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Overview
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Spacecraft Launched

How many spacecrafts 
were launched?

In 2008, 111 spacecrafts were launched, 12 less than the previous year, and 1½ less than the last ten years average.
 
. Year 
2008		 Pre-
vious		 Last
Ten
Total 111 -12 -1½
. . . .
Civilian 84 = -2
Military 27 -12 +1


This graph shows that only 77 spacecrafts were launched In 2004, compared to 111 in 2008.
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Spacecraft's Nationality

For whom these space-
crafts were launched?

. Year
2008		 Pre-
vious		 Last 
Ten
Russian 21 +3 -1½
American 15 -17 -9
European 11 +2 =
Japanese 3 -3 -1½
Chinese 14 +5 +8
Indian 4 -1 +2
Canadian 3 +1 +2
Israelian 2 +1 +1½
Other Gov. 8 -4 +1
Commercial 23 +3 -5½
Amateur 7 -2 +1½
....
This graph shows that there were numerous sponsors for spacecrafts launched in 2008.
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Failures

How many failure had
occured during the year?

• 2 launches failed 
• 5 satellites were lost

In 2008, two rockets failed, a Russian's Proton (with a commercial satellite) and an American Falcon (with four satellites onboard). 
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Missions
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Civilian Spacecrafts

For what purpose 84 civilian spacecrafts were launched?

. Number Percent
Exploration: . .
• Piloted Flight 14 12.6%
• Sciences 9 8.1%
• Biology 0 0
• Planetary 1 0.9%
• Astronomy 2 1.8%
Applications: . .
• Communications 33 29.7%
• Meteorology 2 1.8%
• Remote Sensing 6 5.4%
• Material Proc. 0 0
R & D: . .
• Amateur 7 6.3%
• Technology 10 9.0%
. . .
Total 84  75.7%
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Military Satellites

For what purpose 27 military satellites were launched?

. Number Percent
Applications: . .
• Surveillance 8 7.2%
• Early Warning 2  1.8%
• Electronic Int. 3 2.7%
• Nuclear Mon. 0 0
• Ocean Survey 0 0
Services: . .
• Communications 4 3.6%
• Navigation 7 6.3%
• Radar Calib. 0 0
• Meteorology 0 0
R & D: . .
• Space Defense 0 0
• Antisatellite 0 0
• Piloted Flight 0 0
• Sci. & Tech. 3 2.7%
. . .
Total 27 24.3%
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Spacecraft Categories

To which categories are 
related these spacecrafts?

. Year
2008		 Pre-
vious		 Laet
Ten
Civilian: . . .
• Exploration 26 +4 +4½
• Applications 41 -3 -7
• R & D 17 -1 +½
. . . .
Military: . . .
• Applications 13 -1 +3½
• Services 11 -5 -1
• R & D 3 -6 -2
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This graph shows that three-quarter of the spacecrafts launched in 2008 were of civilian nature.
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Launch
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Rockets Launched

How many rockets
were launched?

. Number Percent
Russian 32 47.0%
American 15 22.1%
European 6 8.8%
Japanese 1 1.5%
Chinese 11 16.2%
Indian 3 4.4%
Other 0 0
. . .
Total 68 100%


This graph shows that only 53 rockets were launched In 2004, compared to 68 in 2008.

Launch Evolution
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How many rockets were launched compared to previous years?
.
. Num-
ber		 Pre-
vious		 Last 
Ten
Russian 32 +5 +4
American 15 -4 -7
European 6 = -1½
Japanese 1 -1 -1
Chinese 11 +1 +8
Indian 3 = +2
Other 0 -1 -½
. . . .
Total 66 = -½
Explanation: “In 2008, Russia launched 32 rockets, 5 more than the previous year, and 4 more than the last ten years average.”
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Satellite launched by

Which countries laun-
ched these spacecrafts?

. Number Percent
Russia 48 43.2%
U.S.A. 23 20.7%
Europe 11 9.9%
Japan 1 0.9%
Chinese 15 13.5%
India 13 11.7%
Other 0 0
. . .
Total 111 100%
Explanation: “In 2008, Russia launched 48 of the 111 spacecrafts, or 43%, launched during this year."
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This graph shows that 43% of all spacecrafts launched during 2008 were made by Russian rockets.
© Claude Lafleur, Spacecraft Encyclopedia, 2010
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© Claude Lafleur, 2004-10 Mes sites web: claudelafleur.qc.ca