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:
Feb. 26: Astra Rocket 3.0/DARPA Launch Challenge 1 delayed; Minotaur 4/NROL-129 delayed
Feb. 25: Adding time for GSLV Mk.2/GISAT 1; Adding date for Falcon 9/SpaceX CRS 20
Feb. 24: Astra Rocket 3.0/DARPA Launch Challenge 1 delayed; Falcon 9/SpaceX CRS 20 delayed; Falcon 9/Starlink 5 delayed; Adding date for GSLV Mk.2/GISAT 1
Feb. 21: Adding time for Falcon 9/SAOCOM 1B
Feb. 20: Adding Astra Rocket 3.0/DARPA Launch Challenge 1; Adding date for Falcon 9/Starlink 5; Adding date for Falcon 9/SAOCOM 1B
Feb. 16: Adding Long March 2D/TBD; GSLV Mk.2/GISAT 1 delayed; Adding Long March 3B/Beidou; Adding Long March 7A/TJS 6; Adding date for Falcon 9/GPS 3 SV03
NET Feb. 28Astra Rocket 3.0 • DARPA Launch Challenge 1
Launch window: 2030-2330 GMT (3:30-6:30 p.m. EST)
Launch site: Pacific Spaceport Complex, Kodiak Island, Alaska
Launch site: Pacific Spaceport Complex, Kodiak Island, Alaska
Astra Space’s Rocket 3.0 will lift off on its first orbital launch attempt under the auspices of DARPA’s Launch Challenge. The DARPA Launch Challenge aims to incentivize a launch company to demonstrate responsiveness and flexibility by launching two missions from two different launch pads (both at the same spaceport) into two different orbits in a one-month span, with just days of advance notice. On the first mission of the DARPA Launch Challenge, Astra’s Rocket 3.0 will attempt to deliver a Prometheus CubeSat into orbit for the U.S. military and two ARCE CubeSats from the University of South Florida to test inter-satellite communications links. A Space Object Automated Reporting Systems payload will remain attached to the Astra Rocket 3.0’s upper stage. Delayed from Feb. 25 and Feb. 27. [Feb. 26]
March 5GSLV Mk.2 • GISAT 1
Launch time: 1213 GMT (7:13 a.m. EST)
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 and February. [Feb. 25]
March 6Soyuz • Falcon Eye 2
Launch time: 0133 GMT on 6th (8:33 p.m. EST)
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designated VS24, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry the Falcon Eye 2 high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite for the United Arab Emirates. Built by Airbus Defense and Space with an optical imaging payload from Thales Alenia Space, Falcon Eye 2 is the second of two surveillance satellites ordered by the UAE’s military. The Soyuz 2-1a (Soyuz ST-A) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Delayed from Oct. 15 and November. Switched from a Vega launcher after the launch failure with the Falcon Eye 1 spacecraft. [Jan. 10]
March 6/7Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 20
Launch time: 0450 GMT on 7th (11:50 p.m. EST on 6th)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 22nd Dragon spacecraft mission on its 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Oct. 15, March 1 and March 2. [Feb. 25]
March 11Falcon 9 • Starlink 5
Launch time: Approx. 1440 GMT (10:40 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to launch the sixth batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 5. Delayed from January, Feb. 14 and March 4. [Feb. 24]
TBDLauncherOne • Inaugural Flight
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
A Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket will make its first orbital test flight after dropping from a modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Delayed from early 2019 and summer 2019. [Dec. 13]
MarchPSLV • RISAT 2BR2
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-C49, will launch the RISAT 2BR2 radar Earth observation satellite for the Indian Space Research Organization. The PSLV will also launch four Kleos Scouting Mission radio surveillance nanosatellites for Kleos Space, a Luxembourg-based company, and multiple Lemur 2 CubeSats for Spire Global. The mission will likely use the “Core Alone” version of the PSLV with no strap-on solid rocket boosters. Delayed from December. [Feb. 11]
MarchLong March 3B • Beidou
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Xichang, China
Launch site: Xichang, China
A Chinese Long March 3B rocket will launch a satellite for the country’s Beidou navigation network toward geostationary orbit. [Feb. 16]
MarchLong March 7A • TJS 6
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 7A rocket will launch a satellite known as TJS 6. Also named as XJY 6 in unconfirmed social media posts, the payload will launch aboard the first flight of the Long March 7A rocket variant with a third stage to place spacecraft into high-energy orbits. [Feb. 16]
March 15Soyuz • Glonass M
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
A Russian government Soyuz rocket with a Fregat upper stage will launch a Glonass M navigation satellite. The Soyuz rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1b configuration. [Feb. 7]
March 18Soyuz • OneWeb 3
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. Delayed from Dec. 5. [Feb. 7]
March 19Atlas 5 • AEHF 6
Launch window: 1922-2122 GMT (3:22-5:22 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 will launch the sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft will provide highly-secure communications. 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 March 13. [Feb. 13]
TBDLauncherOne • ELaNa-20
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
A Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket will launch on its second flight after dropping from a modified Boeing 747 carrier jet. The flight will be conducted under contract to NASA’s Venture Class Launch Services Program, carrying 14 CubeSats to orbit for NASA field centers, U.S. educational institutions and laboratories on the ELaNa-20 rideshare mission. Delayed from Aug. 1, Sept. 1, November, Dec. 1 and mid-February. [Feb. 1]
March 23/24Vega • SSMS POC
Launch time: Approx. 0150 GMT on 24th (9:50 p.m. EDT on 23rd)
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV16, will launch on the Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) Proof of Concept mission with 42 microsatellites, nanosatellites and CubeSats for commercial and institutional customers. This rideshare launch is the first flight of a multi-payload dispenser funded by the European Space Agency to allow the Vega rocket to deliver numerous small satellites to orbit on a single mission. Delayed from August, Sept. 10 and February. [Feb. 1]
