Spaceflight-related events of 2010
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The year 2010 saw a number of notable events in worldwide spaceflight activities . These included the first test flight of the SpaceX Dragon commercial resupply spacecraft, which is intended to resupply the International Space Station (ISS), and the maiden flights of the Falcon 9 and Minotaur IV rockets. In June 2010, South Korea conducted a second Naro-1 launch, after the failure of the rocket's maiden flight in 2009; however, the second attempt also failed. The Kosmos-3M was retired from service, making its final flight in April. The Molniya-M was also retired from service, making its final flight in September.[1]
Overview [ edit ] The first suborbital launch of 2010 was conducted at 23:00 GMT on 10 January, when a Black Brant IX sounding rocket was launched as a target for the Boeing YAL-1 airborne-laser platform. On 11 January, China conducted an ABM test , involving two missiles. The first orbital launch occurred at 16:12 UTC on 16 January, when a Long March 3C launched the Compass-G1 navigation satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre .
Seventy-four orbital launches were attempted in 2010, with seventy being successful and four ending in failure. The last orbital launch was made on 29 December, when an Ariane 5 ECA launched the Hispasat-1E and Koreasat 6 spacecraft from Guiana Space Centre , near Kourou .
Space exploration [ edit ] Akatsuki , the first Japanese mission to Venus , was launched on an H-IIA carrier rocket in May. It is intended to look for lightning and volcanoes on Venus.[2] [3] Cytherocentric orbit in December, but it managed to enter the orbit around Venus five years later in December 2015. IKAROS , the first operational solar sail , was launched on the same rocket as Akatsuki.
The first Japanese asteroid probe, Hayabusa , returned to Earth on 13 June, having landed on 25143 Itokawa in an effort to collect samples.[4] sample return mission from an asteroid.[5]
On 1 October at 10:59:57 UTC, China successfully launched the Chang'e-2 spacecraft, the nation's second mission to explore the Moon . A Long March 3C rocket was used for the launch, which occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre . The spacecraft conducted a mission similar to that of the earlier Chang'e-1 spacecraft, but with a focus on mapping potential landing sites in preparation for the Chang'e-3 uncrewed lunar lander.[6]
Crewed spaceflight [ edit ] Seven crewed launches were planned for 2010, with three Space Shuttle missions and four Soyuz flights for International Space Station (ISS) crew rotation. STS-130 , using orbiter Endeavour Tranquility Cupola for the ISS. On 5 April, Discovery STS-131 , with the Leonardo MPLM
Soyuz TMA-18 launched the Expedition 23 crew to the ISS on 2 April; it was scheduled to spend around six months docked to the station to facilitate crew escape in an emergency. Shortly before, Soyuz TMA-16 undocked, transporting former ISS crewmembers back to Earth. On 14 May, Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-132 , carrying the Rassvet Soyuz TMA-19 launched with Expedition 24 on 15 June. Soyuz TMA-01M , the first flight of a modernised Soyuz-TMA spacecraft, launched on 8 October with the Expedition 25 crew for the ISS. Then, to end the year, Expedition 26 launched aboard Soyuz TMA-20 on 15 December.
