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Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
NASA Report – December 17, 2022
Astronaut Birthdays
December 11, 1975: Francisco Rubio (Exp. 67/68, currently on ISS; launched 9/21)
December 12, 1951: Steven Hawley (STS-41-D, STS-61-C, STS-31, STS-82, STS-93)
December 12, 1964: Kenneth Ham (STS-124, STS-132)
December 14, 1936: Robert Parker (STS-9, STS-35)
December 14, 1960: Cady Coleman, KC5ZTH (STS-73, STS-93, Exp 26/27))
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Constellations: Aries and Triangulum
Space Launches For This Week
Tom KE5ICX
Space Coast Launches
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
Dec. 18/19
Electron • “Virginia is for Launch Lovers”
Launch window: 2300-0100 GMT on 18th/19th (6:00-8:00 p.m. EST on 18th)
Launch site: LC-2, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle will lift off with three satellites for HawkEye 360, radio frequency geospatial analytics provider. This will be the first Rocket Lab mission from a new launch pad in Virginia. Delayed from Dec. 7, Dec. 9, Dec. 13, Dec. 15, and Dec. 16. [Dec. 15]
Dec. 20/21
Vega-C • Pléiades Neo 5 & 6
Launch time: 0147 GMT on 21st (9:47 p.m. EST on 20th)
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega-C rocket, designated VV22, will launch the Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 Earth observation satellites for Airbus. Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 are the third and fourth members of the four-satellite Pléiades Neo constellation built, owned, and operated by Airbus. Delayed from Nov. 21, Nov. 23, and Nov. 24. [Nov. 29]
Dec. 28
Falcon 9 • Starlink 5-1
Launch time: Approx. 0819 GMT (3:19 a.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites. This mission will be the first into Shell 5 of the Starlink constellation, targeting a polar orbit after liftoff from Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. [Dec. 14]
Dec. 28/29
Falcon 9 • EROS C3
Launch time: 0658 GMT on 29th (1:58 a.m. EST on 29th; 10:58 p.m. PST on 28th)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the EROS C3 high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite for ImageSat International, an Israeli remote sensing company. EROS C3 was built by Israel Aerospace Industries and will collect optical multispectral imagery. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base. [Dec. 14]
TBD
RS-1 • Flight 1
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: LP-3C, Pacific Spaceport Complex, Kodiak Island, Alaska
An ABL RS-1 rocket will launch on its first orbital test flight, carrying two CubeSats for OmniTeq, a company with plans to deploy a constellation of small satellites to provide maritime communications services. Delayed from November and Dec. 7. [Dec. 7]
NET Jan. 2Falcon 9 • Transporter 6
Launch time: 1455 GMT (9:55 a.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Transporter 6 mission, a rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Delayed from October, November, and December. [Dec. 14]
January
Falcon 9 • OneWeb 16
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 40 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing and deploying a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. This will be the second launch of OneWeb satellites with SpaceX, and OneWeb’s 16th launch overall. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. [Dec. 14]
January
Falcon 9 • Starlink 2-4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites. This mission will deploy the Starlink satellites into a high-inclination orbit inclined 70 degrees to the equator. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. [Dec. 14]
January
Falcon Heavy • USSF 67
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the USSF 67 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The mission will launch the Space Force’s second Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM, or CBAS 2, military communications satellite and the Long Duration Propulsive ESPA 3A, or LDPE 3A, rideshare satellite hosting multiple experimental payloads. Delayed from 4th Quarter 2022. [Oct. 26]
TBD
Falcon 9 • Starlink 2-2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites. This mission will deploy the Starlink satellites into a high-inclination orbit inclined 70 degrees to the equator after flying southeast from Cape Canaveral. Delayed from Nov. 16 and Nov. 18. Delayed from December. [Dec. 14]
Jan. 18Falcon 9 • GPS 3 SV06
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the U.S. Space Force’s sixth third-generation navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin. Delayed from late 2022. [Dec. 14]
January
Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first two WorldView Legion Earth observation satellites for Maxar Technologies. Maxar plans to deploy six commercial WorldView Legion high-resolution remote sensing satellites into a mix of sun-synchronous and mid-inclination orbits on three SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. Delayed from January and September 2021. Delayed from March, May, June, July, and September 2022. Delayed again from 4th Quarter 2022. [Nov. 22]
NET January
Falcon Heavy • ViaSat 3 Americas
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the ViaSat 3 Americas broadband communications satellite. ViaSat 3 Americas is the first of at least three new-generation Boeing-built geostationary satellites for ViaSat. A small communications satellite named Arcturus will launch as a secondary payload for Astranis. Delayed from 3rd Quarter and December. [Nov. 22]
Early 2023
Falcon 9 • SES 18 & SES 19
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch SES 18 and SES 19 communications satellites for SES of Luxembourg. SES 18 and 19, built by Northrop Grumman, will provide C-band television and data services over the United States. [May 24]
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]
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]
1st Quarter
Falcon 9 • O3b mPOWER 3 & 4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the second pair of O3b mPOWER broadband internet satellites into Medium Earth Orbit for SES of Luxembourg. The satellites, built by Boeing, will provide internet services over most of the populated world, building on SES’s O3b network. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. [Nov. 22]
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Astronomers find that two exoplanets may be mostly water
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/12/221215120718.htm
Atmospheric Make-Up
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Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
Dec 18
Dec. 19
Tiangong
Dec. 24
Dec. 25
Dec. 26
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