Several new rockets and spaceports began operations in 2016.
Overview Russia inaugurated the far-Eastern Vostochny Cosmodrome on 28 April 2016 with a traditional Soyuz-2.1a flight, before expanding it for the Angara rocket family in the following years. The Chinese Long March 7 flew its maiden flight from the new Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island on 25 June, and the maiden flight of the Long March 5 took place on 3 November. Two years after its 2014 accident, the Antares rocket returned to flight on 17 October with its upgraded 230 version featuring the Russian RD-181 engine.
After many failed attempts, SpaceX began landing its Falcon 9 first stages on autonomous spaceport drone ships, edging closer to their long-stated goal of developing reusable launch vehicles. The company indicated that the recovered engines and structures did not suffer significant damage. One of the landed boosters, B1021, launched in April 2016, was flown again in March 2017; two others were converted to side boosters for the maiden flight of Falcon Heavy.
The ExoMars mission, a collaboration between the European and Russian space agencies, was launched on 14 March and reached Mars on 19 October. Dedicated to astrobiology investigations, this flight carried the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, which reached Mars orbit, and the Schiaparelli EDM lander, which crashed upon landing. A subsequent flight scheduled for 2020 will carry the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover along with four static surface instruments. Meanwhile, the Japanese space probe Akatsuki started its observations of Venus in May after spending five months gradually adjusting its orbit. Planetary exploration activities took center stage with the orbit insertion of NASA's Juno probe at Jupiter on 4 July, followed by the launch of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid 101955 Bennu on 8 September. Finally, on 30 September, the Rosetta probe executed a slow crash-landing on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.
Human spaceflights included the return of Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko in March after a yearlong mission on the ISS, the longest-ever continuous stay by astronauts at the station. Kelly also set the record for the longest-duration stay of an American in orbit. Four ISS Expeditions numbered 47 to 50 were launched in 2016, the first one using the last Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft and the next three inaugurating the modernized Soyuz MS. Expedition 50 will continue into 2017. Several EVAs were performed to maintain the exterior of the ISS. The experimental BEAM inflatable habitat was attached to the ISS on 16 April and expanded on 28 May to begin two years of on-orbit tests. Meanwhile, China launched its new Tiangong-2 space laboratory in September, which was first visited by two astronauts for a month between 19 October and 17 November.
Orbital launches
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December
Suborbital flights
Deep space rendezvous
Date (UTC)SpacecraftEventRemarks14 JanuaryMars ExpressFlyby of PhobosClosest approach: .15 JanuaryCassini116th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .31 JanuaryCassini117th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .16 FebruaryCassini118th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .4 AprilCassini119th flyby of TitanClosest approach: 990 kilometres (615 mi).6 MayCassini120th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .7 JuneCassini121st flyby of TitanClosest approach: .4 JulyJunoOrbit injection around Jupiter (jovicentric)First solar-powered Jovian probe, second orbiter.4 JulyMars ExpressFlyby of PhobosClosest approach: .25 JulyCassini122nd flyby of TitanClosest approach: .10 AugustCassini123rd flyby of TitanClosest approach: .27 AugustJunoClosest approach: .26 SeptemberCassini124th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .RosettaLanding on 67P/Churyumov–GerasimenkoProbe was programmed to deactivate its thrusters and radio transmissions after landing.19 October (ExoMars 2016)Orbit injection around Mars (areocentric)19 OctoberSchiaparelli (ExoMars 2016)Landing on Mars, Meridiani PlanumProbe entered Martian atmosphere intact, but contact was lost 50 seconds before expected landing. NASA's MRO later identified the Schiaparelli crash site at coordinates , confirming the loss of the lander.19 OctoberJuno2nd perijovePeriod Reduction Maneuver originally planned, but delayed due to valve issues. The maneuver was later cancelled entirely in favor of remaining in a 53-day orbit.13 NovemberCassini125th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .16 NovemberMars ExpressFlyby of PhobosClosest approach: .29 NovemberCassini126th flyby of TitanClosest approach: .11 DecemberJuno3rd perijove
Extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) Start date/timeDurationEnd timeSpacecraftCrewRemarks 15 January 13:48 4 hours 18:31 ISS Quest Replaced a failed voltage regulator responsible for shutting down one of the station's eight power channels in November 2015, and routed cables in support of the installation of the International Docking Adaptor. EVA terminated two hours early due to water leakage in Kopra's helmet, but the primary task was accomplished. 3 February 12:55 4 hours 17:40 ISS Pirs Deployed a commemorative flash drive, took samples of module exteriors, installed handrails for use in future EVAs, retrieved an astrobiology experiment, deployed a materials science experiment, and tested a tool for applying coatings to module exteriors. 19 August 12:04 5 hours 18:02 ISS Quest The astronauts installed the International Docking Adapter (IDA) which was delivered by Dragon CRS-9, allowing future commercial crew spacecraft to dock with the station. This first IDA was attached to Harmony's forward port, over the existing Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA). The EVA terminated after completing the primary objective, without completing the secondary objectives, due to a malfunction of the right earphone of Jeff Williams. 1 September 11:53 6 hours 18:41 ISS Quest The crew retracted a thermal radiator which is a backup, and then installed the first pair of several high-definition cameras to monitor the traffic around the station. Then they have performed some maintenance operations.
