Chronological Table of World Space Development LV=Launch Vehicle Sat.=Satellite
Year Date
(JP)
Japan     Date
(US)
USA Date
(RU)
Russia Date
(EU)
Europe Date
(CN)
China Other countries UN and International Organization
1956 5.19 Science & Technology Agency               7th IAC (Roma)        
1957             10. 4 Sputnik 1           International Geophysical Year
            (First Soviet Sat.)            
            11. 3 Sputnik 2            
            (one dog)            
1958         1.31 Jupiter C LV 5.18 Sputnik 3            
        Explorer 1                
        (first US sat.)                
        10. 1 NASA started                
1959             1.2 Luna 1           Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
            9.12 Luna 2          
            (Penetrated to the Moon)          
                     
            10.4 Luna 3          
          3.11 Pioneer 5                
1960         4. 1 Tiros 1 5.15 Sputnik 4            
        (first meteorological Sat.) 8.19 Sputnik 5            
        4.13 Transit Sat.                
        (First Navigation Sat.)                
        5.13 Delta LV                
        8.12 Echo 1                
          (first passive communication sat.)   Sat. Total 9            
1961         5. 5 Freedum 7 2.12 Venera1           International Cooperation on the peaceful uses of Space
        7.21 Liverty Bell 7   (Pathed Near Venus)          
        8.16 Explorer 12 4.12 Vostok1          
        8.25 Explorer 13   (first manned flight)          
          Sat. Total 67 8. 6 Vostok2          
1962         2.20 Friend Ship 7   Mars 1 3. 1 CNES (France)     Alouette  
        3. 7 OSO 1           (first Canadian sat)  
        4.23 Ranger 4              
        Penetrated back of the Moon) 8.11 Vostok3 4.26 Ariel (UK)        
        5. 8 Atlas LV 8.12 Vostok4   (first UK sat.)        
        5.24 Aurola 7                
        7.10 Telstar 1               European Space Org.
        (first active communications sat.)               ELDO & ESRO started
        10. 3 Sigma 7               (Later became ESA)
        12.13 Relay 1                
        (TV Relay between US & JP)                
1963         2. 1 Comsat started 4. 2 Luna 4            
        2.14 Syncom 1 6.14 Vostok5            
        5.15 Faith 7 6.16 Vostok6            
              (first Woman Flight)            
            11.23 Soyuz LV            
1964           Ranger7   Voshod1 12.15 San Marco (Italy)       INTELSAT started
          (Photo near the Moon)   (3 cosmonauts) (first Italian sat.)        
        11.28 Mariner 4       15th IAC (Warsaw)       International QuietSun Year
                       
1965         3.23 Gemini3 3.18 Voshod2 11.26 Diamond LV       INTELSAT1
        6. 3 Gemini4(first US EVA) (first EVA) A-1       (International Telecommunications satellite Organization)
        8.21 Gemini5 4.23 Molniya 1-1 (first French sat)      
        12. 4 Gemini7 (first russian comm. sat.)          
        12.15 Gemini6 7.16 Proton 1   16th IAC (Athens)        
          Sat. Total 338 11.16 Venera3   FR-1 (France)        
1966         3.16 Gemini8 1.31 Luna 9   D-1 (France)        
        (first docking) (soft landing on Moon)   17thIAC (Madrid)        
        4. 8 OAO 1                
        5.30 Surveyer 1                
        (soft landing on Moon)                
        6. 3 Gemini9                
        7.18 Gemini10                
        8.10 Lunar Orniter 1 3.31 Luna 10            
        (sat.of Moon) (sat.of Moon)            
        9.12 Gemini11                
        11.11 Gemini12   Sat. Total 196            
1967         1.27 Apollo1Fire Hazard 4.23 Soyuz1         WRESAT-1 INTELSAT 2B
        (3 crews died) (crews died)   18th IAC (Beoglad)     (firstAustralian sat.)  
          Saturn 5 LV 6.12 Venera4          
          Apollo4、5、6 (soft landing on Venus)            
1968         10.11 Apollo7 9.15 Zonde 5           ESRO 2
        12.21 Apollo8 10.25 Soyuz2/3           (first ESRO's sat.)
        (manned lunar orbiting) (Rendezvous)           INTELSAT 3
1969 10. 1 NASDA started     3.3 Apollo9 1.14 Soyuz4/5 11 8 Atur 1(Germany)        
        5,18 Apollo10 (manned docking)   (first German satG)        
        7.16 Apollo11 10.11 Soyuz6            
        (first landing on Moon) 10.12 Soyuz7            
        11.14 Apollo12 10.13 Soyuz8            
1970 2.11 L-4S-5 LV 1 1 4.11 Apollo13 9.12 Luna 16     4.24 ChangZheng LV   NATO 1
Ohsumi         Soft landing and return     DongFangHong 1   (first NATO's sat.)
