04Copenhagen Suborbitals plans to launch an unmanned HEAT1X/TychoBrahe rocket from a platform in the Baltic Sea. The Danish group plans to eventually
launch a manned (1 person) suborbital rocket into space.
08 Soyuz;
Progress 39P launch from Baikonur to the ISS. A Russian government Soyuz rocket will
launch the 39th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station.
08
Rockot; Gonets launch from Plesetsk, Russia. A Russian government Rockot vehicle
will launch a spacecraft for the Gonets satellite communications constellation.
11 H-2A;
Michibiki launch from Tanegashima Sapace Center, Japan. The Japanese H-2A rocket
will launch the Michibiki navigation satellite. Also called the Quasi-Zenith Satellite, Michibiki will enhance GPS navigation
signals in Japanese urban areas and mountainous terrain. The H-2A rocket will fly in the 202 configuration with two large
solid rocket boosters and no smaller motors.
20 Atlas 5; NROL-41 launch from Vandenberg SLC-3E. The
United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 (AV-025) rocket will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance
Office. The rocket will fly in the 501 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine
Centaur upper stage.
26 Minotaur 4; SBSS launch from Vandenberg SLC-8. The
Air Force Minotaur 4 rocket will launch the first satellite of the Space-Based Surveillance System. SBSS will join a network
of ground sensors that track satellites in orbit around Earth. The launch will be the maiden flight of the Minotaur 4 rocket,
which is partially comprised of retired Peacekeeper motors.
++ Ares transonic Ascent Abort Test from White Sands, NM.
++ Long
March 3B; Chinasat 6A comm.sat launch from Xichang, China.
OCTOBER
08Soyuz TMA-20 (ISS 24S) launch from Baikonur to the ISS. A
Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the manned Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of
the next Expedition crew. The capsule will remain at the station for about six months, providing an escape pod for the crew.
14 Proton;
XM 5 launch from Baikonur. An International Launch Services Proton rocket with a
Breeze M upper stage will deploy the XM 5 radio broadcasting satellite to provide digital music and entertainment programming
to customers in North America. XM 5 will be operated by Sirius XM Radio.
19 Delta 4-Heavy; NROL-32 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-37B. The
United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance
Office. The largest of the Delta 4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form
a triple-body rocket.
19
Soyuz; 6 Globalstar launch from Baikonur. An Arianespace Soyuz rocket will launch six second-generation Globalstar mobile
communications satellites. The Soyuz rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Arianespace will oversee the commercial launch.
27 Soyuz; Progress 40P launch from Baikonur to the ISS. A
Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 40th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station.
29 Dnepr
multi-payload launch from Yasny, Russia.
An ISC Kosmotras Dnepr
rocket will launch the Sich 2 Earth observation satellite for Ukraine, the NigeriaSat 2 and NigeriaSat X remote sensing satellites
for Nigeria, the RASAT demonstration satellite for Turkey, the EduSAT spacecraft for the University of Rome, and other payloads.
29/30 Delta 2; COSMO-SkyMed 4 launch from Vandenberg SLC-2W. The United Launch Alliance
Delta 2 rocket will launch the fourth Italian COSMO-SkyMed radar Earth-imaging satellite. The X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar
payload on the spacecraft will be used for civil and military applications. The rocket will fly in the 7420-10 vehicle configuration.
ULA will conduct this commercial launch for Boeing.
++Long March 3A; Chang'e 2 launch from Xichang, China. A Chinese Long March 3A rocket
will launch Chang'e 2, China's second lunar orbiter. The probe follows the mission of Chang'e 1, which surveyed the moon between
2007 and 2009.
++ Falcon
9; Dragon C1 launch, from Cape Canaveral pad 40. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first active Dragon spacecraft, called Dragon C1.
The mission will demonstrate the capabilities of the Dragon in a four-and-a-half hour test flight named COTS 1. The company
is building the Dragon to fly on resupply missions to the International Space Station.
Arianespace
Flight 197 will use an Ariane 5 rocket with a cryogenic upper stage to launch Eutelsat's W3B communications satellite to serve
Europe, Africa and the Middle East and Japan's BSAT 3b satellite to broadcast high definition direct broadcasting television
programming.
