Skynet 8-13-22 “What is SOFIA?” & Constellation “Lyra the Harp” 9PM CT |

August 7, 1956: Kent Rominger (STS-73, STS-80, STS-85, STS-96, STS-100)
August 7, 1962: Jose Hernandez (KE5DAV; STS-128)
August 11, 1961: Frederick “CJ” Sturckow (STS-88, STS-105, STS-117, STS-128, VP-03 (Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two, VSS Unity)
August 12, 1951: Charles Brady, Jr. (N4BQW; STS-78)
August 13, 1942: Robert Stewart (STS-41-B, STS-51-J)

Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Lyra the Harp

Space Launches For This Week

Space Coast Launches

Upcoming Rocket Launch List

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

TBD

Astra Rocket 3.3 • TROPICS 3 & 4

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

A commercial small satellite launch vehicle developed by Astra will launch the second pair of small CubeSats for NASA’s TROPICS mission. The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats, or TROPICS, mission will measure environmental and inner-core conditions for tropical cyclones. Delayed from April and June. [June 13]

TBD

Astra Rocket 3.3 • TROPICS 5 & 6

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

A commercial small satellite launch vehicle developed by Astra will launch the third pair of small CubeSats for NASA’s TROPICS mission. The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats, or TROPICS, mission will measure environmental and inner-core conditions for tropical cyclones. Delayed from April and July. [June 13]

Summer

SSLV • Demonstration Launch

Launch time: TBD

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 and December 2019. Delayed from January and December 2020. Delayed from April 2021, May 2022, and June 2022. [June 26]

TBD

Starship • Orbital Test Flight

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas

A SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship launch vehicle will launch on its first orbital test flight. The mission will attempt to travel around the world for nearly one full orbit, resulting in a re-entry and splashdown of the Starship near Hawaii. Delayed from early 2022. [March 9]

Mid-AugustFalcon 9 • Starlink 4-27

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of Starlink internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. [July 21]

NET

Aug. 29

Space Launch System • Artemis 1

Launch window: 1233-1433 GMT (8:33-10:33 a.m. EDT)

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

NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket will launch on its first test flight with an uncrewed Orion spacecraft. The mission, known as Artemis 1, will place the Orion spacecraft into orbit around the moon before the capsule returns to Earth for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Ten small CubeSat rideshare payloads will also launch on the Artemis 1 mission. Delayed from February, March, April, May, and June. [July 21]

August

Delta 4-Heavy • NROL-91

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: SLC-6, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency. [March 25]

NET

August/SeptemberAlpha • Multi-payload

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

A Firefly Alpha rocket will launch on its second test flight with a rideshare payload consisting of multiple unspecified small satellites. Delayed from May. [July 21]

September

Atlas 5 • SES 20 & SES 21

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the SES 20 and SES 21 communications satellites for SES of Luxembourg. SES 20 and 21 will provide C-band television and data services over the United States. 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. Delayed from August. [July 21]

TBD

SSLV • BlackSky Global

Launch time: TBD

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. Delayed from early 2021 and July. [March 31]

Check-ins or comments

At this point we should be reaching our 90 minute cut-off point, so NCS can decide whether to cut any of these topics due to lack of time.