(first Japanese sat.)         11.10 Luna 17     (first Chinese sat)    
            (include Lunohod 1)            
          Sat. Total 666 6. 1 Soyuz9            
1971 2.16 Tansei (light blue) 2 3 1.31 Apollo14 4.19 Salyut 1   Prospero(UK) 3. 3 Shijian 1 (Practice)    
9.28 Shinsei (Nova)     7.26 Apollo15 4.23 Soyuz10           INTELSAT4
(first Japanese scientific sat.)         6. 6 Soyuz11 12.27 Aureoro 1 (France)        
          (3 crews died)            
1972 8.19 Dempa (Radiowave) 1 4 3. 3 Pioneer 10 3.27 Venera8         Anik 1(Canada)  
        4.16 Apollo16 (soft landing on Venus)            
        7.23 Landsat 1                
        12. 7 Apollo17   Sat. Total 678            
1973         4. 6 Pioneer 11 9.27 Soyuz12           INTELSAT started
        5.14 Skylab1                
        5.25 Skylab2                
        7.28 Skylab3                
        11. 3 Mariner 10                
        11.16 Skylab4 12.2 Soyuz13            
          Sat. Total 759   Sat. Total 764            
1974 2.16 Tansei 2 1 5     7. 3 Soyuz14 8.30 ANS 11. 5 Long March 2 LV    
            8.26 Soyuz15 (first Dutch sat.) ShiJain 2    
            12. 2 Soyuz16 11.15 INTASAT        
                (first Spanish sat.)        
          Sat. Total 776   Sat. Total 879 12.19 Symphony 1(France-Germany)        
1975 2.24 Taiyo (Sun) 2 7   Viking 1 1.11 Soyuz17     11.26 Recoverable sat.1 Aryabahta(India) ESA founded
9. 9 N-1 LV       GOES 1 4. 5 Soyuz18A   26th IAC(Lisbon)     (first Indian sat.)  
ETS 1 (Kiku 1)         5.24 Soyuz18B       2 small sat.s   INTELSAT4A
  (first NASDA's sat.)
(Kiku=chrysanthemum)
    7.15 Apollo-Soyuz Program            
      Sat. Total 802 11.2 Soyuz20       Sat. Total 5    
1976 2.29 ISS(Ume) 1 8     7. 6 Soyuz21     12. 7 Recoverable sat.2 Palapa 1  
(Observe Ionosphere)
(Ume=plum blossom)
        9.15 Soyuz22         (first Indonesian sat.)  
          10.14 Soyuz23       small sat.  
          Sat. Total 831   Ekran            
1977 2.19 Tansei 3 4 12     2. 7 Soyuz24           Meteosat 1
2.23 ETS 2(Kiku 2)         10. 9 Soyuz25            
  (first Japanese Geosynchronous sat.)         12.10 Soyuz26          
7.14 GMS (Himawari=sun flower)                        
  (first JP GEO Meteo sat.)                        
12.15 CS(Sakura=cherry blossom)                        
  (GEO Comm. sat.)       Sat. Total 851   Sat. Total 1,213            
1978 2. 4 EXOS-A(kyokkoh=aurora) 4 16     1.20 Progress 1 10.24 Magion  1.26 Recoverable sat.3    
