Launch
Launch Overview • Updated March 6, 2023
SpaceX is aiming to launch 100 rockets this year, another big increase from what the company did in 2022. That will mean they will have to launch on average every three to four days. Will SpaceX be able to pull it off? Keep track below of all of SpaceX’s 2023 launches.
In contrast to the last few weeks, this week is relativity quiet in modern space launch terms. However, we do have the possibility of two SpaceX launches within 24 hours of each other again if launch dates hold and the weather is good.
The leader in smallsat launches, Rocket Lab, is hoping to have its biggest year yet. Last year Rocket Lab launched nine rockets out of New Zealand, and this year we expect them to finally get into double digits. Rocket Lab has yet to confirm a launch date for its next Electron launch.
Unless you’re a night owl, you probably missed that last night Rocket Lab launched its third Electron rocket of the year and carrying its final contracted mission for satellite builder BlackSky. This mission also featured the year’s first recovery mission for Electron’s first stage.
Unlike SpaceX, Rocket Lab doesn’t have a public goal set for the number of launches this year, but a clear one has emerged. For the first time Rocket Lab, with its Electron rocket, could reach double-digit launches in 2023; here’s a list of all of them to help you keep track.
We have another busy week ahead with four launches scheduled around the globe, all from different companies. Check out below to see what is launching.
Friday, SpaceX launched two missions from both coasts of the United States to bring its rate back up, closer to its goal. With these launches in the books, SpaceX has launched 19 missions with 20 successful booster landings.
Thursday evening Rocket Lab launched once again from its Virginia launch site at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. This was the company’s second launch of the year, both coming from LC-2.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 17, 2023, at 7:38 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry the SES-18 and SES-19 communications satellites to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 14, 2022, at 8:30 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry a Cargo Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station carrying food, science, and other supplies for the Commercial Resupply Services 27 (CRS-27) mission.
Earlier today, SpaceX launched another set of satellites to fill out OneWeb’s internet providing constellation of satellites. Today’s launch saw 40 OneWeb satellites launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket out of SLC-40 in Florida.
Later today, Relativity is planning to launch its first rocket in the company’s history to orbit. The Terran 1 is currently on Space Launch Complex 16 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, awaiting launch.
Last night Japan attempted to launch its H3 rocket carrying the Advanced Land Observing Satellites 3 (ALOS 3). However, while the first stage and solid rocket boosters performed nominally, the second stage failed to light.
This week is gearing up to be an exciting spectacle of launches. While not the most packed we’ve seen in the past, we could see the debut of two new rockets.
After aborting during an issue with loading Falcon 9’s ignition fluid, SpaceX successfully lifted off from historic LC-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with the sixth crew rotation in part of the Commercial Crew Program. This mission is unique, as it carries the first long-duration mission of a UAE astronaut, thanks to a partnership with Axiom.
After scrubbing Monday morning’s attempt to launch the next crew rotation to the ISS due to an issue with the Falcon 9’s ignition fluid, both the company and agency are ready to try again tonight.
SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket flying out of SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This launch was the first to carry SpaceX’s larger and more capable V2 Mini satellites, further expanding the capability of their satellite internet constellation
It was a relatively quiet countdown last night, with SpaceX showing that they know what they’re doing and hitting all the milestones early during Crew-6’s launch preparations. Unfortunately, however, no good deed goes unpunished because the company ran into an issue when loading a rather nasty part of the propellant for Falcon 9’s launch.
According to a public YouTube stream (and now a tweet from the company), Relativity will launch its first Terran 1 rocket in the coming weeks out of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
After about a three-year delay due to multiple reasons, Rocket Lab can now be added to the list of companies that launch out of the US. Yesterday the company lifted off from LC-2, its second launch complex out of Wallops Island, Virginia, a pad it started construction on in 2019.
Sunday afternoon, this time without any fog, SpaceX launched USSF-67, another Falcon Heavy rocket out of LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. Starting a year that could bring us four more super heavy lift launches from the company.
2022 was another record-breaking year for SpaceX, launching 60 Falcon 9s and one Falcon Heavy, the first since 2019. That’s an average of over one launch per week and double what SpaceX could do in 2021.
