1977 Rocket Launch Statistics
In 1977, there were 130 orbital launch attempts worldwide, and 123 of them reached orbit. That is 1 fewer than in 1976. By country, the Soviet Union launched 92 and the United States 26. Together they put 380 tonnes of payload in orbit.
Statistics summary
Payload to orbit
1977
380 t
vs 400 t in 1976
Per week
7 t
vs 8 t in 1976
Reached orbit
1977
95%
123 of 130; 6 failures, 1 partial
1976
96%
126 of 131; 3 failures, 2 partial
Who flew in 1977
Company1977 launches1977Share
Progress RSC49vs 3738%- Polyot29vs 2822%
Yuzhmash12vs 129%
McDonnell Douglas11vs 118%- RKK Energia7vs 185%
- Convair7vs 45%
1977 against 1976. Drawings at one true scale.
Country1977 launches1977Share
1977 against 1976. Drawings at one true scale.
Every company, as a table
| Company | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progress RSC | 49 | 38% | 242 t | 64% |
| Polyot | 29 | 22% | 20 t | 5% |
| Yuzhmash | 12 | 9% | 22 t | 6% |
| McDonnell Douglas | 11 | 8% | 7 t | 2% |
| Convair | 7 | 5% | 7 t | 2% |
| Lockheed Martin | 7 | 5% | 21 t | 6% |
| RKK Energia | 7 | 5% | 11 t | 3% |
| Khrunichev | 5 | 4% | 49 t | 13% |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1 | 1% | 254 kg | <1% |
| Nissan | 1 | 1% | 187 kg | <1% |
| Vought | 1 | 1% | 92 kg | <1% |
Launches and payload by week
Orbital launch attempts per week, 1977
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Dec 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 18 Dec 1977 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 11 Dec 1977 | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 6 | 11 t |
| 4 Dec 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 15 t |
| 27 Nov 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – |
| 20 Nov 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 1 t |
| 23 Oct 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 5 t |
| 16 Oct 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 9 Oct 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 13 t |
| 25 Sep 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 26 t |
| 18 Sep 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 6 | – | – | 7 | 15 t |
| 11 Sep 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 16 t |
| 4 Sep 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 28 Aug 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 21 Aug 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 16 t |
| 14 Aug 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 7 Aug 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 3 t |
| 31 Jul 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 24 Jul 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 12 t |
| 17 Jul 1977 | – | – | – | – | 6 | – | – | 6 | 35 t |
| 10 Jul 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 3 Jul 1977 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 3 t |
| 26 Jun 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 19 t |
| 19 Jun 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 11 t |
| 12 Jun 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 4 t |
| 5 Jun 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 13 t |
| 29 May 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 22 May 1977 | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 5 | 10 t |
| 15 May 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 8 May 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 1 May 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 24 Apr 1977 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 9 t |
| 17 Apr 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 10 Apr 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
| 3 Apr 1977 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 27 Mar 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 20 Mar 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 13 Mar 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 9 t |
| 6 Mar 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 27 Feb 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 20 Feb 1977 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | 3 t |
| 13 Feb 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | 487 kg |
| 6 Feb 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 16 t |
| 30 Jan 1977 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 570 kg |
| 23 Jan 1977 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 701 kg |
| 16 Jan 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 6 t |
| 2 Jan 1977 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
Year against year
Orbital launch attempts, year against year, 1974 to 1977
Added up through each year.
Show as table
| By the end of | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4 · 13 t | 7 · 21 t | 10 · 18 t | 5 · 14 t |
| February | 11 · 23 t | 17 · 38 t | 20 · 35 t | 16 · 34 t |
| March | 18 · 40 t | 23 · 64 t | 31 · 71 t | 24 · 59 t |
| April | 30 · 82 t | 39 · 100 t | 39 · 88 t | 33 · 83 t |
| May | 42 · 120 t | 50 · 129 t | 50 · 118 t | 44 · 115 t |
| June | 53 · 164 t | 64 · 184 t | 62 · 167 t | 59 · 161 t |
| July | 65 · 195 t | 75 · 230 t | 79 · 213 t | 74 · 219 t |
| August | 76 · 234 t | 82 · 249 t | 88 · 241 t | 85 · 246 t |
| September | 80 · 241 t | 98 · 299 t | 99 · 282 t | 103 · 317 t |
| October | 92 · 279 t | 107 · 321 t | 110 · 316 t | 112 · 337 t |
| November | 102 · 308 t | 117 · 352 t | 117 · 345 t | 115 · 338 t |
| December | 113 · 354 t | 132 · 392 t | 131 · 400 t | 130 · 380 t |
Busiest rockets in 1977
Launches and payload by country in 1977
Orbital launch attempts by country, 1977
By the country of the rocket.
Show as table
| Country | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 92 | 71% | 322 t | 85% |
| United States | 26 | 20% | 35 t | 9% |
| Ukraine | 10 | 8% | 22 t | 6% |
| Japan | 2 | 2% | 441 kg | <1% |