Previous Spaceflight Launches
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Long March 2C | Yaogan 13
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaTaiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Nov. 29, 2011, 6:50 p.m.
Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat | Glonass-M (Kosmos 2478)
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaPlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Nov. 28, 2011, 8:25 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Glonass-M, also known as Uragan-M, are the second generation of Uragan satellite design used for GLONASS satellite navigation system. GLONASS is a Russian space-based navigation system comparable to the similar GPS and Galileo systems. This generation improves on accuracy, power consumption and design life. Each satellite weighs 1415 kg, is equipped with 12 L-band antennas, and has an operational lifetime of 7 years.
Medium Earth Orbit
Atlas V 541 | MSL (Curiosity)
United Launch Alliance | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Nov. 26, 2011, 3:02 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, featuring the renowned Curiosity rover, was designed to assess the planet's past and present habitability. Equipped with an array of advanced scientific instruments, including a drill and a sample analysis unit, Curiosity explored the Gale Crater, a site believed to contain evidence of ancient Martian environments. It delivered groundbreaking discoveries, including the detection of organic molecules and the confirmation of an ancient, potentially habitable lake bed.
Mars Orbit
Proton-M/Briz-M Enhanced | Asiasat 7
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Nov. 25, 2011, 7:10 p.m.
Long March 2D | Shiyan Weixing 4 & Chuang Xin 1C
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaJiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Nov. 20, 2011, 12:15 a.m.
Soyuz-FG | Soyuz TMA-22
Progress Rocket Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Nov. 14, 2011, 4:14 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Soyuz TMA-22 begins Expedition 29 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov alongside Flight Engineers, Anatoli Ivanishin (RSA) & Daniel C. Burbank (NASA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on 27 April 2012, 11:45 UTC
Low Earth Orbit
Long March 4B | Yaogan 12 & Tianxun-1
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaTaiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Nov. 9, 2011, 3:21 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Yaogan 12 is a Chinese Earth observation satellite, likely also used for military reconnaissance. Tianxun-1 is a Chinese microsatellite built by the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Earth observation with maximum resolution of 30 metres.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitZenit 2M | Fobos-Grunt & Yinghuo-1
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Nov. 8, 2011, 8:16 p.m.
Proton-M Briz-M | 3 x Glonass-M (Kosmos 2475, Kosmos 2476, Kosmos 2477)
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Nov. 4, 2011, 12:51 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Glonass-M, also known as Uragan-M, are the second generation of Uragan satellite design used for GLONASS satellite navigation system. GLONASS is a Russian space-based navigation system comparable to the similar GPS and Galileo systems. This generation improves on accuracy, power consumption and design life. Each satellite weighs 1415 kg, is equipped with 12 L-band antennas, and has an operational lifetime of 7 years.
Medium Earth Orbit
Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaJiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Oct. 31, 2011, 9:58 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
This is the first docking mission for China's Shenzhou program. Being the first spacecraft to visit the Tiangong-1 space station, it was launched without crew to demonstrate spacecraft rendezvous and docking techniques. The spacecraft docked automatically to the station on 2 November 2011. A second undocking and re-docking to test accuracy and reliability of equipment and sensors in a bright environment was performed on 14 November 2011. Shenzhou 8 undocked on 17 November 2011 and landed safely back on Earth the same day.
Low Earth Orbit
