On December 31, 2014 at 01:02 UTC, the Chang Zheng-3A (Long March-3A) rocket-carrier was launched from Xichang Cosmodrome, Sichuan province, southwestern China. The rocket orbited the “Fengyun-2-08” weather satellite. The satellite will provide warnings of weather fronts and tropical cyclones across Asia.

On December 27, 2014 at 21:37 UTC (on December 28 at 00:37 Moscow time) the Russian "Proton-M” rocket-carrier was launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The rocket equipped with the "Briz-M” booster orbited the “Astra-2G” broadcast satellite. The “Astra-2G” is a 6.6-ton spacecraft designed to beam television broadcasts and broadband services across the United Kingdom and Ireland, continental Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The spacecraft is based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite platform manufactured by Airbus Defense and Space. This flight marked the 401st launch of a Proton rocket since it debuted in 1965.

On December 27, 2014 at 03:22 UTC the “Long March – 4B” (“Changzheng-4B”) rocket-carrier was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province. The rocket orbited the “Yaogan-26” Earth observation satellite. Chinese media refer to the “Yaogan-26” satellite as a remote sensing satellite that will be used for scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment, and disaster monitoring. Chinese state media did not announce the launch in advance, keeping with customary practice for rocket launches with Chinese military satellites. Some observers believe that the “Yaogan-26” is a military reconnaissance satellite.

On December 26, 2014 at 18:55 UTC the Russian "Soyuz-2.1b” rocket-carrier was launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The rocket orbited the “Resurs-P2” Earth observation satellite.

Designed for a five-year mission, the “Resurs-P2” satellite will collect imagery of Earth’s surface for distribution to Russian government agencies responsible for agriculture, the environment, emergency situations, fisheries, meteorology and cartography. This new Russian satellite is equipped with high-resolution cameras to survey the globe and a plasma physics experiment to seek out signs of exotic antimatter and dark matter in the cosmos.

On December 25, 2014 at 03:01 UTC the “Soyuz-2.1b” rocket-carrier was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Arkhangelsk region, North Russia. The launch was performed by Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. The rocket orbited the “Lotos-S” reconnaissance satellite. Although Russian authorities identified the payload as a communications satellite, but independent observers believe it is the second platform in a new series of spacecraft designed to eavesdrop on radio transmissions.

On December 23, 2014 at 05:57 UTC the Russian “Angara-A5” new rocket-carrier was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Arkhangelsk region, North Russia. The launch was performed by Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. The rocket equipped with the “Breeze-M” upper stage put a dummy satellite into geostationary orbit 22,300 miles over the equator. Weighing 773 metric tons (852 tons) when filled with kerosene, liquid oxygen and hypergolic propellants, the Angara 5 is the biggest Russian launcher to debut since the Energia rocket for the Soviet Union’s Buran space shuttle flew in the late 1980s.

On December 19, 2014 at 04:43 UTC the Russian "Strela” rocket was launched from an underground missile silo at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The rocket orbited the “Kondor-E”, a Russian-built radar surveillance satellite built for the South African military. The “Strela” rocket, which means “Arrow” in Russian, is a three-stage rocket developed by NPO Mash, derived from the UR-100NUTTKh intercontinental ballistic missile.

On December 18, 2014 at 18:37 UTC the Russian "Soyuz-ST-B” rocket- carrier was launched from Kourou space center in French Guiana. The rocket equipped with the “Fregat-MT” booster orbited four O3b communication satellites. O3b Networks initiated commercial service on its state-of-the-art constellation across the Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and Asia in September of this year.

On December 15, 2014 at 00:16 UTC the Russian "Proton-M” rocket-carrier was launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The rocket equipped with the "Briz-M” booster orbited the “Yamal-401” telecommunication satellite to provide services to users in Russia and CIS countries. The Proton vehicle has a deep heritage, with this latest mission marking 400 launches since its inception in 1965.

On December 13, 2014 at 03:19 UTC the " Atlas-5” rocket-carrier was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA. The launch was performed by United Launch Alliance supported by the 30th Space Wing of US Air Force. The rocket orbited a spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NROL-35). After orbiting, the spacecraft was named as USA-259.