Space debris events Date/Time (UTC) Pieces tracked Remarks 26 March 01:42 Hitomi Satellite breakup 10 JAXA lost communications with the freshly launched telescope during its early commissioning phase. Meanwhile, JspOC observed 5 then 10 pieces of debris diverging from the satellite, one of them comparably sized to the main spacecraft by radar signature.
Hitomi itself went into a tumble and sent short intermittent communications. The tumble was caused by a failure of the inertial reference unit mistakenly reporting the spacecraft to be spinning. As the attitude control system attempted to correct the non-existent spin, the unnecessary correction itself is believed to have caused the subsequent failures, ultimately leading to the loss of the spacecraft, 28 April.
In a twist of fate, one of the secondary payloads traveling with Hitomi was ChubuSat-3, a microsatellite dedicated to monitoring global warming effects and space debris. 1 June 09:20 SL-12 R/B (#33473) Booster breakup 20+ An ullage motor, part of a Russian Proton-M rocket that was launched in December 2008, exploded for unknown reasons.
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.
Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures 22 20 1 1 7 7 0 0 7 7 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 19 18 1 0 22 22 0 0 World
By rocket
By family Family Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks Antares 1 1 0 0 Ariane 7 7 0 0 Atlas 8 8 0 0 Delta 4 4 0 0 Epsilon 1 1 0 0 Falcon 8 8 0 0 1 Pre-launch failure GSLV 1 1 0 0 H-II 3 3 0 0 Long March 22 20 1 1 Pegasus 1 1 0 0 PSLV 6 6 0 0 R-7 14 13 1 0 Shavit 1 1 0 0 Unha 1 1 0 0 Universal Rocket 5 5 0 0 Vega 2 2 0 0
By type Rocket Country Family Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks Antares 200 Antares 1 1 0 0 Maiden Flight Ariane 5 Ariane 7 7 0 0 Atlas V Atlas 8 8 0 0 Delta IV Delta 4 4 0 0 Epsilon Epsilon 1 1 0 0 Falcon 9 Falcon 8 8 0 0 1 Pre-launch failure GSLV GSLV 1 1 0 0 H-IIA H-II 2 2 0 0 H-IIB H-II 1 1 0 0 Long March 2 Long March 8 7 0 1 Long March 3 Long March 7 7 0 0 Long March 4 Long March 4 3 1 0 Long March 5 Long March 1 1 0 0 Maiden flight Long March 7 Long March 1 1 0 0 Maiden flight Long March 11 Long March 1 1 0 0 Pegasus XL Pegasus 1 1 0 0 Proton Universal Rocket 3 3 0 0 PSLV PSLV 6 6 0 0 Shavit Shavit 1 1 0 0 Soyuz R-7 6 5 1 0 Soyuz-2 R-7 8 8 0 0 Unha Unha 1 1 0 0 UR-100 Universal Rocket 2 2 0 0 Vega Vega 2 2 0 0
