Launches This is a list of spaceflights launched in 1996 . ISS in earth orbit. ...
Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...
Launch Date/Time Rocket Launch Launch Contractor Payload Operator Orbit Mission/ Re-Entry/ Outcome Remarks 10 January DF-21 Taiyuan Sub-orbital Missile test 10 January 1996 Successful 11 January GMT Space Shuttle Endeavour LC-39B , Kennedy Space Center USA STS-72 , 7 astronauts NASA LEO Manned orbital flight 20 January 1996 Successful Retrieved Space Flyer Unit (SFU) OAST-Flyer NASA LEO Technology development 20 January 1996 Successful Deployed: 14 January 1996 16 January 1996 12 January GMT Ariane 4 (44L)ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace Panamsat 3R Panamsat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Measat 1 Binarian Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 14 January GMT Delta II (7925)LC-17B , Cape Canaveral Boeing Koreasat 2 Korea Telecom Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful Deactivated: 8 April 2000 16 January GMT Kosmos-3M LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 2327 (Parus) MO RF LEO Navigation Still in orbit Successful so far 25 January GMT Proton-K LC-200, Baikonur Gorizont 31 MOM Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 27 January Prithvi Balasore IDRDL IDRDL Sub-orbital Test rocket 27 January 1996 Successful 1 February GMT Atlas II ASLC-36B , Cape Canaveral Palapa C-1 Satelind Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 5 February GMT Ariane 4 (44P)ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace N-STAR b NTT Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 11 February GMT S-310 Area K, Kagoshima ISAS NTV-1 ISAS Sub-orbital Aeronomy research11 February 1996 Successful 11 February GMT J-1 Area N, Tanegashima NASDA NASDA Sub-orbital Test flight 11 February 1996 Successful 14 February GMT Long March 3 B (CZ-3B)LC-2, Taiyuan CASC Intelsat 708 Intelsat Intended: Geosynchronous Comsat T+22 seconds Failure Loss of control at T+2 seconds, exploded 20 seconds laterSix fatalities on the ground 17 February GMT Delta II (7925-8)LC-17B , Cape Canaveral NEAR NASA Erosian orbitHeliocentric Asteroid probe12 February 2001 , 20:01 GMT (on Eros )Successful Flyby of 253 Mathilde , entered orbit around and landed on 433 Eros asteroid 19 February GMT Tsyklon-3 LC-32, [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome Plesetsk]] Gonets D-1 RKA LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Gonets D-1 RKA LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Gonets D-1 RKA LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Kosmos 2328 (Strela-3 ) MO RF LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Kosmos 2329 (Strela-3 ) MO RF LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Kosmos 2330 (Strela-3 ) MO RF LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 19 February GMT Proton-K LC-200, Baikonur Raguda 44L MOM Intended: Geosynchronous GTO Comsat Still in orbit Failure Upper stage failed to ignite for second burn due to blocked valve 21 February GMT Soyuz-U LC-1, Baikonur RKA Soyuz TM-23 , 2 cosmonauts RKA LEO , docked to Mir Manned orbital flight 2 September 1996 Successful Mir Expedition 21 22 February GMT Space Shuttle Columbia LC-39B , Kennedy Space Center USA STS-75 , 7 astronauts NASA LEO Manned orbital flight 9 March 1996 , 14:58 GMT Successful USMP-3 NASA LEO , attached to Columbia 9 March 1996 , 14:58 GMT Successful TSS-1 ASI LEO Columbia Tether deployment experiment 19 March 1996 Failure Tether snapped during deployment. 23 February GMT Black Brant IX LC-36, White Sands NASA NASA Sub-orbital Technology development 23 February 1996 Successful 23 February GMT Black Brant IX LC-36, White Sands NASA NASA Sub-orbital Ionosphere research23 February 1996 Successful 24 February GMT Delta II SLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB Polar NASA HEO Auroral researchStill in orbit Successful so far 2 March GMT Skylark 7 Area S, Kiruna DLR TEXUS DASA Sub-orbital Microgravity research2 March 1996 Successful 6 March GMT Black Brant IX White Sands NASA NASA Sub-orbital Astronomy 6 March 1996 Successful 6 March GMT Minuteman III LF-09, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force FOT GT161GM US Air Force Sub-orbital ICBM test6 March 1996 Successful 9 March GMT Pegasus-XL L-1011 , Vandenberg AFB Orbital Sciences REX-II US Air Force LEO Ionosphere