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2021 in spaceflight#Orbital and suborbital launches

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox Year in spaceflight

| year = 2021

| image = {{Photomontage|

| photo1a = Mars helicopter on sol 46.png {{!}} Photograph of a miniature helicopter on the surface of Mars

| photo1b = Zhurong-with-lander-selfie (cropped).png{{!}} Photograph of the Zhurong rover on the surface of Mars

| photo2a = USA - Texas - Boca Chica - Starbase (51286054441) (cropped).jpg{{!}} Photograph of a large, mostly featureless silver rocket at a facility

| photo2b = ISS-66 Prichal and Nauka during an outfitting spacewalk.jpg {{!}} A photograph of two modules, one large and one small, attached to a space station with the Earth visible underneath

| photo3a = Artist's impression of the James Webb Space Telescope (ann2203a).jpeg {{!}} An artwork depicting a space telescope with astronomy-related iconography surrounding it

| size = 250

| spacing = 4

| color = transparent

| color_border = transparent

}}

| caption = Highlights from spaceflight in 2021{{Efn|Clockwise from top-left:{{Bulleted list|Numerous spacecraft reach Mars during the 2020–21 transit window, including the first rotorcraft on an extraterrestrial body (left) and the first Chinese rover on Mars (right).|The long-anticipated Nauka and Prichal modules are delivered to the International Space Station.|The next-generation James Webb Space Telescope is launched after two decades in development.|SpaceX conducts the first ever successful launch, landing, and recovery of a Starship prototype.}}}}

| first = 8 January

| last = 30 December

| total = 146

| success = 135

| failed = 10

| partial = 1

| catalogued = 133

| firstflight = {{plainlist}}

  • {{#invoke:flag|icon|British Antarctic Territory}} British Antarctic Territory (first payload){{Cite web|date=14 January 2021|title=NEW SHEPARD MISSION NS-14 CARRIES MORE THAN 50,000 POSTCARDS TO SPACE FROM 13 COUNTRIES|url=https://www.clubforfuture.org/news/new-shepard-mission-ns-14-carries-more-than-50-000-postcards-to-space-from-13-countries/|url-status=live|access-date=25 November 2021|quote=[And one from a British research station in Antarctica.]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114234044/https://www.clubforfuture.org/news/new-shepard-mission-ns-14-carries-more-than-50-000-postcards-to-space-from-13-countries/ |archive-date=14 January 2021 }}

{{endplainlist}}

| firstsat = {{plainlist}}

  • {{MMR}}
  • {{PRY}}
  • {{TUN}}
  • {{KWT}}
  • {{BHR}} (in partnership with the UAE)

{{endplainlist}}

| firstlaunch =

| firsttrav = {{plainlist}}

  • {{AUS}}

{{endplainlist}}

| firstsublaunch =

| maidens = {{plainlist}}

| retired = {{plainlist}}

{{endplainlist}}

| orbital = 8

| orbitcrew = 27

| suborbital = 5

| suborbitcrew = 21

| totalcrew = 48

| EVAs = 17

}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| programme = Timeline of spaceflight

| previous_mission = 2020

| next_mission = 2022

}}

{{TLS-L|alignment=right|fixed=on}}

The year 2021 broke the record for the most orbital launch attempts till then (146) and most humans in space concurrently (19) despite the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

{{TOC level|3}}

Overview

= Astronomy and astrophysics =

The IXPE telescope was launched on a Falcon 9 on 9 December 2021. The long-delayed James Webb Space Telescope, the largest optical space telescope ever built, was launched to the Sun–Earth {{L2}} point by a European Ariane 5 rocket on 25 December 2021.{{cite press release |url=https://www.arianespace.com/press-release/ariane-5-successful-launch-webb-space-telescope/ |title=Ariane 5 goes down in history with successful launch of Webb |work=Arianespace |date=25 December 2021 |access-date=25 December 2021 |archive-date=10 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310095539/https://www.arianespace.com/press-release/ariane-5-successful-launch-webb-space-telescope/ |url-status=live }}

= Planetary science =

Spacecraft from three Mars exploration programs from the United Arab Emirates, China, and the United States (Hope, Tianwen-1, and Mars 2020) arrived at Mars in February.

The Perseverance rover landed on 18 February. As part of the Mars 2020 mission, the Ingenuity solar-powered drone performed the first powered aircraft flight on another planet in human history. It has a communications link with the Perseverance rover and used autonomous control during its short scripted flights.

The Tianwen-1 lander and Zhurong rover landed on 14 May, after conducting a geological survey of the landing site from orbit. Zhurong was deployed on the Martian surface on 22 May, making China the second country in history to successfully deploy a rover on Mars. The rover then dropped a remotely controlled camera on the ground, which took a group photo of the lander and rover on 1 June.

Lucy, a NASA space probe, was launched on 16 October{{cite web |last1=Warren |first1=Haygen |title=NASA, ULA launch historic Lucy mission |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/10/nasa-ula-launch-lucy/ |website=NASASpaceFlight.com |date=16 October 2021 |access-date=16 October 2021 |archive-date=16 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016192514/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/10/nasa-ula-launch-lucy/ |url-status=live }} and began a 12-year journey to seven different asteroids, visiting six Jupiter trojans, and one Main Belt asteroid.{{Cite web|last=Hille|first=Karl|date=2019-10-21|title=NASA's Lucy Mission Clears Critical Milestone|url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/lucy-mission-clears-critical-milestone|access-date=2020-12-05|website=NASA|archive-date=2 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102102637/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/lucy-mission-clears-critical-milestone/|url-status=live}} Trojans are asteroids which share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun, orbiting either ahead of or behind the planet.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was launched on 24 November. It was a space probe that visited the double asteroid Didymos and demonstrated the kinetic effects of crashing an impactor spacecraft into an asteroid moon for planetary defense purposes. The mission was intended to test whether a spacecraft impact could successfully deflect an asteroid on a collision course with Earth.{{cite web |last=Davenport |first=Justin |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/11/falcon-9-dart-launch/ |title=NASA's DART asteroid redirect mission launches aboard Falcon 9 from Vandenberg |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=23 November 2021 |access-date=24 November 2021 |archive-date=2 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102230137/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/11/falcon-9-dart-launch/ |url-status=live }}

The Juno probe continues its exploration of Jupiter. Originally, its mission was intended to conclude on 31 July by burning up in Jupiter's atmosphere following its 35th perijove. However, on 8 January 2021, NASA announced that the probe was granted a second mission extension through September 2025, which could include future flybys of Europa and Io.{{Cite web|last=Talbert|first=Tricia|date=2021-01-08|title=NASA Extends Exploration for Two Planetary Science Missions|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-extends-exploration-for-two-planetary-science-missions|access-date=2021-01-08|website=NASA|archive-date=16 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116163441/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-extends-exploration-for-two-planetary-science-missions/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-juno-mission-expands-into-the-future|title=NASA's Juno Mission Expands Into the Future|website=NASA.gov|date=13 January 2021|access-date=14 January 2021|archive-date=13 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113201411/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-juno-mission-expands-into-the-future/|url-status=live}}

Lastly the Tianwen-1 orbiter released another

deployable camera in Mars orbit on 31 December 2021, to image itself and Northern Mars Ice Cap from Mars orbit.

