INDUSTRIES
space industry business consulting
services
Providing Operations Planning, Business Development, Management &
Financial Consulting Services for organizations in the Space Industry.~Operations Planning & Management
~Venture Capital Procurement
~Grant Writing & Contract Drafting
~Brand Management & Marketing
~Business Development & Sales
~Financial Accounting & Analysis
~Regulations Compliance (ITAR/EAR)
~Supply Chain Data Analytics
Assisting firms developing advanced technologies and methodologies for
In-Space Logistics & Infrastructure, In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)
and In-Space Servicing, Assembly & Manufacturing (ISAM)
within the Cislunar, Lunar and Interplanetary commercial ecosystems.
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A personalized payment link can be generated upon request.Please contact [email protected] for any additional inquiries.
Jason Mathews
Space Professional providing Strategic Operations Planning,
Business Development, Management & Financial Consulting Services.Formerly COO and Head of Operations of two seed-funded
space technology manufacturing startups.For more information, click the icon below for personal LinkedIn page:
Launch Schedule
A detailed archive of recent rocket launches with mission links
Moon Musings
Media
This week's launch schedule
Please visit my LinkedIn page for the most current Launch Schedule updates posted every week on Monday mornings.
Moon Musings- Infrastructure
Well before multi-vehicle autonomous operations for large scale lunar projects such as resource extraction and habitat construction can occur, basic infrastructure must be implemented.The soon-to-be deployed power generation and orbiting communications networks are imperative for testing and early operations. But in order to build the envisioned โlunar colony,โ a surface-based communications network & reliable, constant sources of energy with redundant systems and battery backups are required.An emphasis on city planning is essential for this type of massive undertaking. When organizations within a community are jointly using utilities and services, questions such as who pays for maintenance and how fees are assessed and collected become relevant.3 initial innovations required for this undertaking:
1. Nuclear fission micro-reactorsBangor University lunar nuclear fuel cellsCanadian Space Mining Corp. nuclear reactorRolls-Royce lunar nuclear reactor
2. Unified Laser-based power, communications & data beamingNUBURU blue laser technology for power beaming
3. Edge computingLonestar Data Holdings lunar data centers
Once these basic infrastructure utilities are in place, operations such as creating landing/launch pads, 3D printed construction of habitats and grading roads and creating maglev โriversโ for barges will become much more feasible and efficient.Redwire InfrastructureX Arc/Astroport lunar landing pad constructionICON 3D printed lunar habitats and infrastructureSRI International lunar maglev concept
Moon maps
Interactive data rich 3D maps of the Moon & Mars
Video archive
Lunar Industry related Videos
September 2023 launches: 9
Date: Sep 14
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 6-16~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS JRTI; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 10:20 PM EDT (0220 UTC Sep 15)
Stream: Now exclusively on X@SpaceX
Date: Sep 12
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 7-2~ 15 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: First stage booster via ASDS OCISLY
Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Lompoc, California (United States Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 2:57 AM EDT (11:57 PM local Sep 11; 0657 UTC)
Stream: Now exclusively on X@SpaceX
Date: Sep 10
Vehicle: Atlas V 551 (built & operated by ULA ๐บ๐ธ, the joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space ๐บ๐ธ & Boeing Defense, Space & Security ๐บ๐ธ)Payload: NROL-107 #SilentBarker ~ classified Space Domain Awareness satellite (joint mission by the US National Reconnaissance Office ๐บ๐ธ & United States Space Force ๐บ๐ธMission linkPress KitOrbit: GEO
Site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 5:18 am EDT (0918 UTC)Stream
Date: Sep 8
Vehicle: Falcon 9 ๐บ๐ธ
Payload: Starlink Group 6-14~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS ASOG; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 11:12 PM EDT (0312 UTC Sep 9)Replay via XReplay via YouTube
Date: Sep 8
Vehicle: SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity (built by The Spaceship Company ๐บ๐ธ; owned & operated by Virgin Galactic ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Galactic 03~ Virgin Galacticโs 14th, 15th & 16th Astronauts aboard its 3rd commercial spaceflightCrew: Commander Nicola Pecile ๐ฎ๐น, Pilot Michael Masucci ๐บ๐ธ & Chief Astronaut Instructor Beth Moses ๐บ๐ธCustomer Astronauts: Ken Baxter ๐บ๐ธ (Las Vegas Real Estate entrepreneur), Timothy Nash ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ง, Adrian Reynard (founder of Reynard Motorsport) ๐ฌ๐ง๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
*Customers purchased tickets around 2004-2006.