I feel it was just a few days ago we were talking about SpaceX wrapping up 2022 and hitting its 60th launch. With the holiday weekend over, SpaceX is right back at it launching its Falcon 9 rocket.
Back in March, some guy took to Twitter to make the bold prediction that SpaceX would launch 60 rockets this year. And surprise (to probably none of you) that guy was Elon Musk – fast forward to this morning, SpaceX just completed its 60th flight for 2022.
What do you get when you take three Falcon 9 boosters and strap them together? Well, a Falcon Heavy of course. The second most powerful rocket (just recently passed by NASA’s Space Launch System), SpaceX doesn’t get to launch it often, but when they do, everyone wants to see it. The next Falcon Heavy launch is scheduled for no earlier than January 2023 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center.
Three years after its last flight, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has returned to flight on this cloudy Florida morning. The primary payload of this launch is the classified USSF-44 satellite, with two other satellites co-manifested. The launch occurred on November 1 at 9:41 a.m. Eastern Time, successfully delivering the satellites to their targeted geosynchronous orbit.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 531 is set to launch the SES 20 and 21 satellites at 5:36 p.m. EDT on October 4, 2022. These two satellites will be operated by SES of Luxembourg and provide TV broadcasting service across the continental United States.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry four astronauts, two NASA, one JAXA, and one Roscosmos to the International Space Station for Expedition 69.
NASA is set to launch the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the first time from LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 29, 2022, with the two-hour launch window opening at 8:33 a.m. EDT. This launch will carry the Orion capsule on the Artemis 1 mission to a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon for a full, uncrewed test.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 9, 2022, no earlier than 6:57 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry a new batch of Starlink satellites (Starlink Group 4-26) to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on August 4, 2022, at 7:08 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), which is officially named Danuri, to a 100km Polar Lunar Orbit.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 421 rocket will launch the sixth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (SBIRS GEO-6) mission for the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The target liftoff time is no earlier than 6:29 a.m. EDT on August 4, 2022, from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 14, 2022, at 8:44 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry a Cargo Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station carrying food, science, and other supplies for the Commercial Resupply Services 25 (CRS-25) mission.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on July 7, 2022, no earlier than 9:01 a.m. EDT. This launch will carry a new batch of Starlink satellites (Starlink Group 4-21) to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 29, 2022, at 5:04 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry the SES-22 communications satellite to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
Rocket Lab launched NASA’s CAPSTONE mission to the Moon Tuesday, June 28 at 5:55 a.m. EDT. The mission was originally planned to launch from Rocket Lab’s Wallops Island but due to the pad not being ready for service the mission was moved to LC-1 at the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket will launch the USSF-12 mission for the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command to a Geosynchronous Orbit. The target liftoff time is no earlier than 6 p.m. EDT on June 30, 2022, from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 19, 2022, at 12:27 a.m. EDT. This launch will carry the Globalstar-2 M087 communications satellite to a 1,140 km, 52° inclination orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 17, 2022, at 12:09 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry a new batch of Starlink satellites (Starlink Group 4-19) to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 8, 2022, at 5:04 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry the Nilesat-301 communications satellite to geostationary orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 25, 2022, at 2:35 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry a new batch of 59 rideshare satellites to a Sun-synchronous orbit.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V N22 rocket will launch the Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule to the International Space Station for its second test flight. The target liftoff time is 6:54 PM EDT on May 19, 2022, from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 18, 2022, at 6:59 a.m. EDT. This launch will carry a new batch of 53 Starlink satellites to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 14, 2022, at 4:40 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry a new batch of 53 Starlink satellites to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on May 13, 2022, at 6:07 p.m. EDT. This launch carried a new batch of 53 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit.
SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 6, 2022, at 5:21 a.m. EDT. This launch carried a new batch of 53 Starlink satellites to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket from LC-1A at its private launch site in New Zealand on May 2, 2022, at 6:49 p.m. EDT. This launch will carry 34 payloads to a Sun-Synchronous Orbit. The window extends until 8:40 p.m. EDT.
SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on April 29, 2022, at 5:27 p.m. EDT. This launch carried a new batch of 53 Starlink satellites to a 53.2° inclination orbit.