= Lunar exploration =

China's Chang'e-4 lander and Yutu-2 rover reached 1000-days milestone on the far side of the Moon while still being operational.{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Andrew |title=1,000 days on the moon! China's Chang'e 4 lunar far side mission hits big milestone |url=https://www.space.com/china-chang-e-4-moon-far-side-1000-days |website=space.com |access-date=6 October 2021 |date=5 October 2021 |archive-date=16 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016163252/https://www.space.com/china-chang-e-4-moon-far-side-1000-days |url-status=live }}

= Earth science satellites =

The Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite was launched 27 September.

= Human spaceflight =

The first feature-length fiction film to be filmed in space (some scenes) by professional film-makers, the Russian film The Challenge was filmed onboard ISS in October 2021 by Russian director Klim Shipenko with actress Yulia Peresild starring.{{NoteTag|Claims about "first film in space" are dubius as other films have been filmed in space previously, like the feature-length narrative fiction film Return from Orbit (1984; some scenes filmed in space) and the narrative fiction short film Apogee of Fear (2012; completely filmed in space).

In the film Return from Orbit the scenes filmed in space included important characters (not just "background"); the characters were portrayed by cosmonauts, not the "usual" professional actors portraying those characters, in the scenes that were filmed in actual space. As Return from Orbit was also filmed by movie professionals (except those scenes filmed in space, which were filmed by cosmonauts) and released into cinemas for wide audience, it has a good claim to the title "first movie in space"; the only relevant difference with The Challenge (2023) is that in the case of Return from Orbit, all professional film-makers stayed on the ground, whereas in the case of The Challenge, some professional film-makers flew to ISS to film some scenes for the movie.

Also full feature length documentary films that have been released to movie theaters, like For All Mankind (1989) or A Beautiful Planet (2016; a film long enough to be a feature film according to many but not all definitions of feature film) have been filmed in space.

The Challenge is however the first time a professional actor/ess has been filmed in space by a professional director, as other films before were filmed and acted in by astronauts/cosmonauts/space tourists (space tourists that were amateur both in film-making and as astronauts) or used footage from automated equipment. Apogee of Fear was written by a professional scriptwriter, and with some graphics assets done by a professional, but had no other filming professionals involved.}}

A new record was set for the largest number of humans in orbit (14) on 16 September 2021,{{cite web |last=Wall |first=Mike |url=https://www.space.com/inspiration4-spacex-launch-14-people-earth-orbit-record |title=SpaceX's Inspiration4 launch boosts population of space to record-breaking 14 people |work=Space.com |date=16 September 2021 |access-date=18 July 2022 |archive-date=24 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524123919/https://www.space.com/inspiration4-spacex-launch-14-people-earth-orbit-record |url-status=live }} and a new record for the largest number of humans in space (19) at one time (10 in the ISS, 3 on board the Tiangong Space Station, 6 on board New Shepard-19) was set on 11 December 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/72199-most-people-in-space-at-once |title=Most people in space at once |work=Guinness World Records |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718221331/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/72199-most-people-in-space-at-once |archive-date=18 July 2022 |access-date=18 July 2022}}

== Space Stations ==

China began construction of the Tiangong space station (phase 3 of the Tiangong program) with the launch of the Tianhe core module on 29 April 2021. A Tianzhou cargo delivery mission was launched on 29 May 2021, and the Shenzhou 12 crewed mission on 17 June 2021.{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Carlos |last2=Wang |first2=Shubing |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-launches-crewed-spacecraft-shenzhou-12-historic-mission-2021-06-17/ |title=Chinese astronauts board space station module in historic mission |work=Reuters |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=1 July 2021 |archive-date=28 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628070217/https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-launches-crewed-spacecraft-shenzhou-12-historic-mission-2021-06-17/ |url-status=live }} Shenzhou 13 has launched a second crew on 15 October and conducted their first EVA on 7 November, making Wang Yaping the first Chinese female astronaut to perform a spacewalk.{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Andrew |url=https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-13-first-female-spacewalk |title=China's Shenzhou 13 crew takes its first spacewalk, the country's 1st by a female astronaut |work=Space.com |date=7 November 2021 |access-date=7 November 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107191224/https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-13-first-female-spacewalk |url-status=live }}

The ISS saw one module being permanently removed from the orbiting complex and two new modules being added. Pirs became the first habitable element of the station to be decommissioned, undocked, and deorbited on 26 July 2021{{cite web |last1=Gebhardt |first1=Chris |title=Farewell, Pirs; ISS module decommissioned, destructively reentered |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/farewell-pirs/ |website=NASASpaceFlight.com |date=25 July 2021 |access-date=15 December 2021 |archive-date=26 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726125659/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/farewell-pirs/ |url-status=live }} to make room for Nauka, the first new module in the Russian Orbital Segment of ISS (indeed, first new module for the whole of ISS) in years. The Russian made Nauka module was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on 21 July 2021. Nauka carried the European Robotic Arm (ERA) along with it to the station. The ISS was also joined by a new Russian node module Prichal, launched 24 November 2021.

== Space tourism ==

In the United States, Virgin Galactic conducted the first suborbital human spaceflight from New Mexico on 22 May 2021 with SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity.{{cite web |url=https://www.virgingalactic.com/articles/virgin-galactic-completes-first-human-spaceflight-from-spaceport-america-new-mexico/ |title=Virgin Galactic Completes First Human Spaceflight from Spaceport America, New Mexico |work=Virgin Galactic |date=22 May 2021 |access-date=22 May 2021 |archive-date=22 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522170447/https://www.virgingalactic.com/articles/virgin-galactic-completes-first-human-spaceflight-from-spaceport-america-new-mexico/ |url-status=dead }} Two astronauts were on board, Frederick Sturckow and David Mackay. The flight was also the first suborbital human spaceflight from Spaceport America. A second flight, carrying company founder Richard Branson and three other passengers, was conducted on 11 July 2021.{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/branson-flies-to-edge-of-space-on-spaceshiptwo/ |title=Branson flies to edge of space on SpaceShipTwo |work=SpaceNews |date=11 July 2021 |access-date=21 July 2021}}

The first crewed flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital spacecraft successfully sent four civilians, including company founder Jeff Bezos, into space just above the Kármán line on 20 July 2021.{{cite web |last=Wall |first=Mike |url=https://www.space.com/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-first-astronaut-launch |title=Jeff Bezos launches into space on Blue Origin's 1st astronaut flight |work=Space.com |date=20 July 2021 |access-date=21 July 2021 |archive-date=21 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721005004/https://www.space.com/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-first-astronaut-launch |url-status=live }} Blue Origin's second crewed suborbital flight of New Shepard occurred 13 October 2021, this time not including Bezos but the actor William Shatner and 3 others. The third flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard, again a suborbital flight, took place 11 December 2021. This was the first flight with six passengers on board, the full number of passengers the New Shepard is designed for.

