1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
The year 2010 saw a number of notable events in worldwide spaceflight activities . These included the first test flight of the SpaceX Dragon commercial resupply spacecraft, which is intended to resupply the International Space Station (ISS), and the maiden flights of the Falcon 9 and Minotaur IV rockets. In June 2010, South Korea conducted a second Naro-1 launch, after the failure of the rocket's maiden flight in 2009; however, the second attempt also failed. The Kosmos-3M was retired from service, making its final flight in April. The Molniya-M was also retired from service, making its final flight in September.[ 1]
The first suborbital launch of 2010 was conducted at 23:00 GMT on 10 January, when a Black Brant IX sounding rocket 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 5 ECA launched the Hispasat-1E and Koreasat 6 spacecraft from Guiana Space Centre , near Kourou .
Akatsuki , the first Japanese mission to Venus , was launched on an H-IIA carrier rocket in May. It is intended to look for lightning and volcanoes on Venus.[ 2] Despite a successful launch,[ 3] the spacecraft failed to enter Cytherocentric orbit in December, but it managed to enter the orbit around Venus five years later in December 2015. 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.[ 4] It was also the world's first successful sample return mission from an asteroid.[ 5]
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 uncrewed lunar lander.[ 6]
Seven crewed launches were planned for 2010, with three Space Shuttle missions and four Soyuz flights for International Space Station (ISS) crew rotation. STS-130 , using orbiter Endeavour , was the first crewed 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.
Four orbital launch failures occurred in 2010, two affecting Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles , 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.[ 7]
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.[ 8] 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.[ 9]
Date and time (UTC ) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP Payload (⚀ = CubeSat ) Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome Remarks 16 January 16:12 Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Compass-G1 CNSA Geosynchronous Navigation In orbit Operational 28 January 00:18 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Khrunichev Globus-1M #12L (Raduga-1M 2) VKS Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 3 February 03:45 Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-04M / 36P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 1 July 14:40 Successful ISS flight 36P 8 February 09:14 Space Shuttle Endeavour Kennedy LC-39A United Space Alliance STS-130 NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly 22 February 03:22 Successful Tranquility [ 10] NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly In orbit Operational Cupola NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly In orbit Operational Crewed flight with six astronauts . 11 February 15:23 Atlas V 401 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance Solar Dynamics Observatory NASA Geosynchronous Heliophysics In orbit Operational 12 February 00:39 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services Intelsat 16 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 1 March 21:19 Proton-M / DM-2 Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Khrunichev Kosmos 2459 (Glonass-M 731 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2460 (Glonass-M 732 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2461 (Glonass-M 735 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational 4 March 23:57 Delta IV-M+ (4,2) Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance GOES-P (GOES-15) NOAA / NASA Geosynchronous Meteorology In orbit Operational Satellite redesignated EWS-G2 after being transferred to the U.S. Space Force in September 2023.[ 11] 5 March 04:55 Long March 4C Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Yaogan 9A CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) ELINT In orbit Operational Yaogan 9B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) ELINT In orbit Operational Yaogan 9C CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) ELINT In orbit Operational First Long March 4 series launch from Jiuquan. 