Our image shows ESA's astrometrical satellite Hipparcos.

1962 April 26

Ariel 1 (UK) investigated Solar UV and X-radiation, and obtained an energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays.

1964 March 27

Ariel 2 (UK) Radio astronomy

1966 April 8 (Atlas-Agena D)

Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) 1 (Nasa). Active for 3 days.

1967 May 5

Ariel 3 (UK) Radio astronomy

1968 July 4

Explorer 38 (RAE-1) (Nasa). Radio Astronomy Explorer. Deployed four 230-m antennae, discovered Earth's radio radiation.

1968 December 7 (Atlas-Centaur)

OAO 2 (Nasa). 11 UV telescopes, discovered a supernova (May 1972)

1970 November 30 (Atlas-Centaur)

OAO-B (Nasa). Launch failure (fell into Atlantic).

1970 December 12 (Scout-B, from Italy's San Marco maritim platform near Kenia's coast)

Explorer 42 (SAS-1, SAS-A, Uhuru) (Nasa) First X-ray satellite observatory.
Uhuru page at HEASARC (GSFC, Nasa)

1971 December 11

Ariel 4 (UK) Radio astronomy

1972 March 12

TD-1A (ESA). Thor Delta satellite 1A. UV, X-ray and Gamma-ray instruments. TD-1A page (HEASARC)

1972 August 21 (Atlas-Centaur)

OAO 3(=OAO-C, Copernicus) (Nasa). 80-cm UV telescope, then the heaviest scientific US payload (2220 kg).
OAO-3 (Copernicus) page (HEASARC)

1972 November 15 (Scout-B, from San Marco)

Explorer 48 (SAS-2, SAS-B) (Nasa). Gamma-ray spark-chamber telescope. SAS 2 page (HEASARC)

1973 June 10 (Thor-Agena Delta)

Explorer 49 (RAE-2) (Nasa) Radio Astronomy Explorer. Lunar orbit.

1974 August 30

ANS-1 (Netherlands) UV, X-ray astronomy ANS page (HEASARC)

1974 October 15

Ariel 5 (UK) X-ray astronomy Ariel 5 page (HEASARC)

1975 April 19

Aryabhata (India): Indian Scientific Satellite. Measured X-rays from Milky Way and extragalactic regions, besides Solar and ionosphere observations Aryabhata homepage (HEASARC)

1975 May 5

Explorer 53 (SAS-3, SAS-C) (Nasa). X-ray telescope. SAS 3 page (HEASARC)

1975 August 9

COS-B (ESA) X-ray, Gamma-ray. COS-B page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)

1977 August 12 (Atlas-Centaur)

High Energy Astronomical Observatory (HEAO) 1 (Nasa) X-ray, Gamma-ray telescopes.
HEAO-1 page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)

1978 January 26 (Thor-Delta)

International Ultraviolett Explorer (IUE) (ESA, Nasa, UK) 45-cm UV telescope Working for over 18 years; shut down and destroyed from healthy state on September 30, 1996, 18:42 UT, because of funding reasons. IUE homepage (GSFC/Nasa), IUE homepage (ESA), Images from IUE (STScI)

1978 November 13

HEAO 2 (Einstein) (Nasa) X-ray telescope. HEAO-2 (Einstein) page (HEASARC)

1979 February 21

Hakucho (Japan) Known as CORSA-b before launch on ; X-ray satellite. Hakucho homepage (HEASARC)

1979 February 24

P78-1 (Nasa) Shot down in USAF anti-satellite weapons test on September 13, 1985. P78-1 homepage (HEASARC)

1979 June 2

Ariel 6 (UK) X-ray astronomy. Ariel 6 page (HEASARC)

1979 June 7 (Intercosmos)

Bhaskara-I (India) Primarily an Earth observing satellite, it also carried an All-Sky monitor similar to Ariel-V. Bhaskara 1 info (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and ISRO)

1979 September 20

HEAO 3 (Nasa) Gamma-ray satellite. HEAO-3 page (HEASARC)

1981 February 20

Tenma (Japan). Known as Astro B prior to launch; X-ray satellite. Tenma homepage (HEASARC)

1983 January 26 (Delta 3910)

IRAS, Infra Red Astronomical Satellite (Nasa, Netherlands). IRAS homepage (IPAC, Caltech)

1983 March 23 (Proton D-1-e)

Astron-1 (USSR) Astrophysical satellite with an 80-cm UV telescope. Astron page (HEASARC)

1983 May 26 (Delta 3914)

Exosat (European X-ray Observatory Satellite, ESA). Exosat data center at ESTEC; Exosat homepage at HEASARC (GSFC/Nasa)

1987 February 5

Ginga (Japan); known as Astro-C prior to launch. X-ray satellite. Ginga homepage (ISAS), Ginga homepage (HEASARC)