Launch failures [ edit ] Four orbital launch failures occurred in 2010, two affecting Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles , one affecting a Naro-1 rocket, and one affecting a Proton rocket. The first occurred on 15 April, when the GSLV Mk.II launched on its maiden flight. The rocket's third stage malfunctioned, resulting in the stage, and the GSAT-4 satellite, failing to achieve orbit and falling into the sea. The second failure occurred during the second launch of the Naro-1 rocket, carrying the STSAT-2B spacecraft. The rocket exploded 137 seconds into the flight.[7]
The third failure occurred on 5 December, when a Proton-M with the first Blok DM-03 upper stage failed to inject three Glonass-M satellites into orbit. Before launch, the Blok DM was fuelled incorrectly, resulting in the rocket being too heavy to reach its parking orbit.[8] GSAT-5P . The rocket was destroyed by range safety , after control of the liquid-fuelled boosters attached to the first stage was lost.[9]
Orbital launches [ edit ] Date and time (UTC ) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP Payload CubeSat ) Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome Remarks January [ edit ] 16 January Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Compass-G1 CNSA Geosynchronous Navigation In orbit Operational 28 January Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Khrunichev Globus-1M #12L (Raduga-1M 2) VKS Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational February [ edit ] 3 February Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-04M / 36P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 1 July 14:40 Successful ISS flight 36P 8 February Space Shuttle Endeavour Kennedy LC-39A United Space Alliance STS-130 NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly 22 February 03:22 Successful Tranquility [10] NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly In orbit Operational Cupola NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly In orbit Operational Crewed flight with six astronauts . 11 February Atlas V 401 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance Solar Dynamics Observatory NASA Geosynchronous Heliophysics In orbit Operational 12 February Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services Intelsat 16 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 1 March Proton-M / DM-2 Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Khrunichev Kosmos 2459 Glonass-M 731 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2460 Glonass-M 732 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2461 Glonass-M 735 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational 4 March Delta IV-M+ (4,2) Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance GOES-P (GOES-15) NOAA / NASA Geosynchronous Meteorology In orbit Operational Satellite redesignated EWS-G2 after being transferred to the U.S. Space Force in September 2023.[11] 5 March Long March 4C Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Yaogan 9A CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) ELINT In orbit Operational Yaogan 9B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) ELINT In orbit Operational Yaogan 9C CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) ELINT In orbit Operational First Long March 4 series launch from Jiuquan. 20 March Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services Echostar XIV Echostar Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 2 April Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-18 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 23 25 September 05:23 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts . 5 April Space Shuttle Discovery [12] Kennedy LC-39A United Space Alliance STS-131 NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 20 April 13:08:35 Successful Leonardo MPLMASI / NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics Successful Crewed flight with seven astronauts. 8 April Dnepr Baikonur Site 109/95 ISC Kosmotras Cryosat-2 [13] ESA Low Earth Climatology In orbit Operational 15 April GSLV Mk II Satish Dhawan SLP ISRO GSAT-4 (HealthSat) ISRO Intended: Geosynchronous Communications Navigation 15 April Launch failure Maiden flight of GSLV Mk. II, third stage failure. 16 April [citation needed Soyuz-U Plesetsk Site 16/2 VKS Kosmos 2462 (Kobal't-M ) VKS Low Earth Reconnaissance 21 July Successful 22 April [14] Atlas V 501 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance USA-212 (X-37B OTV-1)[14] U.S. Air Force Low Earth Technology demonstration 3 December 09:16 Successful Maiden flight of Atlas V 501 and Boeing X-37B. 24 April Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services SES-1 (OS-1) SES World Skies Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 27 April Kosmos-3M Plesetsk Site 132/1 VKS Kosmos 2463 (Parus ) VKS Low Earth Navigation Communications In orbit Operational Final flight of Kosmos-3M. 28 April Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-05M / 37P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 15 November 09:35:39 Successful ISS flight 37P 14 May Space Shuttle Atlantis [12] Kennedy LC-39A United Space Alliance STS-132 NASA Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 26 May 12:48:11 Successful Rassvet (MRM-1) Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS assembly In orbit Operational Crewed flight with six astronauts. Rassvet was launched along with the MLM outfittings that included a spare elbow joint for the European Robotic Arm (ERA) (which was launched with Nauka ) and an ERA-portable workpost used during EVAs, as well as a heat radiator, internal hardware and an experiment airlock for launching CubeSats to be positioned on the modified passive forward port near the nadir end of the Nauka module.