Previous Spaceflight Launches
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Soyuz 2.1a | Bars-M No. 2 (Kosmos 2515)
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaPlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
March 24, 2016, 9:42 a.m.
Atlas V 401 | Cygnus CRS OA-6 (S.S. Rick Husband)
United Launch Alliance | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
March 23, 2016, 3:05 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
This is the sixth flight of Orbital ATK's unmanned resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its fifth flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Orbital ATK named the vehicle after astronaut Rick Husband who was the commander of STS-107.
Low Earth Orbit
Soyuz FG | Soyuz TMA-20M
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
March 18, 2016, 9:26 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Soyuz TMA-20M begins expedition 47 by carrying 3 cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skriprochka alongside NASA astronaut Jeff Williams will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station.
Low Earth Orbit
Proton-M Briz-M | ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter & EDM Schiaparelli lander
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
March 14, 2016, 9:31 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
This is the first part of ESA’s and Roscosmos’s Mars exploration programme (ExoMars). The launch in the 2016 Mars window will consist of an orbiter and lander and will take 7 months to travel to Mars. The Trace Gas Orbiter will search for trace gases in the atmosphere such as methane and hydrogen. The Schiaparelli lander will travel with the orbiter until each reaches Mars, where it will attempt to descend through the atmosphere and land on the surface. The lander only contains a small array of scientific instruments, to conduct experiments over 4 Martian days.
Heliocentric N/A
Soyuz 2.1b | Resurs-P No.3
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
March 13, 2016, 6:56 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
This is the third satellite in the Resurs-P series of Earth observation satellites launched by the Russian government to replace the Resurs-DK 1 satellite. The satellite is capable of capturing images with a resolution of 3m per pixel in colour mode and as low as 1m in its panchromatic mode. The images provided will be used for the Russian ministries of Agriculture and Fishing, Meteorology, Transportation, Defence, and Natural Resources.
Low Earth Orbit
PSLV XL | IRNSS-1F
Indian Space Research Organization | IndiaSatish Dhawan Space Centre, India
March 10, 2016, 10:31 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
This is the 6th satellite out of 7 for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. The constellation will provide India with an alternative to GPS and will be used for military and civilian use. Located at a geosynchronous orbit the system will be operated by the Indian government.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Ariane 5 ECA | Eutelsat 65 West A
ArianeGroup | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
March 9, 2016, 5:20 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Located at 65 degrees west in GEO, Eutelsat 65 West A will contain 15 C-Band, 24 Ku-band and 24 Ka-Band transponders to provide coverage for Brazil and Latin America. Based on the SSL-1300 platform the satellite weights 6600kg and is powered by 2 solar arrays.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit #va229
Falcon 9 Full Thrust | SES-9
SpaceX | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
March 4, 2016, 11:35 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Containing 81 Ku-Band transponders, SES-9 will be positioned at 108.2 degrees East to provide communication coverage for 22 million homes. The satellite will enhance SES’s existing coverage in Asia, Australia and also improve maritime communications in the Indian Ocean. The 5300kg craft will use a xenon ion propulsion system for orbital manoeuvres to decrease the amount of propellant needed.
Geostationary Transfer Orbit #SES9 B1020 - Maiden Flight Of Course I Still Love You
H-IIA 202 | Astro-H (Hitomi)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | JapanTanegashima Space Center, Japan
Feb. 17, 2016, 8:45 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Astro-H is the 6th satellite in a series of X-ray telescopes by JAXA and ISAS. Its 4 instruments on board will cover the X-ray and Gamma ray regions. This region consists of photons with energy ranging from 0.3-600keV, and the telescope will provide the highest resolution ever achieved of 3-10 keV bands. The craft weighs 2.7 tonnes and will be placed into a circular orbit 575km above the ground, with an inclination of 31 degrees.
Low Earth Orbit
Rokot / Briz-KM | Sentinel-3A
Russian Aerospace Defence Forces | RussiaPlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Feb. 16, 2016, 5:57 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Sentinel-3A is the first in a pair of earth observation satellites developed by ESA to provide near real time data for the GMES Program. Sentinel-3A contains a temperature scanner, colour instrument and altimeter for monitoring the sea and land. The satellite focuses on providing accurate data about the oceans and in addition also provides information about wildfires and vegetation.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