1989 August 8 (Ariane 44 LP)

Hipparcos. Astrometric satellite. Although launched successfully, the spacecraft didn't achieve its desied high orbit. Nevertheless, it was highly successful and measured 118,000 star positions at 0.001 arc seconds acuracy, plus over 1 million positions at 0.025 arc seconds. Hipparcos homepage (ESTEC, NL; Esa)

1989 November 11 (Delta)

COsmic Background Explorer (COBE) Cobe Project homepage

1989 December 1 (D-1-e Proton)

Granat (USSR); Gamma ray observatory satellite. Granat homepage (HEASARC)

1990 April 5 (Space Shuttle STS-37, Atlantis F-8)

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) (originally GRO) Compton Gamma Ray Observatory homepage, COMPTEL Collaboration

1990 April 24 (Space Shuttle STS-31)

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (Nasa, ESA). Launched with improperly designed optics. Refurbished December 1993, STS-61. Further service missions were flown in February 1997 (SM-2, STS-82), December 1999 (SM-3A, STS-103), and in March 2001 (SM-3B, STS-109), a final service mission is currently scheduled for April 2008 (SM-4, STS-125). Hubble Project Homepage (GSFC/Nasa) Hubble Space Telescope homepage (STScI); Latest results; HST image archive at SEDS

1990 June 1 (Delta II)

Rosat (Roentgen Satellite) Rosat homepage at the MPE Garching; Rosat Homepage (HEASARC)

1990 July 11 (SL-4 Soyuz)

Gamma (USSR); Gamma ray astronomy. Gamma homepage (HEASARC)

1990 December 2 (STS-35, STS Columbia)

Astro-1 Space Shuttle mission, landed December 11, 1990. Carried several telescopes: UIT, BBXRT. BBXRT homepage (HEASARC)

1991 July 17 (Ariane 40)

SARA (French Highschool of Engeneers in Electrotechnics and Electronics, ESIEE). Radio astronomy.

1992 June 2 (Delta II)

Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) EUVE CEA homepage; EUVE homepage (HEASARC)

1992 July 31 (STS Atlantis)

Eureca (ESA) European Retrievable Carrier (reusable satellite). Carried Watch, the Wide-Angle Telescope for Cosmic Hard X-rays (of 6-150 keV energy). Retrieved STS Endeavour on July 1, 1993. Eureca homepage (HEASARC)

1993 February 20 (Mu-3 S2)

ASCA, Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics, Asuka (formerly Astro-D, Japan). X-ray telescopes. ASCA page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)

1993 April 25 (Pegasus)

Alexis (DoE, USA). Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors. Built and controlled from LANL. Alexis homepage (LANL)

1994 November 1

GGS-Wind. Carried TGRS (Transient Gamma Ray Spectrometer). GGS-WIND homepage (HEASARC)

1995 March 18 (H-II)

IRTS/SFU (Japan). Infrared Telescope Satellite/Space Flyer Unit. IRTS homepage

1995 November 4

Surfsat. Student-built radio astronomical satellite

1995 November 17 (Ariane 44P)

ISO, Infrared Space Observatory (ESA). ISO homepage (ESTEC); ISO homepage at IPAC/Caltech

1995 December (Delta II)

Rossi X-rays Timing Explorer. XTE homepage (HEASARC)

1996 April 24 (Delta II)

MSX (US Navy): Midcourse Space Experiment. Carried IR instruments sensitive for radiation of 4.2 to 26 microns (micrometers) wavelength. MSX homepage (Navy Research Lab); MSX homepage (IPAC, Caltech); MSX Celestial Background page; MSX Celestial Background team

1996 April 30 (Atlas-Centaur)

SAX, Italian X-ray sat. SAX homepage (ASI), BeppoSAX page (TeSRE), SAX homepage (HEASARC)

1997 February 12

HALCA, VSOP, Muses-B (Japan): Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy, VLBI Space Observatory Program. Radioastronomical satellite, carrying an 8-meter antenna to allow VLBI. Muses-B project info page at ISAS; Muses-B homepage; VSOP homepage

1997 April 21

Minisat 1 (Spain) carries the Low Energy Gamma-Ray Imager (LEGRI). Minisat homepage, LEGRI homepage (GSFC), Legri homepage (Univ. Valencia)

1998 December 5 (Pegasus XL/L-1011)

SWAS, Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite. Investigates water, molecular oxygen, CO, and atomic C emissions from interstellar clouds. In Nasa's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. SWAS homepage (GSFC)

1999 February 23 (Delta)

ARGOS (Advanced Research and Global Observations Satellite). Carries the Unconventional Stellar Aspect (USA) experiment.

