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, only eight countries, the multi-national European Space Agency, and the privately owned Sea Launch company have sent objects into orbit using their own launch systems. In all cases where a country has conducted manned launches, these launches were preceded by unmanned satellites.
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
Not included
Failed launches
Brazil has yet to launch a satellite into orbit. Its space program suffered three satellite launch failures, the latest being the premature explostion of a VLS-1 rocket on August 22, 2003 at the Alcântara Launch Centre, which resulted in 21 deaths.
Non-domestic launch vehicles
Italy launched its first satellite, San Marco 2, on April 26, 1967 from the San Marco platform off the coast of Kenya; however, a United States Scout B rocket, not and Italian rocket, was used in the launch.
Australia launched its first satellite, WRESAT, on November 29, 1967 from Woomera, Australia; however, a United States Redstone rocket, not an Australian rocket, was used in the launch.
Unconfirmed claims
North Korea claimed to have launched the Kwangmyŏngsŏng satellite on August 31, 1998 from Musudan-ri, but this was never confirmed and widely believed to be a cover for the test launch of the Taepodong-1 missile.
Exected future launch attempts
South Korea's space programme with assistance from Russia, is building the Naro Space Center in South Korea. It is schedule to be operating in early 2008, and South Korea is planning to launch a KSLV-I rocket to put the nation's satellite into orbit sometime in 2008.
Extra-national launches
- Sea Launch, 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 on March 27, 1999, using a modified Russian Zenit 3SL rocket launched from the Ocean Odyssey (a former drilling-rig) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Sea Launch, which is still in operation, has launched numerous satellites to date, with few failures.
Notes
- 1 The Soviet Union's successor state, Russia, took over the Soviet space programme after the Soviet Union's its dissolution on December 25, 1991. The first satellite launched by Russia was Cosmos 2175 on January 21, 1992.
- 2 The multi-national European Space Agency, which currently has 17 members, is counted as a single entity.
See also
References
- First Satellites Launched By Spacefaring Nations, Anthony R. Curtis, Ph.D., Space Today Online, accessed February 17, 2006.
- National Briefings: Iraq, Ranger Associates, accessed February 17, 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 February 17, 2006.
- News Release 25-98, United States Space Command, September 8, 1998, accessed February 17, 2006.
- Daily Press Briefing, James P. Rubin, United States Department of State, September 14, 1998, accessed February 17, 2006.
- BBC World: Brazil Launches rocket into space
- Space.com: Brazil completes successful rocket launch
- Herald Tribune: Brazil launches rocket for gravity research