2.16 ISS b Ume 2)         3. 2 Soyuz28(Czech) (first Czech's sat.)        
4. 8 BS(Yuri = lily )         6.27 Soyuz30(Poland)            
(first Broadcasting sat.)         8.26 Soyuz31(East Germany)            
9.16 EXOS-B(jikiken)                        
9.16 (jikiken=Magnetosphere)       Sat. Total 881                
1979 2. 6 ECS(Ayame = iris.) 2 18     4. 1 Soyuz33(Bulgaria)           Inmarsat started
2.21 CORSA b(Hakucho=swan)       Sat. Total 898 12.16 SoyuzT1            
1980 2.17 Tansei 4 2 20     4. 9 Soyuz35         SLV LV(イン) ESA formaly started
2.22 ECS b (Ayame 2)         5.26 Soyuz36(Hungary)         Rohini(India)  
(Medium Communication Experimental sat.)         6. 5 SoyuzT2            
        7.23 Soyuz37(Vietnam)            
  31th IAC (Tokyo)         9.18 Soyuz38(Cuba)            
  Sat. Total 20       Sat. Total 912 11.27 SoyuzT3       Sat. Total 8    
1981 2.11 N-2 LV 3 23   Space Shuttle 3.12 SoyuzT4 12.20 MARECS A     Apple(India) Meteosat 2
ETS 4 (Kiku 3)       (STS-1) 3.22 Soyuz39(Mongolia)       3 small sat.s    
2.21 ASTRO-A(Hinotori)         5.14 Soyuz40(Romania)           INTELSAT5
  (Hinotori=Phoenix)                        
4.14 ISAS started                        
8.11 GMS 2 (Himawari2)                        
1982 9. 3 ETS 3(Kiku 4) 1 24   STS-3 5.13 SoyuzT5     9. 9 Recoverable sat.4    
            6.24 SoyuzT6(フツ)            
            8.19 SoyuzT7            
1983 2. 4 CS-2a(Sakura 2a) 3 27   STS-6 6.27 SoyuzT9     8.19 Recoverable sat.5   Eutelsat 1
2.20 ASTRO-B (Temma)                       (first Eutelsat's sat.)
  (Temma=Pegasus)                        
8. 6 CS-2b(Sakura 2b)       Sat. Total 966   Sat. Total 1,901            
1984 1.23 BS-2a (Yuri 2a) 3 30   STS-41-B(#10) 2. 8 SoyuzT10B   Telecom(France) 1.29 Long March 3 LV    
2.20 EXOS-C(Ohzora=sky)         4. 3 SoyuzT11(イン)     STTW 1(Failed)  
8. 3 GMS-3(Himawari 3)         7.17 SoyuzT12     (GEO Comm. sat.)  
            12.15 Vega 1     4. 8 STTW 1    
          Sat. Total 997   Sat. Total 2,016     9.12 Recoverable sat.6    
1985 1. 8 MS-T5(Sakigake) 2 32   STS-51-C(#15)         10.21 Recoverable sat.7 Brazilsat 1 Giotto
  (Sakigake=forerunnner)                     (first Brazilian sat.) (Comet explorer of ESA)
8.19 PLANET-A(Suisei=comet)                        
                          AraBSAT.started
                          AraBSAT 1
                        Moleos 1 (first AraBSAT's sat.)
  Sat. Total 32       Sat. Total 1,027   Sat. Total 2,135       Sat. Total 17 (first Mexican sat.)
1986 2.12 BS-2b (Yuri 2b) 4 36 1.28 STS-61-C(#24) 2.20 Mir   SPOT(France) 2. 1 DongFangHong 2A-1    
8.13 H-1 LV     Challenger Accident       Viking        
EGS(Ajisai=hydrangea)     (7 crews died)       (first Swedish sat.) 10. 6 Recoverable sat.8    
(Geodetic sat.)                      
MABES                        
JAS 1 (Fuji)                        
(Amature Radio sat.)       Sat. Total 1,039                
1987 2. 5 ASTRO-D (Ginga=galaxy) 3 39     3.31 Kvant     8. 5 Recoverable sat.9    
2.19 MOS−1(Momo 1=Peach)         5.15 Energiya LV     9. 9 Recoverable sat.10    
(Marine Observation)         7.22 SoyuzTM3(Syria)   TV Sat(Geemany)        
8.27 ETS-5 (Kiku 5)                        
1988 2.19 CS-3a (Sakura 3a) 2 41   Titan 2 LV 6. 7 SoyuzTM5(Bulugaria)   Ariane  LV 3. 7 DongFangHong2A−2 Ofek Meteosat 3
9.16 CS-3b(Sakura 3b)     9.29 STS flight resumed 8.29 SoyuzTM6(Afganistan)   Astra 1 8. 5 Recoverable sat.11 (first Israel's sat)  
        STS-26(#26)   (first Luxemburg's sat.) 9. 6 Long March 4 LV    
              Buran   FengYun 1A    
          Sat. Total 1,070 11.26 SoyuzTM7(France)   TDF(フツ) 12.22 DongFangHong2A−3    
1989 2.22 EXOS-D(Akebono=dawn) 4 45   STS-29(#28)       DARA started(Germany)     CSA started (Canada)  
3. 6 JCSAT 1     6.14 Titan 4 LV 11.26 Kvant 2   DFS(Germany)       Meteosat 4
(JSAT's sat.)                       INTELSAT6
6. 5 SuperBird A       STS-34                
(SCC sat.)       Galileo                
9. 6 GMS 4 (Himawar 4)       Sat. Total 1,095                
1990 1 1 JCSAT 2 7 52   STS-32(#33) 12. 2 SoyuzTM11(Japan)   41th IAC (Dresden) 2. 4 DongFangHong2A−4   Inmarsat 1
1.24 MUSES-A(Hiten)     4. 5 Pegasus LV       4. 7 Asiasat 1(HongKong) (first Argentina sat.) (first Inmarsat own sat)
Hagoromo       STS-31 5.31 Kristal     9.3 FengYun 1B Badr 1
2. 7 MOS-1b(Momo 1b)     4.25 Hubble Space Telescope         Daqi1, Daqi2 (first Pakistan's sat.)  
