Commercial Space Transportation:

2011 Year in Review

COMMERCIAL SPACE

TRANSPORTATION:

2011 YEAR IN REVIEW

January 2012

HQ-121525.INDD

• i •

2011 Year in Review

About the Office of Commercial Space Transportation

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space

Transportation (FAA/AST) licenses and regulates U.S. commercial space launch 

and reentry activity, as well as the operation of non-federal launch and reentry sites, 

as authorized by Executive Order 12465 and Title 51 United States Code, Subtitle 

V, Chapter 509 (formerly the Commercial Space Launch Act).

FAA/AST’s mission is to ensure public health and safety and the safety of

property while protecting the national security and foreign policy interests of the 

United States during commercial launch and reentry operations. In addition, FAA/

AST is directed to encourage, facilitate, and promote commercial space launches 

and reentries. Additional information concerning commercial space transportation 

can be found on FAA/AST’s web site at 

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/.

NOTICE

Use of trade names or names of manufacturers in this document does not

constitute an official endorsement of such products or manufacturers, either 

expressed or implied, by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Cover: Art by John Sloan (2012)
• ii •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2011 Launch Activity.

WORLDWIDE ORBITAL LAUNCH ACTIVITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Worldwide Launch Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Worldwide Orbital Payload Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Commercial Launch Payload Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Non-Commercial Launch Payload Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

U.S. AND FAA-LICENSED ORBITAL LAUNCH ACTIVITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FAA-Licensed Orbital Launch Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

U.S. and FAA-Licensed Orbital Launch Activity in Detail

FAA Reentry License Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

INTERNATIONAL ORBITAL LAUNCH ACTIVITIES...

FAA SUBORBITAL FLIGHT SUMMARY...

2011 Space Transportation Trends..

FIVE-YEAR WORLDWIDE SPACE TRANSPORTATION TRENDS...

COMMERCIAL SATELLITE AND LAUNCH TRENDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

INTERNATIONALLY COMPETED LAUNCHES...

2012 Launch Activity Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Appendix I: 2011 Worldwide Orbital Launch Events . . . . . . . . . . 2

Appendix II: 2012 Projected Worldwide Orbital Launch Events 26

Appendix III: Definitions..
• 1 •

2011 Year in Review

INTRODUCTION 

The Commercial Space Transportation: 2011 Year in Review summarizes U.S. and 

international launch activities for calendar year 2011. This report also provides a 

review and analysis of the past five years of commercial launch activity.

There were 84 orbital launch events worldwide in 2011, including commercial, civil, 

and military missions. Appendix I contains the details of these events. Appendix II 

details the first six-month projection of worldwide orbital launches for 2012.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation 

(FAA/AST) licensed one commercial orbital launch in 2011, compared to four 

licensed launches in 2010. The license was for the launch of Sea Launch AG’s Zenit 

3SL rocket in September. 

Appendix III provides definitions for the terminology of this report.
• 2 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Of the 84 worldwide orbital launch attempts in 2011, 18 (21 percent) were 

commercial. This is a decrease in commercial launches from 2010, when there 

were 23 commercial orbital launches worldwide out of a total of 74 launches (see 

Figure 1). Much of this decrease stems from the fact that none of the vehicles 

manufactured by the United States had 

any commercial launches in 2011. Four 

commercial launches planned for 2011 

under NASA’s Commercial Resupply 

Services (CRS) and Commercial Orbital 

Transportation Services (COTS) 

programs were delayed until 2012. 

Russia had 56 percent of the 

international commercial launch market 

with 10 commercial launches in 2011. 

Sea Launch AG had two commercial 

launches accounting for 11 percent of 

the commercial launch market. The return-to-flight launch from the Pacific Ocean 

was the only FAA/AST-licensed orbital launch this year. Sea Launch carried out its 

second launch out of Baikonur, Kazakhstan as part of the Land Launch program. 

Europe attained a 22 percent market share, conducting four commercial Ariane 

5 launches. China had two commercial launches of its Long March 3B vehicle, 

attaining 11 percent of the international commercial market. 

Of the 84 orbital launches attempted worldwide, 6 were failures, including 1 failed 

commercial launch. Four of the failures were Russian launches on three different 

launch vehicles:

•	 A Rockot launch vehicle failed to place the GEO IK-2 No. II remote sensing 

satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) on February 1.

•	 A Proton M launch vehicle failed to put the Express AM4 into geosynchronous 

orbit (GEO) on August 17 (this was the commercial launch failure in 2011).

•	 A Soyuz launch vehicle failed to carry the Progress M-12M supply capsule to 

the International Space Station (ISS) on August 24.

•	 A Soyuz 2 1B launch vehicle failed to launch the Meridian 5 communications 

satellite to a Molniya orbit on December 23.

The United States and China each experienced one launch failure in 2011. A 

Taurus XL vehicle failed to launch NASA’s Earth science satellite, Glory, and three 

university satellites on March 4. On August 18, a Long March 2C failed to place 

China’s Shijian 11-04 experimental satellite into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).

Two suborbital flights were conducted under FAA permits in 2011. Both were 

conducted by Blue Origin, using the PM-2 vehicle.

18

66

Non-Commercial Launches

Commercial Launches

Figure 1. 2011 Total Worldwide Launch Activity
• 3 •

2011 Year in Review

2011 LAUNCH ACTIVITY

WORLDWIDE ORBITAL LAUNCH ACTIVITY

This section highlights worldwide launch 

activity in 2011. Launches, payloads, and 

revenue streams are on a country-by-country 

basis. Launch providers from the United 

States, Russia, Europe, China, Japan, India, 

Iran, and one multinational provider 

conducted a total of 84 launch events in 

2011, 18 of which were commercial (see 

Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 2 and 3). The 

following is a summary of all the 2011 

worldwide commercial launches by country:

•	 The United States had 18 launches, 3 

more than in 2010, but no commercial 

launches.

•	 Russia led in both total orbital (31) and commercial launches (10). Russia 

also experienced the highest number of failures (4). One failure was for a 

commercial launch. 

•	 Europe conducted seven launches in 2011, four of which were commercial 

launches. The first two Soyuz 2 launches from French Guiana happened in 

2011.

•	 China had 19 launches, 2 of which were commercial. China did not conduct 

any commercial launches in 2010.

•	 The multinational Sea Launch Zenit 3SL launch vehicle returned to flight in 

September. The company had two commercial launches, one FAA-licensed 

launch from a platform in the Pacific Ocean and the other from Baikonur, 

Kazakhstan as part of the Land Launch program.

Appendix I shows all 84 orbital launches worldwide in 2011, including commercial, 

civil, and military missions.

Table 1. 2011 Worldwide Orbital Launch Events

Commercial 

Launches

NonCommercial 

Launches

Total 

Launches

United States 0 18 18

Russia 10 21 31

Europe 4 3 7

China 2 17 19

Japan 0 3 3

India 0 3 3

Iran 0 1 1

Multinational 2 0 2

TOTAL 18 66 84

Figure 2. 2011 Worldwide Commercial Launch Activity 

Europe

 4 (22%)

Russia

10 (56%)

Multinational

2 (11%)

Total: 18 Commercial Launches

China

2 (11%)

Total: 18 Commercial Launches 

Figure 3. 2011 Total Worldwide Launch Activity

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

35 

United States Russia Europe China Japan India Iran Multinational 

Number of Launchess 

Non-commercial 

Commercial 

Non-Commercial

Commercial
• 4 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Table 2. 2011 Worldwide Commercial Launch Events

Date Vehicle Launching Country/

Region Payload(s) Orbit Launch 

Outcome

22-Apr-11 Ariane 5 ECA Europe Yahsat 1A

Intelsat New Dawn

GEO

GEO

Success

Success

20-May-11 Proton M Russia Telstar 14R GEO Success

20-May-11 Ariane 5 ECA Europe Insat 4G/GSAT-8

ST 2

GEO

GEO

Success

Success

13-Jul-11 Soyuz 2 Russia Globalstar 2nd Gen 07

Globalstar 2nd Gen 08

Globalstar 2nd Gen 09

Globalstar 2nd Gen 10

Globalstar 2nd Gen 11

Globalstar 2nd Gen 12

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

15-Jul-11 Proton M Russia SES-3

KazSat 2

GEO

GEO

Success

Success

06-Aug-11 Ariane 5 ECA Europe Astra 1N

BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R

GEO

GEO

Success

Success

17-Aug-11 Dnepr M Russia Sich 2

NX

Nigeriasat 2

Edusat

RASAT

BPA 2

Aprizesat 5

Aprizesat 6

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

17-Aug-11 Proton M Russia Express AM4 GEO Failure

21-Sep-11 Ariane 5 ECA Europe Arabsat 5C

SES-2

GEO

GEO

Success

Success

24-Sep-11 Zenit 3SL Multinational Atlantic Bird 7 GEO Success

29-Sep-11 Proton M Russia QuetzSat-1 GEO Success

06-Oct-11 Zenit 3SL Multinational Intelsat 18 GEO Success

07-Oct-11 Long March 3B China Eutelsat W3C GEO Success

19-Oct-11 Proton M Russia Viasat 1 GEO Success

25-Nov-11 Proton M Russia Asiasat 7 GEO Success

11-Dec-11 Proton M Russia Luch 5A

Amos 5

GEO

GEO

Success

Success

19-Dec-11 Long March 3B China NigComSat 1R GEO Success

28-Dec-11 Soyuz 2 Russia Globalstar 2nd Gen 13

Globalstar 2nd Gen 14

Globalstar 2nd Gen 15

Globalstar 2nd Gen 16

Globalstar 2nd Gen 17

Globalstar 2nd Gen 18

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

NGSO

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success

Success
• 5 •

2011 Year in Review

Worldwide Launch Revenues

Revenues from the 18 commercial launch events in 2011 amount to an estimated 

$1.9 billion, a decrease of $526 million from 2010 (see Figure 4). The following are 

the revenues by country:

•	 The United States did not generate any 

commercial launch revenue.