[15] 20 May [18] H-IIA 202 Tanegashima LA-Y1 MHI Akatsuki (Planet-C) JAXA Intended: Cytherocentric Heliocentric , corrected to Cytherocentric Venus orbiter In orbit Operational after partial spacecraft failure IKAROS JAXA Heliocentric Solar sail In orbit Successful ⚀ Waseda-SAT2 Waseda Low Earth Earth observation 15 August[19] Spacecraft failure[16] [20] ⚀ Hayato (K-Sat)[21] Kagoshima Low Earth Earth observation 28 June[22] [23] Partial spacecraft failure ⚀ Negai☆'' Soka Low Earth Technology demonstration 26 June[24] Successful Shin'en (UNITEC-1)[25] UNISEC Heliocentric Technology demonstration In orbit Spacecraft failure[16] [26] DCAM-1 JAXA Heliocentric Technology demonstration In orbit Successful DCAM-2 JAXA Heliocentric Technology demonstration In orbit Successful Waseda-SAT2 never contacted ground, Hayato affected by communications problems, contact lost with Shin'en on 21 May, unclear if data has been received since.[16] [17] 21 May Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Astra 3B SES Astra Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational COMSATBw-2 Bundeswehr Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 28 May Delta IV -M+ (4,2) Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance USA-213 (GPS IIF SV-1) U.S. Air Force Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational 2 June Rokot / Briz-KM [27] Plesetsk Site 133/3 Eurockot [28] SERVIS-2 USEF Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 2 June Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Compass-G3 CNSA Geosynchronous Navigation In orbit Operational 3 June Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services Badr-5 ARABSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 4 June [31] Falcon 9 v1.0 [32] [33] [34] Cape Canaveral SLC-40 SpaceX [35] DSQU SpaceX Low Earth Boilerplate 27 June 00:50[36] Successful Maiden flight of Falcon 9.[29] [30] 10 June [37] Naro-1 Naro LC-1[38] Khrunichev / KARI STSAT-2B KARI Intended: Low Earth Technology demonstration +137 seconds Launch failure Exploded during first stage burn.[7] 15 June [39] Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Shijian 12[40] CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 15 June Dnepr [41] Dombarovsky Site 13 ISC Kosmotras Prisma-Mango SSC Low Earth (SSO )[42] Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Prisma-Tango SSC Low Earth (SSO )[42] Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Picard CNES Low Earth (SSO )[42] Helioseismology In orbit Operational BPA-1 Hartron-Arkos Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational BPA-1 intentionally remained attached to upper stage. 15 June Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-19 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 24 26 November 04:46:53 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts 21 June Dnepr Baikonur Site 109/95 ISC Kosmotras TanDEM-X DLR Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational 22 June Shavit-2 Palmachim Israel Aerospace Industries Ofek-9 [44] IAI / Israeli Defense Forces Low Earth (retrograde ) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational[45] Known as Ofek-8 before launch.[43] 26 June Ariane 5 ECA [46] Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace ArabSat-5A ARABSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational Chollian (COMS-1) KARI Geosynchronous [47] Communications Meteorology Oceanography In orbit Successful[48] 30 June Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-06M / 38P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 6 September 12:53:20 Successful ISS flight 38P 10 July Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services EchoStar XV Echostar Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 12 July[49] PSLV-CA Satish Dhawan FLP ISRO Cartosat-2B ISRO Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational AlSat-2A ASAL Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational ⚀ StudSat StudSat Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational AISSat-1 NDRE Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational ⚀ TIsat-1 SUPSI Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational AISSat and TIsat cubeSats to be launched as NLS-6, coordinated by UTIAS 31 July Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CNSA Compass IGSO-1 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational 4 August Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Nilesat-201 Nilesat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational RASCOM-QAF 1R RASCOM-QAF Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 9 August [50] Long March 4C Taiyuan LC-2 CNSA Yaogan 10 CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational 14 August Atlas V 531 Cape Canaveral SLC-41 United Launch Alliance USA-214 (AEHF-1 ) U.S. Air Force Intended: Geosynchronous GTO Communications In orbit Partial spacecraft failure[51] Maiden flight of Atlas V 531; liquid apogee motor failed to operate during orbital insertion process.