#Italy #UnitedKingdom #Scotland #England #SouthAfricaPress ReleaseOrbit: suborbital via air launch by mothership VMS Eve
*Spaceplane reached a peak altitude of 88.6 km.
Recovery: Runway landing of spaceplane
Site: Spaceport America, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 11:30 AM EDT (9:30 AM local; 1530 UTC)ReplayReplay 2
Date: Sep 6 (delayed from 2nd qtr- H-III launch failure)
Vehicle: H-IIA F47 (operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ๐ฏ๐ต for JAXA ๐ฏ๐ต)
Payload: XRISM (X-Ray Imaging & Spectroscopy Mission)~ next generation X-ray space telescope (joint mission by JAXA & NASA ๐บ๐ธ, with contributions from ESA ๐ช๐บ)XRISM mission linkSpecial SiteSLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon)~ "Moon Sniper" Lunar Lander demonstrating precise landing technology (developed by JAXA)
*Hoping to become Japanโs first successful lunar surface mission after ispace's ๐ฏ๐ต unfortunate lunar landing malfunction earlier this year. Aiming for a small crater in Mare Nectaris near the equator on the Earth facing side of the Moon.SLIM mission linkSLIM second mission linkLEV-1~ Lunar Hopper (developed by JAXA)PDF Link (Japanese)LEV-2 (Sora-Q)~ baseball-sized Lunar Rover (developed by JAXA, Tomy International ๐ฏ๐ต, Sony Group Corporation ๐ฏ๐ต & Doshisha University ๐ฏ๐ต)Press ReleaseOrbit: LEO; Trans-Lunar Injection to lunar surface
Site: LA-Y1, Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center, Japan ๐ฏ๐ต
Time: 7:42 PM EDT (8:42 AM local Sep 7; 2342 UTC)JAXA stream replay
Date: Sep 3
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 6-12~ 21 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS JRTI; fairing halves
Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 10:47 PM EDT (0247 UTC Sep 4)Replay on X
Date: Sep 2
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (built & operated by SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: SDA Tranche-0 Flight 2~ interconnected satellite mesh network with infrared sensors for missile warning & tracking. Space Development Agencyโs initial Transport & Tracking Layer with 11 Transport satellites (1 built by York Space Systems ๐บ๐ธ & 10 built by Lockheed Martin ๐บ๐ธ) & 2 Tracking satellites (built by SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)Orbit: Polar
Recovery: first stage via ASDS OCISLY; fairing halves
Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA (United States Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 ๐บ๐ธ)Official launch video
Date: Sep 2
Vehicle: PSLV-CA [C57] (built by ISRO ๐ฎ๐ณ & operated by New Space India Limited ๐ฎ๐ณ)
Payload: Aditya L1~ Solar atmosphere observation satellite with 7 remote sensing & scientific payloadsMission LinkOrbit: Halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point
Site: FLP, Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, #India ๐ฎ๐ณ
Time: 2:20 AM EDT (11:50 AM local; 0620 UTC)Official ISRO stream replay
Upcoming
Date: TBD; 6 month window opened in August
Vehicle: Alpha (built & operated by Firefly Aerospace ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: FLTA003 VICTUS NOX~ Tactically Responsive Launch- 3 USSF launch readiness demo; Space Domain Awareness satellite (built by Millennium Space Systems ๐บ๐ธ)
Orbit: LEOMission Link:Site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg SFB
Time: Once notified, 24 hour window to integrate payload, complete vehicle launch & place into orbitFirefly's YouTube stream:
Date: Oct
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: O3b mPOWER-3 (5 & 6)~ The third pair of 2nd generation high-throughput low-latency Ka-band internet communications satellites (built by Boeing Defense, Space & Security ๐บ๐ธ on a 702X satellite bus for SESโs ๐ฑ๐บ O3b mPOWER network with dynamic control & power optimization software developed in conjunction with Bethesda, MD based Kythera Space Solutions ๐บ๐ธ)
#LuxembourgConstellation informationOrbit: MEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS ASOG; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 5:04 PM EDT (2104 UTC)Launch will be streamed on SpaceX's X page
August 2023 launches: 12
Date: Aug 31
Vehicle: Falcon 9 SpaceX ๐บ๐ธPayload: Starlink Group 6-13~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS ASOG; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 10:21 PM EDT (0221 UTC)Official launch replay
Date: Aug 26