NOVEMBER
01STS-133 (ULF 5), Discovery launch to the ISS from KSC LC-39A. STS-133 will be the 36th U.S. mission to the International
Space Station. The flight will carry the fourth ExPRESS Logistics Carrier with spare parts for the station. Discovery will
also deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM).
04NASA's
Deep Impact probe, on its extended EPOXI mission, will flyby comet Hartley 2.
22 Taurus; Glory launch from Vandenberg. The
Orbital Sciences Taurus rocket will launch NASA's Glory Earth observation satellite. Glory will collect data on black carbon
and aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere and solar irradiance and its affects on Earth's long-term climate record.
++Zenit
3F; Spektr R launch from Baikonur. A Zenit rocket will launch the Spektr R radio
astronomy observatory. The rocket will use a Fregat upper stage to boost the telescope into a highly elliptical orbit above
Earth. Spektr R will work in conjunction with ground telescopes to study a variety of astronomical objects.
++ Proton;
KA-SAT launch from Baikonur. An International Launch Services Proton rocket with
a Breeze M upper stage will deploy the KA-SAT communications satellite for Eutelsat to provide broadband Internet services
to Europe.
++ Minotaur 4; STP S26 launch from Kodiak Island, Alaska. The Air Force Minotaur 4 rocket
will launch a group of satellites in a launch opportunity sponsored by the Air Force's Space Test Program. The payloads include
the Air Force's STPSat 2 satellite, NASA's FASTSAT (Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite), two FASTRAC spacecraft
from the University of Texas, the Air Force Academy's FalconSat 5 satellite, and NASA's O/OREOS CubeSat mission.
DECEMBER
09Soyuz; ISS 25S launch from Baikonur to the ISS. A Russian government Soyuz rocket
will launch the manned Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of the next Expedition crew. The capsule
will remain at the station for about six months, providing an escape pod for the crew.
16 Ariane 5; ATV 2 launch from Kourou ELA-3 to the ISS. The
Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket will launch the European Space Agency's second Automated Transfer Vehicle, named Johannes Kepler.
The ATV is a cargo-carrying spacecraft to deliver supplies and equipment to the orbiting International Space Station.
27 Soyuz; Progress 41P launch from Baikonur to the ISS. A
Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 41st Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station.
++Japan's Akatsuki (Venus Climate Orbiter) will arrive at Venus.
++ First
Soyuz launch from Kourou. An Arianespace Soyuz
rocket will launch on its first mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The payload for this flight was the
HYLAS communications satellite for Avanti Communications of the United Kingdom, but the spacecraft has been removed to ensure
launching before the end of the year. Arianespace has not selected a replacement. The Soyuz 2-1a rocket will use a Fregat
upper stage. Arianespace will oversee the commercial launch.
++ Proton;
SkyTerra 1 launch from Baikonur.
An International Launch Services
Proton rocket with a Breeze M upper stage deployed the SkyTerra 1 mobile communications satellite to cover North and Central
America. SkyTerra 1 is the first of two satellites built by Boeing Co. for SkyTerra LP.
++ Proton;
Glonass launch from Baikonur. A Russian government Soyuz 2-1a rocket and Fregat upper
stage will launch the first next-generation Glonass K navigation satellite.
++ Minotaur
4; TacSat 4 launch from Kodiak Island, Alaska. The Air Force Minotaur 4 rocket will
launch the experimental TacSat 4 demonstration satellite for the military's Operationally Responsive Space office. TacSat
4 will test new satellite communications systems.
Also in 2010
++ Planned launch of the central satellite of the (NASA/JAXA) Global Precipitation Measurement
mission.
++ Completion of Virgin Galactic's new headquarters / mission control at Spaceport America
(Southwest Regional Spaceport), New Mexico.
++ Planned launch of the Bigelow Aerospace 'Sundancer' human-rated orbital habitat, a
predecessor to the larger BA 330 module.
++The NASA/DLR SOFIA Boeing 747SP will be fully operational to conduct astronomy
missions.
