A regularly updated listing of planned orbital missions from spaceports around the globe. Dates and times are given in Greenwich Mean Time. “NET” stands for no earlier than. “TBD” means to be determined. Recent updates appear in red type. Please send any corrections, additions or updates by e-mail to: sclark@spaceflightnow.com.
See our Launch Log for a listing of completed space missions since 2004.
Latest changes:
May 11: Falcon 9/Starlink 4-13 delayed; Electron/CAPSTONE delayed
May 10: Falcon 9/Starlink 4-18 moved forward
May 9: Falcon 9/Starlink 4-13 delayed. Falcon 9/Starlink 4-15 moved forward; Updating time for Falcon 9/SpaceX CRS 25
May 4: Falcon 9/Starlink 4-17 delayed; Falcon 9/Starlink 4-13 delayed; Adding date for Falcon 9/Starlink 4-18; Adding date for Electron/CAPSTONE
April 28: Updating timeframe for Angara 1.2/MKA-R; Long March 11H/Jilin 1 delayed; Electron/”There And Back Again” delayed; Adding Long March 2C/Unknown Payload; Adding time for Falcon 9/Starlink 4-16; Electron/CAPSTONE delayed; Falcon 9/Starlink 4-17 moved forward; Falcon 9/Starlink 4-15 delayed; Adding date for Falcon 9/Starlink 4-13; Adding date and time for Long March 7/Tianzhou 4; Falcon 9/Transporter 5 moved forward; Adding timeframe for Astra Rocket 3.3/TROPICS; Ariane 5/MEASAT 3d & GSAT 24 delayed; Updating timeframe for Falcon Heavy/USSF 44; Space Launch System/Artemis 1 delayed
May 18Falcon 9 • Starlink 4-18
Launch time: Approx. 1030 GMT (6:30 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of Starlink internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Moved forward from May 21. [May 16]
May 19Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2
Launch time: 2254 GMT (6:54 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-082, will launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on second unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station. This mission was added after Boeing’s decision to refly the Starliner’s Orbital Flight Test before proceeding with the Crew Flight Test. The rocket will fly in a vehicle configuration with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from 3rd Quarter. Delayed from Jan. 4. Moved forward from March 29, April 2, and May. Delayed from July 30 and Aug. 3. Delayed from late 2021. [April 20]
May 25Falcon 9 • Transporter 5
Launch time: 1835 GMT (2:35 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Transporter 5 mission, a rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. Moved to Cape Canaveral from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. [April 28]
MayAlpha • Multi-payload
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A Firefly Alpha rocket will launch on its second test flight with a rideshare payload consisting of multiple unspecified small satellites. [March 25]
MaySSLV • Demonstration Launch
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch on its first orbital test flight. Consisting of three solid-fueled stages and a liquid-fueled upper stage, the SSLV is a new Indian launch vehicle designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit. Delayed from September and December 2019. Delayed from January and December 2020. Delayed from April 2021. [March 25]
NET May 31Electron • CAPSTONE
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Launch site: Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, mission to the moon. CAPSTONE will fly to the moon on Rocket Lab’s Photon space tug, entering a unique halo-like lunar orbit to test deep space navigation and communications in the same orbit to be used by NASA’s Gateway mini-space station. Moved from Launch Complex 2 in Virginia to Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. Delayed from 2021 due to COVID-related issues. Delayed from March 2022. [May 4]
TBDSSLV • BlackSky Global
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch on its first commercial mission with four Earth observation satellites for BlackSky Global, a Seattle-based company. The rideshare mission for BlackSky is being arranged by Spaceflight. Delayed from November, late 2019 and early 2020. Delayed from early 2021 and July. [March 31]
June 3Soyuz • Progress 81P
Launch time: 0923 GMT (5:23 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 81st Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. [April 20]
JuneLong March 2F • Shenzhou 14
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
A Chinese Long March 2F rocket will launch the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft with three Chinese astronauts to rendezvous and dock with the Chinese space station in low Earth orbit. This will be China’s ninth crewed space mission, and the third to the Chinese space station. Delayed from May. [April 20]
June 7Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 25
Launch time: 1530 GMT (11:30 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its fifth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight is the 25th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. [May 9]
JuneFalcon 9 • Nilesat 301
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Nilesat 301 geostationary communications satellite. Nilesat 301, built by Thales Alenia Space, will provide digital broadband and internet connectivity services for the Egyptian operator Nilesat. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Delayed from April 30. [April 20]
JuneAstra Rocket 3.3 • TROPICS 1 & 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A commercial small satellite launch vehicle developed by Astra will launch the first pair of small CubeSats for NASA’s TROPICS mission. The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats, or TROPICS, mission will measure environmental and inner-core conditions for tropical cyclones. Delayed from April. [April 28]
JuneVega C • LARES 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega C rocket will launch the LARES 2 satellite for ASI, the Italian space agency. The spherical LARES 2 satellite is covered in laser mirrors to enable precise tracking from the ground, enabling research into geoodynamics and general relativity. This will mark the inaugural flight of Europe’s new Vega C rocket, featuring a more powerful first stage motor, an enlarged second stage, an improved liquid-fueled upper stage, and a new payload fairing design. Delayed from mid-2020 by coronavirus impacts. Delayed from December 2020, early 2021, April 2022, and May 2022. [April 9]
NET JuneFalcon 9 • O3b mPOWER 1, 2, 3
