• 14 Years in Space: Van Allen Probes

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • 11 Years in Space: India’s Astrosat

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • 22 Years in Space: Swift Spacecraft

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.

  • 27 Years in Space: XMM-Newton

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.

  • 17 Years in Space: WISE / NEOWISE

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.

  • 37 Years in Space: Hubble Space Telescope

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft with 2.4-meter diameter main telescope begins 38th year in space today, launched Apr 24, 1990; could continue operations until 2040s.

  • 15 Years in Space: Van Allen Probes

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • 12 Years in Space: India’s

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • 23 Years in Space: Swift Spacecraft

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.

  • 32 Years in Space: Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) craft studying sun, surpasses another full year of operations in space today, launched 1995; discovered more than 3,000 comets.

  • 28 Years in Space: XMM-Newton

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.

  • 18 Years in Space: WISE / NEOWISE

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.

  • 16 Years in Space: Van Allen Probes

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • 13 Years in Space: India’s Astrosat

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • 26 Years in Space: INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL)

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Detecting some of the most energetic radiation in space, ESA, NASA, Roscosmos spacecraft surpasses another year of operations in space, despite loss of its thrusters; launched 2002, instruments were officially powered down in February 2025, and planned reentry into Earth's atmosphere expected Feb 2029.

  • 24 Years in Space: Swift Spacecraft

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.

  • 33 Years in Space: Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) craft studying sun, surpasses another full year of operations in space today, launched 1995; discovered more than 3,000 comets.

  • 29 Years in Space: XMM-Newton

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.

  • 19 Years in Space: WISE / NEOWISE

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.

  • 17 Years in Space: Van Allen Probes

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • 14 Years in Space: India’s Astrosat

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • 25 Years in Space: Swift Spacecraft

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.

  • 34 Years in Space: Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) craft studying sun, surpasses another full year of operations in space today, launched 1995; discovered more than 3,000 comets.

  • 30 Years in Space: XMM-Newton

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.

  • 20 Years in Space: WISE / NEOWISE

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.

  • 18 Years in Space: Van Allen Probes

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • 15 Years in Space: India’s Astrosat

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.