1988 Rocket Launch Statistics
In 1988, there were 121 orbital launch attempts worldwide, and 115 of them reached orbit. That is 7 more than in 1987. By country, the Soviet Union launched 79 and Ukraine 15. Together they put 571 tonnes of payload in orbit.
Statistics summary
Payload to orbit
1988
571 t
vs 499 t in 1987
Per week
11 t
vs 10 t in 1987
Reached orbit
1988
95%
115 of 121; 5 failures, 1 partial
1987
95%
108 of 114; 4 failures, 2 partial
Who flew in 1988
Company1988 launches1988Share
Progress RSC56vs 4846%
Yuzhmash15vs 2212%- Khrunichev13vs 1311%
- Polyot7vs 136%
Aérospatiale7vs 26%
Vought4vs 13%
1988 against 1987. Drawings at one true scale.
Country1988 launches1988Share
1988 against 1987. Drawings at one true scale.
Every company, as a table
| Company | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progress RSC | 56 | 46% | 309 t | 54% |
| Yuzhmash | 15 | 12% | 35 t | 6% |
| Khrunichev | 13 | 11% | 43 t | 8% |
| Aérospatiale | 7 | 6% | 18 t | 3% |
| Polyot | 7 | 6% | 5 t | 1% |
| CASC | 4 | 3% | 5 t | 1% |
| Vought | 4 | 3% | 667 kg | <1% |
| Lockheed Martin | 3 | 2% | 16 t | 3% |
| RKK Energia | 3 | 2% | 82 t | 14% |
| Convair | 2 | 2% | 3 t | 1% |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 2 | 2% | 2 t | <1% |
| Rockwell / Martin Marietta / Thiokol | 2 | 2% | 49 t | 9% |
| Israel Aerospace Industries | 1 | 1% | 156 kg | <1% |
| ISRO | 1 | 1% | – | |
| McDonnell Douglas | 1 | 1% | 3 t | <1% |
Launches and payload by week
Orbital launch attempts per week, 1988
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Dec 1988 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 18 t |
| 18 Dec 1988 | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | – | 3 | 5 t |
| 11 Dec 1988 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 10 t |
| 4 Dec 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 9 t |
| 27 Nov 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 31 t |
| 20 Nov 1988 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 17 t |
| 13 Nov 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 83 t |
| 6 Nov 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 14 t |
| 23 Oct 1988 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 10 t |
| 16 Oct 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 3 t |
| 9 Oct 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 2 Oct 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
| 25 Sep 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 26 t |
| 18 Sep 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 3 | 8 t |
| 11 Sep 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | 3 | 12 t |
| 4 Sep 1988 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | – | 6 | 27 t |
| 28 Aug 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 10 t |
| 21 Aug 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 13 t |
| 14 Aug 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 10 t |
| 7 Aug 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 31 Jul 1988 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | 5 t |
| 24 Jul 1988 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 3 t |
| 17 Jul 1988 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 13 t |
| 10 Jul 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | – | 3 | 7 t |
| 3 Jul 1988 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 14 t |
| 19 Jun 1988 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 14 t |
| 12 Jun 1988 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 4 t |
| 5 Jun 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 14 t |
| 29 May 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 22 May 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 5 t |
| 15 May 1988 | – | – | 1 | – | 4 | – | – | 5 | 23 t |
| 8 May 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 16 t |
| 1 May 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 3 t |
| 24 Apr 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | 9 t |
| 17 Apr 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
| 10 Apr 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 13 t |
| 3 Apr 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 800 kg |
| 27 Mar 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 10 t |
| 20 Mar 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 4 | 17 t |
| 13 Mar 1988 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 4 | 9 t |
| 6 Mar 1988 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | – | 5 | 12 t |
| 21 Feb 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
| 14 Feb 1988 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | 16 t |
| 7 Feb 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 t |
| 31 Jan 1988 | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 24 Jan 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 8 t |
| 17 Jan 1988 | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 9 t |
| 10 Jan 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 t |
| 3 Jan 1988 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 t |
Year against year
Orbital launch attempts, year against year, 1985 to 1988
Added up through each year.
Show as table
| By the end of | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 · 52 t | 10 · 41 t | 10 · 33 t | 6 · 20 t |
| February | 18 · 73 t | 22 · 94 t | 22 · 79 t | 14 · 49 t |
| March | 26 · 95 t | 28 · 121 t | 32 · 125 t | 29 · 96 t |
| April | 35 · 155 t | 35 · 149 t | 40 · 171 t | 36 · 121 t |
| May | 43 · 189 t | 46 · 189 t | 50 · 220 t | 48 · 176 t |
| June | 56 · 260 t | 54 · 216 t | 58 · 231 t | 56 · 207 t |
| July | 64 · 307 t | 62 · 252 t | 68 · 284 t | 69 · 245 t |
| August | 80 · 387 t | 70 · 288 t | 75 · 326 t | 80 · 289 t |
| September | 91 · 445 t | 79 · 314 t | 87 · 381 t | 95 · 363 t |
| October | 108 · 520 t | 90 · 347 t | 95 · 418 t | 102 · 385 t |
| November | 114 · 557 t | 100 · 369 t | 101 · 447 t | 110 · 505 t |
| December | 125 · 599 t | 110 · 399 t | 114 · 499 t | 121 · 571 t |
Busiest rockets in 1988
Launches and payload by country in 1988
Orbital launch attempts by country, 1988
By the country of the rocket.
Show as table
| Country | Launches | Share | Payload to orbit | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 79 | 65% | 440 t | 77% |
| Ukraine | 15 | 12% | 35 t | 6% |
| United States | 12 | 10% | 72 t | 13% |
| France | 7 | 6% | 18 t | 3% |
| China | 4 | 3% | 5 t | 1% |
| Japan | 2 | 2% | 2 t | <1% |
| India | 1 | 1% | – | |
| Israel | 1 | 1% | 156 kg | <1% |