1990 Rocket Launch Recap
Our roundup of all the launches that happened in 1990, along with key stats, trends and info. You can learn more about our data, and how we present it here.
Include notable suborbital launches
121
Total Launches
115
Successful Launches
6
Failed Launches
95.04%
Success Rate
39
Humans launched to space
Notable 1990 Achievements
How 1990 Compares to Previous Years
There were 115 successful launch attempts in 1990 and 6 failed launch attempts. These figures include test/development launches, which are more prone to failure.
Rocket Launches by Year
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Nation in 1990
In 1990, companies and agencies from 6 Nations attempted launches, including Russia (79 launches), the United States (27 launches) and Europe (6 launches).
Total Rocket Launches by Nation in 1990
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Launch Service Providers in 1990
11 Launch Service Providers completed launches in 1990, including Soviet Space Program (79 launches), United States Air Force (16 launches) and Lockheed Space Operations Company (6 launches).
Top 10 Space Launch Service Providers in 1990 by total launch count
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Launch Vehicle in 1990
33 different Launch Vehicles launched off in 1990. The top 3 were the Soyuz U (32 launches), Kosmos-3M (11K65M) (10 launches) and Molniya-M 2BL (9 launches) launch vehicles.
Top 10 Launch Vehicles in 1990 by total launch count
By RocketLaunch.org
Launches by Launch Sites in 1990
Rockets launched from 13 Launch Sites in 1990. The most active launch sites were Plesetsk Cosmodrome (50 launches), Baikonur Cosmodrome (29 launches) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (17 launches).
Top 10 Launch Sites in 1990
By RocketLaunch.org
Astronauts Launched by Nationality in 1990
In 1990, 39 humans from 3 nations were launched into space. These nations were the United States (32 astronauts), Russia (6 astronauts) and Japan (1 astronaut).
Astronauts Launched by Nationality in 1990
By RocketLaunch.org
Where we launched to in 1990
We launched off to 5 different locations beyond earth in 1990 (including flybys). Most launches were to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (83 launches), Geostationary Orbit (GEO) (25 launches) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) (7 launches).
Top Launch Destinations in 1990
By RocketLaunch.org
That's a wrap! 👏
Don't forget to share this recap with fellow space-enthusiasts! And if you want more, view our Space Age Timeline to access all our annual recaps.
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