20 March 18:27 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services Echostar XIV Echostar Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 2 April 04:04 Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-18 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 23 25 September 05:23 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts . 5 April 10:21 Space Shuttle Discovery [ 12] Kennedy LC-39A United Space Alliance STS-131 NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 20 April 13:08:35 Successful Leonardo MPLM ASI / NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics Successful Crewed flight with seven astronauts. 8 April 13:57 Dnepr Baikonur Site 109/95 ISC Kosmotras Cryosat-2 [ 13] ESA Low Earth Climatology In orbit Operational 15 April 10:57 GSLV Mk II Satish Dhawan SLP ISRO GSAT-4 (HealthSat) ISRO Intended: Geosynchronous Communications Navigation 15 April Launch failure Maiden flight of GSLV Mk. II, third stage failure. 16 April 15:00[citation needed ] Soyuz-U Plesetsk Site 16/2 VKS Kosmos 2462 (Kobal't-M ) VKS Low Earth Reconnaissance 21 July Successful 22 April 23:52[ 14] Atlas V 501 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance USA-212 (X-37B OTV-1)[ 14] U.S. Air Force Low Earth Technology demonstration 3 December 09:16 Successful Maiden flight of Atlas V 501 and Boeing X-37B. 24 April 11:19 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services SES-1 (OS-1) SES World Skies Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 27 April 01:05 Kosmos-3M Plesetsk Site 132/1 VKS Kosmos 2463 (Parus ) VKS Low Earth Navigation Communications In orbit Operational Final flight of Kosmos-3M. 28 April 17:15 Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-05M / 37P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 15 November 09:35:39 Successful ISS flight 37P 14 May 18:20 Space Shuttle Atlantis [ 12] Kennedy LC-39A United Space Alliance STS-132 NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 26 May 12:48:11 Successful Rassvet (MRM-1) Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly In orbit Operational Crewed flight with six astronauts. Rassvet was launched along with the MLM outfittings that included a spare elbow joint for the European Robotic Arm (ERA) (which was launched with Nauka ) and an ERA-portable workpost used during EVAs, as well as a heat radiator, internal hardware and an experiment airlock for launching CubeSats to be positioned on the modified passive forward port near the nadir end of the Nauka module.[ 15] 20 May 21:58:22[ 18] H-IIA 202 Tanegashima LA-Y1 MHI Akatsuki (Planet-C) JAXA Intended: Cytherocentric Actual: Heliocentric , corrected to Cytherocentric Venus orbiter In orbit Operational after partial spacecraft failure IKAROS JAXA Heliocentric Solar sail In orbit Successful ⚀ Waseda-SAT2 Waseda Low Earth Earth observation 15 August[ 19] Spacecraft failure[ 16] [ 20] ⚀ Hayato (K-Sat)[ 21] Kagoshima Low Earth Earth observation 28 June[ 22] – 14[ 23] July Partial spacecraft failure ⚀ Negai☆'' Soka Low Earth Technology demonstration 26 June[ 24] Successful Shin'en (UNITEC-1)[ 25] UNISEC Heliocentric Technology demonstration In orbit Spacecraft failure[ 16] [ 26] DCAM-1 JAXA Heliocentric Technology demonstration In orbit Successful DCAM-2 JAXA Heliocentric Technology demonstration In orbit Successful Waseda-SAT2 never contacted ground, Hayato affected by communications problems, contact lost with Shin'en on 21 May, unclear if data has been received since.[ 16] DCAM spacecraft deployed from IKAROS and used to observe deployment of the solar sail.[ 17] Akatsuki malfunctioned during Cytherocentric orbit insertion, and failed to enter orbit. It managed to orbit around Venus five years later. 21 May 22:01 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Astra 3B SES Astra Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational COMSATBw-2 Bundeswehr Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 28 May 03:00 Delta IV -M+ (4,2) Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance USA-213 (GPS IIF SV-1) U.S. Air Force Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational 2 June 01:59 Rokot / Briz-KM [ 27] Plesetsk Site 133/3 Eurockot [ 28] SERVIS-2 USEF Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 2 June 15:53:04 Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Compass-G3 CNSA Geosynchronous Navigation In orbit Operational 3 June 22:00:08 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services Badr-5 ARABSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 4 June 18:45[ 31] Falcon 9 v1.0 [ 32] [ 33] [ 34] Cape Canaveral SLC-40 SpaceX [ 35] DSQU SpaceX Low Earth Boilerplate 27 June 00:50[ 36] Successful Maiden flight of Falcon 9.