Space Security Index

Space Security 2011
78
Figure 4.1: Countries with independent orbital launch capability* 3
* Dark grey indicates an independent orbital launch capability and dots indicate launch sites.
Table 4.2: Countries’ first orbital launches
State/actor Year of first orbital launch Launch vehicle Satellite
USSR/Russia 1957 R-7 rocket Sputnik 1
USA 1958 Juniper-C Explorer 1
France* 1965 Diamant Astérix
Japan 1970 Lambda Osumi
China 1970 Long March Dong Fang Hong I
U.K.* 1971 Black Arrow Prospero X-3
India 1980 SLV Rohini
Israel 1988 Shavit Ofeq 1
Iran 2009 Safir-2 Omid
* France and the U.K. no longer conduct independent launches, but France’s CNES manufactures the Ariane launcher used by
Arianespace/ESA.
e trend toward miniaturization in electronics has helped to reduce the size and weight
of satellites, which can now perform the same functions as their bulkier predecessors, but
are produced and launched more cheaply. One of the rst microsatellites to implement
this technology was the U.S. Clementine lunar mission in 1994. In 2007, the Indian Space
Research Organisation announced plans to launch satellites weighing less than 100 kg to
meet the needs of developing countries and the domestic scienti c community. 4 Although
such satellites are generally less capable than larger spacecraft, microsatellites such as the
multinational Disaster Monitoring Constellation are increasingly used for functions
traditionally performed by larger, heavier satellites, including communications and remote
sensing.