2006 in spaceflight facts for kids

In 2006, many rockets launched into space, carrying satellites and even people! These missions helped us learn more about Earth, improve communication, and explore our solar system. Space agencies and companies from all over the world worked together to send these amazing machines into orbit and beyond.

Space Missions of 2006

Exploring Our Solar System

New Horizons: Journey to Pluto

On January 19, 2006, a special spacecraft called New Horizons blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. It was carried by an Atlas V rocket. New Horizons was built by NASA to fly past the dwarf planet Pluto. It took almost ten years to reach Pluto, finally arriving in 2015. This mission gave us our first close-up pictures and information about Pluto and its moons.

Satellites for Earth and Communication

Many satellites were launched in 2006 for different important jobs.

Watching Earth from Above

• On January 24, Japan's space agency, JAXA, launched a satellite called Daichi on an H-IIA rocket from Tanegashima. Daichi's job was to observe Earth, helping us understand our planet better.
• Another Japanese satellite, MTSAT-2, launched on February 18. It helps with air traffic control and weather forecasting.
• NASA sent three small satellites, Space Technology 5 (Forward, Middle, and Aft), into space on March 22. They were launched from an Aircraft over Vandenberg Air Force Base using a Pegasus rocket. Their mission was to study Earth.
• On April 14, six COSMIC satellites were launched together on a Minotaur rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. These satellites work as a team to study Earth's atmosphere.
• The EROS-B satellite, launched on April 25 by ImageSat, takes detailed pictures of Earth.
• On April 28, NASA launched two satellites, CALIPSO and CloudSat, on a Delta II rocket. CALIPSO studies tiny particles in the air called aerosols, while CloudSat looks closely at clouds.
• A Chinese satellite named Yaogan 1 was launched on April 26 by a Long March 4 rocket. It was a spy satellite.
• Russia launched a spy satellite, Kosmos-2420, on May 3 using a Soyuz rocket.
• On June 15, the Russian Space Agency launched Resurs, an Earth observation satellite, on a Soyuz rocket.
• Another Russian spy satellite, Kosmos-2421, was launched on June 25 by a Tsyklon-2 rocket. However, its solar panels did not work correctly.
• On July 28, KOMPSAT 2 was launched by a Rokot rocket to take pictures of Earth.
• A Chinese satellite, Shi Jian 8, was launched on September 9 to study how seeds grow in space.
• Japan launched an Information Gathering Satellite on September 11 using an H-IIA rocket. This was also a spy satellite.
• On September 14, Russia launched another spy satellite, Kosmos-2423, on a Soyuz rocket.
• Two Chinese satellites, Shi Jian 6-2A and Shi Jian 6-2B, were launched on October 24 to study the environment.
• The DMSP F17 weather satellite was launched on November 4 by the US Air Force using a Delta IV rocket.
• China launched the Feng Yun 2D weather satellite on December 8 with a Long March 3 rocket.
• On December 19, the SAR-Lupe 1 satellite was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket.

Connecting the World: Communication Satellites

• EchoStar 10, a communication satellite, was launched on February 15 from the Pacific Ocean by a Zenit-3 rocket.
• On February 28, ARABSAT 4A was launched by a Proton rocket. Unfortunately, it did not reach its correct orbit due to rocket problems.
• Two communication satellites, SPAINSAT and Hot Bird 7A, were launched together on March 11 by an Ariane 5 rocket.
• JCSAT-9, another communication satellite, launched on April 12 from the Pacific Ocean.
• Astra 1KR, a communication satellite, was launched on April 20 by an Atlas V rocket.
• GOES-13, a weather satellite, was launched on May 24 by NASA and NOAA.
• On May 27, SATMEX 6 and THAICOM 5, both communication satellites, were launched by an Ariane 5 rocket.
• Galaxy 16, a communication satellite, launched on June 18 from the Pacific Ocean.
• KazSat, a communication satellite for Kazakhstan, was launched on June 18 by a Proton rocket.
• On July 10, India tried to launch INSAT 4C, a communication satellite, but the rocket was destroyed after an engine failure.
• Hot Bird 8, a communication satellite, was launched on August 4 by a Proton rocket.
• On August 11, JCSat-10 and Syracuse 3B, both communication satellites, were launched by an Ariane 5 rocket.
• Koreasat 5, a communication satellite, launched on August 22 from the Pacific Ocean.
• Zhongxing 22A, a Chinese communication satellite, was launched on September 12.
• DirecTV-9S and Optus D1, both communication satellites, were launched on October 13 by an Ariane 5 rocket.
• Sinosat-2, a Chinese communication satellite, was launched on October 28. Its solar panels did not work.
• XM-4 "Blues", a communication satellite for radio, launched on October 30 from the Pacific Ocean.
• Badr 4, a communication satellite, was launched on November 8 by a Proton rocket.
• On December 8, Americom 18 and WildBlue 1, both communication satellites, were launched by an Ariane 5 rocket.
• MEASAT 3, a communication satellite, was launched on December 11 by a Proton rocket.
• On December 22, a communication satellite was launched by a Soyuz rocket.