1999 March 4 1999 (Pegasus)

WIRE (Wide Field Infrared Explorer). In Nasa's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. This small satellite failed shortly after a flawless launch because of electronic failure destroying its cooling system. Some optical astronomy was still possible with the 5-cm guiding telescope. WIRE homepage (IPAC/Caltech), Wire page at GSFC (within the SMEX program), WIRE page at Cornell U.

1999 April 28 (Cosmos-3M)

ABRIXAS ("A Broad-Band Imaging All-Sky Survey", Germany) X-ray satellite. Failed during second day in orbit because of power supply failure. ABRIXAS homepage (MPE)

1999 June 24 (Delta)

FUSE (Nasa): Far UV Spectroscopic Explorer. FUSE homepage

1999 July 23 (Space Shuttle STS-93)

Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) (Nasa). Developed as Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). X-ray satellite. AXAF info from Harvard; Chandra XRO homepage (HEASARC); Chandra Homepage (Nasa); Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center (Harvard)

1999 December 10 (Ariane 5)

XMM Newton (ESA): High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy mission. XMM homepage (ESA); XMM Newton Science Operations Center (ESA Villafranca, Spain)

2000 February 10

Astro-E (Japan). Complex X-ray observatory. Lost during launch attempt. Succeeded by Astro-E2 (see below). Astro E page (HEASARC)

2000 October 9 (Pegasus)

HETE-2: High Energy Transient Explorer. To detect GRBs and observe in X-ray and Gamma ray radiation. HETE-2 Homepage (HEASARC)

2001 June 30 (Delta II 7425-10)

MAP: Microwave Anisotropy Probe. MAP homepage

2002 October 17

Integral (ESA, Russia, Nasa): International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory. X- and Gamma ray observatory (15 keV to 10 MeV at a resolution of 12 arc minutes). Integral homepage (ESA)

2003 January 12

CHIPSat (GSFC/Nasa/U Berkeley): Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer. Carries out all-sky spectroscopy of the diffuse background at wavelengths from 90 to 260 Angstrom. CHIPSat homepage (U Berkeley)

2003 April 28 (Pegasus XL)

GALEX (JPL/Nasa): Galaxy Evolution Explorer. UV imaging and spectroscopic survey mission. GALEX homepage (Caltech), GALEX page (JPL)

2003 June 30

MOST (Canada): Microvariability and Oscillations of STars. Successfully launched from Plesetsk, Russia into a 820-km orbit. Carries a small (15-cm aperture) telescope, to look for tiny light variations at stars in order to detect e.g. small-amplitude star oscillations or occultations by planets. MOST homepage (Univ. British Columbia)

2003 August 25 (Delta 7920H)

Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) (JPL/Nasa): Developed as Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Large IR telescope in a sophistivated Solar orbit. SIRTF homepage (JPL)

2004 November 20 (Delta II 7320)

Swift (GSFC/Nasa). Multi-wavelength mission to study Gamma-Ray Bursts in X-ray and UV/optical. Swift homepage (GSFC)

2005 July 10 (M-V-6)

Suzaku, Astro-E2 (Japan): X-ray astronomy for 0.4-700 keV radiation. Backup for lost Astro-E. Astro E2 homepage (ISAS); Astro-E2 page (HEASARC)

2006 February 26 (M-V)

Akari, Astro-F, IRIS (Japan): Infrared Imaging Surveyor. IRIS homepage (ISAS)

December 27, 2006 (Soyuz-Fregat)

CoRoT (ESA): Mission for photometric detection of rocky planets around nearby stars. CoRoT overview (ESA)

2007 April 23 (PSLV-C8)

Agile (ASI, Italy). AGILE - Astro-rivelatore Gamma a Immagini LEggero. Successfully launched with a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from Sriharikota, India. Gamma-ray astronomy satellite, measuring photons of energy above 100 MeV. Agile Homepage (INAF)

2008 June 11 (Delta 2)

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, GLAST (GSFC/Nasa): Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope. Successfully launched from KSC Pad 17-B. Renamed Fermi on August 26, 2008 after first successful operations. Studies the universe in photon enrgy range of 8 keV to 300 GeV, in particular Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). GLAST homepage

2009 March 6 (Delta 2)

Kepler (Nasa): Space-based search for extrasolar planets. Kepler Homepage

2009 May 14 (Ariane 5, together with Planck)

Herschel, FIRST (Esa): Far IR and Submillimeter Space Telescope (85 to 900 microns). Herschel homepage (ESA)

2009 May 14 (Ariane 5, together with Herschel)

Planck, former COBRAS/SAMBA (ESA): Cosmic Background Radiation Anisotropy Satellite/Satellite for Measurement of Background Anisotropy. Planck homepage (ESA)

2009 December 14 (Delta 2)

WISE (Nasa): Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. WISE homepage (Berkeley)