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first three O3b mPOWER broadband internet satellites into Medium Earth Orbit for SES of Luxembourg. The satellites, built by Boeing, will provide internet services over most of the populated world, building on SES’s O3b network. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Delayed from May. [April 20]
June 18Atlas 5 • SBIRS GEO 6
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-097, will launch the U.S. Space Force’s sixth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous satellite, or SBIRS GEO 6, for missile early-warning detection. The rocket will fly in the 421 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, two solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. [March 25]
June 22Ariane 5 • MEASAT 3d & GSAT 24
Launch window: 2103-2243 GMT (5:03-6:43 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA257, to launch the MEASAT 3d and GSAT 24 communications satellites. Built by Airbus Defense and Space for MEASAT, a Malaysian operator, MEASAT 3d is a multi-mission communications satellite outfitted with C-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band payloads for direct-to-home TV broadcasting and internet services over Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. GSAT 24 is a direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite for the Indian Space Research Organization. Delayed from April and June 17. [April 28]
JuneAstra Rocket 3.3 • TROPICS 3 & 4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A commercial small satellite launch vehicle developed by Astra will launch the second pair of small CubeSats for NASA’s TROPICS mission. The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats, or TROPICS, mission will measure environmental and inner-core conditions for tropical cyclones. Delayed from April. [April 28]
Late JuneFalcon Heavy • USSF 44
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the USSF 44 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The mission is expected to deploy two spacecraft payloads directly into geosynchronous orbit, one of which is the military’s TETRA 1 microsatellite. The Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will land on drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean, and the core stage will be expended. Delayed from late 2020, 2nd quarter of 2021, July 2021, and October 2021 by payload issues. Delayed from early 2022. [April 28]
TBDStarship • Orbital Test Flight
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas
Launch site: Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas
A SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship launch vehicle will launch on its first orbital test flight. The mission will attempt to travel around the world for nearly one full orbit, resulting in a re-entry and splashdown of the Starship near Hawaii. Delayed from early 2022. [March 9]
June/JulyFalcon 9 • SES 22
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES 22 communications satellite for SES of Luxembourg. Built by Thales Alenia Space, SES 22 will provide C-band television and data services in the United States. [April 20]
Mid-2022Falcon 9 • SARah 1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SARah 1 radar remote sensing satellite for the German military. SARah 1 is the first of three synthetic aperture radar satellites for the German military. It was built by Airbus. [March 25]
JulyLong March 5B • Wentian
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5B rocket will launch the Wentian laboratory module, the second major element of China’s space station in low Earth orbit. [April 20]
JulyAstra Rocket 3.3 • TROPICS 5 & 6
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A commercial small satellite launch vehicle developed by Astra will launch the third pair of small CubeSats for NASA’s TROPICS mission. The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats, or TROPICS, mission will measure environmental and inner-core conditions for tropical cyclones. Delayed from April. [April 28]
TBDAtlas 5 • USSF 12
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the USSF 12 mission with Wide Field Of View, or WFOV, experimental missile warning satellite for the U.S. Space Force. WFOV hosts a new type of infrared staring sensor in geosynchronous orbit to detect the heat from missile launch plumes. The USSF 12 mission will include additional rideshare payloads. The rocket will fly in the 541 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, four solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from April at the request of the U.S. Space Force. [March 25]
JulyFalcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first two WorldView Legion Earth observation satellites for Maxar Technologies. Maxar plans to deploy six commercial WorldView Legion high-resolution remote sensing satellites into a mix of sun-synchronous and mid-inclination orbits on three SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. Delayed from January and September 2021. Delayed from March, May, and June 2022. [April 20]
3rd QuarterFalcon 9 • IM-1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the IM-1 mission with the Nova-C lander built and owned by Intuitive Machines. The IM-1 mission will attempt to deliver a suite of science payloads to the surface of the moon for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. [March 25]
Aug. 1Falcon Heavy • Psyche
Launch time: 1826:31 GMT (2:26:31 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the Psyche spacecraft for NASA. The robotic mission will explore the metallic asteroid Psyche. The spacecraft was built in collaboration between Maxar and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will return to Landing Zone 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral, and the core stage will be expended. [March 25]
Aug. 15Antares • NG-18
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket will launch the 19th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 18th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-18. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230+ configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. [March 25]
NET AugustSpace Launch System • Artemis 1
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket will launch on its first test flight with an uncrewed Orion spacecraft. The mission, known as Artemis 1, will place the Orion spacecraft into orbit around the moon before the capsule returns to Earth for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Ten small CubeSat rideshare payloads will also launch on the Artemis 1 mission. Delayed from February, March, April, May, and June. [April 28]