•	 Russian commercial launch revenues were 

approximately $707 million.

•	 European revenues were approximately 

$880 million.

•	 Chinese revenues were approximately $140 

million.

•	 Multinational revenues were approximately 

$200 million.

Payments for launch services typically are spread over one to two years before the 

launch. For the purposes of this report, revenue is in the year a customer’s payload 

launches. Launch revenues go to the country of the primary vehicle manufacturer. 

The assessment of these revenues uses commercial launch price estimates for each 

launch vehicle, from publically available information.

Most launch vehicles today are manufactured, sold, and launched by the same 

organization entirely in one country or, in the case of Europe and the former Soviet 

Union,1

 within a particular economic region. At present, there is one launch 

service corporation, Sea Launch, that is characterized as multinational.

Worldwide Orbital Payload Summary

In 2011, 84 launches carried 

a total of 133 payloads into 

orbit (see Table 3 and Figures 

5 and 6). Of the 133 payloads, 

35 provide commercial 

services (see Figure 7 for these 

payloads by launch country). 

The remaining 98 payloads 

were used for non-commercial 

civil government, military, or 

non-profit purposes. 

1 International Launch Services (ILS) and Arianespace constitute an exception. ILS is a Russian-owned 

 company incorporated in the U.S. and selling launches of the Russian Proton vehicles. Arianespace 

 markets launches of a Russian-manufactured Soyuz 2 type launch vehicle from the Kourou launch site in 

 French Guiana.

Commercial 

Payloads

NonCommercial 

Payloads

Total 

Payloads

United States 0 28 28

Russia 21 32 53

Europe 8 9 17

China 4 17 21

Japan 0 3 3

India 0 8 8

Iran 0 1 1

Multinational 2 0 2

TOTAL 35 98 133

Table 3. Payloads Launched by Country in 2011

Figure 4. Approximate 2011 Commercial Launch Revenues

$0 

$100 

$200 

$300 

$400 

$500 

$600 

$700 

$800 

$900 

$1,000 

United States Russia Europe China Multinational 

$0 

$707 

$880 

$140 $200 

US$ Millions 
• 6 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Commercial Launch Payload Summaries

Eighteen commercial launches carried a total of 41 commercial and noncommercial payloads into orbit. Thirty-five of the payloads were communications 

satellites; only two of those satellites were government communications satellites, 

and the rest were commercial communications satellites. 

Eight payloads were for civil government purposes. Government payloads are 

often remote sensing or science satellites. See Table 4 for a summary of government 

payloads launched commercially. 

Twenty of these 41 commercially launched 

payloads are non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) 

satellites, and 21 are GEO satellites. See Table 2 

(p. 4) for which payloads are launched to NGSO 

or GEO orbit.

Seventeen of the 18 commercial launches were 

successful. On August 17, the Proton M launch 

vehicle failed to launch the Express AM4 Russian 

communications satellite to GEO.

Table 4. Commercially Launched Government Civil Payloads

Launch Vehicle Payload Service Type Use

Proton M KazSat 2 Civil Communications

Dnepr

Sich 2 Civil Remote Sensing

NX Civil Remote Sensing

Nigeriasat 2 Civil Remote Sensing

Edusat Civil Science

RASAT Civil Science

BPA 2 Civil Development

Proton M Luch 5A Civil Communications

Figure 6. Total Payloads Launched by Country in 2011

Total: 132 payloads launched 

United States

28 (21%)

Multinational

2 (2%)

Iran

1 (1%)

India

8 (6%)

China

21 (16%)

Europe

17 (13%)

Russia

53 (40%)

Japan

3 (2%)

Total: 133 payloads launched

Figure 7. Commercial Payloads Launched by Country in 2011

Europe

8 (23%)

Russia

21 (60%)

Multinational

China 2 (6%) 4 (11%)

Total: 35 commercial payloads launched Total: 35 commercial payloads launched 

Figure 5. 2011 Total Worldwide Launch Activity by Payload

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

United States Russia Europe China Japan India Iran Multinational 

Number of Payloadss 

Non-commercial 

Commercial 

Non-Commercial

Commercial
• 7 •

2011 Year in Review

Non-Commercial Launch Payload Summaries

In 2011, there were 66 non-commercial launches carrying a total of 92 commercial 

and non-commercial payloads. Two of these payloads were commercial 

communications satellites: Chinasat 10 and Paksat 1R. The remaining 90 payloads 

were for civil government, military, or non-profit use (see Figure 8).

Table 5 provides a list of noncommercial payloads launched 

for civil government, military, or 

non-profit use, including:

•	 Forty-six payloads launched 

non-commercially for civil 

government purposes.

•	 Thirty-four payloads were 

for military use.

•	 Ten payloads launched noncommercially for non-profit 

missions.

Table 5. Payloads Launched Non-Commercially by Service Type

Country Service Type Payload(s)

United 

States

Civil (10) 3 Space Shuttle missions (STS-133, 134, and 135); Glory; SAC-D/Aquarius; Juno; GRAIL A and B; NPP; 

and MSL

Military (9) NRO L-27, L-34, L-49, and L-66; X-37B OTV 2; SBIRS GEO 1; ORS 1; Navstar GPS 2F-02; and TacSat 4

Non-Profit (9) Kysat 1; Hermes; Explorer 1 (PRIME); RAX; M-Cubed; AS-1; Explorer 1 (PRIME) Unit 2; DICE 1 and 2

Russia

Civil (12) Electro-L N1; Progress M-09M, -10M, -11M, 12M, -13M; Soyuz TMA-02M, -03M, -21, -22; Spektr R; and 

Phobos-Grunt

Military (11) Cosmos 2472 and 2473; Glonass K1-1; Glonass M42, M43, M44, M45, and M46; Meridian 4 and 5; 

and GEO IK-2 No. II 

Europe Civil (4) ATV2; Galileo 1 and 2; and Pleiades HR 1

Military (5) ELISA 1 through 4; and SSOT

China Civil (12) Shijian 11-02, -03, and -04; Tianlian-1B; HY-2A; Tiangong 1; Shenzhou 8; Chuang Xing 1-03; Ziyuan 

1-2C; Yinghuo-1; Shiyan Wexing 4; and Tianxun 1

Military (6) Beidou 2 IGS 3, 4, and 5; Chinasat 1A; Yaogan 12 and 13

Japan Civil (1) HTV-2

Military (2) IGS-4C (Optical) and IGS-4B (Radar)

India Civil (7) X-Sat; Resourcesat 2; GSAT 12; Jugnu; SRMSAT; Vesslesat 1; and Megha Tropiques

Non-Profit (1) Youthsat

Iran Military (1) Rasad 1

Figure 8. Payloads by Service Type Deployed By 

Non-Commercial Launches

Government 

Military

34 (37%)

Government 

Civil 

46 (50%)

Commercial 

Communications

2 (2%)

Non-Profit

10 (11%)
• 8 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Sixty-one non-commercial launches were successful. The following five noncommercial launches failed:

•	 A Rockot launch vehicle carrying the GEO IK-2 No. II, a Russian SSO geodetic 

satellite, failed on February 1.

•	 A Taurus XL launch vehicle failed to launch NASA’s Glory scientific satellite, 

along with the Kaysat 1, Hermes, and Explorer 1 (PRIME) satellites, on March 4.

•	 The Long March 2C launch carrying Shijian 11-04, a Chinese scientific SSO 

satellite, failed on August 18.

•	 A Soyuz launch vehicle failed to deliver the Progress M-12M cargo payload to the 

ISS on August 24.

•	 A Soyuz 2 launch vehicle failed to launch the Meridian 5 communications 

satellite on December 23.
• 9 •

2011 Year in Review

U.S. AND FAA-LICENSED ORBITAL LAUNCH ACTIVITY

FAA-Licensed Orbital Launch Summary

There was one FAA-licensed launch in 2011: one of the total of two commercial 

launches conducted by multinational launch provider Sea Launch was a Zenit 3SL 

launch vehicle carrying the Atlantic Bird 7 communications satellite to GEO (see 

Table 6). 

In 2011, FAA planned to license four commercial launches under NASA’s COTS 

and CRS programs, but all four of those launches slipped to 2012. 

Over the past five years, FAA has typically licensed four or five launches per year. 

However, in 2008, FAA licensed 11 launches, including 5 Sea Launch Zenit 

3SL launches of commercial GEO communications satellites. Figures 9 and 10 

summarize the number of FAA-licensed orbital launches and revenue from 2007-

2011.

U.S. and FAA-Licensed Orbital Launch Activity in Detail

U.S. launch vehicles provided 18 U.S. government launches in 2011. Nine of the 

launches were for NASA: three Space Shuttle missions and six science missions. 

The launch of one of the science missions, Glory, resulted in a failure. The U.S. 