[ 29] [ 30] 10 June 08:01[ 37] Naro-1 Naro LC-1[ 38] Khrunichev / KARI STSAT-2B KARI Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration +137 seconds Launch failure Exploded during first stage burn.[ 7] 15 June 01:39[ 39] Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Shijian 12[ 40] CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 15 June 14:42 Dnepr [ 41] Dombarovsky Site 13 ISC Kosmotras Prisma-Mango SSC Low Earth (SSO )[ 42] Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Prisma-Tango SSC Low Earth (SSO )[ 42] Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Picard CNES Low Earth (SSO )[ 42] Helioseismology In orbit Operational BPA-1 Hartron-Arkos Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational BPA-1 intentionally remained attached to upper stage. 15 June 21:35 Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-19 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 24 26 November 04:46:53 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts 21 June 02:14 Dnepr Baikonur Site 109/95 ISC Kosmotras TanDEM-X DLR Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational 22 June 19:00 Shavit-2 Palmachim Israel Aerospace Industries Ofek-9 [ 44] IAI / Israeli Defense Forces Low Earth (retrograde ) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational[ 45] Known as Ofek-8 before launch.[ 43] 26 June 21:41 Ariane 5 ECA [ 46] Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace ArabSat-5A ARABSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational Chollian (COMS-1) KARI Geosynchronous [ 47] Communications Meteorology Oceanography In orbit Successful[ 48] 30 June 15:35 Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-06M / 38P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 6 September 12:53:20 Successful ISS flight 38P 10 July 18:40 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services EchoStar XV Echostar Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 12 July[ 49] 03:53 PSLV-CA Satish Dhawan FLP ISRO Cartosat-2B ISRO Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational AlSat-2A ASAL Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational ⚀ StudSat StudSat Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational AISSat-1 NDRE Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational ⚀ TIsat-1 SUPSI Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational AISSat and TIsat cubeSats to be launched as NLS-6, coordinated by UTIAS 31 July 21:30 Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CNSA Compass IGSO-1 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational 4 August 20:59 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Nilesat-201 Nilesat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational RASCOM-QAF 1R RASCOM-QAF Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 9 August 22:49[ 50] Long March 4C Taiyuan LC-2 CNSA Yaogan 10 CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational 14 August 11:07 Atlas V 531 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance USA-214 (AEHF-1 ) U.S. Air Force Intended: Geosynchronous Actual: GTO Communications In orbit Partial spacecraft failure[ 51] Operational Maiden flight of Atlas V 531; liquid apogee engine failed to operate during orbital insertion process.[ 51] 24 August 07:10 Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Tian Hui 1 CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational 2 September 00:53:43 Proton-M / DM-2 Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Roscosmos Kosmos 2464 (Glonass-M 736 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2465 (Glonass-M 737 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2466 (Glonass-M 738 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational 4 September 16:14 Long March 3B Xichang LC-2 CNSA Chinasat-6A Sinosat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 8 September 03:30 Rokot / Briz-KM Plesetsk Site 133/3 RVSN RF Gonets-M No.2 Gonets Satellite System [ 52] Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Kosmos 2467 (Strela-3 ) VKS Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Kosmos 2468 (Strela-3) VKS Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational 10 September 10:22 Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 31/6 Roscosmos Progress M-07M / 39P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 20 February 2011 16:12 Successful ISS flight 39P 11 September[ 53] 11:17 H-IIA 202[ 54] Tanegashima LA-Y1 MHI QZSS-1 (Michibiki ) JAXA Tundra Navigation In orbit Successful[ 55] 21 September 04:03:30 