No Date Spacecraft Type Launcher(*) Country(*) Launch site(*)
20 5 May Iridium 1-5 ComsatDelta 2(1)> USA (10) Vandenberg (2)
2 19 May DFH 3 ComsatLM3A (1) China (1) Xichang (1)
22 14 May Cosmos 2342 Early WMolniya (2) Russia (7) Plesetsk (4)
23 15 May Atlantis 19 SMM 6STS 84 (4) USA (11) KSC (4)
24 15 May Cosmos2343 ReconSoyuz U (3) Russia (8) Baikonur (3)
25 20 May Thor 2 ComsatDelta 2 (2)> USA (12) Canaveral (5)
26 24 May Telstar 5 ComsatProton (1) Russia (9) Baikonur (4)
* Indicates total number of orbital launches by this launch vehicle, country and launch site in 1997.
> Delta 7920 (1), Delta 7925 (1). Launch of Zenit from Baikonur failed on 20 May
Source: Flight International