Department of Defense (DoD) also had nine launches: four carried classified 

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payloads and five carried DoD or DoDsponsored payloads.

See Table 7 for a detailed breakdown of U.S. and FAA-licensed launch activity 

during 2011 by vehicle.

Table 6. 2011 FAA-Licensed Orbital Launch Events

Date Vehicle Primary 

Payload Orbit Launch Outcome

24-Sep-11 Zenit 3SL Atlantic Bird 7 GEO Success

Figure 9. FAA-Licensed Orbital Launch Events, 2007-2011

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

4 

11 

5 

4 

1 

Number of Orbital Launchesss 

Figure 10. Estimated Revenue for FAA-Licensed 

Orbital Launch Events, 2007-2011

$0 

$100 

$200 

$300 

$400 

$500 

$600 

$700 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

$220 

$690 

$398 

$307 

$100 

$US Millions 
• 10 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

The following is a list of U.S.-based launch service providers, highlighting their 

launch activity in 2011. It includes all companies that launch from the United 

States or under the regulatory oversight of the FAA/AST.

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital provides the Minotaur, Pegasus, and Taurus vehicles for orbital launch.

Orbital performed four launches in 2011, using the Minotaur I, Minotaur IV, 

and Taurus XL vehicles. In February, a Minotaur I launched NRO L-66 from 

Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB). In March, a Taurus XL attempted to launch 

NASA’s Earth science satellite, Glory, into orbit from VAFB; this launch attempt 

resulted in a failure. In June, another Minotaur I successfully launched ORS 1. In 

September, a Minotaur IV launched a technology development satellite, TacSat 4.

Table 7. U.S. and FAA-Licensed Launch Vehicle Performance in 2011

UNITED STATES SEA 

LAUNCH

Vehicle Minotaur Minotaur IV Taurus XL Delta II Delta IV 

Medium+ (4,2)

Delta IV 

Heavy

Atlas V 

401

Atlas V 

501

Atlas V 

541

Atlas V 

551 Shuttle Zenit 3SL

2011 Total 

Launches 2 1 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 1

2011 Licensed 

Launches 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Launch 

Reliability 

(2011)

2/2 

100%

1/1 

100%

0/1 

0%

3/3 

100%

2/2 

100%

1/1 

100%

2/2 

100%

1/1 

100%

1/1 

100%

1/1 

100%

3/3 

100%

1/1 

100%

Launch 

Reliability 

(Last 10 Years)

8/8 

100%

3/3 

100%

1/3 

33%

20/20 

100%

7/7 

100%

5/5 

100%

12/12 

100%

3/3 

100%

1/1 

100%

2/2 

100%

34/34 

100%

23/24 

(96%)

Year of First 

Launch 2000 2010 2004 1995 2002 2004 2002 2010 2011 2006 1981 1999

Active Launch 

Sites

VAFB, 

Wallops

VAFB,

Kodiak

CCAFS, 

VAFB

CCAFS, 

VAFB

CCAFS,

VAFB

CCAFS,

VAFB

CCAFS,

VAFB

CCAFS, 

VAFB CCAFS CCAFS KSC Sea Launch Platform

LEO kg (lbs) 640 

(1,411)

1,735 

(3,822)

1,588 

(3,500)

6,100 

(13,440)

10,430

(22,974)

22,560 

(49,740)

9,797 

(21,598)

8,123 

(17,908) -- -- 23,435(51,557)

15,876 

(35,000)

GTO kg (lbs) -- -- 517 

(1,140)

1,270 

(2,800)

5,845 

(12,874)

12,980 

(28,620)

4,750

(10,470)

3,775

(8,320)

7,980 

(17,593)

8,670 

(19,114)

5,663

(12,459)

6,100 

(13,448)
• 11 •

2011 Year in Review

United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance (ULA) conducts launches for the U.S. government launch 

market. ULA manufactures and operates Boeing-heritage Delta and Lockheed 

Martin-heritage Atlas launch vehicles. ULA is a 50-50 joint partnership between 

Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

In 2011, ULA conducted 11 non-commercial launches:

•	 Three Delta II launches placed these payloads into orbit: SAC-D/Aquarius, 

GRAIL A and B, and NPP.

•	 Three Delta IV launches placed these payloads into orbit: NRO L-49, NRO 

L-27, and Navstar GPS 2F-02.

•	 Five Atlas V launches placed these payloads into orbit: X-37B OTV 2, NRO 

L-34, SBIRS GEO 1, Juno, and MSL.

United Space Alliance

United Space Alliance (USA) is the launch services company for non-commercial 

NASA Space Shuttle missions. Like ULA, USA is jointly owned by Boeing and 

Lockheed Martin. 

USA conducted three successful Space Shuttle launches from the Kennedy Space 

Center in 2011. Space Shuttles Atlantis, Endeavour, and Discovery assisted in 

completing the construction of the ISS. These launches concluded the Space 

Shuttle program, and the Space Shuttle fleet is now retired.

The five Space Shuttle vehicles—Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Discovery, and 

Endeavour—have completed a total of 135 missions. 

•	 Thirty-seven of these missions flew to the ISS and nine to the Russian Mir 

space station. 

•	 The Shuttle orbiters hosted more than 2,000 scientific experiments and 

deployed a total of 180 payloads, including satellites and missions to Venus, 

Jupiter, and the Sun. 

•	 The Shuttles deployed 20 commercial satellites and returned 52 payloads from 

space. 

•	 Seven spacecraft were retrieved, repaired, and redeployed, including the 

Hubble Space Telescope. 

•	 Two missions involved accidents, leading to the loss of the Challenger and 

Columbia orbiters and their crews. 

Sea Launch

The only FAA-licensed commercial orbital launch in 2011 was conducted by 

multinational launch provider Sea Launch. Its Zenit 3SL launch vehicle inserted 

the Atlantic Bird 7 communications satellite into GEO. The vehicle launched 

from Sea Launch’s Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean. It was the first launch 
• 12 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

conducted by Sea Launch after company reorganization and emerging from 

Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection procedure as a Swiss-based Russian majorityowned company. The total price of the launch is estimated at $100 million. 

2011 also saw one successful launch of the Land Launch system from Baikonur, 

Kazakhstan, operated by Sea Launch. It deployed the Intelsat 18 commercial GEO 

communications satellite. 

FAA Reentry License Summary

In 2011, there were no reentries conducted under an FAA reentry license. The 

NASA COTS and CRS missions in 2012 expect to use FAA reentry licenses.

INTERNATIONAL ORBITAL LAUNCH ACTIVITIES

The following section highlights non-U.S. launch activity on a country-by-country 

basis.

Russia

In 2011, there were 31 Russian launches. Twenty-seven of these launches were 

successful, and four failed. Ten launches were commercial, and 21 were noncommercial launches. Of the non-commercial launches, nine were missions to the 

ISS, nine were for military purposes, and three were civil government missions. 

Table 8 and the lists below present a detailed breakdown of 2011 Russian launch 

activity by vehicle. 

RUSSIA

Vehicle Dnepr M Rockot Zenit 2M Zenit 3F Soyuz Soyuz 2 Soyuz U Proton M

2011 Total Launches 1 1 1 2 9 7 1 9

Launch Reliability 

(2011)

1/1 

100%

0/1 

0%

1/1 

100%

2/2 

100%

8/9 

89%

6/7 

86%

1/1 

100% 

8/9 

89%

Launch Reliability 

(Last 10 Years)

4/4 

100%

12/14 

86%

2/2 

100%

2/2 

100%

95/97 

98%

15/16 

94%

3/3 

100%

51/56 

91%

Year of First Launch 2010 1994 2007 2011 1963 2004 2009 2000

Active Launch Sites Baikonur Baikonur,

Plesetsk Baikonur Baikonur Baikonur,Plesetsk

Baikonur, 

Plesetsk Plesetsk Baikonur

LEO kg (lbs) 4,100

(9,030)

1,850

(4,075)

12,030 

(26,500) -- 6,708(14,758)

7,800 

(17,100)

6,700 

(14,740)

21,000

(46,305)

GTO kg (lbs) -- -- -- 2,500 

(5,500)

1,350

(2,975)

1,700 

(3,800) -- 5,500(12,125)

Table 8. Russian Launch Vehicle Activity in 2011
• 13 •

2011 Year in Review

The 10 commercial missions included:

•	 ILS launched seven Proton M vehicles, carrying a total of nine satellites. The 

Proton M carrying the Express AM-4 failed.

•	 ISC Kosmostras launched one Dnepr rocket, carrying a total of eight satellites.

•	 Two Soyuz 2 launches deployed 12 Globalstar 2 satellites.

The following nine launches were dedicated ISS missions:

•	 Five Soyuz rockets carrying Progress spacecraft. The Soyuz mission in August 

failed.

•	 Four Soyuz vehicles carrying manned Soyuz spacecraft ferried individuals to 

and from the ISS.

Russia executed nine additional launches for military purposes:

•	 A Rockot vehicle failed to launch GEO IK-2 No. II.

•	 Five Soyuz 2 rockets launched Glonass K1-1, Meridian 4, Glonass M42, 

Glonass M46, and Meridian 5. The launch of Merdian 5 was unsuccessful.

•	 A Soyuz U launched Cosmos 2472.

•	 Two Proton M vehicles launched Cosmos 2473 and Glonass M43 through 

M45.

Russia executed three launches for civil purposes:

•	 Two Zenit 3F launches carried Electro-L 1 and Spetkr R satellites.

