2008 in spaceflight

This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on 2008 in spaceflight is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:

Related Sponsors

BM Pharmacy Generic pharmaceuticals at unbeatable prices. Insomnia, men's health, hair health, pain control. bmpharmacy.com
Online Pharmacy Carisoprodol, tadalafil, sildenafil, vardenafil and more... xlpharmacy.com
MedBasket.com Discreet. Inexpensive. Fast shipping. Great selection. What more can we say? medbasket.com
Frugalmed 2000 reasons to shop with us first. frugalmed.com
Ads by Tiva


 This article or section documents scheduled or expected spaceflights.
Details may change as the launch dates approach or more information becomes available.

Contents

Launches

This is a list of spaceflights launched, or scheduled to be launched in 2008, including the next scheduled launch.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
← Jan • Feb • Mar • Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug • Sep • Oct • Nov • Dec →
Launch date and time Rocket Launch
site		 Launch contractor Payload Operator Orbit Mission
function		 Re-entry or
destruction		 Outcome Remarks
11 January, 05:32 GMT[1] Flag of CanadaBlack Brant IX Flag of the United StatesLC-36, White Sands Flag of the United StatesNASA Flag of the United StatesLIDOS NASA/JHU Sub-orbital Ultraviolet astronomy 11 January, 05:42 GMT Successful Apogee: 315 km (196 mi)
15 January, 11:49 GMT[2] Flag of UkraineZenit-3SL Flag of NorwayOcean Odyssey Flag of the United NationsSea Launch Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThuraya 3 Thuraya GEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far
17 January[3] Flag of IsraelJericho III Flag of IsraelPalmachim Flag of IsraelIAF IAF Sub-orbital Missile test 17 January 2008 Successful
18 January, 07:30 GMT[4] Flag of CanadaBlack Brant XII Flag of NorwayAndøya Flag of the United StatesNASA Flag of the United StatesSCIFER-2 NASA/Cornell/Dartmouth Sub-orbital Ionospheric research 18 January 2008 Successful Apogee: 1,460 km (907 mi)
21 January, 03:45 GMT[2] Flag of IndiaPSLV-CA Flag of IndiaFLP, Sriharikota Flag of IndiaISRO Flag of IsraelPolaris (TechSAR) IAI LEO Radar imaging Still in orbit Successful so far
25 January[5] Flag of PakistanShaheen-I Flag of PakistanSonmiani Flag of PakistanPAF PAF Sub-orbital Missile test 25 January 2008 Successful
28 January, 00:18 GMT[2] Flag of RussiaProton-M Flag of KazakhstanLC-200/39, Baikonur Flag of RussiaRKA Flag of RussiaEkspress AM-33 RSCC GSO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far
31 January, 19:14 GMT[6] Flag of Brazil/Flag of the United StatesVS-30-Orion Flag of NorwayAndøya Flag of Germany/Flag of NorwayDLR/ARR Flag of the United KingdomHotPay-2 University of Leeds Sub-orbital Ionospheric research 31 January 2008 Successful Apogee: 380.6 km (236 mi)
January[7] Flag of the United StatesSM-3 Flag of the United StatesWhite Sands Flag of the United StatesUS Navy/MDA ABM US Navy/MDA Sub-orbital ABM test Within 15 minutes of launch Successful
4 February[8] Flag of IranSafir Flag of IranSemnan Flag of IranIARI Flag of IranKavoshgar-1 ISA Sub-orbital 4 February Successful
5 February, 13:02:54 GMT[2] Flag of RussiaSoyuz-U Flag of KazakhstanLC-1/5, Baikonur Flag of RussiaRKA Flag of RussiaProgress M-63 RKA LEO, docked to ISS Resupply ISS 7 April 2008, 11:50 GMT[9] Successful
