Space Newsfeed
The most comprehensive space news service available
Handbook of Satellite Services in Europe
The definitive sourcebook on European satcoms
Jobs In Space
The global space industry forum for posting vacancy notices and resumes
Satellite Industry Links
The largest free space industry directory available online
Space Bookshop
Books on every aspect of the space industry and astronomy
Satellite on the Net
Launch information and industry events
Spacecraft Technology Expo












Launch Schedule 2012

Date Payload Launcher Launch Site Notes
delayed SES 4 (NSS 14) Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
30 January Sirius 6 Proton M / Briz M Enhanced Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial radio broadcast satellite
January Gonets M3, Gonets M4, Rodnik N4, Yubileiny 2 Rokot / Briz KM Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia Russian communications satellites (Gonets M, Rodnik)
January Prognoz N11 Proton K / Blok DM2 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
9 February LARES (Laser Relativity Satellite), ALMASat 1, AtmoCube, e-st@r, Goliat, OUFTI-1, PW-Sat 1, UNICubeSAT, UWE, XaTcobeo Vega CSG Kourou, French Guiana first flight of the Vega
10 February Oko, US-KMO Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Russian early warning satellite (Oko)
12 February Globalstar 2 (19-24) Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan six commercial communications satellites
16 February MUOS 1 Atlas 5 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida US military communications satellite
28 February AstroSat PSLV Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India Indian astronomical satellite
delayed Arirang-3 (Kompsat 3), GCOM-W1, Horyu-2, SDS-4 H-2A Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan Japanese earth observation satellite which will study water circulation in the Earth's atmosphere (GCOM-W1), South Korean earth observation satellite (Arirang-3)
February Beidou-2 G5 Long March 3C   Chinese navigation satellite
February FH 3 (ZX 22B) Long March 3A    
February Glonass K1 N2 Soyuz 2-1a / Fregat Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia Russian navigation satellite
February Kompsat 5 (Arirang 5) Dnepr 1 Dombarovskiy Launch Site, Yasny, Russia Korean remote sensing satellite
6 March Intelsat 22 Proton M / Briz M Enhanced Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
9 March ATV 3 (Edoardo Amaldi) Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana unmanned supply ship to ISS
14 March NuSTAR (SMEX-11) Pegasus XL Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands astronomical high energy X-ray observatory
22 March Kanopus-Vulkan 1, ADS-1B, Baumanets 2, Belka 2, MKA-DKI, TET-1, Zond-PP Soyuz FG / Fregat Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan remote sensing satellite (Kanopus-Vulkan 1), earth observation satellite (Belka 2)
29 March NRO L-25 Delta 4-Medium Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA US spy satellite
delayed Soyuz TMA-04M ISS 30S Soyuz FG Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan manned transport vessel to the International Space Station
March Dragon C2, Orbcomm 2-1, Orbcomm 2-2 Falcon IX Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA combined second and third test flights of the Dragon spacecraft which will demonstrate proximity operations close to the International Space Station and then rendezvous and berthing, two commercial communication satellites (Orbcomm 2)
March RISat 1 PSLV Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India Indian radar imaging satellite
March RSSS 1 Long March 4B    
March Shenxhou 9 Long March 2F/H    
2 April YahSat 1B Proton M / Briz M Enhanced Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
27 April AEHF F-2 Atlas 5 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA US military communications satellite
27 April Progress M-15-M (ISS 47P) Soyuz U Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station
April   Antares 110 Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, USA demonstration launch
April Astra 4B Proton M / Briz M Enhanced Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communication satellite
April Cygnus 1 Antares 110 Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, USA first test flight of the Cygnus cargo freighter
April Dragon (DPP) Falcon IX Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA  
April Goturk 2 Long March 2C   commercial communication satellite
April Intelsat 19 Zenit 3SLB Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
April Intelsat 20 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
April Meteor 3M N2 Soyuz-2.1b Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
April NRO L-39 Atlas V   US spy satellite
April SJ-9A/B Long March 2D    
April SJ 11-05 Long March 2C    
April SkyTerra 2 (MSV 2) Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
23 May MetOp B Soyuz ST Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan meteorological satellite
May Arsat 1   CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