++Russia plans to launch the Spektr-UF ultraviolet observatory on a Soyuz 2 Fregat.
++ Planned first launch of the Ukranian Mayak booster.
++ Russia plans to launch the Bion M biological experimental satellite on a Soyuz rocket.
++ Planned launch of Cassiope, a Canadian Mission to demonstrate an experimental store
and forward delivery system for transmitting large data packages.
++Planned first flight of the XCOR Lynx from Mojave, CA.
++ Delta 2; NASA Aquarius launch from Vandenberg.
++ Planned launch of NASA's SMAP (Soil Moisture Active & Passive) spacecraft.
++ Proton+Breeze M; OS 1 launch from Baikonur.
2 0 1 1
JANUARY
15 Delta 4-Heavy; NROL-49 launch from Vandenberg. The United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy
rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The largest of the Delta
4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket.
++ Minotaur
1; ORS 1 launch from Wallops Island, Virginia. The US Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket
will launch the Operationally Responsive Space 1, or ORS 1, satellite. ORS 1 will support the military's intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance needs by hosting an innovative sensor system.
FEBRUARY
15 Delta 4-Heavy; NROL-49 launch from Vandenberg. The United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy
rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The largest of the Delta
4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket.
26STS-134 (ULF 6), Endeavour launch to the ISS from KSC LC-39A. STS-134
will be the 35th U.S. mission to the International Space Station. The flight will carry the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to
be attached for research at the station. Endeavour will also haul maintenance supplies and spare parts to the station on the
third ExPRESS Logistics Carrier.
++ Falcon
9; Dragon C2 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-40. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch
the second Dragon spacecraft, called Dragon C2. The mission will demonstrate proximity operations during an approach within
6 miles of the International Space Station. The company is building the Dragon to fly on resupply missions to the orbiting
lab.
++ Atlas
5; AEHF 2 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-41. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket
will launch the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft
will provide highly-secure communications. Under the Air Force's new slot manifest concept, the military's second X-37B Orbital
Test Vehicle is the backup payload for this flight. The rocket will fly in the 531 vehicle configuration with a five-meter
fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
++ Land
Launch Zenit 3SLB; Intelsat 18 launch from Baikonur. The Land Launch Zenit 3SLB rocket
will carry into orbit the Intelsat 18 communications satellite. Intelsat 18 will provide Ku-band and C-band services to the
Asia-Pacific region.
++ Atlas
5; GPS 2F-2 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-37B. The
United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 (AV-023) rocket will launch the Air Force's second Block 2F navigation satellite for the Global
Positioning System. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters
and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
MARCH
18NASA's
Messenger enters Mercury orbit.
30Soyuz ISS 26S launch to the ISS. A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch
the manned Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of the next Expedition crew. The capsule will
remain at the station for about six months, providing an escape pod for the crew.
++ Planned first (demonstration) flight of the OSC Cygnus ISS re-supply ship on a Taurus
II rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia.
++ Atlas
5; NROL-34 launch from Vandenberg SLC-3E. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket
will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle
configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
++ Delta
4; NROL-27 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-37B. The
United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.
The rocket will fly in the Medium+ (4,2) configuration with two solid rocket boosters.
APRIL
++ Delta
2; SAC-D/Aquarius launch from Vandenberg SLC-2W. The United Launch Alliance Delta
2 rocket will launch Argentina's SAC-D satellite with the Aquarius instrument for NASA. SAC-D and Aquarius will map salt concentrations
in the world's oceans. The rocket will fly in the 7320-10 vehicle configuration with three solid rocket motors and a 10-foot
payload fairing. ULA will conduct this commercial launch for Boeing.
27 Soyuz;
Progress 42P launch from Baikonur. A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch
the 42nd Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station.
MAY
31Soyuz;
ISS 27S launch from Baikonur to the ISS. A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch
the manned Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of the next Expedition crew. The capsule will
remain at the station for about six months, providing an escape pod for the crew.
