List of orbital rocket launches (2012)

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This list leads 76 launchers starts and -startversuche of 2012 on, where an Earth orbit or escape path should be achieved. Atmospheric and suborbital test flights are not included. Manned missions and missile first flights are shown in bold .

In May and / or September 2012 there may have been one or two further failed attempts to launch the Iranian Safir missile .

Start list

January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December

Date ( UTC )	Missile type	Launch site	payload	Type / purpose	COSPAR ID
January 2012
Jan. 9, 2012 3:17 am	CZ-4B	Taiyuan 9	Ziyuan 3 VesselSat 2	Earth observation communication	01A 01B
Jan. 13, 2012 00:56	CZ-3A	Xichang 3	Fengyun-2F	Weather satellite	02A
Jan. 20, 2012 12:38 am	Delta IV	CCAFS 37B	WGS 4	Military communication	03A
Jan 25, 2012 11:06 PM	Soyuz-U	Baikonur 1/5	Progress M-14M	ISS supply	04A
February 2012
Feb 3, 2012 12:04 am	Safir	Semnan	Navid	Earth observation	05A
Feb 13, 2012 10:00	Vega maiden flight	CSG V	LARES ALMASat Masat-1 9 cubesats	Research technology testing TE / amateur radio ◻ University projects ◻	06A 06B 06E 06C , 06D , 06F , 06G ...
Feb 14, 2012 7:36 pm	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 200/39	SES-4	communication	07A
Feb 24, 2012 4:12 pm	CZ-3C	Xichang 2	Beidou G5	navigation	08A
Feb. 24, 2012 10:15 pm	Atlas V (551)	CCAFS 41	MUOS 1	Military communication	09A
March 2012
March 23, 2012 4:34 am	Ariane 5 ES	CSG A-3	ATV-3 "Edoardo Amaldi"	ISS supply	10A
March 25, 2012 12:10 PM	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 200/39	Intelsat 22	TV satellite	11A
March 30, 2012 5:49 am	Proton / Blk.D	Baikonur 81/24	Cosmos 2479	Oko early warning satellite	12A
March 31, 2012 10:27 am	CZ-3B	Xichang 2	Apstar-7	communication	13A
April 2012
April 3, 2012 11:12 PM	Delta IV	VAFB 6	NROL-25	enlightenment	14A
April 12, 2012 10:38 PM	Unha 3 first flight	Sohae	Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3	Earth observation	Failure
April 20, 2012 12:50 PM	Soyuz-U	Baikonur 31/6	Progress M-15M	ISS supply	15A
April 23, 2012 10:18 PM	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 200/39	YahSat 1B	communication	16A
April 26, 2012 12:17 am	PSLV-XL	SHAR 1	RISAT-1	Radar reconnaissance	17A
April 29, 2012 8:50 pm	CZ-3B	Xichang 2	Beidou M3, M4	2 × navigation	18A , 18B
May 2012
May 4, 2012 6:42 PM	Atlas V (531)	CCAFS 41	AEHF-2	Military communication	19A
May 6, 2012 7:10 am	CZ-2D	Jiuquan S-2	Ziyuan-1B	Earth observation	20A
May 10, 2012 7:06 am	CZ-4B	Taiyuan 9	Yaogan 14 Tiantuo 1	Earth observation, reconnaissance university project	21A 21B
May 15, 2012 3:01 am	Soyuz-FG	Baikonur 1/5	Soyuz TMA-04M	manned ISS mission	22A
May 15, 2012 10:13 PM	Ariane 5 ECA	CSG A-3	JCSat-13 Vinasat 2	Comm./TV communication	23A 23B
May 17, 2012 2:05 p.m.	Soyuz-U	Plesetsk 16/2	Cosmos 2480	military satellite ( Kobalt-M series)	24A
May 17, 2012 4:39 pm	H-IIA (202)	TNSC Y2	GCOM-W1 Kompsat 3 SDS 4 Horyu 2	TE / Earth observation Earth observation Technology testing Technology testing	25A 25B 25C 25D
May 17, 2012 7:12 pm	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 81/24	Nimiq 6	communication	26A
May 22, 2012 7:44 am	Falcon 9	CCAFS 40	Dragon COTS-2 Celestis 11	ISS supply space burial	27A 27B
May 26, 2012 3:56 pm	CZ-3B / E	Xichang 2	Chinasat 2A	communication	28A
May 29, 2012 7:31 am	CZ-4C	Taiyuan 9	Yaogan 15	Earth observation, reconnaissance	29A
June 2012
June 1, 2012 5:23 am	Zenit-3SL	Sea launch	Intelsat 19th	communication	30A
June 13, 2012 16:00	Pegasus-XL	Kwajalein	NuSTAR	X-ray telescope	31A
June 16, 2012 10:37 am	CZ-2F	Jiuquan S-1	Shenzhou 9	manned spaceship	32A
June 20, 2012 12:28 PM	Atlas V (401)	CCAFS 40	NROL-38	Military communication	33A
June 29, 2012 1:15 p.m.	Delta IV Heavy	CCAFS 37B	NROL-15	SIGINT	34A
July 2012
July 5, 2012 9:36 PM	Ariane 5 ECA	CSG A-3	EchoStar 17 MSG-3	Communication communication	35A 35B
July 9, 2012 6:38 pm	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 81/24	SES-5	communication	36A