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 6-11~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS JRTI; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 08:47 PM EDT (0047 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 26
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Crew-7~ Crew Dragon Endurance mission to the International Space Station
Crew: Commander Jasmin Moghbeli, NASA ๐บ๐ธ; Pilot Andreas Mogensen, ESA ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ฐ (First non-American pilot to fly on Crew Dragon); specialists Satoshi Furukawa, JAXA ๐ฏ๐ต & Konstantin Borisov, Roscosmos ๐ท๐บ
#DenmarkMission BlogOrbit: LEO (ISS)
Recovery: first stage on LZ-1
Site: LC-39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 3:27 AM EDT (0727 UTC)NASA replaySpaceX's YouTube stream replay
Date: Aug 23 (delayed from late July)
Vehicle: Electron #WeLoveTheNightlife (Rocket Lab ๐บ๐ธ ๐ณ๐ฟ)
Payload: Acadia-1~ first of four 3rd-generation, high-resolution, X-band SAR earth observation satellites (built & operated by Capella Space ๐บ๐ธ)
*These next generation satellites have enhanced communication capabilities for faster & more efficient data & image transmissions.Mission Link1Mission Link2Orbit: LEO
Site: Rocket Lab LC-1B, Mahia, #NewZealand ๐ณ๐ฟ
Time: 7:45 PM EDT (11:45 AM local Aug 24; 2345 UTC)Rocket Lab YouTube stream
Date: Aug 22 (delayed by Hurricane Hilary)
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 7-1~ 15 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
*The 100th launch of a Starlink satellite payload.
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS OCISLY; fairing halves
Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California (United States Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 2:04 AM EDT (11:04 PM local Aug 21, 0604 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 16
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 6-10~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS ASOG; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 11:36 PM EDT (0336 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 11
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 6-9~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
*One of the fairing halves was flown for a record 11th time.Recovery: first stage via ASDS JRTI; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 01:17 AM EDT (0517 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 10
Vehicle: SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity (built by The Spaceship Company ๐บ๐ธ; owned & operated by Virgin Galactic ๐บ๐ธ)
*Second commercial missionPayload: Galactic 02~ Tourist mission carried the first mother-daughter pair & first Caribbean Islanders into space, contest winners from the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. The third passenger, the second person with Parkinsonโs to fly into space, is a former Olympian from the UnitedKingdom who competed in the 1972 Munich games as a slalom conoeist.Crew: Commander (retired NASA astronaut) Frederick W. โCJโ Sturckow ๐บ๐ธ, Pilot (retired United States Air Force Lt Col & The George Washington University alum) Kelly Latimer ๐บ๐ธ & Virgin Galacticโs Chief Astronaut Instructor Beth Moses ๐บ๐ธCustomers: Jon Goodwin ๐ฌ๐ง (purchased ticket in 2005), Keisha Schahaff ๐ฆ๐ฌ & Anastatia Mayers ๐ฆ๐ฌ (second youngest person to fly to space)
Orbit: suborbital via air launch by mothership VMS Eve
*Peak altitude of about 88.5 km.Virgin Galactic mission press releaseRecovery: Runway landing of spaceplane at 11:32 AM EDT
Site: Spaceport America, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 11:17 AM EDT (9:17 AM local, 1517 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 7
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 6-20~ 15 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS OCISLY; fairing halves
Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 11:57 PM EDT (8:57 PM local, 0357 Aug 8 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 6
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 6-8~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS ASOG; fairing halvesSite: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS ๐บ๐ธ
*New turnaround record from a single launch pad; 3 days 21 hours & 41 minutes (bested previous record set less than 2 weeks ago of 4 days 3 hours & 11 minutes).