++ Atlas
5; X-37B OTV 2 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-41. The United Launch Alliance Atlas
5 rocket will launch the U.S. military's X-37B, a prototype space plane also called the Orbital Test Vehicle. Under the Air
Force's new slot manifest concept, the military's first SBIRS GEO missile warning satellite could also launch in this opportunity.
The rocket will fly in the 501 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine
Centaur upper stage.
JUNE
21 Soyuz; Progress 43P launch from Baikonur. A
Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 43rd Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station.
++ Soyuz; Galileo launch from Kourou. An Arianespace
Soyuz rocket will launch on its third mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will launch two Galileo
in-orbit validation satellites for the Galileo navigation constellation. The Soyuz 2-1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage.
Arianespace will oversee the launch.
++ Taurus
2; first Cygnus 1 launch to the ISS, from Wallops Island OA. The Orbital Sciences
Taurus 2 rocket will launch the first Cygnus cargo freighter on a test flight to the International Space Station. Orbital
Sciences is developing the Cygnus spacecraft to deliver supplies to the space station.
JULY
++ESA's Rosetta will be put in hibernation until January 2014.
AUGUST
05Launch of NASA's Juno probe to Jupiter on an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral SLC-41. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch NASA's Juno spacecraft to Jupiter. Built
by Lockheed Martin, Juno will investigate the giant planet's formation, evolution and structure from an elliptical orbit.
The rocket will fly in the 551 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, five solid rocket boosters and a single-engine
Centaur upper stage.
++Dawn arrives at asteroid esta for 9 months of orbital operations.
SEPTEMBER
08Planned launch of NASA's GRAIL probe to the Moon on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral.
NOVEMBER
25NASA plans to launch the nuclear-powered Mars Science Laboratory (rover) on an
Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral. MSL 'Curiosity' will test soil and rock samples for traces of biological activity.
DECEMBER
++ Proton; Multipurpose Laboratory Module with European Robotic Arm (ERA) launch to the
ISS (3R).
Also in 2011
++ Soyuz; Pleiades 1 launch from Kourou. An Arianespace Soyuz rocket will launch on its second
mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The payloads for this flight are the Pleiades 1 optical high-resolution
Earth observation satellite, four ELISA electronic intelligence satellites and the SSOT remote sensing spacecraft for Chile.
The Soyuz 2-1a rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Arianespace will oversee the launch.
++ Ares Max Q Ascent Abort Test from White Sands, NM.
++Possible launch of a Canadian Mars probe.
++Planned launch of NASA's OSIRIS probe to asteroid RQ36.
++ Possible launch of TerraSAR-X2.
++Launch of ESA's GAIA astronomy satellite to the L2 point.
++ OSC intends to start flying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS.
++ China plans to launch the Tiangong-1 spacecraft into orbit on a Long March
2F rocket from the Jiuqan space center.
++ China plans to launch the first mission to its Tiangong-1 orbital spacecraft, the Shenzou
8 mission will be unmanned and test robotic docking systems.
++Russia plans to launch the Spektr-RG X-ray and gamma ray observatory.
++Possible launch of a Russian MKA FI satellite to study solar-terrestrial interactions
and the relationships between the sun and the small bodies in the solar system.
++Russia plans to launch the Phobos-Grunt (Phobos ground probe). An automatic spacecraft
will orbit Mars and a probe will land on Phobos, operate there for 3 years before returning to Earth. A Chinese mini-orbiter
(Yinghou-1) will be released near Mars, along with 1 or 2 Finnish MetNet meteorological stations to be deployed on the Martian
surface.
++ Minotaur 4; SBSS launch from Vandenberg SLC-8.
++First commercial launch of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo.
++ The
Planetary Society hopes to get their LightSail-1 solar sail into space.
++ First launch of the European Vega rocket, from Kourou ELA-1, carrying Italy's LARES
(Laser Relativity Satellite), ALMsat and 9 European Cubsats.
++ Delta
4-Heavy; NROL-15 launch from Cape Canaveral SLC-37B.
2 0 1 2
FEBRUARY
++NASA plans to launch NuTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array).
MAY
++Planned
launch of NASA's LADEE probe to the Moon on a Minotaur 5 from Wallops Island.
++Dawn will leave Vesta orbit.