Atlas V 501 Vandenberg SLC-3E United Launch Alliance USA-215 NRO Low Earth (retrograde ) In orbit Operational NRO Launch 41 22 September 02:42[ 56] Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Yaogan 11 CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational Zheda Pixing 1B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Zheda Pixing 1C CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 26 September 04:41 Minotaur IV Vandenberg SLC-8 Orbital Sciences USA-216 (SBSS ) U.S. Air Force Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration Space surveillance In orbit Operational First orbital launch of Minotaur IV. 30 September[ 57] 17:01[ 1] Molniya-M / 2BL Plesetsk Site 16/2 RVSN RF Kosmos 2469 (Oko ) VKS Molniya Missile defense 15 October 2022[ 58] Successful Final flight of Molniya-M.[ 1] 1 October 10:59:57[ 59] Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Chang'e 2 CNSA Selenocentric [ 60] Lunar orbiter In orbit Operational 6 October 00:49 Long March 4B Taiyuan LC-2 CNSA Shijian 6-04A CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Shijian 6-04B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 7 October 23:10:57 Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-01M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 25 16 March 2011 07:54 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts, maiden flight of modernised Soyuz-TMA spacecraft. 14 October 18:53[ 61] Proton-M / Briz-M Baikonur Site 81/24 International Launch Services XM-5 XM Satellite Radio Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 19 October 17:10:59 Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Baikonur Site 31/6 Starsem Globalstar-2 #1 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #2 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #3 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #4 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #5 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #6 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational 27 October 15:11:53 Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-08M / 40P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 24 January 2011 Successful[ 62] ISS flight 40P. 28 October[ 64] 21:51 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Eutelsat W3B Eutelsat Intended: Geosynchronous Actual: GTO Communications In orbit Spacecraft failure[ 65] BSAT-3b [ 66] BSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational[ 67] Eutelsat W3B written-off as a total loss immediately after launch due to an oxidizer leak in the satellite's main propulsion system.[ 63] 31 October 16:26 Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Compass-G4 CNSA Geosynchronous Navigation In orbit Operational 2 November 00:59[ 68] Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Plesetsk Site 43/4 RVSN RF Meridian 3 VKS Molniya Communications In orbit Operational 4 November 18:37[ 69] Long March 4C Taiyuan LC-2 CNSA Fengyun 3B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Meteorology In orbit Operational 6 November 02:20 Delta II 7420-10 Vandenberg SLC-2W United Launch Alliance COSMO-4 ASI Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational Final flight of Delta II 7420.[ 70] 14 November 17:29 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services SkyTerra-1 SkyTerra Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational[ 71] 20 November 01:25 Minotaur IV / HAPS Kodiak LP-1 Orbital Sciences STPSat-2 STP Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational ⚀ O/OREOS NASA AMES Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational ⚀ RAX University of Michigan Low Earth Auroral In orbit Operational FASTSAT NASA Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Partial spacecraft failure ⚀ NanoSail-D2 NASA Low Earth Technology demonstration 17 September 2011[ 72] Successful Sara-Lily (FASTRAC 1) Texas Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Emma (FASTRAC 2) UT Austin Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational USA-221 / FalconSat-5 USAFA Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Maiden flight of Minotaur IV/HAPS. NanoSail-D2 should have been deployed from FASTSAT seven days after launch, immediate deployment failed but ejection was confirmed almost two months later on 19 January 2011 21 November 22:58[ 73] Delta IV Heavy Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance USA-223 / Orion 7 NRO Geosynchronous Reconnaissance In orbit Operational NROL-32 mission. 