Rocket launches in1998

The International Space Station takes its first shape: Zarya rides a Proton on November 20, and Unity follows on STS-88 on December 4, leaving two modules joined in orbit. John Glenn returns to space in October at 77 aboard the Shuttle, while Delta flies 13 times — many of them lofting Iridium and Globalstar constellation satellites into low Earth orbit.

Monthly Cadencecomplete

FEBpeak10 launches↓7%vs 1997

launches: 82
success · 76/82: 93%
providers: 3

1998 launch leaders

Countries

USA

Countries

USA

Providers

Arianespace

02 Lockheed Martin 1

Rockets

Delta

1998 highlights

Nov 20Proton K 8K82K

Success

The International Space Station's first module reaches orbit

Russia built Zarya under a NASA contract. In early December, Space Shuttle Endeavour joined the first American module, Unity, to it.

Jan 7Athena 2

Success

Lunar Prospector finds signs of ice at the Moon's poles

It detected hydrogen in craters near both poles, a likely sign of frozen water. NASA announced the finding two months after launch.

Jun 2Space Shuttle

Success

Discovery makes the last Shuttle visit to Russia's Mir station

It brought Andy Thomas home after 130 days on board. Seven Americans lived on Mir from 1995 to 1998, nearly 1,000 days in all.

Jul 3Mu 5

Success

Japan launches Nozomi, its first probe to Mars

A faulty valve wasted fuel and solar flares damaged its power system. Nozomi flew past Mars in December 2003 without entering orbit.

Oct 24Delta II 7326

Success

Deep Space 1 becomes the first NASA probe driven by an ion engine

Its xenon engine ran for 16,265 hours in total. The probe used it to reach comet Borrelly in 2001 and photograph the comet's core.

Oct 29Space Shuttle

Success

John Glenn returns to space at 77

Glenn had become the first American to orbit Earth in 1962. At 77, he was the oldest person to fly in space until 2021.

