Space and Astronomy 2011

January 2011

 *  First Launch of Zenit-2SB/Fregat: Zenit-2SB/Fregat is an Ukrainian expendable carrier rocket. It is a member of the Zenit family of rockets, which were designed by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. The first launch of a Zenit-2SB/Fregat took place on 20 January 2011. The payload was a Elektro-L new generation weather satellite. Elektro–L is a new-generation series of meteorological satellites developed for the Russian Federal Space Agency by NPO Lavochkin. The first satellite, Elektro–L 1 was launched on 20 January 2011. It is the first Russian weather satellite that successfully operates in geostationary orbit and is currently the second operational Russian weather satellite.

* NASA's First Solar Sail NanoSail-D Deploys in Low-Earth Orbit:  NanoSail-D unfurled the first ever 100-square-foot solar sail in low-Earth orbit on January 20, 2011.

 * NASA seeking Tenants for Florida Launch Facilities: On Monday 24 January 2011, NASA released a request for information from industry on potential future uses for the Kennedy Space Center's extensive space shuttle launch facilities once the spaceships are retired later this year.

 * NASA marks 25 years after Challenger disaster:  Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch at an altitude of 14,000 meters (46,000 feet), killing everyone on board on January 28, 1986. Schoolchildren and space enthusiasts around the world watched live as the Challenger lifted off carrying seven astronauts including the first teacher, Christa McAuliffe, to embark on a mission to space.

March 2011

 * Glory Mission: The Glory spacecraft failed to reach orbit after liftoff aboard a Taurus XL rocket on March 4 at 5:09 a.m. EST from Vandenberg Air Force Base in southern California. The Glory Mission was to 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. Previously it was going to be on 22 November 2010.

April 2011

 *  Soyuz TMA-21:  Soyuz TMA-21 was launched on 4 April 2011 to the International Space Station. It transported 3 crew members. TMA-21 was the 109th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft. The launch of Soyuz TMA-21 was devoted to the 50th anniversary of the first space mission by Yuri Gagarin.

 * First Arianespace Soyuz Rocket: The debut flight of first Arianespace Soyuz rocket maybe launched in September 2010 from a brand-new launch pad at Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The payload will be the Hylas communications satellite for Avanti Communications of the United Kingdom.

 * Resourcesat-2: Resourcesat-2 is a follow on mission to Resourcesat-1 by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). Compared to Resourcesat-1, LISS-4 multispectral swath has been enhanced from 23 km to 70 km based on user needs. Suitable changes including miniaturization in payload electronics have been incorporated in Resourcesat-2. Resourcesat-2 is slated for launch in 20 April 2011.

 * STS-134:  Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver an EXPRESS Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) and an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station. It maybe launched on April 29, 2010.

July 2011

November 2011

  * Phobos Mars Moon Sample Return Mission: The aim of the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission will be to collect soil samples from Phobos, a moon of Mars and to return the samples back to Earth. Development work commenced in 2001. The launch vehicle will probably be a Soyuz LV with a Fregat upper stage and maybe launched November 2011. It will be the first Russian interplanetary mission since the failed Mars 96 mission.

 * Yinghuo-1: Yinghuo-1, the first Chinese Mars mission maybe launched piggy-back during the launch of the Russian Phobos-Grunt.

 * Mars Science Laboratory: The Mars Science Laboratory is a NASA rover scheduled to be launched in 25 November 2011 and would perform the first-ever precision landing on Mars.

December 2011

  * Multipurpose Laboratory Module with European Robotic Arm (ERA): To be launched by Russian Proton rocket.

 * First of NASA's GRAIL Spacecraft Enters Moon Orbit: Dec 31, 2011.

 * First Launch of Soyuz from Kourou: The medium-lift Soyuz, a member of Arianespace’s expanding launcher family will join its heavy-lift Ariane 5 in operations from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana beginning of 2010.

 * Long March 5: As of 2011, Long March 5 is expected to begin launching around 2014.