JAS 1b(Fuji 2)       STS-41         10. 5 Recoverable sat.12  
DEBUT(Orizuru)                        
8.28 BS−3a(Yuri 3a)       Ulysses                
  Sat. Total 52       Sat. Total 1,132   Sat. Total 2,668       Sat. Total 31    
1991 8.25 BS-3b (Yuri 3b) 2 54   STS-37(#39) 5.18 SoyuzTM12(UK)     12.28 ZhongXing   Meteosat 5
            10. 2 SoyuzTM13(Austria)            
8.30 SOLAR-A(Yohkoh=sunshine)             ERS 1        
1992 2.11 JERS-1(Fuyo=rose mallow) 4 58   STS-42(#45) Russia       8. 9 Recoverable sat.13 KITSAT A International Space Year
(Resource sat.)         started     Hispasat 1A 10. 6 Recoverable sat.14 (first South Korean sat.)
2.26 SuperBird B1       TOPEX/Poseidon       (first Spanish Telecommunications sat.)        
7.24 Geotail                      
9.12 STS-47 Hwat'92(M. Mohri)              
12. 1 SuperBird A1       M.Jamison(first Black)                
1993 2.2 ASTRO−D(Asca) 1 59   STS-54(#53) 3.17 SoyuzTM14(Germany)   POSAT 10. 8 Recoverable sat.15 THAICOM 1 Meteosat 6
                  (first Portguese sat.) (Failed to recover) (first Thailand's sat.)  
                         
1994 2. 4 H-2 LV 4 63   STS-60(#60)         2.8 ShiJain4 Turksat 1  
VEP(Myojo)       Clementine         Shiyan sat. (first Turkish sat.)  
OREX(Ryusei)       NAVSTAR 24 constelation completed         7. 3 Recoverable sat.16 PSLV LV(India)  
7. 8 BS-3N               7.21 Apstar 1(HongKong)    
7. 8 STS-65 IML 2C (C.Mukai)         11.29 DongFangHong3    
8.28 ETS-6(Kiku 6)                        
(Failed to geistatic)                        
1995 1.15 Express(Failed) 5 68   STS-63(#67)             Koreasat 1(S. Korea)  
3.18 SFU(Space Free flying Unit)           Spektr     11.28 Asiasat 2 Sich  
                    (first Ukrinean sat.)  
GMS-5(Himawari5)       Space Shuttle-Mir docking            
8.28 N-Star a                        
  (NTT comm.sat)                        
8.29 JCSAT 3       Sat. Total 1,302   Sat. Total 2,985       Sat. Total 41    
1996 1.20 STS-72(#74) SFU recoverd(K. Wakata)           47th IAC(Beijing) MEAST  
8.17 ADEOS(Midori)           Priroda     7. 3 Apstar1A (first Malaysian sat.)  
  JAS 2(Fuji 3)                 10. 2 Recoverable sat.17 Victor  
  N-Star b       Sat. Total 1,341   Sat. Total 3,011         (first Argentina sat.)  
1997 2.12 MUSES-B(Haruca=far) 7 78   STS-81(#81)       Thor 2A 6.10 FengYun 2 Agila 1 Meteosat 7
2.17 JCSAT-R               (first Norwagean sat.) 5.11 DongFangHong3−2 (first Philipin's sat.)  
4.16 BSAT 1a               9. 1 2 Shiyan sat.s  
(NHK broadcasting sat.)                        
