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2014 – Russia Launch, Payload

Russia retained its position as the world’s most prolific orbital launch provider in 2014, a position it has maintained since 2004. Russia’s launch tempo in 2014 was the same as in 2013, with ## launch attempts, all of which were successful except for one Proton Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) with a Russian communications satellite aboard. Launch success does not always correspond to mission success, as in August 2014 when the Fregat upper stage of a Soyuz ST failed to position its two Galileo PNT satellites in the correct orbit. As of the end of 2014, the satellites’ operator, ESA, was still evaluating whether the satellites might be usable in altered orbits.

2014 – U.S. Launch, Payload

The United States attempted to launch ## rockets in 2014, all but ## of which were successful. United Launch Alliance (ULA) provided the majority of U.S. orbital launches in 2014. ULA launches deployed payloads for the military and civil government. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) awarded ULA three contracts in 2013, in which ULA would provide ## launch vehicle booster cores from 2013 through 2017.

2014 – Russia Launch, Human

In 2014, Russia operated the only crewed vehicle currently serving the ISS, and it is expected to retain that monopoly through 2017, when the first flights of the new NASA-supported commercially developed vehicles are slated to begin. Russia’s current crewed spacecraft is the Soyuz, a vehicle that made its first flight in 1967 and has been upgraded several times in the ensuing decades. Advances in construction techniques and computer technology have resulted in a craft that is more maneuverable, lighter, and has a greater carrying capacity than earlier versions.

2014 – U.S. Launch, Human

Since 2011, the year the Space Shuttle was retired, the United States has not been able to launch astronauts aboard U.S. vehicles. To send U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has relied on contracts with the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, buying seats every year on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Rising seat prices and political developments in Ukraine increased pressure on NASA to provide indigenously manufactured spacecraft quickly.

Orbital

It is relatively simple to place a satellite into orbit when compared with launching humans to space. Humans have more complex needs, such as breathable air, food, staying warm, staying…

2014 – Volunteer Space Operators Take the Helm of a NASA Satellite

One standout story in 2014 exemplifies public interest, funding, and dedication to space exploration. The story involves an old NASA spacecraft, a group of volunteers, successful donation requests through crowdfunding, and ultimately, the reanimation and operation of a spacecraft once thought lost and useless.

Tractors Without Farmers

The technology that keeps tractors within field boundaries is changing, using satellite technology to aid farmers in steering farm equipment within centimeters of its intended location. AREA4D is using satellite data from the European GNSS Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and combining it with localized reference radio stations to build a better, faster, and cheaper PNT network.

Underwear Shields Bodies Using Space Technology

Some garment makers, such as Björn Borg, are attempting to address a very real need for heat resistance in underclothes. Working with materials used to protect astronauts, garment manufacturers are heeding the wishes of Swedish steelworkers, a demographic working in very heated conditions, and coming up with cool solutions.

Stranded Bears Seen From Space

Counting white bears on a white background is a challenge when the polar bears are only yards away from an observer on the ground. Imagine how challenging it must be to see the bears in imagery from satellites. White specks on a sheet of ice are very difficult to detect from hundreds of miles away.

Air Traffic Tracking and Traffic Control Space Solutions

Imagery and communications satellites were both used in search and rescue efforts for the Malaysian Airlines MH370 passenger airplane. Imagery of the search areas was provided on sites such as Tomnod in hopes that crowdsourcing imagery analysis would help in locating evidence of where the airplane might have disappeared.