[51] 24 August Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Tian Hui 1 CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational September [ edit ] 2 September Proton-M / DM-2 Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Roscosmos Kosmos 2464 Glonass-M 736 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2465 Glonass-M 737 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational Kosmos 2466 Glonass-M 738 ) VKS Medium Earth Navigation In orbit Operational 4 September Long March 3B Xichang LC-2 CNSA Chinasat-6A Sinosat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 8 September Rokot / Briz-KM Plesetsk Site 133/3 RVSN RF Gonets-M No.2 Gonets Satellite System [52] Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Kosmos 2467 (Strela-3 ) VKS Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Kosmos 2468 (Strela-3) VKS Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational 10 September Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 31/6 Roscosmos Progress M-07M / 39P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 20 February 2011 16:12 Successful ISS flight 39P 11 September[53] H-IIA 202[54] Tanegashima LA-Y1 MHI QZSS-1 (Michibiki ) JAXA Tundra Navigation In orbit Successful[55] 21 September Atlas V 501 Vandenberg SLC-3E United Launch Alliance USA-215 NRO Low Earth (retrograde ) In orbit Operational NRO Launch 41 22 September [56] Long March 2D Jiuquan SLS-2 CNSA Yaogan 11 CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Reconnaissance In orbit Operational Zheda Pixing 1B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Zheda Pixing 1C CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 26 September Minotaur IV Vandenberg SLC-8 Orbital Sciences USA-216 (SBSS ) U.S. Air Force Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration Space surveillance In orbit Operational First orbital launch of Minotaur IV. 30 September[57] [1] Molniya-M / 2BL Plesetsk Site 16/2 RVSN RF Kosmos 2469 (Oko ) VKS Molniya Missile defense 15 October 2022[58] Successful Final flight of Molniya-M.[1] October [ edit ] 1 October [59] Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Chang'e 2 CNSA Selenocentric [60] Lunar orbiter In orbit Operational 6 October Long March 4B Taiyuan LC-2 CNSA Shijian 6-04A CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Shijian 6-04B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Technology demonstration In orbit Operational 7 October Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-01M Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 25 16 March 2011 07:54 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts, maiden flight of modernised Soyuz-TMA spacecraft. 14 October [61] Proton-M / Briz-M Baikonur Site 81/24 International Launch Services XM-5 XM Satellite Radio Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 19 October Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Baikonur Site 31/6 Starsem Globalstar-2 #1 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #2 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #3 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #4 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #5 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational Globalstar-2 #6 Globalstar Low Earth Communications In orbit Operational 27 October Soyuz-U Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Progress M-08M / 40P Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) ISS logistics 24 January 2011 Successful[62] ISS flight 40P. 28 October[64] Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Eutelsat W3B Eutelsat Intended: Geosynchronous GTO Communications In orbit Spacecraft failure[65] BSAT-3b [66] BSAT Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational[67] Eutelsat W3B written-off as a total loss immediately after launch due to an oxidizer leak in the satellite's main propulsion system.[63] 31 October Long March 3C Xichang LC-2 CNSA Compass-G4 CNSA Geosynchronous Navigation In orbit Operational November [ edit ] 2 November [68] Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Plesetsk Site 43/4 RVSN RF Meridian 3 VKS Molniya Communications In orbit Operational 4 November [69] Long March 4C Taiyuan LC-2 CNSA Fengyun 3B CNSA Low Earth (SSO ) Meteorology In orbit Operational 6 November Delta II 7420-10 Vandenberg SLC-2W United Launch Alliance COSMO-4 ASI Low Earth (SSO ) Earth observation In orbit Operational Final flight of Delta II 7420.