List of Launch Services Program launches

Last updated

The launch history of NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP) since the program formed in 1998 at Kennedy Space Center. The launch of NASA robotic missions occurred from a number of launch sites on a variety of rockets. After the list of launches are descriptions of select historic LSP missions. [1] [2]

Contents

Launch history

The table below is a complete history of the NASA robotic spacecraft launched by the Launch Services Program. [3] [4] [5] The dates are relative to the launch site and may not match the UTC date.

+LSP Advisory Mission
*The total cost for NASA to launch the mission includes the launch service, spacecraft processing, payload integration, tracking, data and telemetry, mission unique launch site ground support, and other launch support requirements. All costs listed are approximate. Some spacecraft were awarded as a group, which is why their cost is listed as 1 of a number of spacecraft. Unless the reference specifies otherwise, the value is at award (i.e. when the launch service contract is signed) and does not account for additional costs due to delays and other factors or any cost savings that may have occurred later.

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

ElaNa launches

Historic missions

Below are descriptions of historic NASA missions launched by the Launch Services Program. [1] [2]

Mars Exploration Rovers (MER-A & B) (Delta II)

NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers launched aboard Delta II vehicles from CCAFS. MER-A "Spirit" launched June 2003, and MER-B "Opportunity" launched July 7 that same year. Both rovers reached Mars in January 2004. Information sent back to Earth from the rovers revealed the existence of water in the Red Planet's past (now ice). Previous missions to Mars include the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft that launched in 2001.

The Mars Pathfinder began its journey as NASA's first return to Mars after the Viking mission began with the launch of the Mars Global Surveyor in 1996, scheduled to last two years. The Surveyor traveled to the Red Planet and spent about two years mapping the Martian surface to achieve a global portrait then continued to work, so NASA extended its mission and used it as a communications satellite to relay data from the Mars Odyssey as well as the Spirit and Opportunity twins back to Earth.

Kepler, Deep Impact, MESSENGER (Delta II)

The Kepler mission, the 10th in NASA's Discovery missions, launched on a Delta II rocket, in 2009. The Kepler telescope was specifically designed to survey a portion of the region of the Milky Way galaxy for about three and a half years to discover dozens of Earth-size planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in the galaxy have such planets. The mission could be extended to six years.

The Deep Impact mission launched in 2005 and reached Comet Tempel 1 in July 2005. The "fly-by" spacecraft collected images of the comet before its "impactor" spacecraft reached the comet, and after the impact to study the pristine interior of one of its craters.

NASA's Mercury Surface, Space, Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft launched aboard a Delta II rocket in August 2004. The spacecraft made the 4.9-billion-mile trek to Mercury, with 15 trips around the sun and flybys of the Earth and Venus along the way. The spacecraft reached Mercury in 2008, with flybys of that planet in January and October, and again in September 2009. MESSENGER is only the second spacecraft sent to Mercury, but the first one to orbit Mercury.

New Horizons (Atlas V)

In 2006, NASA dispatched an ambassador to the planetary frontier. The New Horizons spacecraft is now halfway between Earth and Pluto, on approach for a dramatic flight past the icy planet and its moons in July 2015. After 10 years and more than 3 billion miles, on a historic voyage that has already taken it over the storms and around the moons of Jupiter, New Horizons will shed light on new kinds of worlds we've only just discovered on the outskirts of the solar system.

Pluto gets closer by the day, and New Horizons continues into rare territory, as just the fifth probe to traverse interplanetary space so far from the Sun. And the first to travel so far, to reach a new planet for exploration.

GOES and TDRS Fleet of Satellites (Atlas II)

NASA used the Atlas II to launch the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) weather satellites, and some of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) communications series of satellites into orbit. GOES-M lifted off in 2001 aboard an Atlas IIA. It was the fifth spacecraft to be launched in the current advanced series of environmental satellites for NOAA and the first to have a solar X-ray imager. The most recent TDRS launch was in January 2013 (TDRS-K) from CCAFS.

Kodiak Star (Athena I) & Lunar Prospector (Athena II)

The Athena I vehicle carried NASA's Kodiak Star mission into orbit Sept. 29, 2001, from the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska. NASA's Starshine 3 and three U.S. Department of Defense satellites were launched into different orbits. Starshine 3 provided data on satellite orbit decay.

The first successful launch of an Athena II carried NASA's Lunar Prospector spacecraft on a mission to search for traces of water or ice on the moon.

Terra (Atlas IIAS)

NASA launched the Earth Observing System's flagship satellite "Terra," named for Earth, in 1999. Terra has been collecting data about the changes in Earth's climate brought on by global warming. Terra carries five state-of-the-art sensors that have been studying the interactions among the Earth's atmosphere, lands, oceans, and radiant energy. Each sensor has unique design features that will enable scientists to meet a wide range of science objectives.

Stardust, Genesis (Delta II)

On Feb. 7, 1999, a Delta II launched from Launch Complex 17-A at CCAFS carrying the Stardust spacecraft. Stardust collected comet dust and volatile samples during a planned close encounter with the comet Wild 2 in January 2004. Stardust also collected samples of interstellar dust, including the recently discovered dust streaming into our Solar System. This launch was unusual in that it was the first U.S. mission dedicated solely to the study of a comet.