AugustAtlas 5 • SES 20 & SES 21
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the SES 20 and SES 21 communications satellites for SES of Luxembourg. SES 20 and 21 will provide C-band television and data services over the United States. The rocket will fly in the 531 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. [March 25]
AugustDelta 4-Heavy • NROL-91
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-6, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-6, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency. [March 25]
3rd QuarterFalcon Heavy • ViaSat 3 Americas
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the ViaSat 3 Americas broadband communications satellite. ViaSat 3 Americas is the first of at least three new-generation Boeing-built geostationary satellites for ViaSat. A small communications satellite named Arcturus will launch as a secondary payload for Astranis. [March 25]
TBDFalcon 9 • SES 18 & SES 19
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch SES 18 and SES 19 communications satellites for SES of Luxembourg. SES 18 and 19, built by Northrop Grumman, will provide C-band television and data services over the United States. [March 25]
Sept. 1Falcon 9 • Crew 5
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on its eighth flight with astronauts. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. NASA astronauts Nicole Mann, Josh Cassada, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina will launch on the Crew Dragon spacecraft to begin a six-month expedition on the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. [March 25]
Sept. 21Soyuz • ISS 68S
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft to the International Space Station with the next team of three cosmonauts and astronauts to live and work on the complex. The crew is led by commander Sergey Prokopyev, who will be joined by Russian flight engineer Dmitry Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. [March 25]
NET Sept. 24Falcon 9 • SDA Tranche 0
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 14 Tranche 0 demonstration satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Development Agency. The launch is the first of two Falcon 9 missions to carry SDA demonstration spacecraft for a future constellation of military missile tracking and data relay satellites. [March 25]
Sept. 30Atlas 5 • JPSS 2 & LOFTID
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-3E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-3E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch Joint Polar Satellite System 2, or JPSS 2, polar-orbiting weather satellite for NASA and NOAA. Built by Northrop Grumman, JPSS 2 will provide global weather observations for medium and long-term forecasts. The Atlas 5 will also launch the Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, or LOFTID, re-entry aeroshell vehicle on a test flight. LOFTID is a joint project between NASA and ULA. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. [March 25]
OctoberFalcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 26
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its sixth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight is the 26th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. [March 25]
OctoberLong March 5B • Mengtian
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5B rocket will launch the Mengtian laboratory module, the third major element of China’s space station in low Earth orbit. [April 20]
OctoberFalcon 9 • Transporter 6
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Transporter 6 mission, a rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. [March 25]
OctoberFalcon Heavy • USSF 52
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the USSF 52 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The mission will launch an unspecified military payload on this mission. Delayed from October 2021 and 2nd Quarter 2022. [March 25]
Oct. 26Soyuz • Progress 82P
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 82nd Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. [March 25]
Nov. 15Falcon 9 • SWOT
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission for NASA. SWOT is a science mission jointly developed by NASA and CNES, the French space agency, to measure how much water is in Earth’s oceans, lakes, and rivers. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. [March 25]
NovemberFalcon Heavy • USSF 67
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the USSF 67 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The mission will launch an unspecified military payload on this mission. [March 25]
NET NovemberFalcon 9 • Polaris Dawn
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on the program’s ninth flight with astronauts. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The Polaris Dawn mission will be commanded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, making his second trip to space. He will be joined on the all-private mission by pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. [March 25]
4th QuarterFalcon 9 • GPS 3 SV06
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the U.S. Space Force’s sixth third-generation navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin. [March 25]
Late 2022Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on its first mission with astronauts, known as the Crew Test Flight, to the International Space Station. The capsule will dock with the space station, then return to Earth to landing in the Western United States. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Mike Fincke, along with an unidentified third crew member, will fly on the mission. The rocket will fly in a vehicle configuration with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from August and 1st Quarter of 2020. Delayed from mid-2020 after Boeing decision to refly the Orbital Flight Test. Delayed from early 2021, June 2021, and late 2021. [Aug. 15]
Late 2022Vulcan Centaur • Peregrine
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch on its inaugural flight with the Peregrine commercial lunar lander for Astrobotic. The Peregrine robotic lander will carry multiple experiments, scientific instruments, and tech demo payloads for NASA and other customers. The Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly in the VC2S configuration with two GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, a short-length payload fairing, and two RL10 engines on the Centaur upper stage. Delayed from mid-2022. [March 25]