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Russian space program in 2012 Russian space activities in 2012 were to be highlighted by the renewal of the nation's orbital remote-sensing assets. As of the beginning of the year, the Russian Ministry of Defense was expected to launch two new reconnaissance satellites -- Bars and Persona -- in the spring and in November and the Russian space agency was to receive a replacement to the Resurs-DK spacecraft in August. However in the course of 2012, both of the latter missions had to be postponed to 2013. At least one new weather-forecasting satellite was also expected to fly. (562) With the launch of Kanopus-V, Zond-PP, BKA and Yubileiny-2 (MiR) satellites during 2012, Russia deployed as many as nine Earth-watching cameras in orbit. As of 2012, the operational constellation of Russian satellites included 118 spacecraft, according to the official numbers. (The statistics probably counted dual-purpose spacecraft as two vehicles.) For missions in 2011 click here KEY EVENTS IN SPACE PROGRAM AND ROCKETRY IN 2012: Jan. 1: NASA's GRAIL B spacecraft enters lunar orbit. Jan. 15: A stranded Phobos-Grunt spacecraft reenters the Earth atmosphere. Jan. 27: An 11-meter asteroid 2012 BX34 passes within 60,000 kilometers from Earth. April 4: The Antei-2500 system successfully intercepts a target cruise missile during test in Kapustin Yar. May 9: The Missile Defense Agency, MDA, and a US Navy ship Lake Erie (CG 70) successfully conducted a flight test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, BMD, system, resulting in the first intercept of a short-range ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean by the Navy’s newest Missile Defense interceptor, the Standard Missile-3, SM-3, Block 1B. June 18: China's Shenzhou-9 spacecraft with Jing Haipeng, Liu Yang and Liu Wang onboard docks with the Tiangong-1 space station. (The mission objective first announced in 2010.) Aug. 6, 05:31 GMT: NASA's Curiosity rover lands inside Gale crater on Mars. September: NASA to conduct a second test launch of a launch vehicle (Ares I) for the Crew Exploration Vehicle, (Orion) spacecraft. (As of June 2006; the program canceled at the beginning of 2010.) Oct. 16, 12:01 Moscow Time: The 53T6 missile-interceptor from the A-135 system flies a successful test mission from the Sary Shagan site. Dec. 13, 16:30:09 Beijing Time: China's Chang'e-2 probe flew as close as 3.2 kilometers from asteroid Toutatis. Dec. 17: A pair of Grail, Gravity Recovery and Internal Laboratory, spacecraft slammed into a two-kilometer-high mountain on the far side of the Moon near the north pole. Dec. 31: The last chance for a private company to claim a $20-million prize of the X-Prize Foundation for soft-landing a rover on the Moon, capable of moving and relaying images to Earth. (Set in September 2007)
The world's orbital launch attempts in 2012 (as of July 18, 2024 ):
*designed to remain attached to the upper stage; **Orbcomm payload left in wrong orbit and lost due to a launch vehicle engine failure
The 2012 space launch score card (as of July 18, 2024 ):
**Partial success; Orbcomm payload left in wrong orbit and lost due to a launch vehicle engine failure UNREALIZED SPACE MILESTONES WHICH WERE EXPECTED IN 2012: NASA to launch Space Technology 9 satellite to test new systems for future missions. (As of 2007) Japan to send a lander on the surface of the Moon. (A Sept. 2007 statement by Manabu Kato, chief scientist of the Kaguya project) NASA to launch "human precursor missions" to Mars. (2004, later delayed?) NASA to launch Soil Moisture Active-Passive remote-sensing satellite into the Earth orbit. (A 2009 budget proposal) US and UK to launch one of two Moon orbiters within the Magnolia project. (As of end of 2007. In August 2007, the mission was promised in 2010) China and France was to launch Small Explorer for Solar Eruptions to observe solar maximum (according to a science development plan released in March 2007, the launch was expected in 2011.) Dec. 31: The last chance for a private company to claim a $20-million prize of the X-Prize Foundation for soft-landing a rover on the Moon, capable of moving and relaying images to Earth. (Set in September 2007) REASSIGNED RUSSIAN MISSIONS OF 2012: By mid-2012: According to original plans Ariane-5 or Soyuz-ST rocket were to launch the 2,900-kilogram Arsat-1 communications satellite for Empresa Argentina de Soluciones Satelitales Sociedad Anonima from