---
title: "Timeline of First Orbital Launches by Country"
id: 21932
type: "post"
slug: "timeline-of-first-orbital-launches-by-country-2"
author: "NSE"
published: "2022-10-12T12:30:00+00:00"
modified: "2023-04-25T11:20:12+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2022/10/12/timeline-of-first-orbital-launches-by-country-2/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2022/10/12/timeline-of-first-orbital-launches-by-country-2.md"
description: "Timeline Infographic"
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Launch Market"
  - "Market Data And Analysis"
  - "Space Economy"
  - "Timelines"
post_tag:
  - "Government"
  - "Human Spaceflight"
  - "Infographics"
  - "Satellites"
  - "Soviet Union"
  - "Spaceflight"
---

# Timeline of First Orbital Launches by Country

To qualify for this timeline, the orbital rocket had to be designed and engineered in its entirely in the country. The rocket must also have successfully delivered a payload to orbit.

Note that all orbital launches on this timeline originated from government programs.

**1957**
October 4

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/D2EC4E66-A8DA-4261-A711-0A5C8FD62E7C.jpeg?w=696&ssl=1)

### Soviet Union

Russia took over the Soviet space program after the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991

**1958**
February 1

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/E38567FF-039D-489C-8E3E-6D2289600A11.jpeg?w=696&ssl=1)

### United States

Currently has orbital launch capability including human spaceflight

**1965**
November 26

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/D444A1E3-E9B4-4A5C-8F68-203057D60916.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### France

Currently has orbital launch capabilities as a member of [ESA](https://www.esa.int/)

**1970**
February 11

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/E362CFD3-12CA-4747-9124-9749F186AC0D.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### Japan

Currently has orbital launch capability

**1970**
April 24

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/9CD4C131-DE86-46CE-8531-396D10C6F20B.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### China

Currently has orbital launch capability including human spaceflight

**1971**
October 28

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/E3E8AAA1-7B4F-4E51-93E7-F2B7DA6693CA.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### United Kingdom

Currently has orbital launch capabilities as a member of [ESA](https://www.esa.int/)

**1979**
December 24

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/95ED2537-557F-49DC-B668-BC9A36332BA8.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### ESA (an intergovernmental organization)

Currently has orbital launch capability which is available to all members. Ongoing discussion regarding the need to develop human spaceflight capability.

**1980**
July 18

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/A96FC223-0B6E-4419-AD25-65559C8138A0.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### India

Currently has orbital launch capability and is actively working on developing human spaceflight capability.

**1998**
September 19

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/486A270B-6667-4AFF-8557-805B6CCE86D2.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### Israel

Currently has orbital launch capability

**1991**
September 28

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/0AC490DD-A466-467B-B499-FD5B3338F344.jpeg?w=696&ssl=1)

### Ukraine

Currently has orbital launch capability

**1992**
January 21

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/3090EB3A-5079-4FE8-8FEE-9B52D171971F.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### Russia

Currently has orbital launch capability including human spaceflight

**2009**
February 2

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/64F092AA-CE29-4D4D-9B6B-966E7868B0CD.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### Iran

Currently has orbital launch capability

**2012**
December 12

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/A492CC17-00F0-458A-88A6-825CBC5AF5AB.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### North Korea

Currently has orbital launch capability

**2022**
June 21

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/83609FA3-E68F-4BDC-B279-01B93A4D740A.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### South Korea

Currently has orbital launch capability

**FUTURE**

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/New-Orbital-Rocket-Launches-on-the-Horizon.png?w=696&ssl=1)

### [New Orbital Rockets on the Horizon](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2022/08/26/upcoming-new-orbital-rockets-as-of-august-25-2022/)

Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_first_orbital_launches_by_country?wprov=sfti1)