1978 Rocket Launch Statistics
In 1978, there were 128 orbital launch attempts worldwide, and 122 of them reached orbit. That is 2 fewer than in 1977. By country, the Soviet Union launched 88 and the United States 33. Together they put 428 tonnes of payload in orbit.
Statistics summary
Payload to orbit
1978
428 t
vs 380 t in 1977
Per week
8 t
vs 7 t in 1977
Reached orbit
1978
95%
122 of 128; 4 failures, 2 partial
1977
95%
123 of 130; 6 failures, 1 partial
Who flew in 1978
Company1978 launches1978Share
Progress RSC54vs 4942%- Polyot21vs 2916%
Convair14vs 711%- McDonnell Douglas11vs 119%
- Khrunichev8vs 56%
- Lockheed Martin7vs 75%
1978 against 1977. Drawings at one true scale.
Country1978 launches1978Share
1978 against 1977. Drawings at one true scale.
Every company, as a table
| Company | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progress RSC | 54 | 42% | 304 t | 71% |
| Polyot | 21 | 16% | 15 t | 4% |
| Convair | 14 | 11% | 20 t | 5% |
| McDonnell Douglas | 11 | 9% | 9 t | 2% |
| Khrunichev | 8 | 6% | 36 t | 8% |
| Lockheed Martin | 7 | 5% | 29 t | 7% |
| RKK Energia | 5 | 4% | 8 t | 2% |
| Yuzhmash | 3 | 2% | 5 t | 1% |
| Nissan | 2 | 2% | 558 kg | <1% |
| CASC | 1 | 1% | 2 t | <1% |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1 | 1% | 141 kg | <1% |
| Vought | 1 | 1% | 135 kg | <1% |
Launches and payload by week
Orbital launch attempts per week, 1978
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 1978 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 14 t |
| 17 Dec 1978 | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | 5 | 7 t |
| 10 Dec 1978 | – | 3 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 5 | 10 t |
| 3 Dec 1978 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 12 t |
| 26 Nov 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 19 Nov 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 12 Nov 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 10 t |
| 29 Oct 1978 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 22 Oct 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 4 t |
| 15 Oct 1978 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 5 t |
| 8 Oct 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 5 t |
| 1 Oct 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 23 t |
| 17 Sep 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 10 Sep 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | 6 t |
| 3 Sep 1978 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 14 t |
| 27 Aug 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 20 Aug 1978 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 9 t |
| 13 Aug 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – |
| 6 Aug 1978 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 11 t |
| 30 Jul 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 23 Jul 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 800 kg |
| 16 Jul 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 3 t |
| 9 Jul 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 3 t |
| 2 Jul 1978 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 15 t |
| 25 Jun 1978 | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 5 | 14 t |
| 18 Jun 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 800 kg |
| 11 Jun 1978 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 27 t |
| 4 Jun 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 8 t |
| 28 May 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
| 21 May 1978 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 12 t |
| 14 May 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 9 t |
| 7 May 1978 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 4 t |
| 30 Apr 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 23 Apr 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 135 kg |
| 16 Apr 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 6 t |
| 2 Apr 1978 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 14 t |
| 26 Mar 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 28 t |
| 19 Mar 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| 12 Mar 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 18 t |
| 5 Mar 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 7 t |
| 26 Feb 1978 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 15 t |
| 19 Feb 1978 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 t |
| 12 Feb 1978 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | 3 | 7 t |
| 5 Feb 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 29 Jan 1978 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | 6 t |
| 22 Jan 1978 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | – | – | 4 | 11 t |
| 15 Jan 1978 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 10 t |
| 8 Jan 1978 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 14 t |
| 1 Jan 1978 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
Year against year
Orbital launch attempts, year against year, 1975 to 1978
Added up through each year.
Show as table
| By the end of | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7 · 21 t | 10 · 18 t | 5 · 14 t | 13 · 49 t |
| February | 17 · 38 t | 20 · 35 t | 16 · 34 t | 22 · 67 t |
| March | 23 · 64 t | 31 · 71 t | 24 · 59 t | 36 · 134 t |
| April | 39 · 100 t | 39 · 88 t | 33 · 83 t | 42 · 154 t |
| May | 50 · 129 t | 50 · 118 t | 44 · 115 t | 56 · 186 t |
| June | 64 · 184 t | 62 · 167 t | 59 · 161 t | 70 · 237 t |
| July | 75 · 230 t | 79 · 213 t | 74 · 219 t | 76 · 259 t |
| August | 82 · 249 t | 88 · 241 t | 85 · 246 t | 85 · 291 t |
| September | 98 · 299 t | 99 · 282 t | 103 · 317 t | 91 · 318 t |
| October | 107 · 321 t | 110 · 316 t | 112 · 337 t | 105 · 357 t |
| November | 117 · 352 t | 117 · 345 t | 115 · 338 t | 112 · 386 t |
| December | 132 · 392 t | 131 · 400 t | 130 · 380 t | 128 · 428 t |
Busiest rockets in 1978
Launches and payload by country in 1978
Orbital launch attempts by country, 1978
By the country of the rocket.
Show as table
| Country | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 88 | 69% | 363 t | 85% |
| United States | 33 | 26% | 58 t | 14% |
| Japan | 3 | 2% | 699 kg | <1% |
| Ukraine | 3 | 2% | 5 t | 1% |
| China | 1 | 1% | 2 t | <1% |