3
$\begingroup$

There is a table of space launches from wikipedia in 2018 (Images have been updated on July 11, 2018):enter image description here For now about half of year has been passed, but share of ESA launches is comparable with share of New Zealand.
For comparison, in 2017 it was 9 European space launches. enter image description here I look a list of ESA launches for 2018. There are 2-4 launches with european launch-vehicle remaind for this year. What is going on with european space program?

To @uhon comment. It is possible to find older statistics with link

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_in_spaceflight#By_country

You just need to change year at this link.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
7
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ "What is going on with european space program?" It continues ahead with probes, satellites etc, but uses cheaper launchers than Arianne, which is a very expensive heavy-lift rocket with a rather narrow range of applications. $\endgroup$
    – SF.
    Commented Jun 7, 2018 at 13:25
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ There isn't enough data here to even see if this is significant statistically. Can you give ten or twenty years of data, then do a test to see if this difference is meaningful? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Jun 7, 2018 at 13:53
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ My guess: If it is real, it is SpaceX. Arianne space used to be the defacto launcher of large GEO satellites, now SpaceX is starting to fill that roll. $\endgroup$
    – PearsonArtPhoto ♦
    Commented Jun 7, 2018 at 14:19
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ The list on the ESA site only shows European institutional launches (ESA's own missions, EC for Galileo, etc), it doesn't include commercial payloads on Ariane 5 (which is most Ariane 5 launches). $\endgroup$
    – djr
    Commented Jun 7, 2018 at 22:07
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Also recall there was an Ariane 5 mishap in late Jaunary, which likely pushed everything back for several months. $\endgroup$
    – user71659
    Commented Jul 12, 2018 at 6:24

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5
$\begingroup$

Those stats look incomplete.

From the Arianespace launch schedule for this year (as compiled by a NasaSpaceflight forum member):

  • 3 launches so far (this is fewer than expected, launch cadence is usually around 1/month)
  • 16 more planned (which could be more than they can launch in a year, given the minimum time between launches they have)
Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the list (+1). One of three performed launches in your list was actually a Russian Soyuz launch from Kourou. So, in my list it was a Russian launch. There were two European launches (Ariane 5) and one of them partial failed. So, the only successful European launch was performed. That was the reason I ask this question. Anyway, I hope you are right and ESA will make enough of launches till the end of the year. (By the way, 4 launches for august doesn't sound realistic for me) $\endgroup$
    – Loom
    Commented Jun 8, 2018 at 12:32
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Loom, "NET" means "No Earlier Than" $\endgroup$
    – user20636
    Commented Jun 8, 2018 at 13:02

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.