July 2023 – Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab Electron aborts launch in final seconds

July 29, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch of the 40th Electron rocket mission was aborted during the engine ignition sequence at about 3 a.m. EDT (0700 UTC) on Sunday. Rocket Lab has scrubbed the launch for the day.

Falcon Heavy launches heaviest commercial communications satellite yet

July 29, 2023 Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launched the world’s heaviest commercial communications satellite atop a Falcon Heavy rocket on Friday. The triple-core rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s pad 39A with the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite at 11:04 p.m. EDT (0304 UTC Saturday).

SpaceX Falcon Heavy lifts off with heaviest commercial communications satellite ever

July 28, 2023 Spaceflight Now

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy lifted off Friday with the world’s heaviest commercial communications satellite. Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center’s pad 39A with the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite occurred at 11:04 p.m. EDT (0304 UTC Saturday).

SpaceX breaks launchpad turnaround record with midnight Starlink launch

July 28, 2023 Spaceflight Now

SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 more Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit Thursday night after scrapping plans for a launch double-header with a Falcon Heavy rocket. The Falcon 9 lifted off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 UTC).

SpaceX standing down from record-breaking double-launch attempt

July 27, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX could break the record for the shortest time between Cape Canaveral launches Thursday night if it can launch a Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy in quick succession. But achieving that assumes the weather cooperates and any technical issues with the Falcon Heavy can be resolved.

Falcon Heavy launch of largest commercial communications satellite scrubbed

July 26, 2023 Spaceflight Now

The launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy with the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite, the heaviest commercial communications satellite ever, was scrubbed Wednesday with one minute, five seconds left on the countdown clock.

Falcon 9 evades thunderstorms, launches 22 Starlink satellites

July 23, 2023 Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday after thunderstorms postponed the mission the day before. The rocket with 22 second-generation Starlink satellites aboard lifted off at 8:50 p.m. EDT (0050 UTC on July 25).

Weather scrubs Falcon 9 launch of Starlink internet satellites

July 22, 2023 Spaceflight Now

Stormy weather forced SpaceX to scrub Saturday’s launch of the Falcon 9 before the completion of propellant load. The next launch opportunity carrying 22 more second-generation Starlink satellites is Sunday at 7:09 p.m. EDT (2309 UTC).

Amazon unveils plans for $120 million satellite processing facility for its internet constellation

July 21, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

On Friday, online retail giant amazon will join with members of Space Florida to reveal its plans for a 100,000-square-foot satellite processing facility located at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Falcon 9 punches through fog on first West Coast launch of Starlink second-generation satellites

July 20, 2023 Spaceflight Now

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is lifted off Wednesday night/Thursday morning carrying the first batch of second-generation Starlink satellites to be lofted from the West Coast. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base occurred at 9:09 p.m. PDT (1209 a.m. EDT / 0409 UTC July 19).