July 15, 2012 2:40 am	Soyuz-FG	Baikonur 1/5	Soyuz TMA-05M	manned ISS mission	37A
July 21, 2012 2:06 am	H-II B	TNSC Y2	HTV-3 Fitsat-1 Raiko We wish F-1 TechEdSat 1	ISS supply University project ◻ University project ◻ University project ◻ University project ◻ University project ◻	38A 1998-067CP 1998-067CN 1998-067CS 1998-067CR 1998-067CQ
July 22, 2012 6:42 am	Soyuz-FG / Fri	Baikonur 31/6	Kanopus-Vulkan Zond-PP Belka 2 TET-1 ExactView 1	Earth observation Earth observation Earth observation Technology testing Location satellite	39A 39E 39B 39D 39C
July 25, 2012 3:43 PM	CZ-3C	Xichang 2	Tianlian 1-03	Track tracking / relay	40A
July 28, 2012 1:35 am	Rockot / Bris -KM	Plesetsk 133/3	Gonets-M3, M4 Kosmos 2481 Jubileiny 2 (MiR)	2 × communication military satellite university project	41B , 41D, 41A, 41C
August 2012
Aug 1, 2012 7:35 pm	Soyuz-U	Baikonur 1/5	Progress M-16M Sfera-53	ISS supply atmospheric research	42A 1998-067CM
Aug 2, 2012 8:54 pm	Ariane 5 ECA	CSG A-3	Intelsat 20 Hylas 2	Communication communication	43A 43B
Aug 6, 2012 7:31 pm	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 81/24	Telkom 3 Express MD2	Communication communication	44A 44B   Failure
Aug 19, 2012 6:55 am	Zenit-3SL	Sea launch	Intelsat 21	communication	45A
Aug 30, 2012 8:05 am	Atlas V (401)	CCAFS 41	Van Allen Probes	2 × research	46A , 46B
September 2012
Sep 9 2012 04:23	PSLV-CA	SHAR 1	Spot 6 Protieres	Earth observation technology testing	47A 47B
13 Sep 2012 21:39	Atlas V (401)	VAFB 3E	NROL-36 Elana VI • CSSWE 7 more	2 × SIGINT 4 university projects ◻ Research ◻ Cubesats ◻	48A , 48P 48D , 48E , 48F , 48G 48D 48B , 48C , 48H , 48J ...
17 Sep 2012 16:28	Soyuz-2 / Fri	Baikonur 31/6	MetOp-B	Weather satellite	49A
Sep 18 2012 19:10	CZ-3B / E	Xichang 2	Beidou M5, M6	2 × navigation	50A , 50B
28 Sep 2012 21:18	Ariane 5 ECA	CSG A-3	Astra 2F GSAT-10	Communication communication	51A 51B
29 Sep 2012 4:12 am	CZ-2D	Jiuquan S-2	VRSS-1	Earth observation	52A
October 2012
Oct. 4, 2012 12:10 pm	Delta IV	CCAFS 37B	GPS 2F-3	navigation	53A
Oct 8, 2012 12:35 am	Falcon 9	CCAFS 40	Dragon CRS-1 Orbcomm 101	ISS supply communication	54A 54B   Partial success
Oct 12, 2012 6:15 pm	Soyuz-ST / Fri	CSG S	Galileo FM3, FM4	2 × navigation	55A , 55B
Oct 14, 2012 3:25 am	CZ-2C	Taiyuan 9	Shijian 9	2 × TE	56A , 56B
Oct 14, 2012 8:37 am	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 81/24	Intelsat 23	communication	57A
Oct 23, 2012 10:51 am	Soyuz-FG	Baikonur 31/6	Soyuz TMA-06M	manned ISS mission	58A
Oct 25, 2012 3:33 PM	CZ-3C	Xichang 2	Beidou G6	navigation	59A
Oct. 31, 2012 7:41 am	Soyuz-U	Baikonur 1/5	Progress M-17M	ISS supply	60A
November 2012
Nov 2, 2012 9:04 pm	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 81/24	Luck 5B Jamal 300K	Communication communication	61A 61B
Nov 10, 2012 9:05 pm	Ariane 5 ECA	CSG A-3	Eutelsat 21B Star One C3	Communication communication	62B 62A
Nov 14, 2012 11:42 am	Soyuz-2 / Fri	Plesetsk 43/4	Meridian 6	Military communication	63A
Nov 18, 2012 10:53 p.m.	CZ-2C	Taiyuan 9	Huanjing 1C Xinyan-1 Fengniao 1, 1A	Earth observation technology testing technology testing	64A 64C 64B
Nov 20, 2012 6:31 pm	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 200/39	Echostar 16	Broadcasting satellite	65A
Nov 25, 2012 4:06 am	CZ-4C	Jiuquan S-2	Yaogan 16	3 × Earth observation, 3 ×reconnaissance	66A , 66B , 66C
Nov 27, 2012 10:13 am	CZ-3B	Xichang 2	Chinasat 12	communication	67A
December 2012
Dec 2, 2012 2:02 am	Soyuz-ST / Fri	CSG S	Pléiades-1B	Earth observation	68A
Dec 3, 2012 8:43 pm	Zenit-3SL	Sea launch	Eutelsat 70B	communication	69A
Dec 8, 2012 1:13 p.m.	Proton / Bris	Baikonur 200/39	Jamal 402	Broadcasting satellite	70A - partial success
Dec 11, 2012 6:03 pm	Atlas V (501)	CCAFS 41	X-37 OTV-3	experimental spaceplane	71A
Dec 12, 2012 12:49 am	Unha-3	Sohae	Kwangmyŏngsŏng 3-2	Earth observation	72A
Dec 18, 2012 4:12 pm	CZ-2D	Jiuquan S-2	Göktürk 2	Earth observation	73A
Dec 19, 2012 12:12 p.m.	Soyuz-FG	Baikonur 1/5	Soyuz TMA-07M	manned ISS mission	74A
Dec 19, 2012 9:49 pm	Ariane 5 ECA	CSG A-3	Skynet 5D Mexsat 3	Communication communication	75A 75B