24 November 16:09[ 74] Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CNSA Chinasat 20A CNSA Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 26 November 18:39 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Intelsat 17 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational HYLAS-1 [ 75] Avanti [ 76] Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 40th consecutive Ariane 5 launch success. 5 December 10:25 Proton-M / DM-03 Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Roscosmos Glonass-M 739 VKS Intended: Medium Earth Navigation 5 December Launch failure Glonass-M 740 VKS Intended: Medium Earth Navigation Glonass-M 741 VKS Intended: Medium Earth Navigation Maiden flight of Blok DM-03. Incorrect fuelling of upper stage led to mass being too great to achieve parking orbit, reentered over the Pacific Ocean.[ 8] 8 December 15:43 Falcon 9 v1.0 Cape Canaveral SLC-40 SpaceX Dragon C1 SpaceX / NASA Low Earth Flight test 8 December 19:02 Successful ⚀ SMDC-ONE 1 U.S. Army Low Earth Communications 12 January 2011 Successful ⚀ Mayflower-Caerus Northrop Grumman / USC Low Earth Technology demonstration 22 December Successful ⚀ QbX-1 NRO Low Earth Technology demonstration 6 January 2011 Successful ⚀ QbX-2 NRO Low Earth Technology demonstration 16 January 2011 Successful ⚀ Perseus 000 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 30 December Successful ⚀ Perseus 001 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 31 December Successful ⚀ Perseus 002 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 30 December Successful ⚀ Perseus 003 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 31 December Successful COTS Demo 1; maiden flight of the SpaceX Dragon ; Mayflower included Caerus payload operated by USC. 15 December 19:09[ 77] Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-20 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 26 24 May 2011 02:27 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts. 17 December 20:04 Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CNSA Compass IGSO-2 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational 25 December 10:34 GSLV Mk.I Satish Dhawan SLP ISRO GSAT-5P ISRO Intended: Geosynchronous Communications 25 December Launch failure Disintegrated during first stage flight. 26 December 22:51 Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services KA-SAT Eutelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 29 December 21:27 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Hispasat-1E Hispasat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational Koreasat 6 [ 78] [ 79] Koreasat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Date and time (UTC ) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP Payload (⚀ = CubeSat ) Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome Remarks 10 January 23:00:00[ 80] Black Brant IX San Nicolas NASA MARTI U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 10 January Successful 11 January 11:55[ 81] CSS-X-11 Shuangchengzi Space and Missile Center PLA PLA Suborbital ABM target 11 January Successful Target 11 January 12:00 SC-19 Korla Missile Test Complex PLA PLA Suborbital ABM test 11 January Successful[ 82] Interceptor 14 January 06:50[ 84] RH-300 Mk.II TERLS ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 14 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[ 83] 14 January 07:35[ 84] RH-300 Mk. II TERLS ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 14 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[ 83] 14 January[ 84] 07:45 RH-560 Mk.II Satish Dhawan ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 14 January Successful Apogee: 548 km (341 mi)[ 83] 15 January 06:50[ 84] RH-300 Mk. II TERLS ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[ 83] 15 January 07:35[ 84] RH-300 Mk. II TERLS ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[ 83] 15 January 10:30[ 84] RH-300 Mk. II TERLS ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[ 83] 15 January[ 84] 07:45 RH-560 Mk. II Satish Dhawan ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 523 km (325 mi)[ 83] 27 January 08:25[ 81] M51 Le Terrible , Audierne Bay DGA DGA Suborbital Missile test 27 January Successful First launch of M51 from a submarine [ 85] 31 January 11:40[ 86] UGM-96 Trident I C4 (LV-2) FTG-06 Meck MDA MDA Suborbital ABM target 30 January Successful[ 86] Maiden flight of Trident I in LV-2 configuration, interceptor failed[ 86] 31 January Ground Based Interceptor FTG-06 Vandenberg LF-23 MDA MDA Suborbital ABM test 30 January Spacecraft failure[ 86] Radar tracking problem caused