6 February, 09:14:40 GMT[10] Flag of JapanS-310 Flag of JapanUchinoura Flag of JapanJAXA JAXA Sub-orbital Ionosphere research 6 February Successful
7 February, 11:30 GMT[11] Flag of BrazilVSB-30 Flag of SwedenEsrange Flag of Germany/Flag of EuropeDLR/ESA Flag of Germany/Flag of EuropeTEXUS-44 DLR/ESA Sub-orbital Microgravity research 7 February Successful Apogee: 264 km (164 mi)
7 February, 19:45:30 GMT[2] Flag of the United StatesSpace Shuttle Atlantis Flag of the United StatesLC-39A, Kennedy Flag of the United StatesUSA Flag of the United StatesSTS-122, 7 astronauts NASA LEO, docked to ISS Manned orbital flight 20 February 2008, 14:07:10 GMT[12] Successful ISS assembly flight
Flag of the United NationsColumbus ESA LEO, attached to ISS ISS component Still in orbit Successful so far
11 February, 11:34 GMT[2] Flag of RussiaProton-M Flag of KazakhstanLC-200/39, Baikonur Flag of the United NationsILS Flag of NorwayThor-5 Telenor Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far
21 February, 03:26 GMT[13] Flag of the United StatesSM-3 Flag of the United StatesUSS Lake Erie Flag of the United StatesUS Navy/MDA ASAT US Navy/MDA Sub-orbital ASAT satellite intercept 21 February, 03:29 GMT[13] Successful Destroyed USA-193 satellite[14][15]
21 February, 06:15 GMT[11] Flag of BrazilVSB-30 Flag of SwedenEsrange Flag of Germany/Flag of EuropeDLR/ESA Flag of Germany/Flag of EuropeTEXUS-45 DLR/ESA Sub-orbital Microgravity research 21 February Successful
23 February, 08:55 GMT[2] Flag of JapanH-IIA 2024 Flag of JapanPad Y, Tanegashima Flag of JapanMHI Flag of JapanWINDS (Kizuna) JAXA/NICT GEO Comsat/Technology development Still in orbit Successful so far
26 February, 07:28 GMT[16] Flag of IndiaK-15 Flag of IndiaINS Kalinga Flag of IndiaIndian Navy Indian Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test 26 February 2008 Successful
9 March, 04:03:07 GMT[2] Flag of EuropeAriane 5-ES Flag of FranceELA-3, CSG (Kourou) Flag of FranceArianespace Flag of EuropeATV-001 Jules Verne ESA LEO, docked to ISS Test spacecraft, resupply ISS 29 September 2008 Successful Maiden flight of Ariane 5-ES and ATV
11 March, 06:28:14 GMT[2] Flag of the United StatesSpace Shuttle Endeavour Flag of the United StatesLC-39A, Kennedy Flag of the United StatesUSA Flag of the United StatesSTS-123,
7 Astronauts		 NASA LEO, docked to ISS Manned orbital flight 00:39:08 GMT, 27 March 2008[17] Successful ISS assembly flight
Flag of Europe/Flag of the United StatesSpacelab MD002 Pallet[18] ESA/NASA LEO, attached to ISS and Endeavour Transport pallet for Dextre Successful Final flight of Spacelab programme[18]
Flag of the United NationsJEM ELM-PF JAXA LEO, attached to ISS ISS component Still in orbit Successful so far First of three components for the JEM
Flag of the United NationsDextre (SPDM) MDA LEO, attached to ISS ISS component Still in orbit Successful so far
13 March, 10:02 GMT[2] Flag of the United StatesAtlas V (411) Flag of the United StatesSLC-3E, Vandenberg AFB Flag of the United StatesULA Flag of the United StatesUSA-200 (NRO L-28/Trumpet)[19] NRO Molniya[19] ELINT[19] Still in orbit Successful so far First Atlas V launch from Vandenberg AFB
14 March, 23:18:55 GMT[2][20] Flag of RussiaProton-M/Briz-M Flag of KazakhstanLC-200/39, Baikonur Flag of Russia/Flag of the United StatesILS Flag of the United StatesAMC-14 SES Americom Intended: Geosynchronous
Actual: MEO		 Comsat Still in orbit Partial failure, still in operation Upper stage malfunction during second burn[21][22][23]