March 30Proton • Express 80 & Express 103
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Proton rocket and Block DM upper stage will launch the Express 80 and Express 103 communications satellites for the Russian Satellite Communication Company. Express 80 and Express 103 will provode fixed and mobile communications, digital television and radio broadcasting, high-speed Internet access and data transmission services across Russia. The satellites are built by ISS Reshetnev in Russia, with communication payloads supplied by Thales Alenia Space from Europe. [Dec. 30]
March 30Falcon 9 • SAOCOM 1B
Launch time: 2321 GMT (7:21 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SAOCOM 1B satellite for CONAE, Argentina’s space agency. SAOCOM 1B is the second of two SAOCOM 1-series Earth observation satellites designed to provide radar imagery to help emergency responders and monitor the environment, including the collection of soil moisture measurements. Delayed from 4th Quarter of 2019, January and February. This mission was originally scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. [Feb. 21]
2nd QuarterElectron • 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. [Dec. 30]
AprilSSLV • 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, December and January. [Jan. 25]
AprilLong March 5B • Test Flight
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5B rocket will launch on a test flight with an unpiloted prototype for China’s next-generation human-rated crew capsule designed for missions to the country’s planned space station and for human expeditions to the moon. This will be the first flight of the Long March 5B variant of China’s most powerful rocket family. The Long March 5B is designed to launch elements of China’s future space station in low Earth orbit. [Jan. 21]
April 9Soyuz • ISS 62S
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of the next Expedition crew. The 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 March 20. [Dec. 30]
April 10Soyuz • CSO 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designated VS25, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry into polar orbit the second Composante Spatiale Optique military reconnaissance satellite for CNES and DGA, the French defense procurement agency. The CSO 2 satellite is the second of three new-generation high-resolution optical imaging satellites for the French military, replacing the Helios 2 spy satellite series. The Soyuz-2.1b (Soyuz ST-B) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [Feb. 7]
TBDMinotaur 4 • NROL-129
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Pad 0B, Wallops Island, Virginia
Launch site: Pad 0B, Wallops Island, Virginia
A U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Minotaur 4 rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Delayed from 4th Quarter 2019, Feb. 15 and March 31. [Feb. 26]
April 25Soyuz • Progress 75P
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 75th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. Delayed from April 16. [Dec. 30]
2nd QuarterAngara-A5 • Test Flight
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
A Russian government Angara-A5 rocket will launch on its second orbital test flight. Delayed from December. [Dec. 12]
April 29Falcon 9 • GPS 3 SV03
Launch period: 1100-1500 GMT (7:00-11:00 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the U.S. Air Force’s third third-generation navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The satellite is built by Lockheed Martin. The Air Force previously planned to launch the second GPS 3-series satellite on this mission. Delayed from October, December, January and March. [Feb. 16]
TBDFalcon 9 • Anasis 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Anasis 2, or KMilSatCom 1, communications satellite for the South Korean military. The spacecraft was built by Airbus Defense and Space. [Dec. 30]
May 7Falcon 9 • Crew Dragon Demo 2
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 first test flight with astronauts on-board to the International Space Station under the auspices of NASA’s commercial crew program. NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will fly on the Demo-2 mission. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. Delayed from June, July 25, Sept. 21, February and April. [Feb. 14]
MaySoyuz • OneWeb 4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia
Launch site: Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch approximately 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. [Feb. 7]
MayAtlas 5 • AFSPC 7/OTV-6
Launch period: TBD
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 will launch the AFSPC 7 mission for the U.S. Air Force. The mission’s primary payload is the X-37B, a spaceplane also called the Orbital Test Vehicle, on the program’s sixth mission. The rocket will fly in the 501 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from December. [Jan. 13]
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. [Jan. 25]
MayH-2B • HTV 9
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
A Japanese H-2B rocket will launch the ninth H-2 Transfer Vehicle. The HTV serves as an automated cargo vehicle to deliver equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. [Aug. 12]
Mid-2020Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test
Launch window: TBD
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 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. Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson and NASA astronauts 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. [Nov. 25]
JuneVega • SEOSat-Ingenio & Taranis