by unexpected "chuffing", compounded by thruster problem on interceptor, resulted in failure to intercept Trident[ 86] 3 February Kavoshgar Semnan ISA Kavoshgar-3 ISA Suborbital Biological 3 February Successful[ 87] 4 February 08:03:07 Black Brant IX San Nicolas NASA MARTI U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 4 February Successful[ 80] 7 February 05:20 Agni-III ITR IC-4 DRDO DRDO Suborbital Missile test 7 February Successful[ 88] Travelled 3,500 km (2,175 mi) downrange 9 February 09:01:00 Terrier-Orion Poker Flat NASA Alaska Suborbital Auroral 9 February Successful[ 80] 12 February 04:44[ 89] R-17 Elbrus Ship, Pacific Ocean U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 12 February Successful[ 89] Destroyed by Boeing YAL-1 aircraft 12 February 05:31:20 Black Brant IX San Nicolas NASA MARTI U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 12 February Successful[ 80] 15 February 09:49:11 Black Brant XII Poker Flat NASA Dartmouth Suborbital Auroral 15 February Successful[ 80] Apogee: 803 km (499 mi)[ 83] 17 February Juno Fort Wingate LC-96 US Army US Army Suborbital Target 17 February Successful Target for MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3 MSE test, successful intercept 4 March 04:50 R-29RMU Sineva K-114 Tula , Barents Sea VMF VMF Suborbital Missile test 4 March Successful 15 March Prithvi ITR IC-4 DRDO DRDO Suborbital Target 15 March Launch failure Target for ABM test, deviated from planned course, interceptor not launched[ 90] 22 March Terrier Mk.70-Orion Woomera LA-2 DSTO /U.S. Air Force HIFiRE -1 DSTO/U.S. Air Force Suborbital Technology demonstration 22 March Successful Hypersonic research experiment 26 March 13:43 / Maxus Esrange EuroLaunch MAXUS-8 SSC / ESA Suborbital Microgravity 26 March 13:55 Successful[ 91] Apogee: 700 km (435 mi)[ 83] 27 March 00:14[ 83] Dhanush [ 92] INS Subhadra Indian Ocean DRDO DRDO Suborbital Missile test 27 March Successful 27 March 00:18[ 83] Prithvi II [ 92] Integrated Test Range IC-3 DRDO DRDO Suborbital Missile test 27 March Successful 27 March 14:09:56[ 93] Terrier-Improved Malemute Wallops Island LA-1/50K NASA NASA Suborbital Test flight 27 March Successful SOCEM CalPoly Suborbital Technology demonstration 27 March Successful ADAMASat Kentucky Space Suborbital Technology demonstration 27 March Successful Maiden flight of Terrier-Improved Malemute, apogee: 270 km (168 mi)[ 83] 27 March 19:37[ 83] Agni I [ 94] Integrated Test Range IC-4 Indian Army Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 28 March Successful 22 April 23:00[ 14] Minotaur IV Lite Vandenberg SLC-8 Orbital Sciences HTV-2a U.S. Air Force Suborbital Technology demonstration 22 April Spacecraft failure[ 95] Maiden flight of Minotaur IV, loss of contact with HTV nine minutes after launch.[ 95] 3 May 09:47:00 Black Brant IX San Nicolas NASA MARTI U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 3 May Successful 3 May 18:32:00 Black Brant IX[ 97] White Sands NASA EVE CU Boulder Suborbital Geospace/Solar 3 May Successful Used to calibrate the Solar Dynamics Observatory[ 96] 4 May 12:41:02[ 99] SpaceLoft XL Spaceport America UP Aerospace RocketSat CSG Suborbital Technology demonstration 4 May Successful NMSU Suborbital Technology demonstration Successful UNM Suborbital Technology demonstration Successful Pioneer Celestis Suborbital Space burial Successful Reached an apogee of 113 km (70 mi), successfully recovered.[ 98] 6 May 03:50[ 100] Sounding Rocket VII Jiu Peng Air Base NSPO NSPO Suborbital Ionospheric research 6 May Successful Apogee: 289 km (180 mi)[ 100] 8 May Ghaznavi Sonmiani ASFC ASFC Suborbital Missile test 8 May Successful 8 May Shaheen-I Sonmiani ASFC ASFC Suborbital Missile test 8 May Successful 17 May 11:29 Agni-II ITR IC-3 Indian Army Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 17 May Successful Travelled 2,500 km (1,553 mi) downrange 21 May 09:00:00 Black Brant IX White Sands NASA DICE CU Boulder Suborbital Astronomy 21 May Spacecraft failure[ 80] 6 June 22:25[ 83] Ground Based Interceptor Vandenberg LF-24 MDA MDA Suborbital Test flight 6 June Successful Two stage test vehicle, non-intercept test 8 June UGM-133 Trident II D5 USS Maryland , ETR US Navy US Navy Suborbital Test flight 8 June Successful Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 42 8 June UGM-133 Trident II D5 USS Maryland , ETR US Navy US Navy Suborbital Test flight 8 June Successful Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 42 9 June UGM-133 Trident II D5 USS Maryland , ETR US Navy US Navy Suborbital Test flight 9 June