Type / purpose: The abbreviation “TE” stands for “Technologieerprobung”, ie testing new satellite technology ; the ◻ symbol indicates CubeSats . See Satellite Types for further explanation.

Failures and partial successes

1. ↑ The rocket broke or exploded about two minutes after launch (according to Asia One , April 13, 2012).
2. ↑ According to the official investigation report, a defective component caused pressure fluctuations in the helium system, which, among other things , pressurizes the tanks of the Bris-M upper stage. As a result, the stage engine switched off again shortly after the third ignition. Instead of the planned geostationary orbits , the two satellites were deployed in unusable low earth orbits. ( Russian Space Web ; Orbits per Space-Track.org)
3. ↑ One of the Falcon 9's nine first stage engines failed 79 seconds after takeoff. The rocket is designed in such a way that it can still carry out its mission with eight functioning engines. However, the probability of success fell to only 95%, which is why the CRS mission to protect the ISS was automatically canceled and the second stage was no longer ignited. This left Orbcomm's secondary payload in an orbit that was too low; the satellite burned up in the atmosphere just two days later. ( Spaceflight Now , October 11, 2012; re-entry of the satellite via Space-Track.org)
4. ↑ A turbo- pump bearing of the Bris-M upper stage engine was probably damaged. As a result, the engine failed after its fourth ignition and the satellite was placed in too low an orbit. He then reached the target orbit through additional orbital maneuvers with its own drive. ( Russian Space Web )

Further remarks

1. ↑ The container with the mini urns was attached to the upper stage of the rocket and fell back to earth with it after 36 days.
2. ↑ ^{a b} These small satellites were brought to the ISS and launched into space from there. Your Cospar IDs are derived from the ISS ID ( 1998-067A ). These satellites may not be included in databases such as the NSSDC catalog .
3. ↑ Fengniao 1 (64B) was supposed to launch a sub-satellite, but it could not be identified.

Web links

• Worldwide launch log - Spaceflight Now
• Space Exploration in 2012 - Russian Space Web (English)
• Orbital Launches of 2012 - Gunter's Space Page
• Space Launch Report 2012 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Iran probably had a satellite launch failure in late May . Serandata, September 26, 2012.
2. ↑ Fajr on Gunter's Space Page, accessed October 20, 2019.