On 16 September 2021 SpaceX launched the Inspiration4 mission. The mission successfully completed the first orbital spaceflight with only private citizens aboard. The mission was privately financed by Jared Isaacman who participated in the flight with 3 other passengers (the others did not pay for their flight). The mission orbited the Earth at high orbit (higher than ISS) and splashed down in the Atlantic, lasting almost three days.

On 8 December 2021 the Russian Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft began a 12-day space tourism mission to ISS, resuming space tourism activity in the ISS after over a decade; the previous space tourist to visit the station was the Canadian Guy Laliberté in 2009. The 2021 space tourist mission took two tourists, the Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and his assistant Yozo Hirano, to the station.

= Rocket innovation =

The trend towards cost reduction in access to orbit continued with the continued development of smaller rockets by multiple commercial launch providers and larger next-generation vehicles by more established players.

While multiple high-profile next-generation rockets were originally planned to make their maiden orbital flights in 2021, all were ultimately shifted to 2022 and beyond due to development delays. These included the maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur, designed to gradually replace Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy at lower costs, which was postponed in June 2021;{{cite news|url=https://spaceexplored.com/2021/06/18/ulas-maiden-vulcan-flight-delayed-to-2022-due-to-payload-readiness/|title=ULA's maiden Vulcan flight delayed to 2022 due to payload readiness|date=18 June 2021|access-date=23 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202645/https://spaceexplored.com/2021/06/18/ulas-maiden-vulcan-flight-delayed-to-2022-due-to-payload-readiness/|url-status=live}} the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries's H3 launch vehicle, planned to cost less than half that of its predecessor H-IIA;{{cite news |last=Tomii |first=Tetsuo |date=28 June 2016 |title=ＪＡＸＡ、新型ロケット「Ｈ３」の基本設計−打ち上げコスト半減の５０億円 |url=https://www.nikkan.co.jp/articles/view/00390483 |language=ja |newspaper=Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun |access-date=18 March 2018 |archive-date=17 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317181034/https://www.nikkan.co.jp/articles/view/00390483 |url-status=live }} the maiden launch of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) super heavy-lift rocket on the Artemis 1, which was postponed mid-year to early 2022; and the first orbital test flight of a prototype of the SpaceX Starship.{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/09/01/elon-musk-offers-update-on-spacexs-starship-mega-rocket/ |title=Elon Musk offers update on SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket |work=Spaceflight Now |date=1 September 2020 |access-date=30 September 2020 |archive-date=17 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917205203/https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/09/01/elon-musk-offers-update-on-spacexs-starship-mega-rocket/ |url-status=live }}

The latter rocket's development continued through 2021 at SpaceX's facility in Boca Chica, Texas, with a suborbital testing campaign continuing from the previous year. Starship prototype SN15 was the first testbed of the future rocket family to survive a launch and soft touchdown on 5 May 2021. The first-ever full-stack fit check of Starship prototype SN20 with the booster stage followed in August.

{{TOC level|3}}

Orbital and suborbital launches

{{main|List of spaceflight launches in January–June 2021|List of spaceflight launches in July–December 2021}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of orbital launches

!width=25%|Month

!Num. of successes

!Num. of failures

style="text-align:left"|January70
style="text-align:left"|February91
style="text-align:left"|March100
style="text-align:left"|April110
style="text-align:left"|May91
style="text-align:left"|June131
style="text-align:left"|July110
style="text-align:left"|August93
style="text-align:left"|September101
style="text-align:left"|October101
style="text-align:left"|November160
style="text-align:left"|December203
class="sortbottom"

! colspan=1 | Total

13511

Deep-space rendezvous

class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
Date (UTC)

! Spacecraft

! Event

! Remarks

17 January

| Parker Solar Probe

| 7th perihelion

| The spacecraft transmitted a “tone one,” indicating all systems were healthy and operating normally after the spacecraft's close approach to the Sun.

9 February

| Emirates Mars Mission

| Mars orbit insertion

| Probe achieved an initial orbit around Mars of 1,000 x 49,380 km. It will spend several months modifying its orbit to 20,000 x 43,000 km.{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Gebhardt|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/02/al-amal-orbital-arrival/|title=UAE makes history as Al-Amal arrives at Mars for two-year mission|website=NASASpaceflight.com|date=9 February 2021|access-date=9 February 2021|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209165904/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/02/al-amal-orbital-arrival/|url-status=live}}

10 February

| Tianwen-1

| Mars orbit insertion

| Probe achieved an initial orbit around Mars of 400 x 180,000 km. Its initial reconnaissance orbit will be 265 x 60,000 km. In the reconnaissance orbit it released a deployable camera on 31 December 2021.

18 February

| Perseverance

| Mars landing

| Rover successfully landed at target destination, with confirmation on Earth at 20:55 UTC. Landing was at Jezero crater, coordinates {{coord|18.4447|N|77.4508|E|globe:Mars}}.

20 February

| Parker Solar Probe

| Fourth gravity assist at Venus

|

21 February

| Juno

| 32nd perijove of Jupiter

|

7 April

| OSIRIS-REx

| Begin flyby of Bennu{{Cite web|date=8 February 2021|title=NASA's OSIRIS-REx to Fly a Farewell Tour of Bennu|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/osiris-rex-to-fly-a-farewell-tour-of-bennu|url-status=live|access-date=1 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208190715/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/osiris-rex-to-fly-a-farewell-tour-of-bennu/ |archive-date=8 February 2021 }}

|

15 April

| Juno

| 33rd perijove

|

29 April

| Parker Solar Probe

| 8th perihelion

|

10 May

| OSIRIS-REx

| Completes Bennu flyby and begins journey back to Earth

|

14 May

| Zhurong

| Mars landing

| Rover successfully landed at Utopia Planitia, coordinates {{coord|25.1|N|109.9|E|globe:Mars}}.

8 June

| Juno

| 34th perijove

| On the day of perijove, Juno flew by Ganymede, reducing its orbital period around Jupiter to 43 days.

21 July

| Juno

| 35th perijove

| Beginning of Juno's second mission extension.

8 August

| Solar Orbiter

| Second gravity assist at Venus{{cite web |url=https://sci.esa.int/web/solar-orbiter/-/44181-mission-operations |title=Solar Orbiter: Mission Operations |date=2020-01-26 |access-date=7 February 2020 |archive-date=5 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405155039/https://sci.esa.int/web/solar-orbiter/-/44181-mission-operations |url-status=live }}

|

9 August

| Parker Solar Probe

| 9th perihelion

|

11 August

| BepiColombo

| Second gravity assist at Venus

|

2 September

| Juno

| 36th perijove

|

2 October

| BepiColombo

| First gravity assist at Mercury

|

16 October

| Juno

| 37th perijove

|

16 October

| Parker Solar Probe

| Fifth gravity assist at Venus

|

21 November

| Parker Solar Probe

| 10th perihelion

|

26 November

| Solar Orbiter

| Gravity assist at Earth

| Gravity assist will set up future fly-bys of Venus that will increase its inclination relative to the Sun.