•	 A Zenit 2M launched the co-manifested Phobos-Grunt (a mission to return 

ground samples from Mars’ moon Phobos) and Yinghuo 1 satellites. The 

launch vehicle performed successfully, although the payloads subsequently 

failed to leave their initial Earth orbit.

Europe

Europe conducted seven launches in 2011:

•	 Four Ariane 5 launch vehicles launched eight GEO commercial satellites. 

All four commercial Ariane 5 launches were dual manifests of GEO 

communications satellites.

•	 An Ariane 5 ES-ATV launched ATV 2 to the ISS. 

•	 A Soyuz 2, carrying two Galileo satellites, launched from the European launch 

complex in Kourou, French Guiana. This was the first Soyuz 2 launch from that 

complex.

•	 The second Soyuz 2 launch from Kourou carried the Pleiades HR 1 remote 

sensing mission, four ELISA satellites for the French Ministry of Defense, and 

SSOT for the Government of Chile.
• 14 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

China

China conducted 19 orbital launches in 2011 (4 more than in 2010), of which 2 

were commercial. All but one of the launches were successful. Nine of the launches 

were to GEO. Eleven launched from the Xichang launch site, seven from Jiuquan, 

and one from the Taiyuan launch site. 

•	 A Long March 2C rocket failed to place an experimental satellite, Shijian 11-

04, into orbit.

•	 Two Long March vehicles carried commercial payloads: Eutelsat 1R and 

NigComSat 1R.

•	 Long March vehicles launched four communications missions, including one 

satellite for Pakistan and one in a dual manifest with a scientific payload.

•	 Three navigation satellites were launched.

•	 Four remote sensing payloads were deployed. 

•	 Long March rockets placed five development and scientific payloads into orbit, 

including one in a dual manifest with a communications satellite. 

Japan

Japan had one successful H IIB launch and two successful launches of the H IIA 

rocket in 2011. 

•	 H IIB launched an HTV 2 transport mission to the ISS.

•	 Two H IIA vehicles launched two IGS intelligence satellites.

India

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) performed three PSLV launches 

in 2011. All launches were non-commercial.

•	 The GSAT-12 communications satellite was inserted into GEO in July.

•	 Two PSLV launches deployed seven scientific, remote sensing, and 

communications satellites in LEO and SSO in April and October.

Iran

Iran’s Safir 2 rocket launched Rasad, a remote sensing satellite, on June 15.

Multinational

Multinational launch provider Sea Launch AG had two commercial launches 

in 2011. In September, Zenit 3SL deployed Atlantic Bird 7. This launch was 

performed under an FAA commercial launch license (see Page 9). In October, 

Zenit 3SLB, a launch vehicle operated by Sea Launch, successfully launched Intelsat 

18 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
• 15 •

2011 Year in Review

Table 9 summarizes 2011 launch activities for Europe, China, Japan, India, and 

Iran, and the multinational category represented by Sea Launch AG.

FAA SUBORBITAL FLIGHT SUMMARY

Two suborbital flights were conducted under the authority of FAA experimental 

permits in 2011: Blue Origin launched the PM-2 vehicle twice, on May 6 and 

on August 24. While there were no FAA-permitted suborbital launches in 2010 

and 2009, five launches occurred in 2008 and nine in 2007. Unlike FAA-licensed 

flights, permitted flights are limited to reusable suborbital launch vehicles and 

intended for technology development, testing for crew, or testing before obtaining 

a license. Vehicles cannot carry property or people for compensation or hire. The 

first permit flights were in 2006, after the U.S. Congress granted authority in 2004.

Table 9. European, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Iranian, and Multinational Launch Vehicle Activity in 2011

EUROPE CHINA JAPAN INDIA IRAN LAND 

LAUNCH

Vehicle Ariane 5 

ECA

Ariane 5 

ES-ATV Soyuz 2

Long 

March 

2C

Long 

March 

2D

Long 

March 

2F

Long 

March 

3A

Long 

March 

3B

Long 

March 

3C

Long 

March 

4B

H IIA H IIB PSLV Safir 2 Zenit 3SLB

Country/

Region Europe Europe Europe China China China China China China China Japan Japan India Iran Ukraine

2011 Total 

Launches 4 1 2 3 2 2 3 5 1 3 2 1 3 1 1

Launch 

Reliability 

(2011)

4/4

100%

1/1 

100%

2/2 

100%

2/3 

67%

2/2 

100%

2/2 

100%

3/3 

100%

5/5 

100%

1/1 

100%

3/3 

100%

2/2 

100%

1/1 

100%

3/3

100%

1/1 

100%

1/1 

100%

Launch 

Reliability 

(Last 10 Years)

32/33 

97%

2/2 

100%

2/2 

100%

14/15 

93%

12/12 

100%

8/8 

100%

16/16 

100%

13/13 

100%

7/7 

100%

14/14 

100%

19/20 

95%

2/2 

100%

15/15

100%

2/2 

100%

5/5 

100%

Year of First 

Launch 2002 2008 2011 1975 1992 1999 1994 1996 2008 1999 2001 2009 1993 2009 2008

Active Launch 

Sites Kourou Kourou Kourou

Jiuquan, 

Taiyuan, 

Xichang

Jiuquan Jiuquan Taiyuan, 

Xichang Xichang Xichang Taiyuan Tanegashima Tanegashima Satish Dhawan

Semnan 

Providence Baikonur

LEO kg (lbs) 17,250 

(37,950)

21,000 

(46,297)

7,800 

(17,100)

3,200 

(7,048)

3,500 

(7,700)

8,400 

(18,500)

7,200 

(15,859)

13,562 

(29,900)

3,700 

(8,200)

2,500 

(5,512)

11,730

(25,860)

19,000 

(42,000)

3,700

(8,150)

27 

(60) --

GTO kg (lbs) 10,500 

(23,127)

8,000 

(17,637)

1,700 

(3,800)

1,000 

(2,203)

1,250 

(2,750) -- 2,500 (5,506)

4,491 

(9,900) -- 1,500 (3,300)

5,800

(12,800)

8,000 

(17,600)

800

(1,760) -- 3,600 (7,937)
• 16 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

‘ Figure 11. Five-Year Summary (2007-2011) of Commercial

and Non-Commercial Launch Events

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80 

90 

100 

110 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

23 28 24 23 18 

45 41 54 51 66 

Number of Orbital Launchess 

Non-Commercial Launches

Commercial Launches

2011 SPACE TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

FIVE-YEAR WORLDWIDE SPACE TRANSPORTATION 

TRENDS

A total of 373 orbital launches have 

been conducted in the past five years. 

Between 2007 and 2011, there has been 

an average of 75 orbital launches per year 

worldwide (see Figure 11). Commercial 

launches suffered between one and two 

failures per year in 2007 through 2011, 

as shown in Figure 12. During the past 

five years, there has been at least one 

launch failure each year. (The definition 

of a launch failure is in Appendix II.) 

Six launches failed in 2011, the largest 

number in the last five years. The largest 

number of launch failures (8) in the past 

15 years occurred in 1999. The 2011 launch failures included four Russian launches 

(including one commercial), one Chinese Long March vehicle launch, and one U.S. 

Taurus XL launch vehicle. Figure 12 presents a five-year trend of orbital launch 

successes and failures. 

Russia and the United States have conducted the most orbital launches, followed 

by China and Europe (see Figure 13). There were 116 commercial orbital launches 

from 2007 to 2011. The number of launches rose from 23 in 2007 to a high of 28 

in 2008 and dropped to 18 in 2011 (see Figures 14 and 15). The following is a 

breakdown of commerical orbital 

launches by country from 2007 to 

2011:

•	 Russia had the most 

commercial launches with 56.

•	 Europe followed with 26 

commercial launches.

•	 The United States had 17 

commercial launches.

•	 Multinational Sea Launch 

performed 13 commercial 

launches.

•	 China had three, and India 

had one commercial launch.

Figure 12. Five-Year Summary (2007-2011) of 

Orbital Launch Events and Launch Failures

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80 

90 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

21 26 24 23 17 

2 

2 

1 

44 40 51 47 61 

1 1 

3 

4 

5 

Number of Launches

Total # of Non-Commercial Successes

Total # of Commercial Successes

Total # of Non-Commercial Failures

Total # of Commercial Failures
• 17 •

2011 Year in Review

The demand for commercial NGSO launches, which peaked in the late 1990s, was 

low in the four years before 2007. The number of commercial NGSO launches 

sharply increased in 2007 and 2008, and then increased again in 2010 after a slow 

year in 2009. These high levels are mostly driven by the launch of replacement 

satellites for the existing constellations, such as ORBCOMM and Globalstar, and 

by the launch of new constellations, such as SAR-Lupe and COSMO-SkyMed. In 

2011, 2 of the 3 commercial NGSO launches deployed 12 more second-generation 

Globalstar satellites. See Figure 15 for commercial launches by orbit type for the 

last five years. 

Figure 16 shows the number of payloads providing commercial services launched 

on commercial and non-commercial vehicles over the past five years. The number of 

commercial NGSO satellites launched per year fluctuates significantly year to year. 

This is because several commercial NGSO satellites are often launched together 

(multi-manifested) on the same launch vehicle. The launches of Globalstar (6 in 

2010 and 12 in 2011), ORBCOMM (6 in 2008) and RapidEye constellation 

satellites (5 in 2008) explain why there are significantly more payloads launched in 

2008, 2010, and 2011.