May Chinasat 9A Long March 3B/E   commercial communication satellite
May Gonets M3, Gonets M4, MiR, Rodnik N4, Yubileyniy 2 Rokot / Briz KM Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia two Russian communications satellites (Gonets)
May GSAT 10 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
May Intelsat 23 Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communication satellite
May Kondor E 1 Strela Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
May Luch 5B, Yamal 300K Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Russian data relay satellite (Luch 5B)
May Nauka MLM (ISS-03R) Proton Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station carrying Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) with European Robotic Arm (ERA)
May Resurs-P 1 Soyuz 2-1b Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Russian remote sensing satellite
May Telcom 3, Express MD-2 Proton M / Briz M Enhanced Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellites
May Vinasat 2 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
1 June Soyuz TMA-05M ISS 31S Soyuz FG Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan manned transport vessel to the International Space Station
15 June MSG 3 Ariane 5ECA CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
26 June HTV-3 (H-II Transfer Vehicle) H-2B Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan Japanese unmanned cargo vehicle to the International Space Station
June AtmoCube, CubeSat RAFT, Funsat, KatySat 1, KiwiSat, UCISat 1 Dnepr-1 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan multiple small experimental and technology satellites
June Apstar 7 (Chinasat 12) Long March 3B/E   commercial communication satellite
June Beidou-2 M2/M3 Long March 3B   Chinese navigation satellites
June Hylas 2   CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
June Insat 3D, JCSat 13 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellites
June Nimiq 6 Proton Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
June NRO L-15 Delta 4 Heavy Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida US spy satellite
June NRO L-38      
June TechDemoSat 1 Vega CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
June Yaogan Weixing 14 Long March 4C    
16 July Swarm A/B/C Rokot Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia three probes which will investigate the Earth's magnetic field
25 July Progress M-16-M (ISS 48P) Soyuz U Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station
July Bissat Kosmos-3M Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia  
July GPS 2F-9 Delta 4 Medium   US navigation satellite
July Intelsat 21 Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
July Kobalt N8 Soyuz-U    
July Musson 2 Rokot-KM    
July Soyuz-Sat-O Rokot-KM    
July Zohreh 1 Soyuz-FG / Fregat Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
9 August Dragon CRS-01, Orbcomm 2-1 Falcon IX Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station
23 August RBSP (Radiation Belt Storm Probes) Atlas V Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA two probes to study the Earth's radiation belts and the influence of the sun
August Anik G1 Proton Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
August Beidou-2 M4 Long March 3B   Chinese navigation satellite
August Bion M-1 Soyuz-2.1b    
August Cassiope 1 Falcon 9    
August Dialog 1 Rokot-Briz Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia  
August Echostar 16 Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
August EuropaSat Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
August Galileo IOV3, IOV4 Soyuz 2-1b / Fregat CSG Kourou, French Guiana 2 validation satellites for the Galileo navigation system
August NRO L-36 (NOSS-3 6A/6B), ELaNA 3 (Aeneas, CINEMA 1, CP 5, CSSWE, CXBN) Atlas 5    
August NRO L-45 Atlas 5    
August OHO 1 Soyuz STB CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
August Terrestar 2 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communications satellite
September BADR 7 Ariane 5ECA CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
September Bluesat Dnepr-1 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
September GPS 2F-3 Atlas V Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida US navigation satellite
September Hausat 2 Dnepr-1 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
September Meteor M N2, Baumanets 2, Monika Soyuz-2.1b Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
September NRO L-29 Atlas 5    
September Star One C3 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
September Tian Lian 1C Long March 3C    
September VRSS 1 Long March 2D   Venezualan remote sensing satellite
2 October Cygnus CRS-01 Antares 120 Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, USA unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station
23 October Progress M-17-M (ISS 49P) Soyuz U Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station
October Alphasat I-XL Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
October – December Apstar 7B Long March 3B/E   commercial communication satellite
