Browse Resources by Year

2011 – Iran, Sea Launch – Snapshot

Two other space programs made news in 2011, as space newcomer Iran successfully conducted ## launch and the multinational commercial venture Sea Launch resumed operations after a hiatus of nearly two and a half years.

2011 – India Launch Efforts – Snapshot

India had a successful year in 2011, launching ## rockets without any of the failures that plagued its 2010 launch season. All ## launches used the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). While the rocket’s nomenclature hints at its original purpose to place satellites into polar orbit, over time it has launched medium-weight satellites into a variety of orbits.

2011 – Japan Launch Efforts – Snapshot

The Japanese space program continued operations at its usual pace with ## launches in 2011. The first launch occurred in January and sent the second H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) to its rendezvous and docking with the ISS. Much like the European ATV, the HTV is an uncrewed cargo vehicle designed to dock with the ISS and transfer dry cargo, fuel, and water to the station, before being loaded with the station’s garbage and sent back to Earth to burn up in the atmosphere.

2011 – Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Systems

Note: This exhibit is from The Space Report 2012.

2011 – European Launch Efforts – Snapshot

Europe made progress in 2011 toward expanding its range of launch options. Europe conducted ## launches of its workhorse Ariane 5 rocket. ## of those were standard dual-payload commercial launches, each lifting two communications satellites into orbit for commercial clients. The first Ariane 5 launch of 2011, conducted in February, was the exception and placed an Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into orbit to rendezvous and dock with the ISS.

2011 – China’s Launch efforts – Snapshot

China’s annual total of ## flights surpassed its previous record of ## launches set in 2010. Additionally, 2011 marked the first year that China conducted more orbital launches than the United States, which performed ## launches in 2011. China’s increased launch rate over the last two years was mainly attributable to launches that placed satellites for China’s Beidou navigation system into orbit.

2011 – Russia’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

Russia entered 2011 in the midst of an investigation into the loss of a Proton rocket carrying three Russian government navigation satellites in December 2010. Russian space officials scrambled to determine the cause of the loss, which was eventually determined to be the over-fueling of an upper stage. Problems continued to arise in 2011, leading to the loss of ## launch vehicles and the Phobos-Grunt mission to Mars. Nevertheless, Russia maintained its place as the world’s most-frequent launch provider with ## launches.

2011 – German Government Space Budget – Snapshot

The Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Germany’s national space agency, oversaw an authorized budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2011, excluding contributions made to ESA. This represents an increase of ##% from 2010. In addition to the DLR-only spending, Germany made €## million (US$## billion) in ESA contributions in 2011. Combined, the DLR authorization and ESA contribution total €## billion (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of Germany’s 2011 budget of €## billion ($## billion).

2011 – U.S. Military Satellites – Snapshot

In March 2011, the U.S. Air Force launched the ## test flight of the top secret X-37B space plane. Originally scheduled to land after ## days, the mission was extended and the spacecraft was still in orbit at the end of 2011. The 2010 maiden flight of the X-37B lasted for ## days. The military has not divulged specifics about the space plane’s cargo or mission, but it is speculated that it carries advanced Air Force experiments, sensors, and other research payloads. Some space technology experts believe the X-37B is a reconnaissance tool, given its ability to land, change payloads, and alter its orbit more rapidly than a LEO satellite.

2011 – French Government Space Budget – Snapshot

The French space agency, the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), operated on a government budget of approximately €## million (US$## billion) in 2011, excluding contributions made to ESA and EUMETSAT. This represented a ##% increase from the 2010 budget of €## million (US$## million). Government spending was supplemented by €## million (US$## million) in revenue from activities such as launch services for ESA. In 2011, France contributed €## million (US$## billion) to ESA programs and €## million (US$## million) to EUMETSAT.