Recovery attempted but abandoned due to legal issues.[24][25] Later sold and recovery efforts restarted.[26]
15 March, 06:10 GMT[27] Flag of the United StatesDelta II (7925-9.5) Flag of the United StatesLC-17A, Cape Canaveral Flag of the United StatesULA Flag of the United StatesUSA-201 (GPS IIR-19/M6)[28] US Air Force MEO Navigation Still in orbit Successful so far 80th consecutive successful Delta II launch.[27]
19 March, 22:47:59 GMT[29][30] Flag of UkraineZenit 3SL Flag of NorwayOcean Odyssey Flag of the United NationsSea Launch Flag of the United StatesDirecTV-11 DirecTV GEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far
23 March, 04:45 GMT[31] Flag of IndiaAgni 1 Flag of IndiaLC-4, Wheeler Island[31] Flag of IndiaIndian Army SFC/DRDO Sub-orbital Missile test 23 March 2008 Successful[31]
27 March, 17:15 GMT[32] Flag of RussiaKosmos-3M Flag of RussiaLC-132/1,Plesetsk Flag of GermanyCOSMOS International Flag of GermanySAR-Lupe 4 KSA, Bundeswehr Polar LEO Military reconnaissance Still in orbit Successful so far
28 March Flag of BrazilVSB-30 Flag of NorwayAndoya Flag of NorwayARR Flag of NorwayMini-DUSTY 14 ARR Sub-orbital Ionospheric research 28 March Successful
2 April, 08:01 GMT[33] Flag of the United StatesMinuteman III Flag of the United StatesLF-09, Vandenberg AFB Flag of the United StatesUS Air Force Flag of the United StatesGT-196GM US Air Force Sub-orbital ICBM test 2 April 2008 Successful Range: 6,759 kilometres (4,200 mi)[33]
8 April, 11:16:39 GMT[9][34] Flag of RussiaSoyuz-FG Flag of KazakhstanLC-1/5, Baikonur Flag of RussiaRKA Flag of RussiaSoyuz TMA-12, 3 cosmonauts RKA LEO, docked to ISS Manned orbital flight Still in orbit Successful so far ISS Expedition 17[34]
First South Korean in space[9]
First second-generation cosmonaut[35]
Docked on 10 April at 12:57 GMT[34]
14 April, 16:58 GMT[36] Flag of CanadaBlack Brant IX Flag of the United StatesLC-36, White Sands Flag of the United StatesNASA Flag of the United StatesSEE NASA/UoC disambiguation needed LASP Sub-orbital Ultraviolet astronomy[37] 14 April, 17:08 GMT[36] Successful
14 April, 20:12:00 GMT[38] Flag of the United StatesAtlas V (421) Flag of the United StatesLC-41, Cape Canaveral Flag of the United StatesULA Flag of the United StatesICO G1 ICO Satellite Management Geosynchronous Mobile communications Still in orbit Successful so far Heaviest single commercial satellite to be placed in GSO.
Heaviest satellite to be launched by an Atlas rocket.[38]
15 April Flag of IsraelBlue Sparrow Flag of Israel/Flag of the United StatesF-15 Eagle, Israel Flag of IsraelIAF IAF Sub-orbital Test flight 15 April Successful Maiden flight of Blue Sparrow
16 April, 17:01 GMT[39] Flag of the United StatesPegasus-XL Flag of the Marshall IslandsL-1011, Kwajalein Atoll Flag of the United StatesOrbital Flag of the United StatesC/NOFS STP/NASA LEO Scientific electrodynamics satellite Still in orbit Successful so far
18 April, 22:17 GMT[40] Flag of EuropeAriane 5-ECA Flag of FranceELA-3, CSG (Kourou) Flag of FranceArianespace Flag of VietnamVinasat-1 VNPT GSO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far First Vietnamese satellite
Flag of BrazilStar One C2 Star One GSO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far
19 April[41][42] Flag of PakistanShaheen-II Flag of PakistanSonmiani Flag of PakistanArmy of Pakistan[43] Army of Pakistan[43] Sub-orbital IRBM test 19 April Successful