Time: 10:41 PM EDT (0241 Aug 7 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 3
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Galaxy-37~ C-band television, telecommunications & data connectivity satellite (built by Maxar Technologies ๐บ๐ธ & operated by Intelsat ๐บ๐ธ)Horizons-4~ Ku-band hosted payload providing continuity for mobility, network & US government customers (owned jointly by Intelsat & JSAT International, the US subsidiary of SKY Perfect JSAT Group ๐ฏ๐ต)*By successfully sending 8 geostationary satellites into space within 10 months, Intelsat set an industry record for the most satellite launches in the shortest amount of time.Orbit: GTO to GEO
Recovery: first stage via ASDS JRTI, fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 1:00 AM EDT (0500 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Aug 1
Vehicle: Antares 230+ (Northrop Grumman ๐บ๐ธ)
*Final flight for Antares 230+ variant before redesign utilizing Firefly Aerospace ๐บ๐ธ engines.Payload: Cygnus CRS-2 NG-19 [SS Laurel Clark]~ Robotic ISS cargo resupply mission including items for over 40 science experiments (service module built by Northrop Grumman & pressurized module built by Thales Alenia Space ๐ซ๐ท๐ฎ๐น with solar panels provided by Airbus Netherlands B.V. ๐ณ๐ฑ)*Canadarm2 (built by MDA & contributed to the ISS by Canadian Space Agency | Agence spatiale canadienne ๐จ๐ฆ) grappled the autonomous Cygnus vehicle to assist with berthing.Berthing video 1Berthing video 2Berthing video 3DUPLEX~ 6U CubeSat tech demo of dual micropropulsion systems (built by NearSpace Launch, Inc. ๐บ๐ธ for CU Aerospace ๐บ๐ธ, with support from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaignโs Laboratory for Advanced Space Systems at Illinois (LASSI) ๐บ๐ธ & funded by NASAโs Space Technology Mission Directorate)
*Will be inserted into LEO after Cygnus departure from ISS.Mission Link*The final two payloads from the Virginia Space CubeSat Program were deployed from the second stage into Very Low Earth Orbit.SeaLion (VSCP-1A)~ 3U CubeSat deployable composite structure, S-band antenna & impedance probe tech demo (developed by Old Dominion University ๐บ๐ธ, US Coast Guard Academy ๐บ๐ธ & U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology ๐บ๐ธ)UtProSat-1 (VSCP-1B)~ 3U CubeSat boom deployment tech demo (developed by Virginia Tech ๐บ๐ธ)Orbit: LEO
Site: LP-0A, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia (NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 8:31 PM EDT (0031 UTC)Official launch video
July 2023 launches: 12
Date: Jul 29
Vehicle: PSLV-CA [C56] (manufactured by ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization ๐ฎ๐ณ & operated by NewSpace India ๐ฎ๐ณ)7 Payloads: DS-SAR~ Singaporean SAR Earth observation satellite (manufactured by ELTA Systems Ltd, a subsidiary of IAI - Israel Aerospace Industries ๐ฎ๐ฑ, for Singaporeโs DSTA ๐ธ๐ฌ & commercially operated by ST Engineering ๐ธ๐ฌ)
#IsraelORB-12 STRIDER~ multi-modal, all-electric Attitude & Orbit Control System (AOCS) tech demo (collaboration between propulsion providers Aliena Pte Ltd ๐ธ๐ฌ & Aurora Propulsion Technologies ๐ซ๐ฎ onboard an Orbital Astronautics ๐ฌ๐ง ๐ณ๐ฟ 12U-class CubeSat)*OrbAstro will also test multiple internally developed subsystems hosted on this satellite including optical & AI technologies for its Guardian communications network, as well as optical & SAR imaging payloads. First launch of this class of satellite by OrbAstro.
