Skynet 10-2-21 “Skywatchers of Ancient Mexico” 9PM CT |

NASA’s three orbiters – Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and MAVEN – will all continue relaying some data from the agency’s surface missions back to Earth, in addition to gathering their own science.

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Space-Related Birthdays

Bill Nelson Sep 29, 1942 STS-61-C; NASA administrator

Albert Scott Crossfield Oct 02, 1921 First pilot to fly Mach2; X-15 pilot

Stephanie Wilson Sep 27, 1966 STS-120, STS-121, STS-130

Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. Oct 02, 1935 Astronaut trainee; no missions. Died at 32 in a plane crash.

Clifton Williams Sep 26, 1932 Astronaut trainee; no missions. Died at 35 in a plane crash.

Eric Boe Oct 01, 1964 STS-126, STS-133

James D. Halsell Sep 29, 1956 STS-65, STS-74, STS-83, STS-94, STS-101

Stephen Frick Sep 30, 1964 STS-110, STS-122

Livingston L. Holder Jr. Sep 29, 1956 Astronaut trainee; no missions

This Week in Space History

Happy Birthday, NASA ( I think). July 29 is the real birthday, the day they were formed. But they’re claiming October 1 as another, the day they started operations. Why not? You can’t have too much cake.

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October 1, 1945

Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Capricornus the sea goat.

Space Launches For This Week

Tom KE5ICX

Space Coast Launches

Upcoming Rocket Launch List

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

TBD

Epsilon • RAISE 2

Launch time: Approx. 0051 GMT (8:51 p.m. EDT)

Launch site: Uchinoura Space Center, Japan

A Japanese Epsilon rocket will launch the Rapid Innovative Payload Demonstration Satellite 2, or RAISE 2, technology demonstration satellite for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Eight smaller rideshare payloads will also be on this launch. Scrubbed on Sept. 30 by ground station malfunction. [Sept. 30]

Oct. 5

Soyuz • ISS 65S

Launch time: 0855 GMT (4:55 a.m. EDT)

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. [Sept. 20]

NET October

Electron • BlackSky 10 & 11

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch two small satellites for BlackSky’s commercial fleet of Earth observation spacecraft. Rocket Lab has nicknamed this mission “Love At First Insight.” Delayed from late August and September. [Sept. 10]

Oct. 14

Soyuz • OneWeb 11

Launch time: TBD

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. Delayed from Sept. 18. [Sept. 20]

October

Falcon 9 • Starlink 2-2

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with a batch of Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission is expected to deploy 51 Starlink satellites into a high-inclination orbit. [Sept. 30]

October

Long March 2F • Shenzhou 13

Launch time: TBD

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]

NET October

Electron • BlackSky 12 & 13

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch two small second-generation satellites for BlackSky’s commercial fleet of Earth observation spacecraft. Delayed from September. [Sept. 10]

Oct. 16

Atlas 5 • Lucy

Launch window: 0934-1049 GMT (5:34-6:49 a.m. EDT)

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. [Sept. 30]

Oct. 21

KSLV 2 • Test Flight

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Naro Space Center, South Korea

A South Korean KSLV 2 rocket will launch on its first orbital launch attempt. The Korea Space Launch Vehicle 2, or Nuri, rocket was developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The first KSLV 2 mission will carry a dummy payload. [Sept. 20]

October

Falcon Heavy • USSF 44

Launch time: TBD

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]

TBD

Falcon 9 • Starlink

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a group of Starlink internet satellites. Delayed from mid-August. [Aug. 5]

Oct. 22

Ariane 5 • SES 17 & Syracuse 4A

Launch window: TBD

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. [Sept. 10]

Oct. 24/25

H-2A • QZS 1R

Launch window: 0200-0300 GMT on 25th (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT on 24th)

Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

A Japanese H-2A rocket will launch a replacement satellite for Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, which provides regional navigation services over the Asia-Pacific Region. The QZS 1R satellite, built by Mitsubishi Electric Corp., will replace the aging QZS 1 satellite launched in 2010. [Sept. 10]

Oct. 28

Soyuz • Progress 79P

Launch time: TBD

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]

NET October

Electron • BlackSky 14 & 15

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch two small second-generation satellites for BlackSky’s commercial fleet of Earth observation spacecraft. Delayed from September. [Sept. 10]

Oct. 30

Falcon 9 • Crew 3

Launch time: 0643 GMT (2:43 a.m. EDT)

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on its fifth flight with astronauts. NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Thomas Marshburn, European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer, and NASA mission specialist Kayla Barron will launch on the Crew Dragon spacecraft to begin a six-month expedition on the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. [Sept. 10]