researchStill in orbit Successful so far 14 March GMT Ariane 4 ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace Intelsat 707 Intelsat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 14 March GMT Soyuz-U LC-43, Plesetsk Kosmos 2331 (Yantar-4K1) MOM LEO Reconnaissance 11 June 1996 Successful 21 March GMT GSLV Sriharikota ISRO IRS-P3 ISRO LEO Landsat Still in orbit Successful so far 22 March Hera LC-94, White Sands US Air Force BRV US Air Force Sub-orbital ABM targetSuccessful 22 March THAAD White Sands US Air Force ABM US Air Force Sub-orbital ABM test 22 March 1996 Successful 22 March GMT Space Shuttle Atlantis LC-39B , Kennedy Space Center USA STS-76 , 6 astronauts NASA LEO , docked to Mir Manned orbital flight 31 March 1996 , 13:28 GMT Successful SpaceHab LSM NASA LEO , attached to Atlantis Resupply Mir 31 March 1996 , 13:28 GMT Successful 28 March GMT Delta II (7925-9.5)LC-17B , Cape Canaveral GPS 2A-25 (USA-117/SVN-33) US Air Force MEO NAVSTAR navigationStill in orbit Successful so far 3 April GMT Black Brant 9CM1 LC-36, White Sands Sub-orbital Aeronomy and microgravity research3 April 1996 Successful 3 April GMT Atlas II ALC-36A , Cape Canaveral Inmarsat 3 F1 Inmarsat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 8 April GMT Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur ILS Astra 1F SES Astra Geostationary Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 17 April GMT Topol LC-158, Plesetsk RVSN RVSN Sub-orbital ICBM test17 April 1996 Successful 20 April GMT Ariane 4 (42P)ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace M-SAT 1 TMI Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 21 April Trident D-5 ETR, Cape Canaveral US Navy US Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test21 April 1996 Successful 21 April Trident D-5 ETR, Cape Canaveral US Navy US Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test21 April 1996 Successful 21 April GMT Proton-K LC-81, Baikonur RKA Priroda RKA LEO , attached to Mir Mir moduleRemote sensing 23 March 2001 Successful 24 April GMT Delta II (7920-10)SLC-2W, Vandenberg AFB MSX BMDO LEO Auroral and atmospheric researchStill in orbit Successful so far 24 April GMT Kosmos-3M LC-132, Plesetsk Kosmos 2332 (Taifun ) MO RF LEO Radar calibration target 28 January 2005 Successful 24 April GMT Titan IV A/Centaur LC-41 , Cape Canaveral Mercury (USA-118)NRO /US Air Force Geosynchronous ELINT Still in orbit Successful so far 30 April GMT Atlas I LC-36B , Cape Canaveral Beppo SAX ASI LEO X-ray astronomy 29 April 2003 Successful 3 May GMT Skylark 7 Area S, Kiruna DLR MASER 7 SSC Sub-orbital Microgravity research3 May 1996 Successful 5 May GMT Soyuz-U LC-1, Baikonur RKA Progress M-31 RKA LEO , docked to Mir Resupply Mir 1 August 1996 , 20:33 GMT Successful 8 May GMT Peacekeeper LF-05, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force US Air Force Sub-orbital ICBM test8 May 1996 Successful 12 May GMT Titan IV ASLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB SDS (USA-119)NRO /NRL LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far SSU (USA-120)NRO /NRL LEO Sigint Still in orbit Successful so far SSU (USA-121)NRO /NRL LEO Sigint Still in orbit Successful so far NOSS B-4 (USA-122) NRO /NRL LEO Sigint Still in orbit Successful so far TIPS (USA-123/"Ralph")NRO /NRL LEO Sigint Still in orbit Successful so far TIPS (USA-124/"Norton")NRO /NRL LEO Sigint Still in orbit Successful so far 14 May GMT Soyuz-U LC-31, Baikonur Kometa (Yantar-1KFT) VKS Intended: LEO Topography /Cartography T+49 seconds Failure Payload fairing disintegrated 16 May Trident C-4 ETR , Cape Canaveral US Navy US Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test16 May 1996 Successful 16 May Trident C-4 ETR , Cape Canaveral US Navy US Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test16 May 1996 Successful 16 May Trident C-4 ETR , Cape Canaveral US Navy US Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test16 May 1996 Successful 16 May Trident C-4 ETR , Cape Canaveral US Navy US Navy Sub-orbital SLBM test16 May 1996 Successful 16 May GMT Ariane 4 (44L)ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace Palapa C2 PSN Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Amos IAI /Maba Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 17 May GMT Pegasus-H L-1011 , Vandenberg AFB Orbital Sciences MSTI-3 BMDO LEO Technology development 11 December 1997 Successful 19 May GMT Space Shuttle Endeavour LC-39B , Kennedy Space Center USA STS-77 . 