Total: 373 Commercial and 

Non-Commercial Launches 

United States

91 (24%)

South Korea

2 (1%)

North Korea

1 (0%)

Israel

India 2 (1%)

Japan 14 (4%)

Multinational 11 (3%)

13 (3%) China

61 (16%)

Europe

32 (9%)

Russia

143 (38%)

Iran

3 (1%)

Total: 373 Commercial and Non-Commercial Launches

Figure 13. Five-Year Worldwide Total Orbital 

Launch Market Share (2007-2011)

Figure 16. Five-Year Global Commercial Payloads by Orbit (2007-2011)

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

35 

40 

45 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

13 

19 

4 

12 14 

18 

23 

22 

21 

21 

Number of Commercial Payloads 

GEO

NGSO

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

12 10 

5 

8 

3 

13 18 

19 15 

15 

Number of Orbital Launches 

Figure 15. Five-Year Global Commercial Launch 

Events by Orbit (2007-2011)

GEO

NGSO

Figure 14. Five-Year Worldwide Commercial Orbital 

Launch Market Share (2007-2011)

United States

17 (15%)

India

1 (1%)

Multinational

China 13 (11%)

3 (3%)

Europe

26 (22%)

Russia

56 (48%) Total: 116 Commercial Launches

Total: 117 Commercial Launches 
• 18 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Commercial launch revenues steadily increased from 2006 to 2010. Revenues 

almost doubled between 2006 and 2010, from $1.4 billion to about $2.5 billion, 

and dropped to about $1.9 billion in 2011 due to schedule changes that pushed 

several commercial launches to 2012 (see Figure 17 and Table 10).

COMMERCIAL SATELLITE AND LAUNCH TRENDS

The commercial space transportation market is driven largely by the demand for 

launches of GEO telecommunications satellites and to a lesser (but growing) extent 

by a variety of NGSO satellites. Historically, the majority of commercial launches 

have been to GEO. Usually, GEO launches deploy larger payloads and require 

larger launch vehicles, thus generating more revenue than those to NGSO. More 

commercial launches to NGSO have taken place in recent years.

The supply of launch vehicle options continues to increase, despite only a marginal 

increase in demand for launches. Competition remains strong between United 

States, European, multinational, and Russian providers, while new entrants are 

joining, re-joining, or advancing toward the commercial market. For example, the 

Land Launch version of the Zenit, the Dnepr, the Soyuz (marketed and launched 

by Arianespace), and the Falcon 9 are all competing for commercial launches. The 

Japanese are marketing the H IIA commercially, and the Indians and Chinese, 

although limited by the U.S. export policies, are also targeting commercial launch 

customers.

Table 10. Estimated Commercial Launch Revenues, 2007-2011 

(US$ Millions)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

United States $150 $215 $298 $307 $0

Russia $477 $581 $742 $826 $707

Europe $840 $700 $1,020 $1,320 $880

China $50 $0 $70 $0 $140

India $11 $0 $0 $0 $0

Multinational $70 $475 $280 $0 $200

TOTAL $1,598 $1,971 $2,410 $2,453 $1,927

Figure 17. Approximate Launch Revenues for Commercial 

Launch Events (2007-2011)

$0 

$200 

$400 

$600 

$800 

$1,000 

$1,200 

$1,400 

$1,600 

$1,800 

$2,000 

$2,200 

$2,400 

$2,600 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

US$ Millions 

Russia

USA

Europe

Multinational

India

China
• 19 •

2011 Year in Review

INTERNATIONALLY COMPETED LAUNCHES

The definitions of “commercial payload” and “commercial launch” are complex and 

open to interpretation (see Appendix II for definitions of these terms). Figure 18 

shows trends for each country whose launch providers compete in the international 

marketplace. The chart reflects only launch service providers competing in the 

international marketplace for open-bid launch service contracts. From 2007 to 

2011, there were 109 internationally competed launch events.

Figure 18. Five-Year Worldwide Internationally Competed 

Launch Events (2007-2011)

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

14 

16 

18 

20 

22 

24 

26 

28 

30 

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

3 4 

1 1 

12 11 

10 

13 

10 

6 5 

5 

6 

4 

1 

6 

4 

2 

1 

1 

1 

2 

Number of Launches 

Russia

USA

Europe

Multinational

India

China
• 20 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

2012 LAUNCH ACTIVITY PROJECTION 

(FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2012)

Figure 19 shows the total number of 

projected orbital launches by each 

country and the relative percentage of 

launches for each country for the first six 

months of 2012. Launches are grouped 

by the country in which the primary 

vehicle manufacturer is based.

Figure 20 shows the total number 

of projected orbital launches of each 

launch vehicle in the first half of 2012.

Figure 21 shows all projected commercial orbital launch events for the first half of 

2012. Figure 22 shows estimated commercial launch revenue from the projected 

commercial orbital launches in January through June 2012.

Figure 23 shows commercial against non-commercial projected orbital launch 

events from January through June 2012. Figure 24 shows projected commercial 

suborbital against commercial orbital launch events from January through June 

2012.

Figure 19. Total Projected Launches by Country: January - June 2012

United States

10 (18%)

India

Japan 2 (4%)

2 (4%)

Multinational

1 (2%)

China

5 (9%)

Europe

10 (18%)

Russia

24 (44%)

Iran

1 (2%)

Total: 55 Commercial and Non-Commercial Launches

Figure 20. Total Projected Launch Vehicle Use: January - June 2012

0	
  

1	
  

2	
  

3	
  

4	
  

5	
  

6	
  

7	
  

8	
  

9	
  

10	
  

11	
  

2

8

10

Atlas V

Proton

Rockot

Pegasus XL

Antares

Delta IV

Falcon 9

Long

PSLV

March

Ariane 5

Zenit 3SLB

Soyuz

Soyuz 2

Dnepr

Strela

Safir 2

Vega

Soyuz 2

1 1

2 2

3

1 1 1

2 Iran

USA

Russia

Europe

China

India

6

1 1 1 1

Japan

H IIA

H IIB

Zenit 3SL

1 1

4

5

Multinational
• 21 •

2011 Year in Review

Figure 25 shows projected payload use (commercial and government) for payloads 

to launch from January through June 2012. Figure 26 shows the same projected 

payloads (commercial and government) by mass class. The total number of payloads 

launched may not equal the total number of launches, due to multiple manifesting 

(launching of multiple payloads by a single launch vehicle).

There are no FAA-licensed commercial suborbital launch events or FAA 

experimental permit flights projected for the first half of 2012. However, there is a 

likelihood of at least a limited number of such launch events or flights to take place 

in the latter half of 2012.

Figure 26. Projected Payload Mass Class: January - June 2012

Intermediate

8 (10%)

Small

19 (23%)

Micro

12 (14%)

Large

17 (20%)

Heavy

5 (6%)

Medium

10 (12%)

Total: 84 Payloads

Unknown

13 (15%)

Figure 25. Projected Payload Use: January - June 2012

Total: 84 Payloads

Classified

4 (5%)

Scientific

9 (11%)

Test

ISS 9 (11%)

5 (6%)

Remote 

Sensing

13 (15%)

Navigation

3 (4%) Development

3 (4%)

Crewed

2 (2%)

Communications

31 (37%)

Meteorological

4 (5%)

Early Warning

1 (1%)

Figure 24. Projected Commercial Orbital vs. Commercial 

Suborbital Launch Events: January - June 2012

Commercial Suborbital

0 (0%)

Commercial Orbital

18 (100%)

Figure 22. Estimated Commercial Launch Revenue: 

January - June 2012 (US$ Millions)

United States

$56M (3%)

Multinational

China $100M (5%)

$70M (4%)

Europe

$1,100M (58%)

Russia

$572M (30%)

Total: $1,898M

Figure 23. Projected Commercial vs. Non-Commercial 

Launch Events By Country: January - June 2012

Non-Commercial

37 (67%)

Commercial

18 (33%)

Total: 55 Launches

Figure 21. Projected Commercial Launch Events by Country:

 January - June 2012

United States

3 (17%)

Multinational

1 (6%) China

1 (6%)

Europe

5 (28%)

Russia

8 (44%) Total: 18 Commercial Launches
• 22 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

APPENDIX I: 2011 WORLDWIDE ORBITAL LAUNCH EVENTS

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price L M

20-Jan-11 Delta IV Heavy VAFB NRO L-49 SSO NRO Lockheed Martin Classified S S

20-Jan-11 Zenit 3F Baikonur Electro-L 1 GEO Roshydromet NPO Lavotchkin Meteorological S S

22-Jan-11 H IIB Tanegashima Kounotori (HTV 2) LEO JAXA Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ISS Cargo S S

28-Jan-11 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-09M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo S S

01-Feb-11 Rockot Plesetsk GEO IK-2 No. II LEO Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Navigation F F

06-Feb-11 Minotaur 1 VAFB RPP (NRO L-66) SSO NRO Classified Classified S S

16-Feb-11 Ariane 5 ES-ATV Kourou ATV 2 LEO ESA EADS Astrium ISS Cargo S S

24-Feb-11 Shuttle Discovery KSC STS 133 (ELC-4, PMM) LEO NASA Rockwell International Crewed S S

26-Feb-11 Soyuz 2 Plesetsk Glonass K1-1 MEO Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Navigation S S

04-Mar-11 Taurus XL VAFB Glory

Kysat 1

Hermes

Explorer 1 (Prime)

SSO

SSO

SSO

ELI

NASA

Kentucky Space

Colorado Space Grant Con.