NASA's Genesis spacecraft launched aboard a Delta II Aug. 8, 2001, from Launch Complex 17-A at CCAFS. Genesis collected samples of solar wind — invisible, charged particles that flow outward from the Sun. The particles will be studied by scientists to search for answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our Solar System.

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) (Atlas IIAS)

The SOHO spacecraft, a joint venture between NASA and the European Space Agency, was launched aboard an Atlas IIAS Dec. 2, 1995, from Space Launch Complex 36 at CCAFS. The SOHO spacecraft, which was launched Dec. 2, 1995, aboard an Atlas rocket, gathered data to study the internal structure of the Sun, its extensive outer atmosphere and the origin of solar wind, as well as the stream of highly ionized gas that blows continuously through the Solar System. The information SOHO provided helped scientists better understand the interactions between the Sun and the Earth's environment.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space exploration</span> Exploration of space, planets, and moons

Space exploration is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. While the exploration of space is currently carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, its physical exploration is conducted both by uncrewed robotic space probes and human spaceflight. Space exploration, like its classical form astronomy, is one of the main sources for space science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Launch window</span> Time period during which a rocket must be launched in order to reach its intended target

In the context of spaceflight, launch period is the collection of days and launch window is the time period on a given day during which a particular rocket must be launched in order to reach its intended target. If the rocket is not launched within a given window, it has to wait for the window on the next day of the period. Launch periods and launch windows are very dependent on both the rocket's capability and the orbit to which it is going.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JAXA</span> Japans national air and space agency

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the Japanese national air and space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions such as asteroid exploration and possible human exploration of the Moon. Its motto is One JAXA and its corporate slogan is Explore to Realize.

Orbital Sciences Corporation was an American company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of small- and medium- class space and launch vehicle systems for commercial, military and other government customers. In 2014, Orbital merged with Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to create a new company called Orbital ATK, which in turn was purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2018.

New Millennium Program (NMP) was a NASA project with focus on engineering validation of new technologies for space applications. Funding for the program was eliminated from the FY2009 budget by the 110th United States Congress, effectively leading to its cancellation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Launch Alliance</span> Joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing

United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) is an American launch service provider formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The company designs, assembles, sells and launches rockets, but the company subcontracts out the production of rocket engines and solid rocket boosters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">THEMIS</span> NASA satellite of the Explorer program

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17</span> American space launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of spaceflight</span>

Spaceflight began in the 20th century following theoretical and practical breakthroughs by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Robert H. Goddard, and Hermann Oberth, each of whom published works proposing rockets as the means for spaceflight. The first successful large-scale rocket programs were initiated in Nazi Germany by Wernher von Braun. The Soviet Union took the lead in the post-war Space Race, launching the first satellite, the first animal, the first human and the first woman into orbit. The United States landed the first men on the Moon in 1969. Through the late 20th century, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and China were also working on projects to reach space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of space exploration</span> Overview of and topical guide to space exploration

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to space exploration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASA</span> American space and aeronautics agency

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. Established in 1958, it succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the U.S. space development effort a distinct civilian orientation, emphasizing peaceful applications in space science. It has since led most of America's space exploration programs, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the 1968–1972 Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station, and the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA supports the International Space Station (ISS) along with the Commercial Crew Program, and oversees the development of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System for the lunar Artemis program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAVEN</span> NASA Mars orbiter (2013–Present)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASA Launch Services Program</span> NASA program

The NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) is responsible for procurement of launch services for NASA uncrewed missions and oversight of launch integration and launch preparation activity, providing added quality and mission assurance to meet program objectives. LSP operates under the NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 in spaceflight</span>

In 2014, the maiden flight of the Angara A5, Antares 120 and Antares 130 took place.

USA-85, also known as GPS IIA-7, GPS II-16 and GPS SVN-32, was an American navigation satellite which formed part of the Global Positioning System. It was the seventh of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-117, also known as GPS IIA-16, GPS II-25 and GPS SVN-33, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the sixteenth of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars Orbiter Mission</span> Indian orbiter mission to Mars (2013–2022)

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), unofficially known as Mangalyaan, was a space probe orbiting Mars since 24 September 2014. It was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was India's first interplanetary mission and it made ISRO the fourth space agency to achieve Mars orbit, after Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency. It made India the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit and the second national space agency in the world to do so on its maiden attempt after the European Space Agency did in 2003. It also made India the fourth nation to orbit another planet after the United States, the Soviet Union, and ESA member states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power and Propulsion Element</span> Power and propulsion module for the Gateway space station

The Power and Propulsion Element (PPE), previously known as the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle propulsion system, is a planned solar electric ion propulsion module being developed by Maxar Technologies for NASA. It is one of the major components of the Lunar Gateway. The PPE will allow access to the entire lunar surface and a wide range of lunar orbits and double as a space tug for visiting craft.