AUGUST
++NASA's nuclear-powered MSL will land on Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory rover
'Curiosity' will test soil and rock samples for traces of biological activity.
OCTOBER
++ Planned launch of DMSP F19.
DECEMBER
++ Orbital
Sciences Pegasus; IRIS solar observatory launch.
Also in 2012
++ Planned launch of the Global Precipitation Measurement satellite (2).
++ Possible launch of Bigelow Aerospace's first full-scale inflatable commercial space
habitat, the BA 330.
++Virgin Galactic will now also be flying its suborbital Spaceship Two from the
new Spaceport Sweden at Kiruna.
++ Planned suborbital launch of the Italian Pollux FTB-X on a European Vega rocket.
++Planned launch of Russia's Moon-Globe orbiter and a Moon rover.
++Possible first tourist flight to orbit the Moon. The Deep Space Exploration
- Alpha mission will use a Soyuz TMA plus an additional Block DM propulsion module.
++ India hopes to begin demonstration flights of a reusable launch vehicle.
++Russia plans to launch Luna Glob (lunar orbiter, south-polar surface probe and
surface penetrators) on a Soyuz 2 Fregat.
++Russia plans to launch two Resonance magnetospheric observation satellites on a
Soyuz 2 Fregat from Baikonur.
++ Russia plans to launch the first OKA T microgravity laboratory on a Soyuz 2 from Baikonur.
Possible docking with the ISS.
++Planned lunar mission of the Odyssey Moon MoonOne (M-1), landing on the lunar equator.
++ Planned first (unmanned) test flight of a modern-day version of the Russian Almaz reusable
reentry vehicle.
++ Instead of the Ares I-Y test flight, NASA plans to launch the Ares I-X
Prime, from KSC pad 39B. It will feature a 5-segment SRB and possibly test the launch abort system.
++ Planned launch of the next-generation Landsat Data Continuity Mission.
++China plans to launch 2 manned Shenzou flights to the Tiangong 1 space module
for temporary stays.
++Possible start of commercial operations of the Blue Origin New Shepard manned
RLV.
++ (/2013) China plans to land a nuclear powered rover on the Moon.
2 0 1 3
FEBRUARY
++ OSC
Taurus XL 3110; OCO-2 launch from Vandenberg.
AUGUST
++Bepi-Colombo
(ESA) spacecraft (2 orbiters) launch to Mercury. Using solar-electric propulsion the journey will take about 6 years.
OCTOBER
++Juno - Earth flyby.
NOVEMBER
++Planned launch of NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) probe to
Mars.
Also in 2013
++Rocketplane Global plans to begin commercial tourist flights
on their XP Spaceplane, from Cecil Field near Jacksonville, FL. Development work and test flying will be done at the Oklahoma
Spaceport.
++India hopes to launch a small Mars orbiter on a GSLV.
++NASA's OSIRIS probe will acquire a sample of asteroid RQ36, for return to Earth
in 2017.
++ Possible first flight of Starchaser Industries Thunderstar rocket from Spaceport America
(the Southwest Regional Spaceport).
++China plans to launch the Chang'e 3 lunar lander/rover to the Moon.
++ Planned test launch of the Starchaser Nova 2 rocket from the UK.
++ Possible first flight of EADS Astrium's suborbital tourist Space Plane.
++Possible launch of the Russian Gamma 400 space observatory.
++Possible launch of a Russian MKA FKI satellite to study solar-terrestrial interactions
and the relationships between the sun and the small bodies in the solar system.
++Planned first revenue flight of the Excalibur Almaz, a manned modern-day version
of the Russian Almaz reusable reentry vehicle.
++GSLV; Chandrayaan 2 launch; Indian lunar probe & Russian lander/rover.
++ Planned launch of ESA's EarthCARE satellite, possibly on a Soyuz rocket.
++Japan's
new Epsilon rocket will launch the small astronomical observatory Sprint-A into orbit to observe Venus, Mars and Jupiter. Epsilon will replace the M-5 rocket.