Montana Space Grant Con.

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Kentucky Space

Colorado Space Grant Con.

Montana Space Grant Con.

Scientific

Test

Communications

Scientific

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

F

05-Mar-11 Atlas V 501 CCAFS X-37B OTV 2 LEO USAF Boeing Classified S S

11-Mar-11 Delta IV 

Medium+ (4, 2)

CCAFS NRO L-27 GEO NRO Classified Communications S S

04-Apr-11 Soyuz Baikonur Soyuz TMA-21 LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia Crewed S S

10-Apr-11 Long March 3A Xichang Beidou 2-IGS 3 GEO People's Liberation Army CAST Navigation S S

14-Apr-11 Atlas V 401 VAFB NRO L-34 LEO NRO Classified Classified S S

20-Apr-11 PSLV Satish Dhawan Resourcesat 2

Youthsat

X-Sat

SSO

SSO

SSO

ISRO

Bauman Moscow State 

Technical University

Centre for Research in 

Satellite Technologies

ISRO

ISRO

Centre for Research in 

Satellite Technologies

Remote Sensing

Scientific

Remote Sensing

S

S

S

S

S

S

22-Apr-11 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou *

*

Yahsat 1A

Intelsat New Dawn

GEO

GEO

Yah Satellite 

Communications Company

Intelsat

EADS Astrium

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Communications

Communications

$220M S

S

S

S

27-Apr-11 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-10M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo S S

04-May-11 Soyuz 2 Baikonur Meridian 4 ELI Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Communications S S

07-May-11 Atlas V 401 CCAFS SBIRS GEO 1 GEO USAF Lockheed Martin Early Warning S S

16-May-11 Shuttle Endeavour KSC STS 134 (AMS, ELC-3) LEO NASA Rockwell International Crewed S S

20-May-11 V Proton M Baikonur * Telstar 14R GEO Telesat Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M S S

20-May-11 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou *

*

Insat 4G/GSAT-8

ST 2

GEO

GEO

ISRO

Telecom/Chunghwa 

Telecom

ISRO

Mitsubishi Electronic Corp.

Communications

Communications

$220M S

S

S

S

07-Jun-11 Soyuz Baikonur Soyuz TMA-02M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo S S

10-Jun-11 Delta II 7320 VAFB SAC-D/Aquarius SSO NASA/CONAE INVAP Remote Sensing S S

15-Jun-11 Safir 2 Semnan Province Rasad LEO Iranian Aerospace 

Organization Iranian Space Agency Remote Sensing S S

20-Jun-11 Long March 3B Xichang * Chinasat 10 GEO China Direct Broadcasting 

Satellite Co., Ltd.

CAST Communications S S

21-Jun-11 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-11M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo S S

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 23 •

2011 Year in Review

APPENDIX I (CONTINUED)

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price L M

27-Jun-11 Soyuz U Plesetsk Cosmos 2472 LEO Russian Space Forces RSC Energia Classified S S

29-Jun-11 Minotaur 1 Wallops FF ORS 1 LEO USAF Goodrich ISR Systems Classified S S

06-Jul-11 Long March 2C Jiuquan Shijian 11-03 SSO CAST Dongfanghong Satellite Co. Scientific S S

08-Jul-11 Shuttle Atlantis KSC STS 135 (MPLM, LMC) LEO NASA Rockwell International Crewed S S

11-Jul-11 Long March 3C Xichang Tianlian 1B GEO CAST CAST Communications S S

13-Jul-11 V Soyuz 2 Baikonur *

*

*

*

*

*

Globalstar 2nd Gen 07

Globalstar 2nd Gen 08

Globalstar 2nd Gen 09

Globalstar 2nd Gen 10

Globalstar 2nd Gen 11

Globalstar 2nd Gen 12

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

$50M S

S

S

S

S

S

S 

S

S

S

S

S

15-Jul-11 V Proton M Baikonur * SES-3

KazSat 2

GEO

GEO

SES World Skies

JSC Kazsat

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Khrunichev State Research 

& Production Space Center

Communications

Communications

$85M S

S

S 

S

15-Jul-11 PSLV Satish Dhawan GSAT 12 GEO ISRO ISRO Communications S S

16-Jul-11 Delta IV 

Medium+ (4, 2)

CCAFS Navstar GPS 2F-02 MEO USAF Boeing Navigation S S

18-Jul-11 Zenit 3F Baikonur Spektr R ELI Russian Academy of 

Sciences

NPO Lavotchkin Scientific S S

26-Jul-11 Long March 3A Xichang Beidou 2-IGS 4 GEO People's Liberation Army CAST Navigation S S

29-Jul-11 Long March 2C Jiuquan Shijian 11-02 SSO CAST Dongfanghong Satellite Co. Scientific S S

05-Aug-11 Atlas V 551 CCAFS Juno EXT NASA/JPL Lockheed Martin Scientific S S

06-Aug-11 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou *

*

Astra 1N

BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R

GEO

GEO

SES Astra

Sky Perfect JCSAT Corp.

EADS Astrium

Lockheed Martin

Communications

Communications

$220M S

S

S

S

11-Aug-11 Long March 3B Xichang * Paksat 1R GEO SUPARCO China Great Wall Industry 

Corp.

Communications S S

15-Aug-11 Long March 4B Taiyuan Hai Yang 2A SSO China State Oceanic 

Administration Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering Remote Sensing S S

17-Aug-11 V Dnepr M Dombarovskiy

*

*

Sich 2

NX

Nigeriasat 2

Edusat

RASAT

BPA 2

Aprizesat 5

Aprizesat 6

SSO

SSO

SSO

SSO

SSO

SSO

LEO

LEO

National Space Agency of 

Ukraine

NASRDA

NASRDA

Italian Space Agency

TUBITAK-UZAY

Yuzhnoye

SpaceQuest, Ltd.

SpaceQuest, Ltd.

NPO Lavotchkin

Surrey Satellite Tech. Ltd.

Surrey Satellite Tech. Ltd.

University of Rome

TUBITAK-UZAY

Hartron-Arkos

SpaceQuest, Ltd.

SpaceQuest., Ltd.

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing

Scientific

Scientific

Development

Communications

Communications

$12M S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S 

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

17-Aug-11 V Proton M Baikonur * Express AM4 GEO Russian Satellite 

Communications Co. Reshetnev Company Communications $85M F F

18-Aug-11 Long March 2C Jiuquan Shijian 11-04 SSO CAST Dongfanghong Satellite Co. Scientific F F

24-Aug-11 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-12M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo F F

10-Sep-11 Delta II 7920H CCAFS GRAIL A

GRAIL B

EXT

EXT

NASA/JPL

NASA/JPL

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Scientific

Scientific

S

S

S

S

18-Sep-11 Long March 3B Xichang Chinasat 1A GEO People's Liberation Army CAST Communications S S

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 24 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

APPENDIX I (CONTINUED)

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price L M

20-Sep-11 Proton M Baikonur Cosmos 2473 GEO Tass-Louch Telecom Reshetnev Company Communications S S

21-Sep-11 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou *

*

Arabsat 5C

SES 2

GEO

GEO

Arabsat

SES World Skies

EADS Astrium

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Communications

Communications

$220M S

S

S

S

23-Sep-11 H IIA Tanegashima IGS-4C (Optical) SSO Japan Defense Agency Mitsubishi Electronic Corp. Classified S S

24-Sep-11 V + Zenit 3SL Sea Launch 

Platform * Atlantic Bird 7 GEO Eutelsat EADS Astrium Communications $100M S S

27-Sep-11 Minotaur IV Kodiak LC TacSat-4 HEO USAF NRL/APL Development S S

29-Sep-11 Long March 2F Jiuquan Tiangong 1 LEO China Aerospace Corp. CAST Development S S

29-Sep-11 V Proton M Baikonur * QuetzSat-1 GEO QuetzSat Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M S S

02-Oct-11 Soyuz 2 Plesetsk Glonass M42 MEO Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Navigation S S 

06-Oct-11 V Zenit 3SLB Baikonur * Intelsat 18 GEO Intelsat Orbital Sciences Corp. Communications $100M S S

07-Oct-11 V Long March 3B Xichang * Eutelsat W3C GEO Eutelsat Thales Alenia Space Communications $70M S S

12-Oct-11 PSLV Satish Dhawan Megha Tropiques

Jugnu

SRMSAT

Vesselsat 1

LEO

LEO

SSO

LEO

CNES

IIT Kapur

SRM University

LuxSpace Sarl

ISRO

IIT Kapur

SRM University

LuxSpace Sarl

Scientific

Remote Sensing

Scientific

Communications

S

S

S

S

S 

S

S

S

19-Oct-11 V Proton M Baikonur * ViaSat 1 GEO ViaSat Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M S S

21-Oct-11 Soyuz 2 Kourou Galileo 1

Galileo 2

MEO

MEO

European Space Agency

European Space Agency

OHB System

OHB Systems

Navigation

Navigation

S

S

S

S

28-Oct-11 Delta II 7920 VAFB NPP

RAX 2

M-Cubed

AS-1

Explorer-1 (PRIME) 

