Assessment of Failure Probabilities of Launch and Orbital Manoeuvres of Satellites

The question of failures leading to abortions of space missions is of importance in terms of financial and scientific expenditures. However, if nuclear devices such as power sources of satellites are involved and re-entries are to be envisaged, these failures will become a matter of safety, too. The results found are that abortive mission failures lay in the range of 10% probability. A break down of accessible event data provides a sound basis for these results. The more complex question of safety can only be touched here.