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega rocket will launch the SEOSat-Ingenio Earth observation satellite and the Taranis scientific research satellite for Spanish and French customers. The SEOSat-Ingenio Earth-imaging satellite is managed by the Spanish Center for Development of Industry Technology, an arm of the Spanish government, in partnership with the European Space Agency. Airbus Defense and Space built the SEOSat-Ingenio spacecraft. The Taranis spacecraft, developed by the French space agency CNES, will study the transfers of energy between the Earth atmosphere and the space environment occurring above thunderstorms. [Feb. 1]
JuneDelta 4-Heavy • NROL-44
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The largest of the Delta 4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket. [Aug. 23]
Mid-2020Vega 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. [Dec. 30]
TBDFalcon 9 • Turksat 5A
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Turksat 5A communications satellite for Turksat, a Turkish satellite operator. Built by Airbus Defense and Space with significant Turkish contributions, the Turkish 5A satellite will provide Ku-band television broadcast services over Turkey, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. [Dec. 30]
July 17Atlas 5 • Mars 2020
Launch window: 1300-1440 GMT (9:00-10:40 a.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 will launch NASA’s Mars 2020 rover to the Red Planet. After landing in February 2021, the Mars 2020 rover will study Martian geology, search for organic compounds, demonstrate the ability to generate oxygen from atmospheric carbon dioxide, and collect rock samples for return to Earth by a future mission. 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. [Aug. 12]
JulyLong March 5 • Huoxing 1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5 rocket will launch the Huoxing 1 mission to attempt China’s first landing on Mars. The robotic mission includes an orbiter and a mobile rover to explore the surface of Mars. [Dec. 30]
July 23Soyuz • Progress 76P
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 76th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. Delayed from July 15. [Dec. 30]
July 26Proton • ExoMars 2020
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Proton rocket and Breeze M upper stage will launch the ExoMars 2020 mission, a joint project between the European Space Agency and Roscosmos. ExoMars 2020 will launch toward Mars with a stationary landing craft, provided by Russia, and a European-built rover that will study the habitability of Mars and drill into the red planet’s soil to search for biosignatures from past life. [Dec. 30]
AugustFalcon 9 • GPS 3 SV04
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the U.S. Air Force’s fourth third-generation navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The satellite is built by Lockheed Martin. Delayed from October, December, May and July. [Jan. 13]
Aug. 5Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 21
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its first cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 21st mission by SpaceX conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. [Dec. 12]
SeptemberAtlas 5 • NROL-101
Launch time: TBD
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 will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. 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. The mission was changed from an earlier planned “551” configuration. This will be the first launch of an Atlas 5 rocket with new Northrop Grumman-built GEM-63 solid rocket motors, replacing the Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ-60A solid rocket motors used on previous Atlas 5s. [Jan. 21]
4th QuarterDelta 4-Heavy • NROL-82
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-6, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Launch site: SLC-6, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The largest of the Delta 4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket. Delayed from September. [Jan. 13]
Oct. 14Soyuz • ISS 63S
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of the next Expedition crew. The 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. [Dec. 30]
OctoberAntares • NG-14
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket will launch the 15th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 14th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-14. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230 configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. [Dec. 30]
NovemberFalcon 9 • Sentinel 6A
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 the Sentinel 6A, or Jason-CS A, satellite. The Sentinel 6A satellite is a joint mission between the European Space Agency, NASA, NOAA, CNES and Eumetsat to continue the sea level data record previously collected by the Jason series of satellites. Sentinel 6A, built by Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Alenia Space in Europe, will also join the European Commission’s Copernicus Earth observation satellite network. [Dec. 30]
Late 2020Falcon Heavy • AFSPC 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 AFSPC 44 mission for the U.S. Air Force. The mission is expected to deploy two undisclosed payloads into geosynchronous orbit. [Dec. 30]
DecemberSoyuz • Progress 77P
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 77th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. [Dec. 30]
Late 2020Long March 5 • Chang’e 5
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5 rocket will launch the Chang’e 5 mission to return samples from the moon. It is the first lunar sample return mission attempted since 1976. Delayed from November 2019. [Dec. 30]
4th QuarterAtlas 5 • AFSPC-8 (GSSAP 5 & 6)
Launch time: TBD
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 will launch the AFSPC-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 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. [Jan. 13]
4th QuarterMinotaur 1 • NROL-111
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Pad 0B, Wallops Island, Virginia
Launch site: Pad 0B, Wallops Island, Virginia
A U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Minotaur 1 rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Delayed from December 2018, 2nd Quarter 2019 and late 2019. [Jan. 13]