6 Astronauts NASA LEO Manned orbital flight 29 May 1996 , 11:10 GMT Successful SpaceHab 4 NASA /SpaceHab LEO , attached to Endeavour Scientific and technological experiments 29 May 1996 , 11:10 GMT Successful SPARTAN-207 NASA LEO Technology demonstration 29 May 1996 , 11:10 GMT Successful Used to deploy IAE satellite IAE NASA LEO Technology demonstration 22 May 1996 Successful Deployed by SPARTAN on 20 May PAMS STU NASA LEO Technology demonstration 26 October 1996 Successful Deployed by Shuttle on 22 May 24 May GMT Delta II (7925)LC-17B , Cape Canaveral Boeing Galaxy 9 Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 25 May GMT Proton-K LC-200, Baikonur Gorizont 32 MOM Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 30 May GMT Peacekeeper LF-02, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force US Air Force Sub-orbital ICBM test30 May 1996 Successful 4 June GMT Black Brant 8C White Sands NASA XQC NASA Sub-orbital X-ray astronomy 4 June 1996 Successful 4 June GMT Ariane 5 GELA-3, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace Cluster F1 ESA Intended: LEO Magnetosphere researchT+37 seconds Failure Maiden flight of Ariane 5 Cluster F2 ESA Intended: LEO Magnetosphere research Cluster F3 ESA Intended: LEO Magnetosphere research Cluster F4 ESA Intended: LEO Magnetosphere research 6 June UR-100N Baikonur RVSN RVSN Sub-orbital ICBM test6 June 1996 Successful 6 June Topol LC-158, Plesetsk RVSN RVSN Sub-orbital ICBM Test6 June 1996 Successful 15 June GMT Ariane 4 (44P)ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace Intelsat 709 Intelsat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 17 June GMT Black Brant IX LC-36, White Sands NASA NASA Sub-orbital Radio astronomy 17 June 1996 Successful 20 June GMT Black Brant IX LC-36, White Sands NASA NASA Sub-orbital Test sounding rocket 20 June 1996 Successful 20 June GMT Space Shuttle Columbia LC-39B , Kennedy Space Center USA STS-78 . 7 Astronauts NASA LEO Manned orbital flight 7 July 1996 , 12:36 GMT Successful Spacelab LMS-1 NASA LEO , attached to Columbia Microgravity and biological experiments 7 July 1996 , 12:36 GMT Successful 20 June GMT Soyuz-U LC-16, Plesetsk Yantar-4K1 VKS Intended: LEO Reconnaissance T+50 seconds Failure Payload fairing disintegrated 26 June GMT Minuteman III LF-10, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force US Air Force Sub-orbital ICBM Test26 June 1996 Successful 26 June GMT Minuteman III LF-04, Vandenberg AFB US Air Force US Air Force Sub-orbital ICBM Test26 June 1996 Successful 26 June GMT Black Brant IX LC-36, White Sands NASA NASA Sub-orbital Solar observation26 June 1996 Successful 28 June R-29 Vysota Submarine, Okhotsk Launch Area VMF VMF Sub-orbital SLBM test28 June 1996 Successful 28 June R-29 Vysota Submarine, Okhotsk Launch Area VMF VMF Sub-orbital SLBM test28 June 1996 Successful 28 June R-29 Vysota Submarine, Okhotsk Launch Area VMF VMF Sub-orbital SLBM test28 June 1996 Successful 2 July GMT Pegasus-XL L-1011 , Vandenberg AFB Orbital Sciences TOMS-EP NASA LEO Ozone mappingStill in orbit Successful so far 3 July GMT Titan IV ALC-40 , Cape Canaveral SDS B-4 (USA-125) NRO /US Air Force LEO Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 3 July GMT Long March 3 (CZ-3)LC-1, Xichang Apstar 1A APT Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 9 July Aries Wallops Island US Air Force US Air Force Sub-orbital Missile tracking demonstration 9 July 1996 Successful 9 July GMT Ariane 4 (44L)ELA-2, CSG (Kourou ) Arianespace Arabsat 2A Arabsat Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far Turksat 1C Geosynchronous Comsat Still in orbit Successful so far 14 July GMT Black Brant 9CM1 LC-36, White Sands NASA NUVIEWS 1 NASA Sub-orbital Ultraviolet Astronomy 14 July 1996 Successful 15 July R-29 Vysota Submarine, Barents Sea VMF VMF Sub-orbital SLBM test15 July 1996 Successful 15 July R-29 Vysota Submarine, Barents Sea VMF VMF Sub-orbital SLBM test15 July 1996 Successful 15 July GMT Hera LC-94, White Sands US Air Force BRV US Air Force Sub-orbital ABM target15 July 1996 Successful 15 July GMT THAAD White Sands US Air Force ABM US Air Force Sub-orbital ABM test 15 July 1996 Successful 15 July GMT Castor 4B Wake Island Orbital Sciences Re-entry vehicle Orbital Sciences Sub-orbital Re-entry test15 July 1996 Successful