Unit 2

DICE 1

DICE 2

SSO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

NASA/NOAA

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

Auburn University

Montana State University

Utah State University

Utah State University

Ball Aerospace

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

Auburn University

Montana State University

Utah State University

Utah State University

Meteorological

Scientific

Remote Sensing

Scientific

Scientific

Scientific

Scientific

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S 

S

S

S

S

S

S

30-Oct-11 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-13M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo S S

31-Oct-11 Long March 2F Jiuquan Shenzhou 8 LEO China Aerospace Corp. CAST Development S S

04-Nov-11 Proton M Baikonur Glonass M43

Glonass M44

Glonass M45

MEO

MEO

MEO

Russian Space Forces

Russian Space Forces

Russian Space Forces

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Navigation

Navigation

Navigation

S

S

S

S

S

S

08-Nov-11 Zenit 2M Baikonur Phobos-Grunt

Yinghuo

EXT

EXT

Roscosmos

China National Space 

Academy

NPO Lavotchkin

Shanghai Institute of 

Satellite Engineering

Scientific

Scientific

S

S

F

F

09-Nov-11 Long March 4B Xichang Yaogan 12

Tianxun 1

SSO

SSO

People's Liberation Army

Nanjing University of 

Aeronautics & Astronautics

Shanghai Academy of Space 

Technology

Nanjing University of 

Aeronautics & Astronautics

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing

S

S

S

S

14-Nov-11 Soyuz Baikonur Soyuz TMA-22 LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia Crewed S S

20-Nov-11 Long March 2D Jiuquan Chuang Xing 1-03

Shiyan Wexing 4

SSO

SSO

Shanghai Academy of 

Space Technology

Dongfanghong Satellite Co.

China Academy of Science

Harbin Institute of 

Technology

Communications

Scientific

S

S

S

S

25-Nov-11 V Proton M Baikonur * Asiasat 7 GEO Asiasat Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M S S

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 25 •

2011 Year in Review

APPENDIX I (CONTINUED)

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price L M

26-Nov-11 Atlas V 541 CCAFS Mars Science 

Laboratory

EXT NASA NASA/JPL Scientific S S

28-Nov-11 Soyuz 2 Plesetsk Glonass M46 MEO Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Navigation S S

29-Nov-11 Long March 2D Jiuquan Yaogan 13 SSO People's Liberation Army Shanghai Academy of Space 

Technology

Classified S S

01-Dec-11 Long March 3A Xichang Beidou 2-IGS 5 GEO People's Liberation Army CAST Navigation S S

11-Dec-11 V Proton M Baikonur

*

Luch 5A

Amos 5

GEO

GEO

Roscosmos

SpaceCom Ltd.

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Communications

Communications

$85M S

S

S

S

12-Dec-11 H IIA Tanegashima IGS-4B (Radar) SSO Japan Defense Agency Mitsubishi Electronic Corp. Classified S S

16-Dec-11 Soyuz 2 Kourou Pleiades HR 1

ELISA 1

ELISA 2

ELISA 3

ELISA 4

SSOT

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

SSO

CNES

French MoD

French MoD

French MoD

French MoD

Government of Chile

EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium

Remote Sensing

Classified

Classified

Classified

Classified

Remote Sensing

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

19-Dec-11 V Long March 3B Xichang * Nigcomsat 1R GEO Nigerian Communication 

Satellite Ltd.

CAST Communications $70M S S

21-Dec-11 Soyuz Baikonur Soyuz TMA-03M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia Crewed S S 

22-Dec-11 Long March 4B Xichang Ziyuan 1-2C SSO China State Bureau of 

Surveying and Mapping

CAST Remote Sensing S S

23-Dec-11 Soyuz 2 Plesetsk Meridian 5 ELI Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Communications F F

28-Dec-11 V Soyuz 2 Baikonur *

*

*

*

*

*

Globalstar 2nd Gen 13

Globalstar 2nd Gen 14

Globalstar 2nd Gen 15

Globalstar 2nd Gen 16

Globalstar 2nd Gen 17

Globalstar 2nd Gen 18

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

$50M S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 26 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

APPENDIX II: PROJECTED WORLDWIDE ORBITAL 

LAUNCH EVENTS FOR FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2012

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price

10-Jan-12 Long March 4B Taiyuan Ziyuan 3 SSO China State Bureau of 

Surveying & Mapping

CAST Remote Sensing

19-Jan-12 Delta IV 

Medium +(5, 4)

CCAFS WGS 4 GEO USAF Boeing Communications

21-Jan-12 V Proton M Baikonur * SES 4 GEO SES World Skies Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M

24-Jan-12 V Proton M Baikonur * Sirius FM-6 GEO Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M

25-Jan-12 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-14M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo

Jan-12 Strela Baikonur Kondor E LEO NPO Machinostroyeniya NPO Machinostroyeniya Remote Sensing

Jan-12 Long March 3A Xichang Feng Yun 2F GEO China Meteorological 

Administration Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering Meteorological

02-Feb-12 V Soyuz 2 Baikonur *

*

*

*

*

*

Globalstar 2nd Gen 19

Globalstar 2nd Gen 20

Globalstar 2nd Gen 21

Globalstar 2nd Gen 22

Globalstar 2nd Gen 23

Globalstar 2nd Gen 24

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar, Inc.

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

$50M

07-Feb-12 Vega Kourou LARES

PW-Sat 1

XaTcobeo

Robusta

e-St@r

Goliat

ALMASAT

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

SSO

Italian Space Agency

Warsaw Polytech

University of Vigo

University of Montepellier II

Polytech University of Turin

University of Bucharest

University of Bologna

Italian Space Agency

Warsaw Polytech

University of Vigo

University of Montepellier II

Polytech University of Turin

University of Bucharest

University of Bologna

Test

Test

Test

Test

Scientific

Remote Sensing

Test

10-Feb-12 Proton M Baikonur Cosmos (Oko) TBD Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Early Warning

Feb-12 Rockot Baikonur Aeolus SSO European Space Agency EADS Astrium Scientific

Feb-12 Proton M Baikonur Luch 5B

Yamal 300K

GEO

GEO

Roscosmos

Gazprom Space Systems

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Communications

Communications

06-Mar-12 V Proton M Baikonur * Intelsat 22 GEO Intelsat Boeing Communications $85M

09-Mar-12 Ariane 5 ES-ATV Kourou ATV 3 LEO European Space Agency EADS Astrium ISS Cargo

14-Mar-12 Pegasus XL Kwajalein Island NuSTAR LEO NASA/JPL Orbital Sciences Corp. Scientific

28-Mar-12 Delta IV M+ Vandenberg AFB DMSP 5D-3-F20 SSO NOAA Lockheed Martin Meteorological

29-Mar-12 Delta IV MediumPlus (5, 2) Vandenberg AFB NRO L-25 SSO NRO Classified Classified

30-Mar-12 Soyuz Baikonur Soyuz TMA-04M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia Crewed

Mar-12 Safir 2 Semnan 

Providence Navid (Zafar) SSO Government of Iran Government of Iran Remote Sensing

Mar-12 Long March 2F Jiuquan Shenzhou 9 LEO China Aerospace Corp. CAST Development

Mar-12 PSLV Satish Dhawan Brite Austria 1

Brite Austria 2

Sapphire

NEOSSAT

LEO

LEO

LEO

SSO

University of Vienna

University of Vienna

Canadian Ministry of Defense

Canadian Space Agency

University of Vienna

University of Vienna

MDA

Dynacon Inc.

Scientific

Scientific

Remote Sensing

Scientific

Mar-12 PSLV Satish Dhawan Risat 1

Venta 1

SSO

LEO

ISRO

Government of Latvia

ISRO

University of Bremen

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are as of December 31, 2011, and are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 27 •

2011 Year in Review

APPENDIX II (CONTINUED)

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price

1Q-12 V + Falcon 9 CCAFS * Dragon COTS Demo 2/3 LEO SpaceX SpaceX Development $56M

1Q-12 V + Antares Wallops FF *

*

Antares Demo Flight

Cygnus Mass Simulator

LEO

LEO

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Orbital Sciences Corp.

Test TBA

1Q-12 V Long March 3B Xichang * APSTAR 7 GEO APT Satellite Co., Ltd. Thales Alenia Space Communications $70M

1Q-12 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou * Jupiter GEO Hughes Network Systems Space Systems/Loral Communications $220M

1Q-12 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou * GSAT 10 GEO ISRO ISRO Communications $220M

1Q-12 Proton M Baikonur *

*

Telkom 3

Express MD2

GEO

GEO

Telkom Indonesia

Russian Satellite 

Communication Co.

Reshetnev Company

Khrunichev State Research & 

Production Space Center

Communications

Communications

1Q-12 V Dnepr 1A Dombarovskiy * Kompsat 5 LEO KARI KARI Remote Sensing $12M

1Q-12 V Proton M Baikonur * Intelsat 23 GEO Intelsat Orbital Sciences Corp. Communications $85M

1Q-12 Rockot Plesetsk Cosmos (Military 

Gonets 1)

Gonets M-03

Gonets M-04

MIR (Yubileyniy 2)

LEO

LEO

LEO

LEO

Russian Space Forces

SMOLSAT

SMOLSAT

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Reshetnev Company

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications

1Q-12 V + Zenit 3SL Sea Launch 

Platform * Intelsat 19 GEO Intelsat Space Systems/Loral Communications $100M

1Q-12 Soyuz Baikonur Kanopus B1

BelKa 2

Zond PP

ADS-1B

TET-1

SSO

SSO

SSO

SSO

SSO

VNIIEM

National Academy of Sciences 

of Belarus

Roscosmos

COM DEV International

DLR

VNIIEM

RSC Energia

NPO Lavotchkin

Surrey Satellite Tech. Ltd.