Extravehicular activities (EVAs)

{{See also|List of spacewalks 2015–2024}}

class="wikitable" style="width:100%; line-height:1.5em;"
Start Date/Time

!Duration

!End Time

!Spacecraft

!Crew

!Remarks

{{nowrap|27 January}} 11:28

|6 hours {{nowrap|56 minutes}}

|18:24

|{{nowrap| Expedition 64 }}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Michael S. Hopkins}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Victor J. Glover

|

Installation of the exposed platform Airbus Bartolomeo

1 February 12:57

|5 hours {{nowrap|20 minutes}}

|18:17

|{{nowrap| Expedition 64 }}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Michael S. Hopkins}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Victor J. Glover

|

Install a new lithium-ion battery on the P-4 truss, where an earlier lithium replacement blew a fuse in April 2019. Upgrade high definition video and camera gear on ISS exterior.

28 February 11:12

|7 hours {{nowrap|04 minutes}}

|18:16

|{{nowrap| Expedition 64 }}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Kathleen Rubins}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Victor J. Glover

|

Install modification kit to prepare Station for new solar array installation.

5 March 11:37

|6 hours 56 minutes

|18:33

|{{nowrap| Expedition 64 }}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Kathleen Rubins}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|JPN}} Soichi Noguchi

|

Additional upgrades and Kibo module platform work

13 March 13:14

|6 hours 47 minutes

|20:01

|{{nowrap| Expedition 64}}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Michael Hopkins}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Victor Glover

|

P6 fixes and installations

2 June 05:53

|7 hours 19 minutes

|13:12

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

Poisk Airlock

{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|Russia}} Oleg Novitsky}}

{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|Russia}} Pyotr Dubrov}}

|

Second in a series of spacewalks to decommission the Pirs Airlock which is scheduled to be replaced by Nauka in the summer of 2021. Task involve installing a flow control valve on Zarya, removing docking antennas and their cables on Pirs, removing EVA gap spanners from Pirs, transferring experiments over to Poisk, installing Test containers on the hatches, and relocating a Strela crane over to Poisk. Getahead task involve cleaning the windows on the Russian segment, and doing an inspection of Zvezda and plugging any leaks they find.{{Cite web|title=События. Выход в открытый космос 2 июня|trans-title=Spacewalk 2 June|url=http://www.roscosmos.ru/31128/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=www.roscosmos.ru|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126051327/http://www.roscosmos.ru/31128/|url-status=live}}{{Citation|last=john.l.stoll@nasa.gov|title=jsc2021m000163_Russian_Spacewalk_48_Animation|date=2021-06-01|url=http://archive.org/details/jsc2021m000163_Russian_Spacewalk_48_Animation|access-date=2021-06-01}}

16 June 12:11

|7 hours 15 minutes

|19:26

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Shane Kimbrough}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|FRA}} Thomas Pesquet

|

First in a series of spacewalks to install the iROSA solar arrays on the P6 Truss. While working on releasing the arrays from their launch carrier, Kimbrough's spacesuit experienced issues with its Display and Control Module (DCM), so he was sent back to the airlock to connect to station umbilicals to restart it. The restart was successful, although it delayed the EVA. Additionally, an issue was discovered with his suit's sublimator, which threatened to end the EVA prematurely; this was determined to be a false reading, allowing work to resume. Following this, the astronauts successfully released the solar arrays and installed them on the P6 mounting bracket. A subsequent attempt to unfold the two rolled arrays, which were folded side by side during launch, failed due to interference (blockage) from a structure near the mounting area. As the EVA was then past the six-hour mark, ground controllers instructed the astronauts to finish securing the array structure to the station, photograph the work site, and return to the airlock. The next steps of unfolding the array pair, making electrical connections, and unfurling the rolled arrays were postponed to a future EVA pending ground analysis of the interference issue

20 June 11:42

|6 hours 28 minutes

|18:10

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Shane Kimbrough}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|FRA}} Thomas Pesquet

|

Second in a series of spacewalks that will install the iROSA solar arrays on the P6 Truss. The spacewalkers managed to connect iROSA with a little elbow grease and at 16:40 hours deployed it and it is receiving power.

25 June 11:52

|6 hours 45 minutes

|18:37

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|USA}} Shane Kimbrough}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|FRA}} Thomas Pesquet

|

Third in a series of spacewalks that will install the ROSA solar arrays on the P6 Truss. If time allows the astronauts will also route cables to the Russian segment and install a WiFi router on the truss.

4 July 00:11

|6 hours 46 minutes

|06:57

|{{nowrap| Shenzhou 12}}

TSS Tianhe

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Liu Boming}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Tang Hongbo

|

First Chinese spacewalk since Shenzhou 7 in 2008. Installation work was done on the exterior of the Tiangong space station.{{cite web |last=Corbett |first=Tobias |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/taikonauts-second-spacewalk-first-station-construction/ |title=Taikonauts complete second Chinese spacewalk, first in support of Space Station construction |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=4 July 2021 |access-date=5 July 2021 |archive-date=16 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316050855/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/taikonauts-second-spacewalk-first-station-construction/ |url-status=live }}

20 August 00:38

|5 hours 55 minutes

|06:33

|{{nowrap| Shenzhou 12}}

TSS Tianhe

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Nie Haisheng}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Liu Boming

|

Second EVA of Shenzhou 12 crew to install foot stops and a workbench on the station's large robotic arm, a pump set for its thermal control system, and additional work on the panoramic camera.{{cite web |last=Jones|first=Andrew|url=https://spacenews.com/astronauts-conduct-second-chinese-space-station-spacewalk/ |title=Astronauts conduct second Chinese space station spacewalk |work=SpaceNews |date=20 August 2021 |access-date=20 August 2021}}

3 September 14:35

|7 hours 54 minutes

|22:35

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

Poisk Airlock

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|RUS}} Oleg Novitsky}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|RUS}} Pyotr Dubrov

|

First in a series of spacewalks to outfit Nauka. The cosmonauts will route cables which were recently temp stowed on PMA 1 along Zarya to the Zvezda transfer compartment where they will be mated to Nauka. The spacewalk will conclude with the installation of handrails and the first experiments on the new module. If time allows the cosmonauts will change Biorisk containers and will retrieve and replace two exposure experiments from Poisk and bring them inside.