2 0 1 4
JANUARY
++ESA
will wake up its Rosetta probe, en-route to comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
MAY
22Rosetta rendezvous with comet Churmuyov-Gerasimenko. A lander (Philae) will be
dropped on the comet in November 2014.
++ Planned launch of DMP F20.
JUNE
++Planned launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to the L2 point, on an
Ariane 5 ECA. The infrared observatory is built by Northrup Grumman Space Technology.
SEPTEMBER
16NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) will enter Mars orbit.
NOVEMBER
++ESA's Rosetta, in orbit around Churmuyov-Gerasimenko, will drop a small lander
(Philae) on the comet.
Also in 2014
++ Ares I; Orion 1 launch from KSC pad 39B. First flight of the Orion
spacecraft, in an unmanned orbital flight with a splashdown of Australia.
++ Possible launch of Prometheus 1 on a short-duration mission to test space-nuclear power
and propulsion.
++ China plans to fly the new heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket.
++ Russia plans to launch the 2nd OKA T microgravity laboratory on a Soyuz 2 from Baikonur.
Possible docking with the ISS.
++Planned sample-return to Earth of the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission.
++Sierra
Nevada Corp. / SpaceDev Dream Chaser could be ready for launch (on an Atla 5 rocket), under NASA's CCDev plan.
2 0 1 5
FEBRUARY
++Dawn
will enter orbit around Ceres.
MARCH
++Ares I; Orion 2 launch from KSC pad 39B. First manned Orion test
flight, includes demonstration of rendezvous and proximity operations with the ISS. First docking with the ISS. Leaves an
adapter on the ISS.
JULY
15New Horizons - Pluto/Charon flyby.
Also in 2015
++Ares I; Orion 3 launch from KSC pad 39B. Second manned
Orion test flight. Leaves a second adapter on the ISS.
++According to its Aurora program, ESA is planned to make a decision to go ahead
with an international human mission to Mars and, possibly, the Moon.
++Planned launch of the NASA/ESA LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna).
++Planned launch of ESA's Solar Orbiter.
++ SIM PlanetQuest (Space Interferometry Mission) planned launch to the L-2 point.
The NASA probe will use 3 pairs of small telescopes to measure the wobbling of stars.
++ Planned first launch from the new Russian Vostochny cosmodrome. The first manned
launch is planned for 2018.
++Planned launch of the NASA/US DoE Joint Dark Energy Mission. The satellite aims
to measure the expansion of the universe precisely by observing about 2300 supernovae.
++Ares I; Orion 4 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
First operational Orion flight.
++Possible launch of a Russian MKA FKI satellite to study solar-terrestrial interactions
and the relationships between the sun and the small bodies in the solar system.
++ Planned launch of NASA's ICESat 2.
2 0 1 6
JANUARY
++Planned launch of the ESA-NASA ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Entry, Descent
and Landing demonstration mission to Mars on an Atlas 5.
AUGUST
++NASA's Juno probe will reach the Jupiter system.
Also in 2016
++Ares I; Orion 5 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++ Planned launch of NASA's Constellation-X satellites.
++TPF-C (Terrestrial Planet Finder coronograph) possible launch. [will possibly be
delayed due to NASA's budget]
++Ares I; Orion 6 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation
Flight.
++Possible launch of the Russian Venera-D mission (orbiter, balloons and lander)
to Venus.
++ Russia plans to launch the Vozvrat-MKA microgravity satellite, equipped with an Earth
return/landing vehicle.
++Possible launch of the International Lunar Network; a series of seismological lunar
landers.
++India plans to launch its first manned capsule, carrying 2 astronauts, into
orbit atop a GSLV Mark 3.
2 0 1 7
++Ares I; Orion 7 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++China plans to launch a lunar sample return mission.
++Planned return of NASA's OSIRIS probe with samples of asteroid RQ36.
++South Korea hopes to launch a lunar orbiter on a rocket developed from homegrown
technology.
++Ares I; Orion 8 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++NASA will possibly fly a manned Orion spacecraft around the
Moon.
2 0 1 8
++Ares I; Orion 9 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++ Planned launch of an ESA Aurora technology precursor mission to demonstrate aerobraking/aerocapture,
solar electric propulsion and soft landing.