#UnitedKingdom #FinlandNuLIoN~ IoT connectivity 3U nanosat (manufactured & operated by NuSpace Pte Ltd ๐ธ๐ฌ)Galassia-2~ 3U nanosat tech demo from National University of Singapore ๐ธ๐ฌ3 payloads from Nanyang Technological University Singapore ๐ธ๐ฌ: ARCADE~ Ionospheric research satellite, VELOX-AM~ tech demo microsatellite & SCOOB-II~ tech demo nanosatellite)
SingaporeOrbit: LEO
Site: FLP, Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, #India ๐ฎ๐ณ
Time: 9:00 PM EDT (6:30 AM July 30th local; 0100 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Jul 28
Vehicle: Falcon Heavy FH-07 (SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: EchoStar-24/Jupiter 3~ high-throughput, Ka-band [plus Q- & V-band for gateways] broadband telecommunications Ultra High Density Satellite [UHDS] (manufactured by SSL [formerly Space Systems/Loral], a subsidiary of Maxar Technologies ๐บ๐ธ for Hughes Network Systemsโ JUPITER fleet- an EchoStar Corporation company ๐บ๐ธ)SpaceX mission linkHughes mission linkOrbit: GEO
*The heaviest geostationary satellite ever launched (9.2 metric tons; school bus sized & 10 stories long with solar panels deployed).Recovered: both strap-on boosters via LZ 1 & 2 (center core expended); fairing halves
Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida (NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 11:04 PM EDT (0304 Jul 29 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Jul 27
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 6-7~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovered: first stage via ASDS ASOG; fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida๐บ๐ธ
Time: 8:40 PM EDT (0040 Jul 28 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Jul 23
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 6-6~ 22 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites*More v2-Mini satellites can be deployed when launched from Cape Canaveral SFS as the orbital mechanics to reach LEO from Vandenberg SFB require more fuel at the expense of payload capacity.Orbit: LEO
*50th launch for SpaceX in 2023.
Recovered: first stage booster via ASDS JRTI; fairing halves (assumed) via Bob
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Time: 8:50 PM EDT (0050 July 24th UTC)Official launch video
Date: Thursday, July 20th
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 6-15~ 15 v2-Mini E-band internet communications satellites
*The v2-Mini satellites are the first to use argon Hall-effect ion thrusters for on-orbit maneuvering.Orbit: LEO
Recovered: first stage booster via ASDS OCISLY; fairing halves (assumed) via GO BeyondSite: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Lompoc, California, USA (United States Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 12:09 PM EDT (9:09 PM July 19th local; 0409 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Monday, Jul 17
Vehicle: Electron #BabyComeBack
Payload: Starling~ four CubeSat swarm demonstration (manufactured by Blue Canyon Technologies ๐บ๐ธ for NASA Ames Research Center ๐บ๐ธ, with contributions from L3Harris Technologies ๐บ๐ธ, Emergent Space Technologies, Inc. [acquired by York Space Systems LLC ๐บ๐ธ], CesiumAstro ๐บ๐ธ & Stanford Universityโs Space Rendezvous Laboratory ๐บ๐ธ)NASA mission linkStanford Space Rendezvous Lab mission linkLEO 3~ high-throughput Ka-/V-band internet communications microsatellite demonstration (manufactured by UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory ๐จ๐ฆ for Telesatโs Lightspeed Network ๐จ๐ฆ)Utias-SFL Press ReleaseTelesat Press Release#CanadaLemur-2~ two 3U CubeSats each equipped with GNSS-RO [atmospheric measurements/weather activity], AIS [maritime monitoring] & ADS-B [aviation monitoring] instrumentation (manufactured & operated by Spire Global ๐บ๐ธ)Mission BlogOrbit: SSO
Recovered: first stage booster after soft parachute splashdown
Site: Rocket Lab LC-1B, Mahia, #NewZealand ๐ณ๐ฟ
Time: 9:27 PM EDT (1:27 PM July 18th local; 0127 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Saturday, July 15th
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (manufactured & operated by SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Starlink Group 5-15~ 54 v1.5 internet communications satellites
*Final planned launch of this version of Starlink satellites.