9 September 15:00

|7 hours 25 minutes

|22:16

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

Poisk Airlock

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|RUS}} Oleg Novitsky}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|RUS}} Pyotr Dubrov

|

Second in a series of spacewalks to outfit Nauka.{{cite web |last1=Pearlman |first1=Robert Z. |title=Cosmonauts outfit new science module on 50th planned Russian spacewalk outside space station |url=https://www.space.com/space-station-cosmonauts-second-nauka-spacewalk |website=Space.com |access-date=2021-09-13 |date=2021-09-09 |archive-date=17 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317140038/https://www.space.com/space-station-cosmonauts-second-nauka-spacewalk |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|last=Garcia|first=Mark|title=Cosmonauts Wrap Up Second Spacewalk to Set Up Science Module|url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2021/09/09/cosmonauts-wrap-up-second-spacewalk-to-set-up-science-module/|access-date=2021-09-10|website=blogs.nasa.gov|date=9 September 2021 |language=en-US|archive-date=19 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419121003/https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2021/09/09/cosmonauts-wrap-up-second-spacewalk-to-set-up-science-module/|url-status=live}} The cosmonauts continued where they left off from EVA 5, finishing Ethernet cable connections and installing four EVA handrails on Nauka (including the troublesome one left incomplete from EVA 5). They subsequently connected cable bundles between Nauka and Zvezda, providing Ethernet links between those modules as well as links for Nauka's TV cameras and docking navigation antennas (Kurs and TORU). They then mounted three Biorisk microorganism exposure experiment modules on the exterior of the Poisk airlock module. Additionally, the cosmonauts took survey photos of the exterior of the Russian segment of the station, including the Kurs docking antennas of the Progress MS-17 cargo vehicle (confirming that they were undamaged{{cite web |title=Завершен 50-й плановый выход в открытый космос |url=https://www.roscosmos.ru/32502/ |website=Roscosmos |access-date=2021-09-13 |date=2021-09-10 |archive-date=10 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910055554/https://www.roscosmos.ru/32502/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=SPKirsch |title=Re: VKD-50 Russian EVA (2/10 Nauka outfitting) - 9th Sept. 2021 [Novitsky, Dubrov] |url=https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=54471.msg2288090#msg2288090 |website=NASASpaceFlight.com Forum |access-date=2021-09-13 |date=2021-09-09 |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124101908/https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=54471.msg2288090#msg2288090 |url-status=live }}) and external sensors on Nauka;{{cite web |last1=Zak |first1=Anatoly |title=Dubrov is working on FP8 connector plate of the Zvezda module, while Novitsky is taking photos of the IKV sensors... |url=https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/1436052801180815364 |website=Twitter |access-date=2021-09-13 |date=2021-09-09 |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124101906/https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/1436052801180815364 |url-status=live }} they also realigned a thruster plume measurement unit on Poisk. Finally, the cosmonauts tied together and jettisoned a junk cable reel cover along with some leftover insulation from the Biorisk experiments.{{Cite web|last=Garcia|first=Mark|title=Cosmonauts Wrap Up Second Spacewalk to Set Up Science Module|url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2021/09/09/cosmonauts-wrap-up-second-spacewalk-to-set-up-science-module/|date=2021-09-09|access-date=2021-09-25|website=NASA|language=en-US|archive-date=19 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419121003/https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2021/09/09/cosmonauts-wrap-up-second-spacewalk-to-set-up-science-module/|url-status=live}}

12 September 12:30

|6 hours 54 minutes

|19:09

|{{nowrap| Expedition 65}}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|JPN}} Akihiko Hoshide}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|FRA}} Thomas Pesquet

|

Install the 3B modification kit on the P4 Truss for the arrival of SpaceX CRS-24 with the final portside IROSA solar arrays. Install a wifi router on the truss, and route and mate cables on the US side of PMA 1 to power up the Nauka module. Replace a Floating Point Measuring Unit and a Static Charge Micrometer external component on the S1 Truss to prepare the port side for it long term configuration.

7 November 10:51

|6 hours 25 minutes

|17:16

|{{nowrap| Shenzhou 13}}

TSS Tianhe

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Zhai Zhigang}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Wang Yaping

|They first installed foot stoppers and a working platform to the robotic arm before they set to work together to install a suspension device and transfer connectors to the robotic arm. Wang now becomes the first female Chinese astronaut to conduct extravehicular activities (EVA).

2 December

11:15

|6 hours 32 minutes

|17:45

|{{nowrap| Expedition 66}}

ISS Quest

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|US}} Tom Marshburn}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|US}} Kayla Barron

|

Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron conducted an EVA mainly to replace the Port 1 Truss S-Band Communications Antenna

26 December 10:44

|6 hours 11 minutes

|16:55

|{{nowrap| Shenzhou 13}}

TSS Tianhe

|{{nowrap|{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Zhai Zhigang}}

{{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Ye Guangfu

|The astronauts deployed an external camera (panoramic camera C), installed a foot restraint platform, and tested various methods of translation (movement) of objects outside the station.

Space debris events

{{See also|List of space debris producing events}}

class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
Date/Time (UTC)

! {{nowrap|Source object}}

! {{nowrap|Event type}}

! Pieces tracked

! Remarks

18 March

| nowrap | {{#invoke:flag|icon|CHN}} Yunhai-1 02

| nowrap | collision with a space junk

| 37

| Accidental collision with a fragment from the Zenit-2 rocket body that launched Tselina-2 in 1996.{{cite web |last=Wall |first=Mike |url=https://www.space.com/space-junk-collision-chinese-satellite-yunhai-1-02 |title=Space collision: Chinese satellite got whacked by hunk of Russian rocket in March |work=Space.com |date=17 August 2021 |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817230906/https://www.space.com/space-junk-collision-chinese-satellite-yunhai-1-02 |url-status=live }}

15 November

| nowrap | {{#invoke:flag|icon|RUS}} Kosmos 1408

| nowrap | ASAT (Anti-Satellite) weapon system test

|~1500

| On 15 November 2021, at around 02:50 UTC,{{cite web|last=McDowell|first=Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan McDowell|url=https://planet4589.org/space/asat/nudol.html|title=The 2021 Nudol' test|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|date=20 November 2021|access-date=20 May 2022|archive-date=20 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120194334/https://planet4589.org/space/asat/nudol.html|url-status=live}} the satellite was destroyed as part of an anti-satellite weapons test by Russia, generating a space debris cloud that threatened the International Space Station.{{cite news|title=Russian Anti-Satellite Missile Test Poses No Threat – Moscow|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59169899|publisher=BBC News|date=16 November 2021|access-date=19 November 2021|archive-date=17 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117062626/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59169899|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Dvorsky|first=George|url=https://gizmodo.com/astronauts-forced-to-take-shelter-as-debris-cloud-threa-1848057874|title=Astronauts Forced to Take Shelter as Debris Cloud Threatens Space Station |publisher=Gizmodo|date=15 November 2021|access-date=20 May 2022|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116233821/https://gizmodo.com/astronauts-forced-to-take-shelter-as-debris-cloud-threa-1848057874|url-status=live}} The seven crew members aboard the ISS (four American, two Russian, one German) were told to put on their spacesuits{{cite news|last1=Atwood|first1=Kylie|last2=Sciutto|first2=Jim|last3=Fisher|first3=Kristin|last4=Gaouette|first4=Nicole|title=US says it "won't tolerate" Russia's "reckless and dangerous" anti-satellite missile test |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/15/politics/russia-anti-satellite-weapon-test-scn/index.html|access-date=20 May 2022|agency=CNN|archive-date=19 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119112659/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/15/politics/russia-anti-satellite-weapon-test-scn/index.html|url-status=live}} and take shelter in the crew capsules{{cite news|last1=Gohd|first1=Chelsea|title=Did Russia just launch an anti-satellite test that created a cloud of space junk?|url=https://www.space.com/russia-asat-launch-test-space-debris-field|publisher=Space.com|date=15 November 2021|access-date=20 May 2022|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116191316/https://www.space.com/russia-asat-launch-test-space-debris-field|url-status=live}} so they could quickly return to Earth if debris struck the station.{{cite news|title=Russian Anti-Satellite Test Adds to Worsening Problem of Space Debris|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59307862|publisher=BBC News|date=16 November 2021 |access-date=19 November 2021|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118044047/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59307862|url-status=live}} The satellite had been in orbit at an altitude ~50 kilometers (~30 miles) above the ISS orbital altitude,{{cite news|last1=Trevithick|first1=Joseph|title=Russian Anti-Satellite Test Produces Dangerous Debris Cloud In Orbit: Reports (Updated)|url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43140/russian-anti-satellite-test-produces-dangerous-debris-cloud-in-orbit-reports|publisher=The Drive|date=15 November 2021|access-date=20 May 2022|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116064610/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43140/russian-anti-satellite-test-produces-dangerous-debris-cloud-in-orbit-reports|url-status=live}} with the debris intersecting the orbit of the ISS every 93 minutes.{{cite news|last1=Grush|first1=Loren|title=Russia blows up a satellite, creating a dangerous debris cloud in space|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/15/22782946/russia-asat-test-satellite-international-space-station-debris|publisher=The Verge|date=15 November 2021|access-date=15 November 2021|archive-date=17 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117014221/https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/15/22782946/russia-asat-test-satellite-international-space-station-debris|url-status=live}}