All 1998 launches

Quick filters

82 launches


January
Jan 7, 199802:28:00 UTC	Lunar Prospector USA • Lockheed Martin • Athena 2	Lockheed Martin	Athena 2	Success
Jan 10, 199800:32:00 UTC	Skynet 4D USA • Delta II 7925-9.5	-	Delta II 7925-9.5	Success
Jan 22, 199800:00:00 UTCFailure	Ofek-4 Israel • Shavit 1	-	Shavit 1	Failure
Jan 23, 199802:48:15 UTC	STS-89 USA • Space Shuttle	-	Space Shuttle	Success
Jan 29, 199816:33:00 UTC	Soyuz TM-27 Russia • Soyuz TM	-	Soyuz TM	Success
Jan 29, 199818:37:00 UTC	USA-137 USA • Atlas IIA	-	Atlas IIA	Success
February
Feb 4, 199823:29:00 UTC	Brasilsat B3 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 44LP	Arianespace	Ariane 4 44LP	Success
Feb 5, 199808:30:00 UTC	ENA/EPS/LAP Japan • SS-520	-	SS-520	Success
Feb 10, 199813:20:00 UTC	GFO and Orbcomm USA • Minotaur C-2210	-	Minotaur C-2210	Success
Feb 14, 199814:34:00 UTC	Globalstar 1-4 USA • Delta II 7420-10C	-	Delta II 7420-10C	Success
Feb 17, 199810:34:00 UTC	Kosmos 2349 Russia • Soyuz U	-	Soyuz U	Success
Feb 18, 199813:58:00 UTC	MS-7 USA • Delta II 7920-10C	-	Delta II 7920-10C	Success
Feb 21, 199807:55:00 UTCPartial failure	COMETS Japan • H2	-	H2	partial failure
Feb 26, 199807:07:00 UTC	SNOE USA • Pegasus XL	-	Pegasus XL	Success
Feb 27, 199822:38:00 UTC	Hot Bird 4 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 42P	Arianespace	Ariane 4 42P	Success
Feb 28, 199800:21:00 UTC	Intelsat 806 USA • Atlas IIAS	-	Atlas IIAS	Success
March
Mar 14, 199822:45:55 UTC	Progress M-38 Russia • Soyuz U	-	Soyuz U	Success
Mar 16, 199821:32:00 UTC	USA-138 USA • Atlas II	-	Atlas II	Success
Mar 24, 199801:46:00 UTC	SPOT-4 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 40	Arianespace	Ariane 4 40	Success
Mar 25, 199817:01:00 UTC	Iridium 51 China • Long March 2C / SD	-	Long March 2C / SD	Success
Mar 30, 199806:02:00 UTC	MS-8 USA • Delta II 7920-10C	-	Delta II 7920-10C	Success
April
Apr 2, 199802:42:00 UTC	TRACE USA • Pegasus XL	-	Pegasus XL	Success
Apr 7, 199802:13:03 UTC	Iridium 62 Russia • Proton K/DM2 8K82K/17S40	-	Proton K/DM2 8K82K/17S40	Success
Apr 17, 199818:19:00 UTC	STS-90 USA • Space Shuttle	-	Space Shuttle	Success
Apr 24, 199822:38:00 UTC	Globalstar 6 USA • Delta II 7420-10C	-	Delta II 7420-10C	Success
Apr 28, 199822:53:00 UTC	Nilesat-1 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 44P	Arianespace	Ariane 4 44P	Success
Apr 29, 199804:36:54 UTC	Kosmos 2350 Russia • Proton K/DM-2 8K82K/11S861	-	Proton K/DM-2 8K82K/11S861	Success
May
May 2, 199809:16:00 UTC	Iridium 69 China • Long March 2C / SD	-	Long March 2C / SD	Success
May 7, 199808:53:00 UTC	Kosmos 2351 Russia • Molniya M	-	Molniya M	Success
May 7, 199823:45:00 UTC	EchoStar IV Russia • Proton K/DM3 8K82K/11S861-01	-	Proton K/DM3 8K82K/11S861-01	Success
May 9, 199801:38:00 UTC	NROL-6 USA • Titan IV(401)B	-	Titan IV(401)B	Success
May 13, 199815:52:00 UTC	NOAA-15 USA • Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP	-	Titan II(23)G/Star-37XFP	Success
May 14, 199822:12:59 UTC	Progress M-39 Russia • Soyuz U	-	Soyuz U	Success
May 17, 199821:16:00 UTC	MS-9 USA • Delta II 7920-10C	-	Delta II 7920-10C	Success
May 30, 199810:00:00 UTC	ChinaStar 1 China • Long March 3B	-	Long March 3B	Success
June
Jun 2, 199822:06:24 UTC	STS-91 USA • Space Shuttle	-	Space Shuttle	Success
Jun 10, 199800:35:00 UTC	Thor III USA • Delta II 7925-9.5	-	Delta II 7925-9.5	Success
Jun 15, 199822:58:00 UTCPartial failure	Kosmos 2352 Russia • Tsyklon 3	-	Tsyklon 3	partial failure
Jun 18, 199822:48:00 UTC	Intelsat 805 USA • Atlas IIAS	-	Atlas IIAS	Success
Jun 24, 199818:29:00 UTC	Kosmos 2358 Russia • Soyuz U	-	Soyuz U	Success
Jun 25, 199814:00:00 UTC	Kosmos 2359 Russia • Soyuz U	-	Soyuz U	Success
July
