2015 Event Commercial space company SpaceX has been approved as a contractor to the U.S. military for satellite launches; SpaceX will compete for contracts against the Boeing-Lockheed Martin United Launch Alliance, currently the primary military launch provider 2014 Event Investigators will conduct a deep-sea sonar scan in the Indian Ocean for the remains of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370; satellite communication attempts have provided clues to the plane's likely trajectory before it disappeared eight months ago 2014 Event French satellite images confirm Chinese detection of potential debris from missing Malaysian Air Flight 370, which disappeared March 8th 2014 Event China releases satellite images of debris possibly linked to the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight on March 8th 2014 Event The cryogenic engine built India's Space Research Organisation engineers powers the launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D5), which successfully placed a 1,982-kg GSAT-14 communications satellite into orbit in 17 minutes 2013 Event Bolivia's Tupac Katari is successfully launched from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center 2013 Event The launch of the 'Yu Tu', China's first lunar vehicle, is scheduled to take place at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center before December 10, 2013 2013 Event Japan's Hisaki satellite is carried to the Uchinoura Space Center by the new Epsilon rocket, which was launched by two laptop computers 2012 Event The launch of a space satellite into space by North Korea is disputed by South Korean defense ministry, who claim it was a disguised test of a 10,000 km range missile 2012 Event The U.N. condemns North Korea for launching a long-range Unha rocket; North Korea claims its purpose is to put its first satellite into space, but critics say the launch is a disguised ballistic missile test 2012 Event In a gesture to honor North Korean founder Kim II-Sung's birthday in April, North Korea plans to launch a new satellite that reportedly will be used to study crops and natural resources 2011 Event The Tiangong 1 space laboratory announces it has scheduled to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's Gansu Province 2011 Event Russia began searching for a missing military satellite that was launched into the wrong orbit 2009 Event A large amount of space debris is created when a Russan and American satellite collide over Siberia 2009 Event Iran launches first domestically made satellite, Omid, into orbit 2008 Event U.S. Navy destroys a U.S. spy satellite with a missile 1997 Event Telstar 401 Satellite Fails 1992 Event Satellite TOPEX/Poseidon launched 1992 Event India launches its 1st satellite independently 1990 Death Bo Diaz, catcher, crushed to death by a satellite dish at 37 1989 Event World's 1st satellite Skyphone opens 1988 Event Shuttle Atlantis launches world's 1st nuclear-war-fighting satellite 1988 Event Israel launches 1st satellite, for secret military reconnaissance 1987 Event U.S.S.R. launches Kosmos 1870, 15-ton Earth-study satellite 1985 Event Kosmos 1700 communications satellite placed in geostationary orbit 1984 Event Astronauts aboard "Discovery" pluck a 2nd satellite from orbit 1984 Event Space shuttle astronauts retreive a satellite - 1st space salvage 1984 Event England's MusicBox begins satellite transmission to Europe 1984 Event Challenger astronauts complete 1st in space satellite repair 1984 Event Damaged Solar Max satellite snared by Challenger shuttle 1984 Event Landsat 5 and ham satellite Oscar 11 launched into polar orbit 1983 Event 1st time a satellite is retrieved from orbit, by Space Shuttle 1983 Event European Space Agency launches European Comm Satellite 1, Oscar 10 1983 Event Japan launches Tenma satellite to study x-rays (450/570 km) 1983 Event Dutch/British infrared satellite IRAS launched from California 1983 Event Infrared telescope satellite launched into polar orbit 1983 Event Russian radioactive satellite falls into Indian Ocean 1982 Event Kosmos 1383, 1st search and rescue satellite, launched 1981 Event India's APPLE satellite, 1st to be stabilized on 3 axes, launched 1981 Event Japan launches Hinotori satellite to study solar flares (580/640 k) 1980 Event Rohini 1, 1st Indian satellite, launches into orbit 1979 Event Voyager 2 takes 1st ever photo of Jupiter's satellite Adrastea (J14) 1979 Event Bhaskara 1, Indian Earth resources/meteorology satellite, launched 1979 Event 1st extraterrestrial volcano discovered on Io, a satellite of Jupiter 1979 Event Japan launches Hakucho x-ray satellite and Corsa-B (550/580 km) 1979 Event Kosmos 1076, 1st Soviet oceanographic satellite, launched 1978 Event Tiros N, U.S.'s 1st 3rd generation weather satellite, is launched 1978 Event U.S. Seasat 1, 1st oceanographic satellite, launched into polar orbit 1978 Event First dedicated oceanographic satellite, SEASAT 1, launched 1978 Event U.S.S.R. launches Kosmos 1000 navigational satellite 1977 Event European weather satellite Meteosat 1 launched from Cape Canaveral 1975 Event Small Astronomy Satellite Explorer 53 launched to study X-rays 1975 Event India launches 1st satellite with help of U.S.S.R. 1975 Event Landsat 2, an Earth Resources Technology Satellite, launched 1974 Event Charles Kowal discovers Leda, 13th satellite of Jupiter 1974 Event Launching of 1st Dutch satellite, ANS, from Vandenberg 1974 Event NASA launches Italian satellite San Marcos C-2 (235/843 km) 1973 Event Intelsat communications satellite launched 1973 Event Canadian ANIK A2 becomes 1st commercial satellite in orbit 1972 Event Small Astronomy Satellite Explorer 48 launched to study gamma rays 1972 Event 1st Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) is launched 1971 Event England becomes 