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:
June 18: Adding Soyuz/Pion-NKS 1; Falcon 9/Transporter 2 delayed; Vega/Pléiades Neo 4 delayed; Adding time for Proton/Nauka; Adding Long March 7/Tianzhou 3; Adding Long March 2F/Shenzhou 13; Updating payloads for Ariane 5/VA255
June 10: Adding time for Pegasus XL/TacRL-2; Updating time for Minotaur 1/NROL-111; Atlas 5/STP-3 delayed
June 7: Adding Pegasus XL/TacRL-2; Adding period for Minotaur 1/NROL-111; Updating window for Falcon 9/GPS 3 SV05; Atlas 5/STP-3 delayed; Adding date for Falcon 9/Transporter 2; Adding time for Soyuz/Progress 78P; Adding time for Soyuz/OneWeb 8; Adding date for Ariane 5/Star One D2 & Eutelsat Quantum; Falcon Heavy/USSF 44 delayed; Adding Ariane 5/Hotbird 13F & GSAT 24; Ariane 5/SES 17 & Ovzon 3 delayed; Adding Atlas 5/Landsat 9; Falcon Heavy/USSF 52 delayed; Adding Electron/CAPSTONE; Adding Soyuz 66S
May 31: Adding date for Long March 3B/Fengyun 4B; Adding date and time for Falcon 9/SXM 8; Long March 2F/Shenzhou 12 delayed
May 28: Adding date and time for Long March 7/Tianzhou 2; Adding timeframe for Atlas 5/USSF 8
June 25Soyuz • Pion-NKS 1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the Pion-NKS 1 electronic intelligence-gathering satellite for the Russian military. This is the first Pion-NKS spacecraft, a new generation of reconnaissance satellites for naval surveillance. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1b configuration without an upper stage. [June 18]
June 25Falcon 9 • Transporter 2
Launch time: 1856-1954 GMT (2:56-3:54 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 2 mission, a rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. Moved up from July. [June 18]
June 29Soyuz • Progress 78P
Launch time: 2327 GMT (7:27 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 78th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Delayed from March 19. [June 7]
July 1Soyuz • OneWeb 8
Launch time: 1248 GMT (8:48 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia
Launch site: Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 36 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [June 7]
JulyFalcon 9 • Starlink
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 on the first dedicated mission with Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission will deploy an unspecified number of Starlink satellites into a high-inclination orbit. [June 7]
July 15Proton • Nauka
Launch time: 1716 GMT (1:16 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Proton rocket will launch the Nauka laboratory module to the International Space Station. The Nauka module, or the Multipurpose Laboratory Module, will also carry the European Robotic Arm to the space station. [June 18]
July 27Ariane 5 • Star One D2 & Eutelsat Quantum
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA254, to launch the Star One D2 and Eutelsat Quantum communications satellites. Owned by the Brazilian operator Embratel Star One, the Star One D2 was built by Maxar and will deliver telecommunications, direct-to-home television services, and fast broadband to customers in South America, Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The Eutelsat Quantum satellite was built by SSTL and Airbus Defense and Space under the auspices of a public-private research and development project between the European Space Agency, Eutelsat and Airbus. Designed for coverage over the Middle East and North Africa, the software-defined satellite can be reprogrammed for new communications missions in orbit. Delayed from January, February, March 4, and May. [June 7]
July 30Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2
Launch time: 1853 GMT (2:53 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. [May 13]
TBDGSLV Mk.2 • GISAT 1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk. 2 (GSLV Mk.2), designated GSLV-F10, will launch India’s first GEO Imaging Satellite, or GISAT 1. The GISAT 1 spacecraft will provide continuous remote sensing observations over the Indian subcontinent from geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth. Delayed from Jan. 15, February and March 5, 2020. Delayed from March 28, April 18, and May 2021. [May 13]
TBDPSLV • RISAT 1A
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), designated PSLV-C52, will launch the Indian RISAT 1A radar Earth observation satellite. [March 12]
Aug. 1Antares • NG-16
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 17th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 16th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-16. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230+ configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. Delayed from July. [March 31]
Aug. 2Soyuz • OneWeb 9
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 34 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [May 13]
TBDAtlas 5 • STP-3
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 STP-3 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The STP-3 rideshare mission will launch the STPSat 6 satellite and several small satellites. STPSat 6 hosts several payloads and experiments, including the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System-3 (SABRS-3) payload, and NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) experiment. The rocket will fly in the 551 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, five solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Feb. 26 and June 23. [June 10]
Mid-AugustVega • Pléiades Neo 4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV19, will launch the Pléiades Neo 4 Earth observation satellite for Airbus. Pléiades Neo 4 is the second of four Pléiades Neo high-resolution Earth observation satellites built, owned, and operated by Airbus. The Vega rocket will also launch multiple rideshare payloads. Delayed from February after VV17 launch failure. Delayed from June and July. [June 18]
