1972 Rocket Launch Statistics
In 1972, there were 113 orbital launch attempts worldwide, and 105 of them reached orbit. That is 20 fewer than in 1971. By country, the Soviet Union launched 78 and the United States 33. Together they put 378 tonnes of payload in orbit.
Statistics summary
Payload to orbit
1972
378 t
vs 407 t in 1971
Per week
7 t
vs 8 t in 1971
Reached orbit
1972
93%
105 of 113; 7 failures, 1 partial
1971
88%
117 of 133; 14 failures, 2 partial
Who flew in 1972
Company1972 launches1972Share
RKK Energia37vs 4033%- Yuzhmash14vs 2012%
- Polyot14vs 2012%
- Progress RSC12vs 511%
McDonnell Douglas11vs 1410%- Lockheed Martin9vs 88%
1972 against 1971. Drawings at one true scale.
Country1972 launches1972Share
1972 against 1971. Drawings at one true scale.
Every company, as a table
| Company | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RKK Energia | 37 | 33% | 186 t | 49% |
| Polyot | 14 | 12% | 8 t | 2% |
| Yuzhmash | 14 | 12% | 6 t | 2% |
| Progress RSC | 12 | 11% | 26 t | 7% |
| McDonnell Douglas | 11 | 10% | 6 t | 2% |
| Lockheed Martin | 9 | 8% | 38 t | 10% |
| Convair | 6 | 5% | 6 t | 2% |
| Vought | 5 | 4% | 676 kg | <1% |
| Boeing / North American / Douglas | 2 | 2% | 96 t | 25% |
| Khrunichev | 2 | 2% | 5 t | 1% |
| Nissan | 1 | 1% | 75 kg | <1% |
Launches and payload by week
Orbital launch attempts per week, 1972
SpaceX, and the rest of the world by region.
Show as table
| Week of | SpaceX | Rest of US | Europe | China | Russia | India | Rest of World | All | Payload to orbit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Dec 1972 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 9 t |
| 17 Dec 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 4 t |
| 10 Dec 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 9 t |
| 3 Dec 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 48 t |
| 26 Nov 1972 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 19 Nov 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 6 t |
| 12 Nov 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 174 kg |
| 5 Nov 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 t |
| 29 Oct 1972 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 22 Oct 1972 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 1 t |
| 15 Oct 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 6 t |
| 8 Oct 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 11 t |
| 1 Oct 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 24 Sep 1972 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 3 t |
| 17 Sep 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 10 Sep 1972 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 12 t |
| 27 Aug 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 9 t |
| 20 Aug 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 13 Aug 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | 7 t |
| 30 Jul 1972 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 23 Jul 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 6 t |
| 16 Jul 1972 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 9 Jul 1972 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 2 Jul 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 15 t |
| 25 Jun 1972 | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | 5 | 10 t |
| 18 Jun 1972 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 12 t |
| 11 Jun 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 4 Jun 1972 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 21 May 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 14 May 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 30 Apr 1972 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 23 Apr 1972 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – |
| 16 Apr 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 49 t |
| 9 Apr 1972 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 2 Apr 1972 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 20 t |
| 26 Mar 1972 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 4 t |
| 19 Mar 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 2 t |
| 12 Mar 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 10 t |
| 27 Feb 1972 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 9 t |
| 20 Feb 1972 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 680 kg |
| 13 Feb 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 11 t |
| 30 Jan 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 23 Jan 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 16 Jan 1972 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 t |
| 9 Jan 1972 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
Year against year
Orbital launch attempts, year against year, 1969 to 1972
Added up through each year.
Show as table
| By the end of | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11 · 30 t | 9 · 16 t | 8 · 63 t | 5 · 17 t |
| February | 22 · 43 t | 16 · 24 t | 17 · 78 t | 10 · 34 t |
| March | 37 · 115 t | 24 · 42 t | 26 · 93 t | 24 · 58 t |
| April | 47 · 143 t | 39 · 115 t | 41 · 143 t | 35 · 135 t |
| May | 55 · 203 t | 43 · 126 t | 55 · 181 t | 42 · 156 t |
| June | 64 · 224 t | 56 · 157 t | 63 · 210 t | 52 · 186 t |
| July | 76 · 289 t | 62 · 173 t | 72 · 279 t | 63 · 221 t |
| August | 87 · 319 t | 74 · 194 t | 81 · 299 t | 71 · 245 t |
| September | 95 · 346 t | 85 · 223 t | 93 · 335 t | 80 · 265 t |
| October | 108 · 389 t | 100 · 272 t | 102 · 352 t | 92 · 297 t |
| November | 117 · 446 t | 110 · 291 t | 113 · 370 t | 101 · 305 t |
| December | 125 · 463 t | 124 · 323 t | 133 · 407 t | 113 · 378 t |
Busiest rockets in 1972
Launches and payload by country in 1972
Orbital launch attempts by country, 1972
By the country of the rocket.
Show as table
| Country | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 78 | 69% | 227 t | 60% |
| United States | 33 | 29% | 147 t | 39% |
| Japan | 1 | 1% | 75 kg | <1% |
| Ukraine | 1 | 1% | 4 t | 1% |