007 that there is an intention to develop the domestic space launcher in the far future.
- New Zealand has a commercial company developing a space launcher[11][12][13][14]
Satellite operators
Many other countries have launched their own satellites on one of the foreign launchers listed above.
See also
References
- First Satellites Launched By Spacefaring Nations, Anthony R. Curtis, Ph.D., Space Today Online, accessed 17 February 2006.
- National Briefings: Iraq, Ranger Associates, accessed 17 February 2006.
- The 31 August 1998 North Korean Satellite Launch: Factsheet, Kevin Orfall and Gaurav Kampani, with Michael Dutra, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, accessed 17 February 2006.
- News Release 25-98, United States Space Command, 8 September 1998, accessed 17 February 2006.
- Daily Press Briefing, James P. Rubin, United States Department of State, 14 September 1998, accessed 17 February 2006.
- BBC World: Brazil Launches rocket into space
- Space.com: Brazil completes successful rocket launch
- Herald Tribune: Brazil launches rocket for gravity research
- AFP: Iran rocket test 'unfortunate': White House
- Space-Travel.com: Iran opens its first space centre, riling the US
- New York Times: Iran Launches Rocket to Commemorate New Space Center
- MSNBC: Iran unveils space center, launches rocket