7.28 Supebird C                        
11.20 STS-87 EAV(T.Doi)                
11.28 ETS-7(Kiku 7, Hikoboshi)                        
ETS-7(Kiku 7, Orihime)                        
12. 3 JCSAT 1B       Sat. Total 1,432   Sat. Total 3,038            
1998 2.21 COMETS(Kakehashi=bridge) 3 81   STS-89(#89)       Ariane 5 LV 5.30 ZhongXing Nilesat 1  
(Failed to launch)                 7.18 Sinosat (first Egyptian sat.)  
4.29 BSAT 1a       Cassini              
7. 4 PLANET-B (Nozomi=hope)                     FASAT  
                        (first Chilean sat.32)  
                        ST-1  
                        (first Singaporean sat.)  
                         
                         
          Sat. Total 1,531   Sat. Total 3,066            
1999 2.16 JCSAT 4A 1 82   STS-96(#94)       Oersted 5. 1 FengYun 1C Sunsat  
  11.15 MTSAT−1(Failed to launch)               (first Danish sat.) 10.14 CBERS 1 (first South Africa's sat. ) SeaLaunch started
                  11.2 Long March 2F LV
                    Sat. Total 144 ShenZhou 1 Sat. Total 110
(19 Countries)
Sat. Total 139
    Sat. Total 82       Sat. Total 1,613   Sat. Total 3,082     Sat. Total 55
2000 2.18 Supebird 2A 2 84               ShenZhou 2 Saudisat-1A  
10. 7 JCSAT−110                   Beidou (first Saudi Arabian sat. )  
                         
                        Thuraya-1  
                        (first UAE sat. )  
                         
2001 3. 9 BSAT−2a 2 86                 MAROC-TUBSAT  
8.29 H-2A LV           Mir disposed         (first Morroco's sat.)  
  LRE                      
                           
2002 2. 4 MDS-1(Tsubasa=wing) 7 93               ShenZhou 3 Alsat Meteosat8(MSG−1)
DASH(Failed to orbit)                     (first Algerian sat.)
VEP-3                   ShenZhou 4    
3.29 JCSAT−2A                        
7. 5 N-Star c                   ZiYuan    
9.10 DRTS(Kodama=echo)                        
USERS(USEF)                        
12.14 ADEOS-2(Midori 2)                        
2003 3.28 IGS(Optical) 5 98   Columbia Accident         10.15 ShenZhou 5 Nigeriasat-1  
IGS(Radar)       (7 crews died)         (first Chinese manned flight) (first Nigerian sat.)  
5. 9 MUSES-C(Hayabusa)                    
6.12 BSAT−2c                   Double Star(Equator)    
6.30 XI−IV(tokyo Univ.)                   Recoverable sat.18    
10. 1 JAXA started                        
11.29 IGS(Failed to launch)                        
2004 4.16 SuperBird 6 1 99               Nanosat    
                      Recoverable sat.19    
                      Recoverable sat.20    
                      Double Star(Polar)    
2005 2.27 MTSAT-1R(Himawari6) 4 103   NOAA−N   Progress M-53       APStar6    
7.1 ASTRO-E2(Suzaku)       INTELSAT US 8   Express AM-3       ShiJain7 Cartsat 1(India)  
8.24 OICETS(Kirari)                 8. 2 Recoverable sat.21    
INDEX(Reimei)                 8.29 Recoverable sat.22 Sinah-1  
10.16 56th IAC (Fukuoka)                 10.13 ShenZhou 6 (first Iranian sat.)  
                         
2006 1.24 ALOS                        
2.18 MTSAT-2                     Kazsat  
2.21 ASTRO F(Akari)                     (first Kazakhstan sat.)  
Cute1.7                      
4.12 JCSAT-9                        
8.11 JCSAT-10                        
9.11 IGS−2                        
9.22 SOLAR-B(Hinode)                        
HITSAT                        
10.1 LDREX-2                        
12.18 ETS=8                        
2007 2.24 IGS-3(Optical)                   Chang'E-1    
IGS-3(Radar)                        
8.14 BSAT 3A                        
9.14 SELENE                        
2008 2.23 WINDS(Kizuna)                   Shenzhou 7 Chandrayaan(India)  
3.11 JEM ELM                     Vinasat  
4.28 Cute1.7-2                     (first Vietnam sat.)  
SEEDS                      
5.31 JEM EM                     Simon Bolivar-1  
8.17 SuperBird 7                     (first Venezuela sat.)  
2009 1.23 GOSAT(Ibuki)                     Iranian First Launch  
                        (Safir Rocket)  
    Japanese Sat. Total 140       USA Sat. Total 1908   Russian Sat. Total 3272   ESA Sat. Total 54   Chinese Sat. Total 122 Indian Sat Total 44