Aug. 18Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 23
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 third cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 23rd mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. [Feb. 23]
Aug. 26Soyuz • OneWeb 10
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 34 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [May 13]
Early SeptemberAtlas 5 • USSF 8 (GSSAP 5 & 6)
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 8 mission with the fifth and sixth satellites for the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, or GSSAP, designed to help the military track and observe objects in geosynchronous orbit. The rocket will fly in the 511 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, one solid rocket booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from 4th Quarter of 2020, March, and August. [May 28]
Sept. 15Falcon 9 • Inspiration4
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 first all-private, all-civilian orbital mission, known as Inspiration4. The mission is organized to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The mission is commanded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, who will be joined by scientist and educator Sian Proctor, medical officer Hayley Arceneaux, and mission specialist Christopher Sembroski. [March 31]
Sept. 16Atlas 5 • Landsat 9
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 the Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite for NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Built by Northrop Grumman, Landsat 9 will continue the series of Landsat images of Earth dating back nearly 50 years. 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. [June 7]
Sept. 18Soyuz • OneWeb 11
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 34 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [May 13]
SeptemberLong March 7 • Tianzhou 3
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 7 will launch the Tianzhou 3 resupply ship to dock with the Chinese space station. The automated cargo craft is the second resupply freighter for the Chinese space station. [June 18]
SeptemberFalcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2
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 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 two SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. Delayed from January. [Nov. 27]
TBDElectron • STP-27RM
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 2, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia
Launch site: Launch Complex 2, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch on its first mission from a new launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch customer is the U.S. Air Force, and the mission will launch an experimental mission for the Space Test Program called Monolith with a space weather instrument. The Monolith mission will demonstrate the ability of a small satellite to support large aperture payloads. Delayed from 2nd Quarter of 2019. Delayed from August 2020 and September 2020. Delayed from 4th Quarter of 2020. [Nov. 27]
Late SeptemberAriane 5 • SES 17 & Syracuse 4A
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA255, to launch the SES 17 and Syracuse 4A communications satellites. Built Thales Alenia Space, the SES 17 communications satellite will provide internet connectivity to airline passengers over the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean for SES of Luxembourg. The Syracuse 4A spacecraft, also built by Thales Alenia Space, will provide communications services for the French military. [June 18]
Oct. 5Soyuz • ISS 65S
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft to the International Space Station with cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, film director Klim Shipenko, and actress Yulia Peresild. Shkaplerov will remain on the ISS for a long-duration expedition, while Shipenko and Peresild will spend about 12 days before returning on a different Soyuz spacecraft. The Soyuz MS-19 capsule will remain at the station for about six months, providing an escape pod for the residents. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Delayed from Sept. 22. [March 31]
OctoberLong March 2F • Shenzhou 13
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
A Chinese Long March 2F rocket will launch the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft with three Chinese astronauts to rendezvous and dock with the Chinese space station in low Earth orbit. This is China’s eighth crewed space mission, and the second to the Chinese space station. [June 18]
Oct. 16Atlas 5 • Lucy
Launch time: 0935 GMT (5:35 a.m. EDT)
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 NASA’s Lucy spacecraft. Built by Lockheed Martin and led by the Southwest Research Institute, Lucy will fly by seven Trojan asteroids, a unique family of asteroids that orbit the sun in front of and behind Jupiter. 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. [Feb. 23]
NET Oct. 20Electron • CAPSTONE
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 2, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia
Launch site: Launch Complex 2, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch on its second mission from a new launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia. The Electron rocket will carry 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. [June 7]
OctoberSoyuz • OneWeb 12
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designed VS26, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry 34 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b (Soyuz ST-B) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [May 13]