Kayser-Threde GmbH

Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing

Scientific

Remote Sensing

Test

25-Apr-12 Soyuz Baikonur Progress M-15M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia ISS Cargo

26-Apr-12 Long March 2C Jiuquan Gokturk 2 SSO Turkish Military TUBITAK-UZAY Classified

27-Apr-12 Atlas V 531 CCAFS Advanced EHF 2 GEO DoD Lockheed Martin Communications

Apr-12 Zenit 3SLB Baikonur Lybid 1 GEO Ukraine Space Agency NPO Yuzhnoye Communications

Apr-12 Soyuz 2 Baikonur Resurs P1 SSO Roscosmos Khrunichev State Research & 

Production Space Center Remote Sensing

01-May-12 V + Antares Wallops FF * Cygnus COTS Demo LEO Orbital Sciences Corp. Orbital Sciences Corp. Test TBA

23-May-12 Soyuz Baikonur MetOp B SSO Eumetsat EADS Astrium Meteorological

30-May-12 Soyuz Baikonur Soyuz TMA-05M LEO Roscosmos RSC Energia Crewed

May-12 Proton M Baikonur MLM LEO Roscosmos Korolev NPO Energia ISS Cargo

20-Jun-12 Atlas V 401 Vandenberg AFB NRO L-38 TBD NRO Classified Classified

26-Jun-12 H IIB Tanegashima HTV 3 LEO JAXA Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ISS Cargo

28-Jun-12 Delta IV Heavy CCAFS NRO L-15 TBD NRO Classified Classified

Jun-12 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou MSG 3 GEO Eumetsat Thales Alenia Space Meteorological

Jun-12 H IIA Tanegashima GCOM W1

Arirang 3 (Kompsat 3)

SDS 4

Horyu 2

SSO

SSO

SSO

LEO

JAXA

KARI

JAXA

Kyushu Institute of 

Technology

TBA

KARI/EADS Astrium

JAXA

Kyushu Institute of 

Technology

Scientific

Remote Sensing

Development

Scientific

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are as of December 31, 2011, and are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 28 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

APPENDIX II (CONTINUED)

 Date Vehicle Site Payload(s) Orbit Operator Manufacturer Use

Comm'l 

Price

Jun-12 Soyuz 2 Kourou Galileo 3

Galileo 4

MEO

MEO

European Space Agency

European Space Agency

EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium

Navigation

Navigation

Jun-12 Soyuz 2 Plesetsk Glonass K1-2 MEO Russian Space Forces Reshetnev Company Navigation

2Q-12 Ariane 5 ECA Kourou Vinasat 2 GEO Vietnam Telecom 

International

Lockheed Martin Communications

2Q-12 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou * Intelsat 20 GEO Intelsat Space Systems/Loral Communications $220M

2Q-12 V Proton M Baikonur * Intelsat 21 GEO Intelsat Boeing Communications $85M

2Q-12 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou * Alphasat I-XL GEO Inmarsat EADS Astrium Communications $220M

2Q-12 V Ariane 5 ECA Kourou * JCSAT 13 GEO Sky Perfect JSAT Group Lockheed Martin Communications $220M

2Q-12 V Proton M Baikonur * Astra 4B (SES-5) GEO SES World Skies Space Systems/Loral Communications $85M

V Denotes commercial launch, defined as a launch that is internationally competed or FAA-licensed, or privately financed launch activity. For multiple manifested launches, certain secondary 

 payloads whose launches were commercially procured may also constitute a commercial launch.

+ Denotes FAA-licensed launch.

* Denotes a commercial payload, defined as a spacecraft that serves a commercial function or is operated by a commercial entity.

L and M refer to the outcome of the Launch and Mission: S=Success, P=Partial Success, F=Failure.

Notes: All prices are estimates.

All launch dates are as of December 31, 2011, and are based on local time at the launch site.

 See Appendix III for definitions of payload orbits.
• 29 •

2011 Year in Review

ACRONYMS FOR APPENDIX I AND II

AMS Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

CAST China Academy for Space Technology

CCAFS Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

CNSA China National Space Administration

CONAE National Commission on Space Activities, Argentina

COTS Commercial Orbital Transportation Services

CRS Commercial Resupply Services

DoD Department of Defense

ELC Express Logistics Carrier

ESA European Space Agency

GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center

IAI Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

ISRO Indian Space Research Organization

ISS International Space Station

JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

KARI Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

KSC NASA Kennedy Space Center

LMC Lightweight Multi-purpose Carrier

MPLM Multi-purpose Pressurized Logistics Carrier

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASRDA National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria

NOAA United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NRO National Reconnaissance Office

PMM Permanent Multi-purpose Module

Russian MoD Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation 

SAS Shanghai Academy of Space Technology, China

SBA Shanghai Bureau of Astronautics, China

SUPARCO Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission

ULA United Launch Alliance

USA United Space Alliance

USAF United States Air Force

USEF Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer (USEF), Japan

VAFB Vandenberg Air Force Base
• 30 •

Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

COMMERCIAL SUBORBITAL OR ORBITAL LAUNCH

A commercial suborbital or orbital launch has one or more of the following characteristics:

•	 The launch is licensed by FAA/AST.

•	 The primary payload’s launch contract was internationally competed (see definition 

of internationally competed below). A primary payload is generally defined as the 

payload with the greatest mass on a launch vehicle for a given launch.

•	 The launch is privately financed without government support.

LAUNCH FAILURE

The payload did not reach a usable orbit (an orbit where some portion of the mission 

could be salvaged) or was destroyed as the result of a launch vehicle malfunction.

INTERNATIONALLY COMPETED

An internationally competed launch contract is one in which the launch opportunity 

was available in principle to any capable launch service provider. An internationally 

competed launch is considered commercial.

COMMERCIAL PAYLOAD

A commercial payload is described as having one or both of the following 

characteristics:

•	 The payload is operated by a private company.

•	 The payload is funded by the government, but provides satellite service partially 

or totally through a private or semi-private company. This distinction is usually 

applied to certain telecommunication satellites whose transponders are partially or 

totally leased to a variety of organizations, some or all of which generate revenues. 

Examples are Russia’s Express and Ekran series of spacecraft. All other payloads 

are classified as noncommercial (government civil, government military, or nonprofit).

ORBITS

•	 Geosynchronous Earth orbit (GSO): A spacecraft in GSO is synchronized with 

the Earth’s rotation, orbiting once every 24 hours, and appears to an observer on 

the ground to be stationary in the sky. 

•	 Geostationary Earth orbit (GEO): GEO is a broad category used for any circular 

orbit at an altitude of 35,852 kilometers (22,277 miles) with a low inclination 

(over the equator).
• 31 •

2011 Year in Review

•	 Non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO): NGSO satellites are those in orbits other 

than GEO, including:

•	 Low Earth orbit (LEO): lowest achievable orbit, about 2,400 kilometers, 

•	 Medium Earth orbit (MEO): 2,400 kilometers to GEO,

•	 Elliptical (ELI): a highly elliptical orbit,

•	 External (EXT): used for trajectories beyond GEO (such as interplanetary 

trajectories), and

•	 Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO): an orbit that passes over the same part of the 

Earth at roughly the same time each day.

PAYLOAD USE

•	 Classified: Any system whose purpose is officially deemed classified or cannot be 

officially verified. 

•	 Communications: Any system designed to receive and transmit data for purposes 

of facilitating communications. This includes fixed satellite services, mobile 

satellite services, military communications, store-and-forward systems, asset 

tracking, and similar.

•	 Crewed: Any system designed primarily to transport humans into, through, or 

back from space.

•	 Development: Any system whose purpose is to advance hardware design as part of 

a research and development program.

•	 ISS: Any system designed primarily to transport cargo into, through, or back from 

the International Space Station (ISS).

•	 Meteorological: Any system designed to monitor the Earth’s weather for 

forecasting and issuing weather watches and warnings.

•	 Navigation: Any system designed to provide signals for accurate timing, 

positioning, and navigation.

•	 Remote Sensing: Any civil and commercial system designed to gather data by 

means of optical (panchromatic, multispectral, or hyperspectral) or radar sensors. 

•	 Scientific: Any system designed to gather data about astrophysics, astronomy, 

biology, cosmology, celestial bodies, physics, and the space environment. This 

designation also includes systems designed to monitor the Earth, except those 

systems designed specifically for meteorology.

•	 Test: Any system designed to provide telemetry and data on launch vehicle 

performance.

•	 Unknown: Any system whose mission is unknown.

•	 Other: Any system whose purpose does not fit in any of the provided categories. 
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Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

PAYLOAD MASS CLASS

Payloads are divided into the following mass classes based on mass on the ground (not 

in orbit):

•	 Micro: Up to 91 kg (200 lbs)

•	 Small: 92 to 907 kg (201 to 2,000 lbs)

•	 Medium: 908 to 2,268 kg (2,001 to 5,000 lbs)

•	 Intermediate: 2,269 to 4,536 kg (5,001 to 10,000 lbs)

•	 Large: 4,537 to 9,072 kg (10,001 to 20,000 lbs)

•	 Heavy: Greater than 9,072 kg (20,000 lbs)