Orbital launch statistics

= By country =

For the purposes of this section, the yearly tally of orbital launches by country assigns each flight to the country of origin of the rocket, not to the launch services provider or the spaceport. For example, Soyuz launches by Arianespace in Kourou are counted under Russia because Soyuz-2 is a Russian rocket.

{{Pie chart

| radius = 120

| legend = false

| thumb = left

| value1 = 56 | color1 = #ff0000 | label1 = China:

| value2 = 51 | color2 = #484785 | label2 = United States:

| value3 = 25 | color3 = #a52a2a | label3 = Russia:

| value4 = 3 | color4 = #808000 | label4 = Italy:

| value5 = 3 | color5 = #318ce7 | label5 = France:

| value6 = 3 | color6 = #ffffff | label6 = Japan:

| value7 = 2 | color7 = #ff9933 | label7 = India:

| value8 = 2 | color8 = #239f40 | label8 = Iran:

| value9 = 1 | color9 = #800080 | label9 = South Korea:

}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
colspan=2 | Country

! Launches

! Successes

! Failures

! Partial
failures

style="background:#ff0000;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{CHN}}

| 56{{efn|Includes one unannounced orbital test flight}} || 53 || 3 || 0

style="background:#318ce7;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{FRA}}

| 3 || 3 || 0 || 0

style="background:#ff9933;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{IND}}

| 2 || 1 || 1 || 0

style="background:#239f40;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{IRN}}

| 2 || 0 || 2 || 0

style="background:#808000;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{ITA}}

| 3 || 3 || 1 || 0

style="background:#ffffff;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{JPN}}

| 3 || 3 || 0 || 0

style="background:#a52a2a;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{RUS}}

| 25{{efn|Includes European Soyuz launches from Kourou, French Guiana by Arianespace}} || 24 || 0 || 1

style="background:#800080;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{KOR}}

| 1 || 0 || 1{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/21/asia/south-korea-nuri-rocket-launch-intl-hnk-scn/|title=South Korea fails to put dummy satellite into orbit|date=21 October 2021|website=CNN|access-date=21 October 2021|archive-date=21 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021131919/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/21/asia/south-korea-nuri-rocket-launch-intl-hnk-scn/|url-status=live}} || 0

style="background:#484785;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{USA}}

| 51{{efn|Includes Electron launches from Mahia}} || 48 || 3 || 0

class="sortbottom"

! colspan="2" | World

{{sum|56|3|2|2|3|3|25|1|51}}{{sum|53|3|3|1|0|3|24|0|48}}{{sum|3|0|1|2|0|0|0|1|3}}{{sum|0|0|0|0|0|0|1|0|0}}

{{clear}}

= By rocket =

{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart

| float = center

| width = 990

| height = 440

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 3:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 2 = 0: 4:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 3 = 0:0: 6:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 4 = 0:0:0: 2:0:0:0:0:0

| group 5 = 0:0:0:29:0:0:0:0:0

| group 6 = 0:0:0:0: 4:0:0:0:0

| group 7 = 0:0:0:0:0:14:0:0:0

| group 8 = 0:0:0:0:0:12:0:0:0

| group 9 = 0:0:0:0:0:14:0:0:0

| group 10 = 0:0:0:0:0: 1:0:0:0

| group 11 = 0:0:0:0:0: 4:0:0:0

| group 12 = 0:0:0:0:0: 4:0:0:0

| group 13 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:20:0:0

| group 14 = 0:0:0:0:0:0: 1:0:0

| group 15 = 0:0:0:0:0:0: 1:0:0

| group 16 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 3:0

| group 17 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 18 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 19 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 20 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 21 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 22 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 23 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 24 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:10

| colors = MediumBlue : Goldenrod : Black : Teal : LightSeaGreen : HotPink : FireBrick : IndianRed : Salmon : Sienna : Tomato : PaleVioletRed : Chocolate : Grey : CornflowerBlue : SkyBlue : DarkTurquoise : Olive : Fuchsia : SlateBlue : Tan : SlateGrey : DarkGreen : LightGrey

| group names = Ariane 5 : Atlas V : Electron : Falcon 9 new : Falcon 9 reused : Kuaizhou 1A : Long March 2 : Long March 3 : Long March 4 : Long March 5 : Long March 6 : Long March 7 : Soyuz-2 : Soyuz-2-1v : Soyuz-ST : Vega : Antares 230+ : H-IIA : Hyperbola-1 : LauncherOne : Proton-M : Rocket 3 : Simorgh : Others

| x legends = Ariane : Atlas : Electron : Falcon : Kuaizhou : Long March : R-7 : Vega : Others

| units suffix = _launches

}}

== By family ==

class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style=text-align:center
Family