2010 April 15 (GSLV)

HealthSat, GSAT-4 (Israel/India): Failed to achieve Earth orbit. Was to carry the UV telescope TAUVEX (Tel Aviv University Ultraviolet Explorer), originally scheduled as Israeli part of SXG. TAUVEX homepage (Indian Institute of Astrophysics)

2011 July 18 (Zenit 2-Fregat-SB)

RadioAstron, Spektr R (Russia): Radio astronomy satellite: 10m radio telescope. Successfully launched into a highly elliptical orbit. RadioAstron Project Web Site (RSSI)

2012 June 13 (OSC Pegasus)

NuSTAR (Nasa): Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. High energy X-ray observations. NuSTAR homepage (Nasa), NuSTAR homepage (Caltech)

2013 December 19 (Soyuz-Fregat)

GAIA (ESA): Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics. Astrometrical satellite, intended to improve the accuracy and extend the Hipparcos survey. To operate near Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2. GAIA homepage (ESA)

2015 May (PSLV)

Astrosat 1 (India): UV and X-ray observations. For surveys and simultaneous observations at different wavelengths, spectroscopy and variability studies. Astrosat Homepage (ISRO)

2015 July (Vega)

LISA Pathfinder (ESA): To be placed into a Halo orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrange point L1. Testing concepts for gravitational wave detection to prepare LISA mission. LISA Pathfinder homepage (ESA)

2015 (Soyuz-Fregat)

Spektr-RG, SRG, SXG (Nasa/Russia): Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma, Spectrum-X-Gamma. SXG homepage

2018 (Ariane V)

JWST, NGST: James Webb Space Telescope, New Generation Space Telescope. JWST homepage (GSFC, Nasa); JWST homepage (Nasa)

2015

SAFIR (JPL/Nasa): Single Aperture Far-Infrared Observatory, JPL/Nasa. Primary mirror of 5-10 meters diameter, cryogenic system. SAFIR home (JPL)

2018 (Delta IV)

LISA: Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. Three identical spacecraft. L-class mission. LISA homepage (NASA); LISA homepage (ESA)

2018 (Ariane V)

XEUS (ESA): X-ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy mission. To be launched by Ariane V in 2015, into an orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2. XEUS homepage; XEUS mission page (ESA)

After 2020 (Delta-3)

SIM Lite: Space Interferometer Mission. SIM homepage (JPL/Nasa)

2020

Euclid (ESA) Mapping the geometry of the dark universe; remote galaxies and clusters. 5-year mission, Halo orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrange point, L2. M-class mission. Euclid home (ESA)

2020

PLATO, PLAnetary Transit and Oscillations of stars (ESA). 6-year mission, large amplitude libration orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrangian point, L2. M-class mission. Plato home (ESA)

2021

IXO, International X-ray Observatory, former Constellation X (GSFC/Nasa): Large X-ray orbital observatory with an array of X-ray telescopes. Constellation X homepage

TBD

Dark Energy Space Telescope (Nasa)

.. the following part in process to be updated ..

NET 2012 (Taurus)

DUO, Dark Universe Observatory (Nasa, Germany) X-ray survey. In essence, a reflight of ABRIXAS. DUO page (Nasa), DUO homepage (Sonoma State Univ)

2006 (Delta 7325)

StarLight, former Space Technology 3. First stellar interferometer of 2 spacecraft. StarLight homepage

2011-15

HSIM: High Resolution Spectroscopic Imager.

2011-15

MAXIM Pathfinder (U Colorado, GSFC/Nasa): Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission Pathfinder. MAXIM Pathfinder Homepage

..

Spectrum UV: Spectroscopic UV satellite. Spectrum UV homepage (AI Potsdam)

> 2015

ExNPS: Exploration of Nearby Planetary Systems. ExNPS techinfo (JPL, Nasa)

> 2015

ARISE: Radio astronomy/VLBI satellite project proposition. ARISE homepage

> 2015 (under study)

MAXIM (Nasa): Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission. High resolution x-ray survey telescope satellite. MAXIM homepage

> 2015 (under study)

Generation-X (Nasa): Ultra-large aperture X-ray telescope. Generation X homepage

> 2015 (under study)

Lobster-ISS (ESA): An Imaging All-Sky X-Ray monitor for the International Space Station (ISS). Lobster-ISS homepage (Univ. of Leicester, UK); Lobster-ISS homepage (ESA)

2012

VSOP-2 (Japan). Radio astronomy.

2012-15 (Ariane 5)

TPF (Nasa): Terrestrial Planet Finder. Search for terrestrial planets at nearby stars. TPF homepage (Planetquest)

2015 (Ariane V)

Darwin (ESA) Space Infrared Interferometer: Space-based search for extrasolar planets. Darwin homepage

2015

EXIST (GSFC/Nasa, Caltech): Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope. Hard X-ray (5-600 keV) imaging telescope satellite. EXIST homepage