Space and Astronomy 2012

Astronomy and Space 2012 new space missions will be launched in 2012 This page includes general launch schedule info and mission info on future space and astronomy missions beyond 2012.

January 2012

ISS avoids Space Debris.

International Space Station moved into higher orbit on Friday 13, January, 2012 to avoid  space debris. It was the 13th debris avoidance maneuver in the station's history.

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Russian Spacecraft Phobos-Grunt Crashes in Pacific Ocean.

Russia's Phobos Grunt spacecraft has had nothing but problems since launching into space on November 8, 2011. ‎It crashed into the Pacific Ocean on 15 January 2012.

 * NASA marks 26 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.

NASA launches FaceBook Game.

NASA's first online game for the social media age is called Space Race Blastoff.

February 2012

50th Anniversary of the First American in Orbit.

The 50th Anniversary of the First American in Orbit was on 20 February 2012. John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Project Mercury's Friendship 7 spacecraft in 1962.

May 2012

June 2012

* Gaia: Gaia is an astrometry space mission and a successor to the ESA Hipparcos mission. It was included within the context of the ESA Horizon 2000 Plus long-term scientific programme in 2000. It is expected to be launched by the ESA in the second half of 2012, and will be operated in a Lissajous orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrangian point.

* Chinese might Launch Shenzhou 9 in June 2012

August 2012

* Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP):The Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission will help us understand the Sun's influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time.

November 2012

* Russian Free-flying ISS Module: Russia (as of 2007) plans to operate an industrial module OKA-T in close proximity to the International Space Station from 2012 to produce ultra pure material. According to Russia's Central Research and Development Institute of Machine Building (TsNIIM), OKA will dock to the ISS for servicing and unloading experiment samples.

December 2012