OctoberFalcon 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. Delayed from late 2020, 2nd quarter of 2021, and July 2021. [June 7]
Oct. 23Falcon 9 • Crew 3
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 third operational flight with astronauts on-board to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Thomas Marshburn, and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer will launch on the Crew Dragon spacecraft. A fourth crew member will be assigned at a later date. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. Delayed from Sept. 13. [April 12]
4th QuarterVega • CERES
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV20, will launch three CERES signals intelligence satellites for the French military. The three small satellites were built by Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Alenia Space. [May 13]
Oct. 28Soyuz • Progress 79P
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 79th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Delayed from Aug. 21. [March 31]
Oct. 31Ariane 5 • James Webb Space Telescope
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace used an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA256, to launch the James Webb Space Telescope, a flagship observatory developed by NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. JWST is the largest space telescope ever built, with a deployable mirror measuring 21.3 feet (6.5 meters) in diameter and four scientific instruments to observe the universe in infrared wavelengths. The mission will study the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets. The Ariane 5 ECA rocket will launch JWST on a trajectory toward its operating position at the L2 Lagrange point nearly a million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth. [Feb. 23]
NovemberSoyuz • Galileo 27 & 28
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designed VS27, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry two Galileo full operational capability satellites for Europe’s Galileo navigation constellation. The Soyuz-2.1b (Soyuz ST-B) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Delayed from mid-2021 and September. [May 13]
4th QuarterFalcon 9 • Turksat 5B
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Turksat 5B communications satellite for Turksat, a Turkish satellite operator. Built by Airbus Defense and Space with significant Turkish contributions, the Turksat 5B satellite will provide broadband services over a wide coverage area, including Turkey, the Middle East and large regions of Africa. Delayed from June. [April 15]
Nov. 17Falcon 9 • IXPE
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 NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. IXPE exploits the polarization state of light from astrophysical sources to provide insight into our understanding of X-ray production in objects such as neutron stars and pulsar wind nebulae, as well as stellar and supermassive black holes. [Feb. 23]
Nov. 24Falcon 9 • DART
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, mission. DART is NASA’s first flight demonstration for planetary defense. The mission seeks to test and validate a method to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. The mission aims to shift an asteroid’s orbit through kinetic impact — specifically, by impacting a spacecraft into the smaller member of the binary asteroid system Didymos to change its orbital speed. Delayed from July. [Feb. 23]
Dec. 4Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 24
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 fourth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 24th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. [April 12]
Dec. 7Atlas 5 • GOES-T
Launch time: 2140 GMT (4:40 p.m. EST)
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 GOES-T, the third next-generation geostationary weather satellite for NASA and NOAA. GOES-T will orbit 22,300 miles above the equator to monitor weather conditions across the United States. 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. [Feb. 23]
Dec. 8Soyuz • ISS 66S
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft to the International Space Station on a 12-day flight with cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin and space tourists Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Delayed from Sept. 22. [June 7]
4th QuarterAriane 5 • SES 17 & Ovzon 3
Launch window: TBD
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 SES 17 and Ovzon 3 communications satellites. Built by Thales Alenia Space, SES 17 is a Ka-band high-throughput geostationary communications satellite designed to provide mobile internet services to airline passengers over the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean for SES of Luxembourg. The Ovzon 3 spacecraft, built by Maxar and owned by the Swedish company Ovzon AB, is a small geostationary communications satellite designed for mobile broadband services. Delayed from August. [June 7]
4th QuarterSSLV • 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. [March 31]
4th QuarterVulcan 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. [Feb. 23]
4th QuarterSSLV • 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]
Late 2021Atlas 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, Mike Fincke and Nicole Mann will fly on 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 August and 1st Quarter of 2020. Delayed from mid-2020 after Boeing decision to refly the Orbital Flight Test. Delayed from early 2021 and June 2021. [April 26]
Early 2022Falcon 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. [June 7]
Early 2022Vega 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 and early 2021. [May 13]