This Week In Launches: It’s Delta IV Heavy launch week again!

We have an exciting week ahead with a rocket launch we don’t get to see often (and I will miss it). This week, ULA plans to launch its second to last Delta IV Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral for the National Reconnaissance Office. Not to be forgotten about, SpaceX will be on deck with two launches of Starlink satellites this week.

This Week’s Launches

• June 21
  • ULA Delta IV Heavy NROL-68, 3:29 A.M. ET
    • SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
• June 22
  • SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink Group 5-7, 3:17 A.M. ET
    • SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
• June 23
  • Space Falcon 9 Starlink Group 5-12, 9:00 A.M. ET
    • SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

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ULA to launch second to last Delta IV Heavy

Early Wednesday morning, ULA plans to launch its second to last Delta IV Heavy rocket out of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The payload is the standard type for the Delta IV, a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, the US’s primary home of spy satellites.

Since the mission is classified, we aren’t told what payload is inside the rocket’s payload fairing or exactly where it is going in orbit, but we will see it registered with the Space Force after it is deployed. The Delta IV Heavy has been a workhorse for the NRO and, for some time, the only heavy-lift rocket available to the government for these missions.

After its final mission next year, ULA will begin using Vulcan as its heavy launcher for national security missions. The company recently received half of the allotment of Phase 2 missions from the Space Force alongside SpaceX.

When will its replacement come?

While ULA has a replacement lined up, it won’t be immediately. Vulcan’s development has been long delayed and, right now, isn’t expected to launch until late 2023. However, it will take two certification flights before ULA can launch those national security missions on Vulcan.

So while Vulcan could come online for commercial missions this year, for ULA’s primary customer, it most likely won’t be available for its first launch until the end of 2024 or 2025.

SpaceX to launch two Starlink missions

Not to be outdone this week, SpaceX is preparing to launch two Starlink missions from pads on opposite sides of the country.

There isn’t much to be added to these missions. We’ve seen plenty of Starlink missions before. We do know that the West Coast launch will use Booster 1075 and will be its fourth flight. Both missions are expected to use droneships for landing its boosters.

The company is currently working on getting to 100 launches this year. While they’re behind the rate right now, more double-launch weeks will bring them closer to that goal.