! Country

! Launches

! Successes

! Failures

! Partial failures

! Remarks

align=left| Angaraalign=left| {{RUS}}1001
align=left| Antaresalign=left| {{USA}}2200
align=left| Arianealign=left| {{FRA}}3300
align=left| Astraalign=left| {{USA}}2110
align=left| Atlasalign=left| {{USA}}4400
align=left| Ceresalign=left| {{CHN}}1100
align=left| Deltaalign=left| {{USA}}1100
align=left| Electronalign=left| {{USA}}6510
align=left| Epsilonalign=left| {{JPN}}1100
align=left| Falconalign=left| {{USA}}313100
align=left| Fireflyalign=left| {{USA}}1010align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| GSLValign=left| {{IND}}1010
align=left| H-IIalign=left| {{JPN}}2200
align=left| Hyperbolaalign=left| {{CHN}}2020
align=left| Kuaizhou{{PRC}}4310
align=left| LauncherOnealign=left| {{USA}}2200
align=left| Long Marchalign=left| {{CHN}}494900
align=left| Minotauralign=left| {{USA}}1100
align=left| Nurialign=left| {{KOR}}1010align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| Pegasusalign=left| {{USA}}1100
align=left| PSLValign=left| {{IND}}1100
align=left| R-7align=left| {{RUS}}222200
align=left| Simorghalign=left| {{IRN}}2020
align=left| Universal Rocketalign=left| {{RUS}}2200
align=left| Vegaalign=left| {{ITA}}3300

== By type ==

class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style=text-align:center
Rocket

! Country

! Family

! Launches

! Successes

! Failures

! Partial failures

! Remarks

align=left| Angara A5align=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Angara1001
align=left| Antares 200align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Antares2200
align=left| Ariane 5align=left| {{FRA}}align=left| Ariane3300
align=left| Atlas Valign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Atlas4400
align=left| Ceres-1align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Ceres1100
align=left| Delta IValign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Delta1100
align=left| Electronalign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Electron6510
align=left| Epsilonalign=left| {{JPN}}align=left| Epsilon1100
align=left| Falcon 9align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Falcon313100
align=left| Firefly Alphaalign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Firefly1010align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| GSLValign=left| {{IND}}align=left| GSLV1010
align=left| H-IIAalign=left| {{JPN}}align=left| H-II2200
align=left| Hyperbola-1align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Hyperbola2020
align=left| Kuaizhoualign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Kuaizhou4310
align=left| LauncherOnealign=left| {{USA}}align=left| LauncherOne2200
align=left| Long March 2align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March141400
align=left| Long March 3align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March121200
align=left| Long March 4align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March141400
align=left| Long March 5align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March1100
align=left| Long March 6align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March4400
align=left| Long March 7align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March4400
align=left| Minotaur Ialign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Minotaur1100
align=left| Nurialign=left| {{KOR}}align=left| Nuri1010align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| Pegasusalign=left| {{USA}}align=left|Pegasus1100
align=left| PSLValign=left| {{IND}}align=left| PSLV1100
align=left| Protonalign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Universal Rocket2200
align=left| Rocket 3align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Astra2110
align=left| Simorghalign=left| {{IRN}}align=left| Simorgh2020
align=left| Soyuz-2align=left| {{RUS}}align=left| R-7222200
align=left| Vegaalign=left| {{ITA}}align=left| Vega3300

== By configuration ==

class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style=text-align:center
Rocket

! Country

! Type

! Launches

! Successes

! Failures

! Partial failures

! Remarks

align=left| Angara A5 / Perseialign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Angara A51001align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| Antares 230+align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Antares 2002200
align=left| Ariane 5 ECAalign=left| {{FRA}}align=left| Ariane 53300
align=left| Atlas V 401align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Atlas V2200
align=left| Atlas V 421align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Atlas V1100
align=left| Atlas V 551align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Atlas V1100
align=left| Ceres-1align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Ceres-11100
align=left| Delta IV Heavyalign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Delta IV1100
align=left| Electronalign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Electron6510
align=left| Epsilonalign=left| {{JPN}}align=left| Epsilon1100
align=left| Falcon 9 Block 5align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Falcon 9313100
align=left| Firefly Alphaalign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Firefly Alpha1010align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| GSLV Mk IIalign=left| {{IND}}align=left| GSLV1010
align=left| H-IIA 202align=left| {{JPN}}align=left| H-IIA1100
align=left| H-IIA 204align=left| {{JPN}}align=left| H-IIA1100align=left| Final flight
align=left| Hyperbola-1align=left| {{CHN}}align=left|Hyperbola-12020
align=left| Kuaizhou 1Aalign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Kuaizhou4310
align=left| LauncherOnealign=left| {{USA}}align=left| LauncherOne2200
align=left| Long March 2Calign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 26600
align=left| Long March 2Dalign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 26600
align=left| Long March 2F/Galign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 22200
align=left| Long March 3B/Ealign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 3111100
align=left| Long March 3C/Ealign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 31100
align=left| Long March 4Balign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 45500
align=left| Long March 4Calign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 49900
align=left| Long March 5Balign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 51100
align=left| Long March 6align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 64400
align=left| Long March 7align=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 72200
align=left| Long March 7Aalign=left| {{CHN}}align=left| Long March 72200
align=left| Minotaur Ialign=left| {{USA}}align=left| Minotaur I1100
align=left| Nurialign=left| {{KOR}}align=left| Nuri1010align=left| Maiden flight
align=left| Pegasus-XLalign=left| {{USA}}align=left|Pegasus1100
align=left| Proton-Malign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Proton1100
align=left| Proton-M / Briz-Malign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Proton1100
align=left| PSLV-DLalign=left| {{IND}}align=left| PSLV1100
align=left| Rocket 3align=left| {{USA}}align=left| Rocket 32110
align=left| Simorghalign=left| {{IRN}}align=left| Simorgh2020
align=left| Soyuz-2.1aalign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Soyuz-26600
align=left| Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat-M or ST-Aalign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Soyuz-21100
align=left| Soyuz-2.1balign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Soyuz-23300
align=left| Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat-M or ST-Balign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Soyuz-2111100
align=left| Soyuz-2-1v / Volgaalign=left| {{RUS}}align=left| Soyuz-21100
align=left| Vegaalign=left| {{ITA}}align=left| Vega3300

= By spaceport =

{{#invoke:Chart | bar chart

| float = center

| width = 900

| height = 440

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 22:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 2 = 12:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 3 = 5:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 4 = 16:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 5 = 0: 7:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 6 = 0:0: 2:0:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 7 = 0:0:0: 2:0:0:0:0:0:0

| group 8 = 0:0:0:0: 2:0:0:0:0:0

| group 9 = 0:0:0:0: 1:0:0:0:0:0

| group 10 = 0:0:0:0:0:14:0:0:0:0

| group 11 = 0:0:0:0:0:0: 6:0:0:0

| group 12 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 5:0:0

| group 13 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 5:0:0

| group 14 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 1:0

| group 15 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:19

| group 16 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:12

| group 17 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 3

| group 18 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 19 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 2

| group 20 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 7

| group 21 = 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0: 0

| colors = FireBrick : Crimson : IndianRed : LightCoral : MediumBlue : Orange : ForestGreen : MediumPurple : Plum : Teal : Black : SteelBlue : LightSteelBlue : Purple : Blue : DodgerBlue : DeepSkyBlue : MediumSlateBlue : Indigo : SkyBlue : White

| group names = Jiuquan : Taiyuan : Wenchang : Xichang : Kourou : Satish Dhawan : Semnan : Tanegashima : Uchinoura : Baikonur : Mahia : Plesetsk : Vostochny : Naro : Cape Canaveral : Kennedy : MARS : Mojave : PSCA : Vandenberg :