October – December AzerSpace 1 (AfricaSat 1a) Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
October Chinasat 11 Long March 3B/E   commercial communication satellite
October DubaiSat 2, Brite-PL 1, STSat 3, WNISAT 1 Dnepr-1    
October – December GeoEye 2 Atlas 5   commercial earth imaging satellite
October – December GSAT 7 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
October Kanopus-V 2 Rokot – KM    
October Microscope Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
October Soyuz TMA-06M ISS 32S Soyuz FG Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan manned transport vessel to the International Space Station
October Yamal 402 Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
28 November Kosmos 2478 Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat    
November AFSPC 2 Atlas V Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida  
November AIST, Mikhailo Lomonosov Soyuz 2.1v   astronomy satellite (Mikhailo Lomonosov)
November Astra 2F Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communication satellite
November CBERS 3 Long March 4B    
November Elektro-L N2 Zenit-3F    
November Gonets M5, Gonets M6, Gonets M7 Rokot / Briz KM Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia Russian communications satellites
November Mexsat 3 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
November Satmex 8 Proton Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communication satellite
November Shenzhou 10 Long March 2F/H    
November Soyuz TMA-07M ISS 33S Soyuz FG Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan manned transport vessel to the International Space Station
November Unamsat 3 Dnepr 1    
1 December IRIS (SMEX-12) Pegasus XL Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA solar probe to investigate the sun's corona, solar wind and atmosphere
12 December WGS-5 Delta 4M+ Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida US military communications satellite
15 December TDRS-K Atlas V Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA data relay satellite
26 December Progress M-18-M (ISS 50P) Soyuz U Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station
December AEHF F-3 Atlas 5 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA US military communications satellite
December AMOS Falcon IX    
December Amos 4 Zenit-3SLB   commercial communication satellite
December Beidou-2 IGSO-5 Long March 3A   Chinese navigation satellite
December Express AM-5 Proton M / Briz M Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan commercial communications satellite
December FY-3C Long March 4B    
December Galileo-IOV Soyuz STBF CSG Kourou, French Guiana two European navigation satellites
December GPS 2F-4 Atlas V Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida US navigation satellite
December HJ-1C, XW 1 Long March 2C    
December Monitor IR1 Rokot KM    
??? Beidou-2 G6 Long March 3C   Chinese navigation satellite
??? Beidou-2 M5 Long March 3B   Chinese navigation satellite
??? Beidou-2 M6, M7 Long March 3B   Chinese navigation satellites
??? Beijing 2      
??? Dragon CRS-02, ELaNA 4 (Black Knight 1, Copper-Cube, CUSat 1/2, DragonSat 1, IPEX, Lunar Orbiter-Lander CubeSat, SPA-1 Trailblazer, SwampSat, TetherSat, TJSat) Falcon IX Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA unmanned cargo transport to the International Space Station (Dragon CRS-02)
??? Eros C Start-1 Svobodny, Russia Israeli Earth imaging satellite
??? FAST-D, FAST-T      
??? Feng Niao 1      
??? FY 2G Long March 3A    
??? FY 4O/A Long March 4B    
??? Geizer N21 Proton K Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan  
??? Geo IK-2 N2 Rokot / Briz KM Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia Russian geodesy satellite
??? GPS 2F-5 Atlas V   US navigation satellite
??? GPS 2F-6 Atlas V   US navigation satellite
??? GPS 2F-7 Atlas V   US navigation satellite
??? GPS 2F-8 Atlas V   US navigation satellite
??? GPS 2F-10 Delta 4 Medium   US navigation satellite
??? HY-1C      
??? HY-1D      
??? HY-3D      
??? JiShu Shiyan 1      
??? Jupiter 1 Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
??? NigComSat 2 Long March 3B   commercial communication satellite
??? OTV 3 Atlas 5    
??? Pleiades-HR 2 Soyuz STAF CSG Kourou, French Guiana earth observation satellite
??? PQ-Gemini++ 1, 2, 3, 4 Dnepr 1    
??? SBIRS-GEO 2 Atlas 5    
??? SPOT 6   CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
??? SSETI ESEO Vega CSG Kourou, French Guiana  
??? Tian Lian 3 Long March 2C    
??? Turksat 4A Ariane 5 CSG Kourou, French Guiana commercial communication satellite
??? World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO-UV)(Spektr-UF) Zenit -2SB / Fregat    
??? Yaogan Weixing 15      
??? Yaogan Weixing 16      
??? Yaogan Weixing 17      
 



Microcom Systems Ltd
PO Box 6070, Nairn, Highland IV12 5WZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 1667 459318
fax: +44 1667 459319
info@microcomsystems.co.uk
http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk

designed and hosted by Microcom Web Solutions



© Microcom Systems Ltd, 1998 - 2012