[70] 14 November Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services SkyTerra-1 SkyTerra Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational[71] 20 November Minotaur IV / HAPS Kodiak LP-1 Orbital Sciences STPSat-2 STP Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational ⚀ O/OREOS NASA AMES Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational ⚀ RAX University of Michigan Low Earth Auroral In orbit Operational FASTSAT NASA Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Partial spacecraft failure ⚀ NanoSail-D2 NASA Low Earth Technology demonstration 17 September 2011[72] Successful Sara-Lily (FASTRAC 1) Texas Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Emma (FASTRAC 2) UT Austin Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational USA-221 / FalconSat-5 USAFA Low Earth Technology demonstration In orbit Operational Maiden flight of Minotaur IV/HAPS. NanoSail-D2 should have been deployed from FASTSAT seven days after launch, immediate deployment failed but ejection was confirmed almost two months later on 19 January 2011 21 November [73] Delta IV Heavy Cape Canaveral SLC-37B United Launch Alliance USA-223 / Orion 7 NRO Geosynchronous Reconnaissance In orbit Operational NROL-32 mission. 24 November [74] Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CNSA Chinasat 20A CNSA Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 26 November Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Intelsat 17 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational HYLAS-1 [75] Avanti [76] Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 40th consecutive Ariane 5 launch success. December [ edit ] 5 December Proton-M / DM-03 Enhanced Baikonur Site 81/24 Roscosmos Glonass-M 739 VKS Intended: Medium Earth Navigation 5 December Launch failure Glonass-M 740 VKS Intended: Medium Earth Navigation Glonass-M 741 VKS Intended: Medium Earth Navigation Maiden flight of Blok DM-03. Incorrect fuelling of upper stage led to mass being too great to achieve parking orbit, reentered over the Pacific Ocean.[8] 8 December Falcon 9 v1.0 Cape Canaveral SLC-40 SpaceX Dragon C1 SpaceX / NASA Low Earth Flight test 8 December 19:02 Successful ⚀ SMDC-ONE 1 U.S. Army Low Earth Communications 12 January 2011 Successful ⚀ Mayflower-Caerus Northrop Grumman / USC Low Earth Technology demonstration 22 December Successful ⚀ QbX-1 NRO Low Earth Technology demonstration 6 January 2011 Successful ⚀ QbX-2 NRO Low Earth Technology demonstration 16 January 2011 Successful ⚀ Perseus 000 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 30 December Successful ⚀ Perseus 001 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 31 December Successful ⚀ Perseus 002 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 30 December Successful ⚀ Perseus 003 LANL Low Earth Technology demonstration 31 December Successful COTS Demo 1; maiden flight of the SpaceX Dragon ; Mayflower included Caerus payload operated by USC. 15 December [77] Soyuz-FG Baikonur Site 1/5 Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-20 Roscosmos Low Earth (ISS ) Expedition 26 24 May 2011 02:27 Successful Crewed flight with three cosmonauts. 17 December Long March 3A Xichang LC-3 CNSA Compass IGSO-2 CNSA IGSO Navigation In orbit Operational 25 December GSLV Mk.I Satish Dhawan SLP ISRO GSAT-5P ISRO Intended: Geosynchronous Communications 25 December Launch failure Disintegrated during first stage flight. 26 December Proton-M / Briz-M Enhanced Baikonur Site 200/39 International Launch Services KA-SAT Eutelsat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational 29 December Ariane 5 ECA Kourou ELA-3 Arianespace Hispasat-1E Hispasat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational Koreasat 6 [78] [79] Koreasat Geosynchronous Communications In orbit Operational
Suborbital flights [ edit ] Date and time (UTC ) Rocket Flight number Launch site LSP Payload CubeSat ) Operator Orbit Function Decay (UTC) Outcome Remarks 10 January [80] Black Brant IX San Nicolas NASA MARTI U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 10 January Successful 11 January [81] PLA PLA Suborbital ABM target 11 January Successful Target 11 January PLA PLA Suborbital ABM test 11 January Successful[82] Interceptor 14 January [84] RH-300 Mk.II TERLS ISRO ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 14 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[83] 14 January [84] ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 14 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[83] 14 January[84] RH-560 Mk.II Satish Dhawan ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 14 January Successful Apogee: 548 km (341 mi)[83] 15 January [84] ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[83] 15 January [84] ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[83] 15 January [84] ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 116 km (72 mi)[83] 15 January[84] ISRO Suborbital Solar/Aeronomy 15 January Successful Apogee: 523 km (325 mi)[83] 27 January [81] M51 Le Terrible Audierne Bay DGA DGA Suborbital Missile test 27 January