| x legends = China : France : India : Iran : Japan : Kazakhstan : New Zealand : Russia : South Korea : United States

| units suffix = _launches

}}

class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:center
Site

! Country

! Launches

! Successes

! Failures

! Partial failures

! Remarks

align=left| Baikonuralign=left| {{KAZ}}141400
align=left| Cape Canaveralalign=left| {{USA}}191900
align=left| Jiuquanalign=left| {{CHN}}221930
align=left| Kennedyalign=left| {{USA}}121200
align=left| Kouroualign=left| {{FRA}}7700
align=left| Mahiaalign=left| {{NZL}}6510
align=left| MARSalign=left| {{USA}}3300
align=left| Mojavealign=left| {{USA}}2200
align=left| Naroalign=left| {{KOR}}1010
align=left| PSCAalign=left| {{USA}}2110
align=left| Plesetskalign=left| {{RUS}}5401
align=left| Satish Dhawanalign=left| {{IND}}2110
align=left| Semnanalign=left| {{IRN}}2020
align=left| Taiyuanalign=left| {{CHN}}121200
align=left| Tanegashimaalign=left| {{JPN}}2200
align=left| Uchinouraalign=left| {{JPN}}1100
align=left| Vandenbergalign=left| {{USA}}7610
align=left| Vostochnyalign=left| {{RUS}}5500
align=left| Wenchangalign=left| {{CHN}}5500
align=left| Xichangalign=left| {{CHN}}161600
class="sortbottom"

!colspan=2| Total

146135101

= By orbit =

{{#invoke:Chart | bar chart

| float = center

| width = 890

| height = 440

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 1:0:0:0:0:0

| group 2 = 0:50:0:0:0:0

| group 3 = 0:15:0:0:0:0

| group 4 = 0: 4:0:0:0:0

| group 5 = 0:33:0:0:0:0

| group 6 = 0: 3:0:0:0:0

| group 7 = 0:0: 2:0:0:0

| group 8 = 0:0: 1:0:0:0

| group 9 = 0:0:0:24:0:0

| group 10 = 0:0:0: 2:0:0

| group 11 = 0:0:0:0: 1:0

| group 12 = 0:0:0:0:0: 3

| group 13 = 0:0:0:0:0: 0

| colors = DeepSkyBlue : Navy : MediumBlue : Red : RoyalBlue : LightBlue : LightSeaGreen : SkyBlue : SaddleBrown : Peru : Black : Gold : White

| group names = Transatmospheric : Low Earth : Low Earth (ISS) : Low Earth (CSS) : Low Earth (SSO) : Low Earth (polar) : Medium Earth : Molniya : Geosynchronous : Inclined GSO : High Earth : Heliocentric :

| x legends = Transatmospheric : Low Earth : Medium Earth / Molniya : Geosynchronous / transfer : High Earth / Lunar transfer : Heliocentric

| units suffix = _launches

}}

class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:center
Orbital regime

! Launches

! Achieved

! Not achieved

! Accidentally
achieved

! Remarks

align=left| Transatmospheric1100
align=left| Low Earth / Sun-synchronous11210390align=left|Including flights to ISS and Tiangong
align=left| Geosynchronous / GTO262501
align=left| Medium Earth / Molniya3300
align=left| High Earth / Lunar transfer1001

|

align=left| Heliocentric orbit / Planetary transfer3300
class="sortbottom"

! Total

14613592

Suborbital launch statistics

= By country =

For the purposes of this section, the yearly tally of suborbital launches by country assigns each flight to the country of origin of the rocket, not to the launch services provider or the spaceport. Flights intended to fly below 80 km (50 mi) are omitted.

{{Pie chart

| radius = 120

| legend = false

| thumb = left

| value1 = 49 | color1 = #484785 | label1 = United States:

| value2 = 36 | color2 = #239f40 | label2 = Iran:

| value3 = 15 | color3 = #ff0000 | label3 = China:

| value4 = 9 | color4 = #fe6f5e | label4 = Canada:

| value5 = 6 | color5 = #ff9933 | label5 = India:

| value6 = 6 | color6 = #a52a2a | label6 = Russia:

| value7 = 5 | color7 = #ace1af | label7 = Pakistan:

| value8 = 5 | color8 = #3b3c36 | label8 = Yemen:

| value9 = 4 | color9 = #ffffff | label9 = Japan:

| value10 = 3 | color10 = #800080 | label10 = South Korea:

| value11 = 2 | color11 = #009c3b | label11 = Brazil:

| value12 = 2 | color12 = #0000a0 | label12 = Taiwan:

| value13 = 2 | color13 = #ffd700 | label13 = Ukraine:

| value14 = 1 | color14 = #318ce7 | label14 = France:

| value15 = 1 | color15 = #91a3b0 | label15 = Netherlands:

| value16 = 1 | color16 = #7c3030 | label16 = Turkey:

}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
colspan=2 | Country

! Launches

! Successes

! Failures

! Partial
failures

style="background:#009c3b;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{BRA}}

| 2 || 2 || 0 || 0

style="background:#fe6f5e;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{CAN}}

| 9 || 9 || 0 || 0

style="background:#ff0000;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{CHN}}

| 15 || 15 || 0 || 0

style="background:#318ce7;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{FRA}}

| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0

style="background:#ff9933;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{IND}}

| 6 || 6 || 0 || 0

style="background:#239f40;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{IRN}}

| 36 || 36 || 0 || 0

style="background:#ffffff;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{JPN}}

| 4 || 4 || 0 || 0

style="background:#91a3b0;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{NED}}

| 1 || 0 || 1 || 0

style="background:#ace1af;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{PAK}}

| 5 || 5 || 0 || 0

style="background:#a52a2a;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{RUS}}

| 6 || 6 || 0 || 0

style="background:#800080;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{KOR}}

| 3{{efn|Unknown outcome of the first Blue Whale 0.1 launch.}} || 1 || 1 || 1

style="background:#0000a0;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{TWN}}

| 2{{efn|Includes Hapith I VS01 which was precluded prior to launch.}} || 1 || 0 || 1

style="background:#7c3030;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{TUR}}

| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0

style="background:#484785;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{USA}}

| 49 || 47 || 2 || 0

style="background:#ffd700;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{UKR}}

| 2 || 2 || 0 || 0

style="background:#3b3c36;" | || style="text-align:left;" | {{YEM}}

| 5 || 5 || 0 || 0

class="sortbottom"

! colspan="2" | World

{{sum|49|36|15|9|6|6|5|5|4|3|2|2|2|1|1|1}}{{sum|47|36|15|9|6|6|5|5|4|1|2|1|2|1|0|1}}{{sum|2|1|1}}{{sum|1|1
}

|}

{{clear}}

See also

Notes

{{NoteFoot}}

{{Notelist}}

References

External links

{{TLS-R}}

{{TLS-L|year=2021|nav=on}}

{{2021 in space}}

{{Orbital launches in 2021}}

Category:Spaceflight by year

Spaceflight