Russia
2012 – ISS
The ISS is the largest spacecraft currently in orbit, measuring 109 meters (358 feet) long, with a mass of almost 419,500 kilograms (925,000 pounds). The station was developed and is operated by an international partnership of NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
2012 – Other Countries, Launch, Payload
In 2012, several smaller countries and organizations demonstrated their ability, or at least ambitions, to conduct an orbital space launch. The privately held Sea Launch company, which focuses on deploying commercial communications satellites to geosynchronous orbit (GEO), declared bankruptcy in 2010.
2012 – India Launch, Payload
In 2012, the Indian space program carried out ## launches, consistent with recent launch tempos for the Indian space program. India has worked to create and maintain an independent space launch capability and is poised to enhance its capabilities over the next several years with the development of a new cryogenic engine that will be used to power a new, larger final propulsion stage for India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
2012 – Europe Launch, Payload
Europe operates a three-member family of launch vehicles from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. The newest and smallest member of this family, Vega, carried out its inaugural launch in February 2012, placing several small scientific and technology demonstration satellites into orbit.
2012 – Russia Launch, Payload
Russia maintained its legacy as the world’s most prolific orbital launch operator in 2012. The Russian space program’s launches consisted mainly of cargo and crew transfer flights to the ISS and launches of commercial communications satellites. With little change anticipated in the amount of launch demand generated by these sources, Russia appears poised to retain its launch lead for the foreseeable future.
2012 – Orbital Launch Reports and Forecasts
Global launch activity in 2012 was similar to activity during the previous five years in both the total number and the balance between commercial and non-commercial payloads. Throughout 2012, there were ## orbital launch attempts, all but ## of which were fully or partially successful.
2012 – Russia Launch, Human
Russia has retained the ability to send cosmonauts into orbit since the launch of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, in 1961. Currently, Russia is the only nation ferrying people to and from the ISS. In addition to using its Soyuz spacecraft for ISS transportation, Russia also sells or barters transportation services to individuals and other ISS partner nations.