21 April[44] Flag of PakistanShaheen-II Flag of PakistanSonmiani Flag of PakistanArmy of Pakistan Army of Pakistan Sub-orbital IRBM test 21 April Successful
25 April, 15:35 GMT[45] Flag of the People's Republic of ChinaLong March 3C Flag of the People's Republic of ChinaLC-2, Xichang Flag of the People's Republic of ChinaCNSA Flag of the People's Republic of ChinaTianlian-1 CASC GEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Maiden flight of Long March 3C
26 April, 22:16:02 GMT[46] Flag of RussiaSoyuz-FG/Fregat Flag of KazakhstanLC-31/6, Baikonur Flag of Europe/Flag of RussiaStarsem Flag of EuropeGIOVE-B ESA MEO Experimental navigation satellite Still in orbit Successful so far
28 April, 03:53:51 GMT[47][48] Flag of IndiaPSLV-C Flag of IndiaSLP, Sriharikota Flag of IndiaISRO Flag of IndiaCartosat-2A[49] ISRO LEO Remote Sensing Still in orbit Successful so far
Flag of IndiaTWSAT[49] ISRO LEO Remote sensing Still in orbit Successful so far
Flag of CanadaCanX-2[50] UTIAS LEO Technology development[50] Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-4[51]
Flag of JapanCute-1.7+APD II[52] Tokyo Institute of Technology LEO Technology development Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-4[51]
Flag of the NetherlandsDelfi-C3[53] Delft University LEO Technology development Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-4[51]
Flag of DenmarkAAUSAT-II[54] Aalborg University LEO Radiation research[54] Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-4[51]
Flag of GermanyCOMPASS-1[55] Aachen University LEO Remote sensing
Technology demonstration		 Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-4[51]
Flag of JapanSEEDS-2[56] Nihon University LEO Technology development Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-4[51]
Flag of CanadaCanX-6[57] UTIAS/COM DEV LEO Technology demonstration Still in orbit Successful so far NSL-5[51]
Flag of GermanyRUBIN-8[58] OHB System LEO Technology demonstration Still in orbit Successful so far Attached to upper stage
28 April, 05:00 GMT[59] Flag of UkraineZenit-3SLB Flag of KazakhstanLC-45/1, Baikonur Flag of the United NationsLand Launch Flag of IsraelAMOS-3 (AMOS-60) Space Communications Ltd Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far First Land Launch contracted launch, maiden flight of Zenit-3SLB.
Placed in incorrect orbit due to carrier rocket underperformance."Израиль корит Роскосмос за невыполненные обязательства" (in Russian). Izvestia (2008-05-06). Retrieved on 2008-05-09.</ref> Corrected by satellite through use of spare fuel, without affecting operational life.
1 May, 05:30 GMT[60][61] Flag of CanadaBlack Brant IX Flag of the United StatesLC-36, White Sands Flag of the United StatesNASA NASA/JHU Sub-orbital Ultraviolet astronomy 1 May, 05:40 GMT Successful
6 May,[62] 18:00-20:00 GMT (TBC) Flag of the United StatesMesquito Flag of the United StatesLC-2, Wallops Island Flag of the United StatesNASA NASA Sub-orbital Test flight 6 May 2008 Successful Maiden flight of Mesquito
7 May, 04:26 GMT[63][64] Flag of IndiaAgni-III Flag of IndiaLC-4, ITR Flag of IndiaIndian Army SFC/DRDO Sub-orbital Missile test 7 May 2008, ~04:41 GMT Successful
7 May,[62] 18:00-20:00 GMT (TBC) Flag of the United StatesMesquito Flag of the United StatesLC-2, Wallops Island Flag of the United StatesNASA NASA Sub-orbital Test flight 7 May 2008 Failure Loss of stabilisation after burnout, fins detached during descent.[62]
8 May Flag of the United StatesTrident II