Jul 1, 199800:48:00 UTC	Molniya 3-49 Russia • Molniya M	-	Molniya M	Success
Jul 3, 199818:12:00 UTC	PLANET-B Japan • Mu 5	-	Mu 5	Success
Jul 7, 199800:00:00 UTC	Tubsat-N Russia • Shtil	-	Shtil	Success
Jul 10, 199806:30:00 UTC	Resurs-O1 No.4 Russia • Zenit 2	-	Zenit 2	Success
Jul 18, 199809:20:00 UTC	SinoSat 1 China • Long March 3B	-	Long March 3B	Success
Jul 28, 199809:15:00 UTC	Kosmos 2360 Russia • Zenit 2	-	Zenit 2	Success
August
Aug 2, 199816:24:00 UTC	Orbcomm USA • Pegasus XL with HAPS	-	Pegasus XL with HAPS	Success
Aug 12, 199811:30:00 UTCFailure	NROL-7 USA • Titan IV(401)A	-	Titan IV(401)A	Failure
Aug 13, 199809:43:00 UTC	Soyuz TM-28 Russia • Soyuz TM	-	Soyuz TM	Success
Aug 19, 199823:01:00 UTC	Iridium 76 China • Long March 2C / SD	-	Long March 2C / SD	Success
Aug 25, 199823:07:00 UTC	ST-1 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 44P	Arianespace	Ariane 4 44P	Success
Aug 27, 199801:17:00 UTCFailure	Galaxy 10 USA • Delta III 8930	-	Delta III 8930	Failure
Aug 30, 199800:31:00 UTC	Astra 2A Russia • Proton K/DM3 8K82K/11S861-01	-	Proton K/DM3 8K82K/11S861-01	Success
September
Sep 8, 199821:13:00 UTC	MS-10 USA • Delta II 7920-10C	-	Delta II 7920-10C	Success
Sep 9, 199820:29:00 UTCFailure	Globalstar 5 Russia • Zenit 2	-	Zenit 2	Failure
Sep 16, 199806:31:00 UTC	Panamsat 7 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 44LP	Arianespace	Ariane 4 44LP	Success
Sep 23, 199805:06:00 UTC	Orbcomm USA • Pegasus XL with HAPS	-	Pegasus XL with HAPS	Success
Sep 28, 199823:41:00 UTC	Molniya-1T Russia • Molniya M	-	Molniya M	Success
October
Oct 3, 199810:04:00 UTC	Space Technology Experiment USA • Minotaur C-1110	-	Minotaur C-1110	Success
Oct 5, 199822:51:00 UTC	Eutelsat W2 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 44L	Arianespace	Ariane 4 44L	Success
Oct 9, 199822:50:00 UTC	Hot Bird 5 USA • Atlas IIA	-	Atlas IIA	Success
Oct 20, 199807:19:00 UTC	USA-140 USA • Atlas IIA	-	Atlas IIA	Success
Oct 21, 199816:37:00 UTC	Maqsat-3/ARD France • Arianespace • Ariane 5 G	Arianespace	Ariane 5 G	Success
Oct 22, 199800:02:00 UTC	SCD-2 USA • Pegasus Hybrid	-	Pegasus Hybrid	Success
Oct 24, 199812:08:00 UTC	Deep Space 1 USA • Delta II 7326	-	Delta II 7326	Success
Oct 25, 199804:14:57 UTC	Progress M-40 Russia • Soyuz U	-	Soyuz U	Success
Oct 28, 199822:15:00 UTC	Afristar France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 44L	Arianespace	Ariane 4 44L	Success
Oct 29, 199819:19:34 UTC	STS-95 USA • Space Shuttle	-	Space Shuttle	Success
November
Nov 4, 199805:12:00 UTC	PAS-8 Russia • Proton K/DM3 8K82K/11S861-01	-	Proton K/DM3 8K82K/11S861-01	Success
Nov 6, 199813:37:00 UTC	MS-11 USA • Delta II 7920-10C	-	Delta II 7920-10C	Success
Nov 20, 199806:40:00 UTC	Zarya Russia • Proton K 8K82K	-	Proton K 8K82K	Success
Nov 22, 199823:54:00 UTC	BONUM-1 USA • Delta II 7925-9.5	-	Delta II 7925-9.5	Success
December
Dec 4, 199808:35:34 UTC	STS-88 USA • Space Shuttle	-	Space Shuttle	Success
Dec 6, 199800:43:00 UTC	Satmex 5 France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 42L-3	Arianespace	Ariane 4 42L-3	Success
Dec 6, 199800:57:00 UTC	SWAS USA • Pegasus XL	-	Pegasus XL	Success
Dec 10, 199800:00:00 UTC	Nadezhda 5 Russia • Kosmos 3M	-	Kosmos 3M	Success
Dec 11, 199818:45:00 UTC	Mars Climate Orbiter USA • Delta II 7425	-	Delta II 7425	Success
Dec 19, 199811:39:00 UTC	Iridium 88 China • Long March 2C / SD	-	Long March 2C / SD	Success
Dec 22, 199801:08:00 UTC	PanAmSat-6B France • Arianespace • Ariane 4 42L-3	Arianespace	Ariane 4 42L-3	Success
Dec 24, 199800:00:00 UTC	Kosmos 2361 Russia • Kosmos 3M	-	Kosmos 3M	Success
Dec 30, 199818:35:46 UTC	Kosmos 2362 Russia • Proton K/DM-2 8K82K/11S861	-	Proton K/DM-2 8K82K/11S861	Success