1971 Rocket Launch Statistics
In 1971, there were 133 orbital launch attempts worldwide, and 117 of them reached orbit. That is 9 more than in 1970. By country, the Soviet Union launched 85 and the United States 35. Together they put 407 tonnes of payload in orbit.
Statistics summary
Payload to orbit
1971
407 t
vs 323 t in 1970
Per week
8 t
vs 6 t in 1970
Reached orbit
1971
88%
117 of 133; 14 failures, 2 partial
1970
91%
113 of 124; 10 failures, 1 partial
Who flew in 1971
Company1971 launches1971Share
RKK Energia40vs 3630%
Yuzhmash20vs 2615%- Polyot20vs 1215%
McDonnell Douglas14vs 1611%- Lockheed Martin8vs 76%
- Convair6vs 35%
1971 against 1970. Drawings at one true scale.
Country1971 launches1971Share
1971 against 1970. Drawings at one true scale.
Every company, as a table
| Company | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RKK Energia | 40 | 30% | 184 t | 45% |
| Polyot | 20 | 15% | 11 t | 3% |
| Yuzhmash | 20 | 15% | 18 t | 4% |
| McDonnell Douglas | 14 | 11% | 6 t | 1% |
| Lockheed Martin | 8 | 6% | 25 t | 6% |
| Convair | 6 | 5% | 5 t | 1% |
| Khrunichev | 6 | 5% | 45 t | 11% |
| Progress RSC | 5 | 4% | 19 t | 5% |
| Vought | 5 | 4% | 538 kg | <1% |
| Boeing / North American / Douglas | 2 | 2% | 94 t | 23% |
| Nissan | 2 | 2% | 129 kg | <1% |
| SEREB | 2 | 2% | 96 kg | <1% |
| CASC | 1 | 1% | 221 kg | <1% |
| ELDO | 1 | 1% | – | |
| Westland | 1 | 1% | 67 kg | <1% |
Launches and payload by week
Orbital launch attempts per week, 1971
SpaceX, and the rest of the world by region.
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| Week of | SpaceX | Rest of US | Europe | China | Russia | India | Rest of World | All | Payload to orbit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Dec 1971 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 19 Dec 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 12 Dec 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 8 t |
| 5 Dec 1971 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 12 t |
| 28 Nov 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 7 | – | – | 8 | 3 t |
| 21 Nov 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
| 14 Nov 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 7 t |
| 31 Oct 1971 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 24 Oct 1971 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 67 kg |
| 17 Oct 1971 | – | 3 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | 4 t |
| 10 Oct 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 3 Oct 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 26 Sep 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | 17 t |
| 19 Sep 1971 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 12 Sep 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 5 Sep 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 2 t |
| 29 Aug 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 22 Aug 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 200 kg |
| 15 Aug 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 84 kg |
| 8 Aug 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 13 t |
| 1 Aug 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 25 Jul 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 55 t |
| 18 Jul 1971 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 12 t |
| 11 Jul 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 4 Jul 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 119 kg |
| 20 Jun 1971 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 6 t |
| 13 Jun 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 t |
| 6 Jun 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 13 t |
| 30 May 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 1 t |
| 23 May 1971 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 13 t |
| 16 May 1971 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 13 t |
| 9 May 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 5 t |
| 2 May 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 25 Apr 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 800 kg |
| 18 Apr 1971 | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 6 | 29 t |
| 11 Apr 1971 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 4 Apr 1971 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 3 t |
| 28 Mar 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 9 t |
| 21 Mar 1971 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 14 Mar 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 643 kg |
| 7 Mar 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 290 kg |
| 28 Feb 1971 | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | – | – | 4 | 6 t |
| 21 Feb 1971 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 14 Feb 1971 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | 7 t |
| 7 Feb 1971 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 643 kg |
| 31 Jan 1971 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 46 t |
| 24 Jan 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 17 Jan 1971 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 10 t |
| 10 Jan 1971 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
Year against year
Orbital launch attempts, year against year, 1968 to 1971
Added up through each year.
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| By the end of | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8 · 25 t | 11 · 30 t | 9 · 16 t | 8 · 63 t |
| February | 12 · 32 t | 22 · 43 t | 16 · 24 t | 17 · 78 t |
| March | 25 · 63 t | 37 · 115 t | 24 · 42 t | 26 · 93 t |
| April | 41 · 155 t | 47 · 143 t | 39 · 115 t | 41 · 143 t |
| May | 48 · 157 t | 55 · 203 t | 43 · 126 t | 55 · 181 t |
| June | 60 · 190 t | 64 · 224 t | 56 · 157 t | 63 · 210 t |
| July | 68 · 210 t | 76 · 289 t | 62 · 173 t | 72 · 279 t |
| August | 79 · 234 t | 87 · 319 t | 74 · 194 t | 81 · 299 t |
| September | 89 · 265 t | 95 · 346 t | 85 · 223 t | 93 · 335 t |
| October | 104 · 320 t | 108 · 389 t | 100 · 272 t | 102 · 352 t |
| November | 115 · 364 t | 117 · 446 t | 110 · 291 t | 113 · 370 t |
| December | 128 · 408 t | 125 · 463 t | 124 · 323 t | 133 · 407 t |
Busiest rockets in 1971
Launches and payload by country in 1971
Orbital launch attempts by country, 1971
By the country of the rocket.
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| Country | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 85 | 64% | 261 t | 64% |
| United States | 35 | 26% | 130 t | 32% |
| Ukraine | 6 | 5% | 16 t | 4% |
| France | 3 | 2% | 96 kg | <1% |
| Japan | 2 | 2% | 129 kg | <1% |
| China | 1 | 1% | 221 kg | <1% |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 1% | 67 kg | <1% |