Successful First launch of M51 from a submarine [85] 31 January [86] UGM-96 Trident I C4 (LV-2) FTG-06 Meck MDA MDA Suborbital ABM target 30 January Successful[86] Maiden flight of Trident I in LV-2 configuration, interceptor failed[86] 31 January Ground Based Interceptor FTG-06 Vandenberg LF-23 MDA Suborbital ABM test 30 January Spacecraft failure[86] Radar tracking problem caused by unexpected "chuffing", compounded by thruster problem on interceptor, resulted in failure to intercept Trident[86] 3 February Kavoshgar Semnan ISA Kavoshgar-3 ISA Suborbital Biological 3 February Successful[87] 4 February U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 4 February Successful[80] 7 February Agni-III ITR IC-4 DRDO DRDO Suborbital Missile test 7 February Successful[88] Travelled 3,500 km (2,175 mi) downrange 9 February Terrier-Orion Poker Flat Alaska Suborbital Auroral 9 February Successful[80] 12 February [89] R-17 Elbrus U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 12 February Successful[89] Destroyed by Boeing YAL-1 aircraft 12 February U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 12 February Successful[80] 15 February Dartmouth Suborbital Auroral 15 February Successful[80] Apogee: 803 km (499 mi)[83] 17 February Juno Fort Wingate LC-96 US Army Suborbital Target 17 February Successful Target for MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3 MSE test, successful intercept 4 March R-29RMU Sineva K-114 Tula , Barents Sea VMF VMF Suborbital Missile test 4 March Successful 15 March Prithvi DRDO Suborbital Target 15 March Launch failure Target for ABM test, deviated from planned course, interceptor not launched[90] 22 March Terrier Mk.70-Orion Woomera LA-2 DSTO /U.S. Air Force HiFire-1 DSTO/U.S. Air Force Suborbital Technology demonstration 22 March Successful Hypersonic research experiment 26 March Maxus Esrange EuroLaunch MAXUS-8 SSC / ESA Suborbital Microgravity 26 March 13:55 Successful[91] Apogee: 700 km (435 mi)[83] 27 March [83] Dhanush [92] INS Subhadra Indian Ocean DRDO DRDO Suborbital Missile test 27 March Successful 27 March [83] Prithvi II [92] IC-3 DRDO DRDO Suborbital Missile test 27 March Successful 27 March [93] Terrier-Improved Malemute Wallops Island LA-1/50K NASA Suborbital Test flight 27 March Successful SOCEM CalPoly Suborbital Technology demonstration 27 March Successful ADAMASat Kentucky Space Suborbital Technology demonstration 27 March Successful Maiden flight of Terrier-Improved Malemute, apogee: 270 km (168 mi)[83] 27 March [83] Agni I [94] Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 28 March Successful 22 April [14] Minotaur IV Lite Vandenberg SLC-8 Orbital Sciences HTV-2a U.S. Air Force Suborbital Technology demonstration 22 April Spacecraft failure[95] Maiden flight of Minotaur IV, loss of contact with HTV nine minutes after launch.[95] 3 May U.S. Air Force Suborbital Target 3 May Successful 3 May [97] CU Boulder Suborbital Geospace/Solar 3 May Successful Used to calibrate the Solar Dynamics Observatory[96] 4 May [99] SpaceLoft XL Spaceport America UP Aerospace RocketSat CSG Suborbital Technology demonstration 4 May Successful NMSU Suborbital Technology demonstration Successful UNM Suborbital Technology demonstration Successful Pioneer Celestis Suborbital Space burial Successful Reached an apogee of 113 km (70 mi), successfully recovered.[98] 6 May [100] Sounding Rocket VII Jiu Peng Air Base NSPO NSPO Suborbital Ionospheric research 6 May Successful Apogee: 289 km (180 mi)[100] 8 May Ghaznavi Sonmiani ASFC ASFC Suborbital Missile test 8 May Successful 8 May Shaheen-I ASFC Suborbital Missile test 8 May Successful 17 May Agni-II ITR IC-3 Indian Army Indian Army Suborbital Missile test 17 May Successful Travelled 2,500 km (1,553 mi) downrange 21 May DICE CU Boulder Suborbital Astronomy 21 May Spacecraft failure[80] 6 June [83] Vandenberg LF-24 MDA Suborbital Test flight 6 June Successful Two stage test vehicle, non-intercept test 8 June UGM-133 Trident II D5 USS Maryland , ETR US Navy US Navy Suborbital Test flight 8 June Successful Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 42 8 June USS Maryland , ETR US Navy Suborbital Test flight 8 June Successful Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 42 9 June USS Maryland , ETR US Navy Suborbital Test flight 9 June Successful Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 43 9 June USS Maryland , ETR US Navy Suborbital Test flight 9 June Successful Follow-on Commander's Evaluation Test 43 16 June LGM-30G Minuteman III Vandenberg LF-10 U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Suborbital Missile test 16 June Successful Travelled 6,743 km (4,190 mi) to Kwajalein Atoll 24 June LA-2/MRL RockOn! Colorado Suborbital Student research 24 June Successful 30 June [83] Vandenberg LF-04 U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Suborbital Missile test 30 June Successful 10 July [101] Le Terrible , Audierne Bay
French
Deutsch
Black Brant IX 
San Nicolas 
CSS-X-11 
RH-300 Mk.II 
M51 
Meck 
Kavoshgar 
R-17 Elbrus 
Woomera LA-2 
Maxus 
Esrange 
Sounding Rocket VII 
Ghaznavi