Wikipedia:WikiProject Spaceflight/Launch articles

This is a WikiProject guideline for determining whether individual launches of rockets meet Wikipedia's notability criteria. It only covers the launches of spacecraft, not the spacecraft themselves or their missions. In most cases it is more appropriate to cover the launches of spacecraft in the articles about those spacecraft, rather than creating separate articles

Overview
In general, we try to avoid having articles on the launches of individual rockets. Instead, launches should be covered in the articles about their payloads, the type of rocket used, and the timeline of spaceflight. In cases where the payload does not have an article, if possible it is preferable to create one rather than to create an article just to cover its launch. If an article for the payload cannot be created (for example because one was not present, or because the identity of the payload is not known), then an article may be created for the launch, however where possible it should also cover anything that is known about the payload. Should an article be created later about the payload, then merging the launch article into the payload article should be considered an uncontroversial action.

Exceptions
Launches that resulted in the loss of life may be considered notable enough to warrant their own article under wider notability criteria, however such an article should be focussed around the accident, and only be created where there is sufficient information available to expand the article beyond a stub. Otherwise the accident can be covered within the existing payload article.

In cases where a spacecraft (for example several early Space Shuttle missions) was launched with the primary purpose of deploying another spacecraft, an article on that deployment mission would still be considered a mission article, not a launch article, and is therefore not covered by this guideline.

Naming
Where possible, articles about individual launches which do exist should be titled using the name of the carrier rocket and either the flight number of the launch, or the serial number of the rocket used. If these numbers are not known then the format "[Month] [Year] [Rocket] launch [failure]" may be used instead, unless the mission becomes widely known under a different name. Examples:
 * Vanguard TV3
 * August 2008 Safir launch failure
 * Space Shuttle Challenger disaster