References

  1. 1 2 "NASA's Launch Services Program NASA Facts" (PDF). NASA. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "LSP Brochure" (PDF). NASA's Launch Services Program. 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Chronology of NASA Expendable Vehicle Missions: 1990-2003" (PDF). NASA. 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (by year)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Past LSP Missions". LSP Education & Outreach. NASA. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (1999)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2000)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "NASA AWARDS LAUNCH SERVICES CONTRACTS FOR SMALL PAYLOADS" (PDF). NASA News Releases. NASA. 28 October 1998. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2001)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2002)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  11. ↑ "HESSI SPACECRAFT TO BE LAUNCHED ABOARD PEGASUS XL" (PDF). NASA News Releases. NASA. 10 December 1998. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2003)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2004)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2005)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  15. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2006)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "NASA Picks Delta II To Launch Medium-Class Payloads". NASA. NASA Newsroom. Dec 6, 2002. Retrieved 2 Feb 2016.
  17. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2007)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  18. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2008)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  19. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2009)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  20. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services for Lunar Mission". NASA News Releases. NASA. 2006-07-28. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  21. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2010)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  22. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2011)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  23. ↑ "NASA Selects Launch Services Provider for Juno Jupiter Mission". NASA News Releases. NASA. Oct 3, 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  24. ↑ "NASA Announces Mars Science Lab Mission Launch Contract". NASA. June 2, 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  25. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2012)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services for NuSTAR Mission to Orbital Sciences". NASA News Releases. NASA. Feb 9, 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract For Four Missions". NASA. Kennedy Space Center Newsroom. March 16, 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "NASA Awards Space Station Commercial Resupply Services Contracts". NASA. NASA Newsroom. Dec 23, 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  29. ↑ "NASA LSP Launch Vehicle Archives (2013)". NASA. 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "NASA Selects Launch Services Provider for Earth Imagery Satellite". NASA News Releases. NASA. October 3, 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  31. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract For Iris Mission". NASA. Kennedy Space Center Newsroom. June 8, 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  32. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for MAVEN Mission". NASA. Kennedy Space Center Newsroom. Oct 21, 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  33. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for OCO-2 Mission". NASA. Kennedy Space Center Newsroom. June 22, 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  34. 1 2 "NASA Selects Launch Services Contract for Three Missions". Kennedy News. NASA. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  35. ↑ "NASA Selects Launch Services Contract for Jason-3 Mission". Kennedy News. NASA. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  36. ↑ "NASA Selects Launch Services Contract for OSIRIS-REx Mission". NASA. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  37. 1 2 "NASA Awards Launch Contract for GOES-R and GOES-S Missions". Kennedy News. NASA.
  38. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for CYGNSS Mission". Kennedy Space Center. NASA. March 28, 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  39. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Next Tracking, Data Relay Satellite". Kennedy News. NASA. March 18, 2015.
  40. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite". NASA. 9 June 2016.
  41. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for InSight Mission". NASA. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  42. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Solar Probe Plus Mission". NASA. March 18, 2015.
  43. ↑ "NASA Selects Launch Services for ICESat-2 Mission". NASA. 5 June 2013.
  44. ↑ Kathryn Hambleton; George H. Diller (14 October 2015). "NASA Awards Venture Class Launch Services Contracts for CubeSat Satellites". NASA. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  45. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Ionospheric Connection Explorer". NASA. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  46. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Solar Orbiter Mission". NASA. 8 January 2020.
  47. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Mars 2020 Rover Mission". NASA. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  48. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Sentinel-6A Mission". NASA. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  49. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Landsat 9 Mission". NASA. Oct 19, 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  50. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Lucy Mission". NASA Kennedy Press Releases. NASA. January 31, 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  51. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Asteroid Redirect Test Mission". NASA. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  52. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Groundbreaking Astrophysics Mission". NASA. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  53. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Environmental Satellite Mission". NASA. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  54. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Service Contract for TROPICS Mission to Study Storm Processes". NASA. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  55. ↑ "NASA Awards Contract to Launch CubeSat to Moon from Virginia". NASA. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  56. ↑ "Inflatable Decelerator Will Hitch a Ride on the JPSS-2 Satellite". NASA. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  57. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Joint Polar Satellite System-2 Mission". NASA. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  58. ↑ Beutel, Allard (November 22, 2016). "NASA Selects Launch Services for Global Surface Water Survey Mission". NASA. NASA Newsroom. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  59. 1 2 "NASA Awards Launch Service Contract for TROPICS Mission to Study Storm Processes". NASA. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  60. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for the Psyche Mission - NASA" . Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  61. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Earth Science Mission". NASA. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  62. ↑ "NASA Launches Small Climate Satellite to Study Earth's Poles". NASA. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  63. ↑ "NASA Launches Second Small Climate Satellite to Study Earth's Poles". NASA. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  64. ↑ "NASA Announces Launch Service for Arctic Warming Experiment". NASA. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  65. ↑ Margetta, Robert (2021-09-10). "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for GOES-U Mission". NASA. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
  66. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Europa Clipper Mission". NASA. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.

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