Kourou. Arianespace announced the launch contract on June 28, 2010. Arsat-1 will be equipped with twelve 36 MHz, eight 54 MHz and four 72 MHz transponders, all in Ku band. It will offer a wide range of telecommunications, data transmission, telephone and television services mainly across all of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. The satellite is being built by the Argentine company INVAP, with Astrium and Thales Alenia Space as leading equipment suppliers. Before the end of 2012, the satellite was assigned to fly on Ariane-5 in the middle of 2013. June: An AzerSat communications satellite to be launched on Proton, Zenit or Ariane-5 rocket for the government of Azerbaijan. The spacecraft is to be built by Orbital Sciences Corp. (As of February 2010. The launch was originally planned for December 2011.) Before the end of 2012, the satellite was assigned to fly on Ariane-5 in January-February 2013. Late 2012: Europe's Ariane-5 or Soyuz-2 rocket to launch Mexsat-3 communictions satellite from Kourou for Mexican government’s communications and transport administration, Secretara de Comunicaciones y Transportes. Mexsat 3 will be built by U.S. satellite manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation. With a mass at liftoff of nearly 3,050 kg, it will carry extended C-band and Ku-band transponders. The satellite will provide next generation communications services throughout the country from its 114.9 degree West longitude orbital slot. Mexsat 3 will have an in-orbit lifetime of over 15 years. Arianespace announced that it won a contract to launch Mexsat 3 on Sept. 29, 2011. Before November 2012, the satellite was assigned to fly on Ariane-5 rocket in December 2012. Second quarter: Ariane 5 or a Soyuz-ST to launch VINASAT-2, for Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) from Kourou. A launch contract with the satellite developer -- Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) -- was announced on June 14, 2010. By May 2012, VINASAT-2 was assigned to Ariane-5 with a projected launch date on May 15, 2012. A Russian submarine-launched rocket was originally expected to lift an EXPERT reentry demonstrator for the European Space Agency in October 2010. However during 2010, the mission was delayed to the summer of 2011 and by mid-2011 slipped to spring 2012. According to ESA, in 2012, funding was provided by the ESA General Studies Programme (GSP) to support Thales Alenia Space Italy in carrying out analyses to identify an alternative launch system. The availability of alternative launch systems on the Russian side appears doubtful because of the evolution of the Russian Ministry of Defence policy not to use military systems for civil space missions. A Technical Assistance Agreement to evaluate Expert launch options with US industry and NASA was approved by the US Department of State. Technical discussions with Orbital Sciences for the evaluation of alternative launch vehicles have started. The mission was later re-assigned to the European Vega launcher. CANCELED MISSIONS OF 2012: Mid 2012: Arianespace was to launch the OHO-1 communications satellite for a new satellite services operator OverHorizon onboard either Ariane-5 or Soyuz rocket from Kourou. OHO-1 was to be produced jointly by Orbital Sciences Corporation and Thales Alenia Space. Orbital was expected to supply the Star 2.3 satellite bus, which would have a liftoff mass of approximately 3,200 kilograms with its payload provided by Thales Alenia Space. The launch contract for the mission was signed on March 18, 2010, however the mission was canceled sometimes before September 2012. Delayed from early 2011: A Proton M with Briz M upper stage to launch the EuropaSat communications satellite for Inmarsat. Thales Alenia Space of France is developing satellite, using its Spacebus 4000C3 platform. The spacecraft working in S-band mode will provide mobile broadcast and two-way telecommunications services throughout Europe. The spacecraft will have a mass of about 5,700 kilograms. (The contract for the mission was announced on August 22, 2008.) Before November 2012, Inmarsat first delayed and then canceled the EuropaSat project replacing it with three launches of Proton for the Global Express program. Postponed from December 2010: A Proton to launch SkyTerra 2 comsat from Baikonur. The spacecraft was built by Boeing for SkyTerra LLC. The contract was later terminated.
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