Orbit: LEORecovered: first stage via ASDS ASOG, both fairing halves via recovery ship Doug
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 11:50 pm EDT (0350 July 16th UTC)Official launch video
Date: Friday, July 14th
Vehicle: Launch Vehicle Mark-III [M4] (manufactured & operated by ISRO - Indian Space Research Organisation ๐ฎ๐ณ)Payload: Chandrayaan-3~ propulsion module with integrated spectro-polarimetry [EO] instrument; lunar lander (with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration ๐บ๐ธ passive Laser Retroreflector Array) & 26kg rover, both equipped with scientific data collection instrumentation
#SpaceExploration*Indiaโs second attempt to become the fourth nation to safely land on the Moon.
Orbit: Lunar Orbit- Propulsion Module will enter 100km circular polar orbit to deploy the lunar lander; will then transfer to Elliptical Parking Orbit to continue Earth observation operations; expected to land on August 23rdSite: SLP, Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, #India ๐ฎ๐ณ
Time: 5:05 am EDT (2:35 pm local time; 0905 UTC)ISRO mission linkOfficial launch video
Date: Sunday, July 9th
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (manufactured and operated by SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
*100th orbital launch of 2023 by all vehicles; 46th by SpaceX overall in 2023Payload: Starlink Group 6-5~ 22 v2-mini E-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
Recovered: First stage booster via ASDS JRTI; Both fairings via multi-purpose recovery vessel Bob- awaiting confirmation
*Record 16th flight and recovery of first stage.Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 11:58 pm EDT (0358 UTC on July 10th)Official launch video
Date: Friday, July 7th
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 5-13~ 48 v1.5 Ka/Ku-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEO
*2nd time this orbit has been targeted from Vandenberg; Polar orbit is the usual destination.Recovered: First stage booster via ASDS OCISLY
Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Lompoc, California, USA (United States Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 3:29 pm EDT (12:29 pm local time; 1929 UTC)Official launch video
*Bonus test launch
Date: Thursday, July 6th
Vehicle: Goose 3 sounding rocket (manufactured by Arbalest Rocketry ๐จ๐ฆ, an amateur rocketry team from York University ๐จ๐ฆ)
*Inaugural launch from Canadaโs first commercial orbital launch complex secured via Precious Payload ๐บ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ช
Payload: VCL-1 ChipSat (Manufactured by VisionCosmos ๐ธ๐ฆ; Mission management by Al NajmX ๐ธ๐ฆ)
#SaudiArabia(with support from Launch Canada ๐จ๐ฆ and Canadian Space Agency | Agence spatiale canadienne agency ๐จ๐ฆ)
Orbit: Suborbital launch
Site: Spaceport Nova Scotia, Canso, Nova Scotia ๐จ๐ฆ (Maritime Launch Services services ๐จ๐ฆ)Official launch video#Germany #UAE
Date: Wednesday, July 5th
Vehicle: Ariane 5 ECA+ (manufactured by ArianeGroup ๐ฉ๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐ช๐ธ; Operated by their subsidiary ARIANESPACE for European Space Agency - ESA ๐ช๐บ)
*This was the 117th and final launch of the Ariane 5 rocket (first successful launch in 1998 with a total of 239 payloads delivered to orbit, a 96% mission success rate over 27 years).Payload: Syracuse-4B~ X/Ka-band signal blocking, anti-jamming and EMP resistant military-grade communications satellite [X & Ka-band] (manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space ๐ฉ๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐ช๐ธ and Thales Alenia Space ๐ซ๐ท๐ฎ๐น for The Directorate General of Armaments DGA - Direction gรฉnรฉrale de l'armement ๐ซ๐ท and The French Air and Space Force Armรฉe de lโair et de lโespace ๐ซ๐ท);Heinrich-Hertz (H2Sat)~ demonstrating new communications satellite technologies while also providing telecommunications for the Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) ๐ฉ๐ช (manufactured by a consortium led by OHB SE ๐ฉ๐ช [including Tesat-Spacecom ๐ฉ๐ช] and managed by German Aerospace Center (DLR) ๐ฉ๐ช for the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action ๐ฉ๐ช)Orbit: GTO deployment; self-transfer to GEO via series of engine burns
