Arianespace uses Soyuz rocket to launch French military satellite from French Guiana
Arianespace today successfully launched a French military reconnaissance satellite from French Guiana using a Russian Soyuz rocket.
This is the last launch for Europe in 2020, their sixth total. It is also the last publicly scheduled launch for the year. My annual worldwide launch report will follow in a day or so.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race:
35 China
25 SpaceX
15 Russia
6 ULA
6 Rocket Lab
6 Europe (Arianespace)
The U.S.’s lead over China in the national rankings remains 40 to 35.
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Arianespace today successfully launched a French military reconnaissance satellite from French Guiana using a Russian Soyuz rocket.
This is the last launch for Europe in 2020, their sixth total. It is also the last publicly scheduled launch for the year. My annual worldwide launch report will follow in a day or so.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race:
35 China
25 SpaceX
15 Russia
6 ULA
6 Rocket Lab
6 Europe (Arianespace)
The U.S.’s lead over China in the national rankings remains 40 to 35.
I must unfortunately ask you for your financial support because I do not depend on ads and rely entirely on the generosity of readers to keep Behind the Black running. You can either make a one time donation for whatever amount you wish, or you sign up for a monthly subscription ranging from $2 to $15 through Paypal or $3 to $50 through Patreon.
Your support will allow me to continue covering science and culture as I have for the past twenty years, independent and free from any outside influence.
Your support is even more essential to me because I not only keep this site free from advertisements, I do not use the corrupt social media companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook to promote my work. I depend wholly on the direct support of my readers.
You can provide that support to Behind The Black with a contribution via Patreon or PayPal. To use Patreon, go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation. For PayPal click one of the following buttons:
If Patreon or Paypal don't work for you, you can support Behind The Black directly by sending your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
Or you can donate by using Zelle through your bank. You will need to give my name and email address (found at the bottom of the "About" page). The best part of this electronic option is that no fees will be deducted! What you donate will be what I receive.
Russia?
Michael McNeil: I think you are asking why I assign this launch to Europe instead of Russia. Though it is a Russian Soyuz rocket, the launch is run and sold by Arianespace. I have to make a choice, and have decided since the bulk of the work here is under European control, the launch is European.
Hello Mr Zimmerman, your tallies of rocket launches are educational and enjoyable.; thank you for keeping the totals. If I may suggest, include more lines as the Russian total was excluded though mentioned and the sum of listed US launches did not equal your closing statement.
Either way, thank you for writing all of your blog(s).
jeff: Whoops! I have put the Russia total in. My mistake. Thank you.
Note however that this list only includes the leaders. The full list will be published in a day or two with my annual worldwide launch report.
Interesting bit about the 35 Chinese launches. Is there a good resource which gives background on China’s space activities, and what this year’s launches were accomplishing?
Ken: All you need to do is do a search here on Behind the Black, and you will get an overview. Search for “China”, “launch race” and you will see all my launch updates from the start of the year. Each links to a story that describes the launch, and also has more information about the payloads.