By configuration Rocket Country Type Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks Antares 230 Antares 200 1 1 0 0 Maiden Flight Ariane 5 ECA Ariane 5 6 6 0 0 Ariane 5 ES Ariane 5 1 1 0 0 Atlas V 401 Atlas V 3 3 0 0 Atlas V 411 Atlas V 1 1 0 0 Atlas V 421 Atlas V 1 1 0 0 Atlas V 431 Atlas V 1 1 0 0 Final flight Atlas V 541 Atlas V 1 1 0 0 Atlas V 551 Atlas V 1 1 0 0 Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) Delta IV 1 1 0 0 Delta IV Medium+ (5,2) Delta IV 1 1 0 0 Delta IV Medium+ (5,4) Delta IV 1 1 0 0 Delta IV Heavy Delta IV 1 1 0 0 Epsilon Epsilon 1 1 0 0 Falcon 9 v1.1 Falcon 9 1 1 0 0 Final flight Falcon 9 Full Thrust Falcon 9 7 7 0 0 1 Pre-launch failure GSLV Mk II GSLV 1 1 0 0 H-IIA 202 H-IIA 2 2 0 0 H-IIB H-IIB 1 1 0 0 Long March 2D Long March 2 6 5 0 1 Long March 2F/G Long March 2 2 2 0 0 Long March 3A Long March 3 1 1 0 0 Long March 3B/E Long March 3 3 3 0 0 Long March 3C/E Long March 3 2 2 0 0 Long March 3C/E / YZ-1 Long March 3 1 1 0 0 Long March 4B Long March 4 2 2 0 0 Long March 4C Long March 4 2 1 1 0 Long March 5 / YZ-2 Long March 5 1 1 0 0 Maiden flight Long March 7 / YZ-1A Long March 7 1 1 0 0 Maiden flight Long March 11 Long March 11 1 1 0 0 Pegasus XL Pegasus XL 1 1 0 0 Proton-M / Briz-M Proton 3 3 0 0 PSLV-G PSLV 1 1 0 0 PSLV-XL PSLV 5 5 0 0 Rokot / Briz-KM UR-100 2 2 0 0 Shavit-2 Shavit 1 1 0 0 Soyuz-2.1a or ST-A Soyuz-2 2 2 0 0 Soyuz-2.1a or ST-A / Fregat-M Soyuz-2 1 1 0 0 Soyuz-2.1a / Volga Soyuz-2 1 1 0 0 Maiden flight Soyuz-2.1b or ST-B Soyuz-2 1 1 0 0 Soyuz-2.1b or ST-B / Fregat-M Soyuz-2 2 2 0 0 Soyuz-2.1b or ST-B / Fregat-MT Soyuz-2 1 1 0 0 Soyuz-FG Soyuz 4 4 0 0 Soyuz-U Soyuz 2 1 1 0 Unha-3 Unha 1 1 0 0 Vega Vega 2 2 0 0
By spaceport
Site Country Launches Successes Failures Partial failures Remarks Baikonur 11 10 1 0 Cape Canaveral 18 18 0 0 1 Pre-launch failure Jiuquan 9 9 0 0 Kourou 11 11 0 0 MARS 1 1 0 0 Palmachim 1 1 0 0 Plesetsk 5 5 0 0 Satish Dhawan 7 7 0 0 Sohae 1 1 0 0 Taiyuan 4 2 1 1 Tanegashima 3 3 0 0 Uchinoura 1 1 0 0 Vandenberg 3 3 0 0 Vostochny 1 1 0 0 First launch Wenchang 2 2 0 0 First launch Xichang 7 7 0 0 Total 85 82 2 1
By orbit
Orbital regime Launches Achieved Not achieved Accidentallyachieved Remarks Transatmospheric 0 0 0 0 Low Earth 43 42 2 0 Including 11 to ISS (+1 failed), 1 to Tiangong-2 Geosynchronous / transfer 32 32 0 0 Medium Earth 8 8 0 0 High Earth 0 0 0 0 Heliocentric orbit 2 2 0 0 Including planetary transfer orbitsTotal 85 83 2 0
References
Notes
Citations