Site: ELA-3, Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana ๐ฌ๐ซ (Centre National d'รtudes Spatiales ๐ซ๐ท)
Time: 6:00 pm EDT(7:00 pm local time; 2200 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Saturday, July 1st
Vehicle: Falcon 9 (manufactured and operated by SpaceX ๐บ๐ธ)
Payload: Euclid telescope astrophysics mission~ manufactured and operated by European Space Agency - ESA ๐ช๐บ (Thales Alenia Space ๐ซ๐ท๐ฎ๐น as prime contractor for the satellite and its service module, Airbus Defence and Space ๐ฉ๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐ช๐ธ developing the payload module, including the telescope and OHB Sweden ๐ธ๐ช supplying the propulsion system)with contributions from NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration ๐บ๐ธ (near-infrared detectors) and The Euclid Consortium euclid-ec.org
Orbit: Halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point (Estimated August arrival)Recovery: Successful first stage booster recovery via ASDS 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' (ASOG)
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA (Space Launch Delta 45 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 11:12 am EDT (1512 UTC)Official launch video
june 2023 launches: 10
Date: Thursday, June 29th
Vehicle: SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity (manufactured by The Spaceship Company ๐บ๐ธ; owned and operated by Virgin Galactic ๐บ๐ธ)
*Inaugural commercial missionPayload: Galactic 01~ scientific research flight for the Italian Air Force Aeronautica Militare ๐ฎ๐น and The National Research Council of Italy Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche ๐ฎ๐น; 13 experiments conductedCrew: Commander Michael Masucci ๐บ๐ธ, Pilot Nicola Pecile ๐ฎ๐น, Colin Bennett ๐บ๐ธ, Col. Walter Villadei ๐ฎ๐น, Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi ๐ฎ๐น, Pantaleone Carlucci ๐ฎ๐นOrbit: suborbital (peak altitude of 85.1 km) via air launch by mothership aircraft VMS Eve
Recovery: Successful runway landing of spaceplane
Site: Spaceport America, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA ๐บ๐ธ
Time: 11:28 am EDT (9:28 am local time, 3:28 UTC)Official launch videoAdditional launch video
Date: Friday, June 23rd
Vehicle: Falcon 9
*A Falcon fairing half was flown for its record 10th time.
Payload: Starlink Group 5-12~ 56 v1.5 Ka/Ku-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEORecovery: Successful first stage booster recovery via ASDS JRTI; multi-purpose recovery vessel 'Bob' attempted to recover both fairing halves
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS
Time: 11:35 am EDT (1535 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Thursday, June 22nd
Vehicle: Delta IV Heavy (manufactured and operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA) ๐บ๐ธ- a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space ๐บ๐ธ and Boeing Defense, Space & Security ๐บ๐ธ)
*This was the second to last flight for the Delta IV rocket.Payload: NROL-68~ classified spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) ๐บ๐ธ (presumed to be an Orion class reconnaissance satellite)
Orbit: GEO
Site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral SFS
Time: 5:18 am EDT (0918 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Thursday, June 22nd
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Starlink Group 5-7~ 47 v1.5 Ka/Ku-band internet communications satellites
Orbit: LEORecovery: Successful first stage booster recovery via ASDS OCISLY, tugged downrange by 'Scorpius'; multi-purpose recovery vessel 'GO Beyond' attempted to recover both fairing halvesSite: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Lompoc, California, USA (United States Space Force Space Launch Delta 30 ๐บ๐ธ)
Time: 3:19 am EDT (12:19 am local time, 0719 UTC)Official launch video
Date: Sunday, June 18th
Vehicle: Falcon 9
Payload: Satria-1~ Indonesian ๐ฎ๐ฉ Ka-band very high throughput broadband communications satellite operated by a consortium led by Pasifik Satelit Nusantara ๐ฎ๐ฉ and built by Thales Alenia Space ๐ซ๐ท๐ฎ๐นOrbit: deployment in GTO; self-transfer to GEO via electric propulsion
Recovery: Successful first stage booster recovery via ASDS ASOG
Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS
Time: 6:21 pm EDT (2221 UTC)Official launch video