++ Ares V-Y; first launch of the Ares V cargo launch vehicle, from KSC pad
39A. The Ares V-1 will carry ballast instead of an EDS (Earth Departure Stage).
++Ares I; Orion 10 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++Planned launch of ESA's Aurora Flagship ExoMars mission on an Ariane 5. The robotic
rover, deployed from a Mars orbiter, will search for traces of life and characterize the nature of the surface environment.
++Russia plans to launch the Spektr M (Millimetron) space observatory.
++Possible launch of the Russian Astrometriya space astrometry spacecraft.
++Possible launch of the Russian Terion F2 satellite to observe the Earth's ionosphere
and thermosphere.
++ ESA will possibly test its new Advanced Re-entry Vehicle, which will be able to bring
cargo back from the ISS.
++Planned first manned launch from the new Russian Vostochny cosmodrome.
++ Planned first flight of the Reaction Engines Skylon. Service entry of the British
spaceplane is expected to take place in 2020.
2 0 1 9
AUGUST
++ ESA's Bepi-Colombo
mission (2 orbiters) is expected to arrive at Mercury.
Also in 2019
++Ares V; Altair 1 launch from KSC pad 39A. First flight of the
Altair LSAM (Lunar Surface Access Module), launched on an Ares V vehicle with an EDS. This flight is in conjunction with Orion
11.
++Ares I; Orion 11 launch from KSC pad 39B. This (manned) flight
is in conjunction with the first flight of the Altair 1 LSAM. The CEV will dock with the EDS and LSAM and enter low lunar
orbit (LLO). The LSAM will perform an uncrewed lunar descent and landing, and then launch to rendezvous with the CEV.
++Ares I; Orion 12 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
2 0 2 0
++Ares I; Orion 14 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++Ares V; Altair 2 launch from KSC pad 39A. This flight is in conjunction
with Orion 13.
++Ares I; Orion 13 launch from KSC pad 39B. Planned first manned
lunar-landing flight of the Project Constellation Orion CEV. Orion 13 will be combined with an Earth Departure Stage (EDS)
to get to the moon. The Altair 2 Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) will be used to carry 2 astronauts to the the surface,
leaving 1 astronaut in the CEV in lunar orbit.
++TPF-I (Terrestrial Planet Finder interferometer) possible launch, provided it isn't
cancelled or delayed by NASA's budget.
++China plans to launch a lunar sample return mission.
++Possible launch of the US/international Space Ultraviolet Observatory (SUVO).
++Possible launch of Europe's Darwin project, a formation flying astronomical mission.
++ China plans to launch a space station into orbit on Long March 5 boosters.
++Planned launch of a NASA Jupiter Europa orbiter and an ESA Jupiter Ganymede orbiter
on two separate launch vehicles from different launch sites.
++Ares I; Orion 16 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation
Flight.
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++Ares V; Altair 3 (for Orion 15) launch from KSC
pad 39A.
++Ares I; Orion 15 launch from KSC pad 39B. Flight to the Moon.
++Ares I; Orion 17 launch from KSC pad 39B. ISS Crew Rotation Flight.
++ Ares V; Altair 4 launch from KSC pad 39A. Possible direct lunar flight.
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++China plans to launch a manned mission to the Lunar surface.
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++Japan hopes to begin manned flights to the Moon.
++NASA hopes to have a permanent manned lunar base, probably
at the lunar south pole.
++South Korea hopes to launch a lunar lander.
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++As part of its Aurora program ESA plans to launch an automatic mission to Mars
to test the main phases of a future human mission to Mars.
++The NASA Jupiter Europa orbiter and ESA Ganymede orbiter will reach the Jupiter
system.
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++Asteroid Apophis close flyby of Earth on April 13. A very small chance of an Earth
impact might occur on April 13 2036 and in 2086.
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++ESA will possibly launch a manned mission to the Moon.
++Proposed ESA (Aurora) cargo mission to Mars, carrying supplies for the upcoming
manned mission to the Red Planet.
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++ESA hopes to launch humans to Mars as part of the Aurora program.
