1973 Rocket Launch Statistics
In 1973, there were 116 orbital launch attempts worldwide, and 109 of them reached orbit. That is 3 more than in 1972. By country, the Soviet Union launched 87 and the United States 25. Together they put 511 tonnes of payload in orbit.
Statistics summary
Payload to orbit
1973
511 t
vs 378 t in 1972
Per week
10 t
vs 7 t in 1972
Reached orbit
1973
94%
109 of 116; 7 failures
1972
93%
105 of 113; 7 failures, 1 partial
Who flew in 1973
Company1973 launches1973Share
RKK Energia37vs 3732%- Progress RSC17vs 1215%
- Polyot16vs 1414%
Yuzhmash12vs 1410%
Lockheed Martin9vs 98%- McDonnell Douglas7vs 116%
1973 against 1972. Drawings at one true scale.
Country1973 launches1973Share
1973 against 1972. Drawings at one true scale.
Every company, as a table
| Company | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RKK Energia | 37 | 32% | 201 t | 39% |
| Progress RSC | 17 | 15% | 64 t | 13% |
| Polyot | 16 | 14% | 9 t | 2% |
| Yuzhmash | 12 | 10% | 6 t | 1% |
| Lockheed Martin | 9 | 8% | 40 t | 8% |
| Khrunichev | 7 | 6% | 58 t | 11% |
| McDonnell Douglas | 7 | 6% | 3 t | 1% |
| Convair | 4 | 3% | 3 t | 1% |
| Chrysler / Douglas | 3 | 3% | 43 t | 8% |
| Boeing / North American / Douglas | 1 | 1% | 86 t | 17% |
| CASC | 1 | 1% | – | |
| SEREB | 1 | 1% | – | |
| Vought | 1 | 1% | 64 kg | <1% |
Launches and payload by week
Orbital launch attempts per week, 1973
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Dec 1973 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 7 t |
| 16 Dec 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 21 t |
| 9 Dec 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 1 t |
| 2 Dec 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 800 kg |
| 25 Nov 1973 | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | 5 | 15 t |
| 18 Nov 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 11 Nov 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 17 t |
| 4 Nov 1973 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 18 t |
| 28 Oct 1973 | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 6 | 10 t |
| 21 Oct 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 14 Oct 1973 | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | 5 | 20 t |
| 7 Oct 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 30 Sep 1973 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 13 t |
| 23 Sep 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 10 t |
| 16 Sep 1973 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 9 Sep 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 800 kg |
| 2 Sep 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 26 Aug 1973 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 19 Aug 1973 | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 5 | 15 t |
| 12 Aug 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 192 kg |
| 5 Aug 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 9 t |
| 29 Jul 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 5 t |
| 22 Jul 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 24 t |
| 15 Jul 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 3 t |
| 8 Jul 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 12 t |
| 1 Jul 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – |
| 24 Jun 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 17 Jun 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 10 Jun 1973 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 14 t |
| 3 Jun 1973 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 27 May 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 20 May 1973 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 3 | – | – | 5 | 26 t |
| 13 May 1973 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 95 t |
| 6 May 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 19 t |
| 29 Apr 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 22 Apr 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 15 Apr 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 8 Apr 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 200 kg |
| 1 Apr 1973 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 21 t |
| 18 Mar 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 4 Mar 1973 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 16 t |
| 25 Feb 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 11 Feb 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 4 Feb 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 28 Jan 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 21 Jan 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 1 t |
| 14 Jan 1973 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 434 kg |
| 7 Jan 1973 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 10 t |
Year against year
Orbital launch attempts, year against year, 1970 to 1973
Added up through each year.
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| By the end of | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9 · 16 t | 8 · 63 t | 5 · 17 t | 5 · 12 t |
| February | 16 · 24 t | 17 · 78 t | 10 · 34 t | 10 · 27 t |
| March | 24 · 42 t | 26 · 93 t | 24 · 58 t | 16 · 56 t |
| April | 39 · 115 t | 41 · 143 t | 35 · 135 t | 25 · 91 t |
| May | 43 · 126 t | 55 · 181 t | 42 · 156 t | 37 · 238 t |
| June | 56 · 157 t | 63 · 210 t | 52 · 186 t | 48 · 271 t |
| July | 62 · 173 t | 72 · 279 t | 63 · 221 t | 56 · 310 t |
| August | 74 · 194 t | 81 · 299 t | 71 · 245 t | 68 · 347 t |
| September | 85 · 223 t | 93 · 335 t | 80 · 265 t | 75 · 370 t |
| October | 100 · 272 t | 102 · 352 t | 92 · 297 t | 90 · 423 t |
| November | 110 · 291 t | 113 · 370 t | 101 · 305 t | 104 · 482 t |
| December | 124 · 323 t | 133 · 407 t | 113 · 378 t | 116 · 511 t |
Busiest rockets in 1973
Launches and payload by country in 1973
Orbital launch attempts by country, 1973
By the country of the rocket.
Show as table
| Country | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 87 | 75% | 333 t | 65% |
| United States | 25 | 22% | 174 t | 34% |
| Ukraine | 2 | 2% | 4 t | 1% |
| China | 1 | 1% | – | |
| France | 1 | 1% | – |