Astronomy and Space 2010

February 2010

 * Progress M-04M: Progress M-04M was launched on February 3 2010 from Baikonur on a Soyuz-U Rocket to the International Space Station carrying supplies.

 * Solar Dynamics Observatory

Solar Dynamics Observatory was launched on February 11, 2010 on an Atlas V 401 rocket.

The Solar observatory carries three instruments: the AIA imaging telescope array, the EVE instrument to measure solar extreme ultraviolet spectral output and the HMI which uses spectral Doppler imaging to map magnetic fields and solar oscillations. Imaging the Sun every 10 seconds, SDO's high data rate requires that it say in geosynchronous orbit in view of the White Sands, New Mexico ground station.

 * STS-130 Space Shuttle Endeavour: STS-130 was a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour delivered a third connecting module - the Tranquility node - to the station and a seven-windowed cupola to be used as a control room for robotics. The mission featured three spacewalks. STS-130 was the 32nd shuttle mission to the station. It was launched on 8 February 2010, docked with the Space Station February 10, undocked February 20 and landed at Kennedy Space Center on February 22 2010 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility.

 * Intelsat 16: Intelsat 16 is a communications satellite owned by Intelsat. It was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, on a Star-2 Bus. Intelsat 16 was formerly known as PAS-11R. It was launched on February 12, 2010 by ILS Proton-M launch vehicle. IS-16 will broadcast to Latin America.

March 2010

 * Test Firing Falcon 9 Rocket Engines: SpaceX successfully completed a test firing of the inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 40 located at Cape Canaveral on Saturday, March 13. Following a nominal terminal countdown, the launch sequencer commanded ignition of all 9 Merlin first stage engines for a period of 3.5 seconds.

 * YaoGan Weixing 9: China launched YaoGan Weixing-9 a “remote sensing” spacecraft (actually believed to be another spy satellite) on 5 March 2010 on a CZ-4C rocket. The Chang Zheng-4C launch vehicle was debuting operations out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

 * ILS Proton launches Echostar XIV satellite: International Launch Services (ILS) launched the EchoStar XIV satellite into orbit on 21 March 2010 using an ILS Proton for DISH Network LLC, a pay-tv provider in the United States. Built by Space Systems/Loral on the flight proven 1300 platform, Echostar XIV will join DISH Network's fleet of satellites at 119 degrees west longitude.

April 2010

 * CryoSat-2   After the launch failure of CryoSat, ESA immediately started to plan a replacement CryoSat mission. CryoSat-2 maybe launched in April 8, 2010.

 * GSAT-4: GSAT-4 is an experimental communication satellite planned for launch in April 2010 by the Indian Space Research Organisation using a GSLV rocket.

 *  X-37B Military U.S. Space Plane: X-37B is a prototype military U.S. Space Plane. The vehicle is also called Orbital Test Vehicle. It was launched by an Atlas 5 rocket in the 501 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. It was originally scheduled for launch in the payload bay of a Space Shuttle, however following the Columbia accident, it was transferred to a rocket. It was launched on 22 April 2010.

 * SES 1 Satellite: SES 1 telecommunications satellite maybe launched on 24 April 2010 on a Proton M / Briz M rocket for SES World Skies .

 * Astra 3B & COMSATBw 2:  Ariane 5 rocket may launch the Astra 3B direct-to-home television and broadband satellite for Europe and German military's COMSATBw 2 communications satellite on 25 April 2010.

November 2010

 * Glory Mission: The Glory Mission will help increase our understanding of the Earth's energy balance by collecting data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon in the Earth's atmosphere and how the Sun's irradiance affects the Earth's climate. It was  to be launched on 22 November 2010 by Orbital Sciences Taurus Rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, but the date has moved to February 2011.

 * Second Dragon Test Flight: The second Dragon test flight (Dragon C2) maybe launched on November 11 , 2010 on the third Falcon 9 rocket built by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

 * Automated Transfer Vehicle 2: Automated Transfer Vehicle 2 (ATV-2) Johannes Kepler, an unmanned cargo ship to deliver supplies to the International Space Station maybe launched on November 30, 2010 on an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

December 2010

  * NROL-49: Classified NROL-49 spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office maybe launched in December by a Delta 4-Heavy rocket from California's Vandenberg Air ForceStation.