Navigation and Weather Satellites

• On September 25, a GPS satellite, GPS 2R-M2, was launched by the US Air Force to help with navigation.
• Another GPS satellite, GPS 2R-M3, was launched on November 17.
• On October 19, MetOp-A, a weather satellite, was launched by Eumetsat using a Soyuz rocket.
• On December 25, three Glonass navigation satellites were launched together by a Proton rocket.

Manned Missions and Space Station Supplies

Journeys to the International Space Station

• On March 30, the Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft launched with a crew of three astronauts. Their mission was to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) for ISS Expedition 13.
• The Russian Space Agency sent supplies to the ISS on April 24 and June 24 using Progress cargo ships.
• The Space Shuttle Discovery launched on July 4 for mission STS-121. It carried a crew of seven astronauts and the Leonardo MPLM module, which delivered supplies to the ISS.
• On September 9, the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched for mission STS-115. It carried a crew of six and a large part of the International Space Station called the ISS P3/4 Truss.
• The Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft launched on September 18 with a crew of three for ISS Expedition 14 to the ISS.
• Another Progress cargo ship launched on October 23 to deliver more supplies to the ISS.
• The Space Shuttle Discovery launched again on December 10 for mission STS-116. It carried a crew of seven and another part of the International Space Station, the ISS P5 Truss, along with supplies in a Spacehab module.

Other Interesting Missions

• On February 16, the US Air Force tested an ICBM using a Minuteman rocket. They tested it again on April 7 and June 14, and July 20.
• On February 21, Japan launched two satellites on an M-V rocket: Akari, for astronomy, and CUTE-1.7+APD, a very small satellite called a Nanosat.
• The first flight of the Falcon 1 rocket happened on March 24. It carried a satellite called FalconSat 2 for the US Air Force to study plasma. Sadly, the engine failed shortly after launch, and the rocket crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
• On May 26, a rocket called Shtil' launched Kompass 2 from the Barents Sea. This satellite was designed to help detect earthquakes.
• On June 21, the US Air Force launched three MITEX satellites (A, B, and Carrier) on a Delta II rocket to test new technology.
• On June 27, a spy satellite called NRO L-22 was launched by a Delta IV rocket. Another spy satellite, NRO L-21, was launched on December 14.
• On July 12, Bigelow Aerospace launched Genesis-1, a prototype (test version) of a space station that had no crew.
• On July 26, a Dnepr rocket launched many small satellites, including BelKA for Earth imaging, and many CubeSats for technology tests and studies. However, the rocket crashed back to Earth after an engine failure.
• On September 22, Japan launched Hinode to observe the Sun, and two technology test satellites, HIT-SAT and SSSat. This was the last flight of the M-V rocket, and SSSat did not work.
• The first flight of the SpaceLoft rocket happened on September 25 from Spaceport America. It carried various scientific experiments but lost control and crashed.
• On October 13, LDREX-2 was launched to test new technology.
• On October 26, NASA launched two STEREO satellites (A and B) to study the Sun and Earth.
• On December 16, the US Navy launched TacSat 2 and NASA launched GeneSat, both for technology tests and scientific experiments.
• On December 18, Japan launched ETS-8, a technology test satellite.
• On December 27, CNES launched CoRoT, an astronomy satellite, to study stars and search for exoplanets.