6th nation to have a satellite (Prospero) in orbit 1971 Event U.S. launches 1st satellite into lunar orbit from manned spacecraft 1971 Event U.S. Mariner 9, 1st satellite to orbit Mars launched 1970 Event Small Astronomy Satellite Explorer 42 launched to study X-rays 1970 Event China launches its 1st satellite transmitting song "East is Red" 1970 Event U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik 52 and Molniya 1-13 communications satellite 1970 Event Japan becomes 4th nation to put a satellite, Osumi, in orbit 1970 Event Australia's 1st amateur radio satellite (Oscar 5) launched (Calif) 1970 Event U.S. launches 2nd generation weather satellite, ITOS 1 1969 Event U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik 50 and Molniya 1-12 communications satellite 1969 Event Soviet weather satellite Meteor 1 launched 1968 Event 1st European satellite launched, Esro 1, at Cape Kennedy 1968 Event Radio astronomy satellite Explorer 38 launched (o 450 m) 1968 Event European Space Research Org launches 1st satellite 1966 Event Audouin Dollfus discovers 10th satellite of Saturn, Janus 1966 Event 1st Pacific communications satellite launched, Intelsat 2 1966 Event Kosmos 122, 1st Soviet weather satellite, launched 1966 Event French satellite Diapason D-1A launch into Earth orbit 1966 Event 1st operational weather satellite, ESSA-1 launched U.S. 1965 Event 1st French satellite launched, France becomes 3rd nation in space 1965 Event France launches 1st satellite, 92 lb (42 kg) A1-capsule (Asterix) 1965 Event 1st use of satellite TV, Today Show on Early Bird Satellite 1965 Event Early Bird satellite goes into commercial service 1965 Event Launch of 1st Soviet communications satellite 1965 Event Intelsat 1 ("Early Bird") 1st coml geosynchronous communication satellite 1965 Event Syncom 3, 1st geosynchronous communications satellite, passes from civilian to military control 1965 Event 1st ground station-to-aircraft radio communication via satellite 1965 Event U.S. launches TIROS 9 weather satellite 1964 Event U.S. weather satellite Nimbus 1 launched 1964 Event Communication satellite Syncom 3 launched 1964 Event Echo 2, U.S. communications satellite launched 1963 Event U.S. Syncom 2, 1st geosynchronous communications satellite, launched 1963 Event U.S. launches communications satellite Syncom 1 1962 Event Transit 5A1, 1st operational navigational satellite, launched 1962 Event Relay 1 communication satellite launched 1962 Event Launch of Alouette 1, 1st Canadian satellite (on U.S. Delta rocket) 1962 Event Alouette (Canada), 1st Canadian satellite, launched 1962 Event 1st transatlantic TV transmission via satellite (Telstar I) 1962 Event Telstar, 1st geosynchronous communications satellite, launched 1962 Event Oscar 2 (ham radio satellite) launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event MIT sends TV signal by satellite for 1st time: CA to MA 1962 Event 1st U.S. satellite to reach the moon launched 1962 Event Ranger 4, 1st U.S. satellite to reach Moon launched from Cape Canaveral 1962 Event Launch of OSO 1, 1st astronomy satellite (solar flare data) 1961 Event Ham radio satellite Oscar 1 launched with military Discoverer 36 1961 Death P J Melotte, discovered Jupiter's 8th satellite Pasiphae, dies 1961 Event U.S. satellite Explorer 9 is launched 1961 Event USAF launches Samos spy satellite to replace U-2 flights 1960 Event Tiros 2, a weather satellite is launched 1960 Event Courier 1B Launched; 1st active repeater satellite in orbit 1960 Event 1st photograph bounced off a satellite, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1960 Event Echo 1, 1st communications satellite, is launched 1960 Event Echo I, 1st passive satellite launched 1960 Event 1st launch of Delta satellite launching vehicle; it failed 1960 Event Transit 1B, 1st navigational satellite, placed in Earth orbit 1960 Event 1st weather satellite launched (Tiros 1) 1960 Event RCA TIROS (TV and Infra-Red Observation 'weather' Satellite) I launched 1959 Event Transit 1A, 1st navigational satellite launched; failed to orbit 1959 Event Satellite Discoverer 6 launched into polar orbit 1959 Event Military satellite Discoverer 5 launched (into polar orbit) 1959 Event 1st weather satellite launched, Vanguard 2, 9.8 kg 1958 Event Army launches 4th U.S. successful satellite, Explorer IV 1958 Event U.S. Army launched America's third successful satellite, "Explorer III" 1958 Event 1st U.S. satellite, Explorer I, launched 1958 Event U.S. launches their 1st artificial satellite, Explorer 1 1957 Event 1st U.S. attempt to launch a satellite fails - Vanguard rocket blows up 1957 Event 1st test firing of Vanguard satellite launch vehicle, TV-3 1957 Event U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik I, 1st artificial Earth satellite 1956 Event 1st test firing of Vanguard satellite program, TV-0 1951 Event S. B. Nicholson discovers 12th satellite of Jupiter 1949 Event Gerard Kuiper discovers Nereid, (2nd satellite of Neptune) 1948 Event U.S. announced a study to launch an Earth satellite 1908 Event Pasiphae, a satellite of Jupiter, discovered by Melotte 1905 Event Charles Perrine announces discovery of Jupiter's 7th satellite, Elara 1905 Event Elara, a satellite of Jupiter, discovered by Perrine 1877 Event Phobos (Martian satellite) discovered (A Hall) 1857 Birthday Edward Emerson Barnard, born in Tennessee, astronomer, Jupiter's 5th satellite 1789 Event William Herschel discovers Mimas, satellite of Saturn 1686 Event Cassini reports seeing a satellite orbiting Venus 1672 Event Giovanni Cassini discovers Rhea, a satellite of Saturn 1671 Event Giovanni Cassini discovers Iapetus, satellite of Saturn 1655 Event Christiaan Huygens discovers Titan, (Saturn's largest satellite) 1610 Event Galileo Galilei discovers Callisto, 4th satellite of Jupiter
