Skynet 5-27-23 “The Psyche Mission” & Constellation “Virgo, the Maidan” 9PM CT |

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade.

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EXOSAT

On May 26, 1983, the European Space Agency launched its first X-ray observatory into space.

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Skylab

Skylab, America’s first space station and the first crewed research laboratory in space, lifted off on May 14, 1973.

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Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Virgo, the Maiden

Space Launches For This Week

Space Coast Launches

Upcoming Rocket Launch List

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

May 29 GSLV Mk. 2 • NVS 01

Launch time: 0512 GMT (1:12 a.m. EDT)

Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India.

An Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk. 2 rocket, designated GSLV-F12, will launch the NVS 01 navigation satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, also called Navigation with Indian Constellation, or NavIC. The spacecraft is also known as IRNSS 1J, and is the first in a second-generation fleet of Indian navigation satellites.

Updated: May 24

May 29/30 Long March 2F • Shenzhou 16

Launch time: Approx. 0128 GMT on 30th (9:28 p.m. EDT on 29th)

Launch site: Jiuquan, China

A Chinese Long March 2F rocket will launch the Shenzhou 16 spacecraft with three Chinese astronauts to rendezvous and dock with the Chinese space station in low Earth orbit. This is China’s 11th crewed space mission, and the fifth to the Chinese space station. The crew members have not been announced by China.

Updated: May 24

May 30/31 Falcon 9 • Starlink 2-10

Launch time: 0527-0715 GMT on 31st (1:27-3:15 a.m. EDT; 10:27 p.m.-12:15 a.m. PDT on 30th/31st)

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink V1.5 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 Pacific Ocean.

Updated: May 26

June 1 Falcon 9 • Starlink 6-4

Launch time: 1104-1415 GMT (7:04-10:15 a.m. EDT)

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of approximately 22 second-generation Starlink V2 Mini internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Moved forward from June 3. Delayed from May 30.

Updated: May 26

June 3 Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 28

Launch time: 1634 GMT (12:34 p.m. EDT)

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight is the 28th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.

Updated: May 11

June 8 Falcon 9 • Transporter 8

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Transporter 8 mission, a rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. Launch site changed from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Updated: May 11

June 9 Falcon 9 • O3b mPOWER 5 & 6

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the third 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. Delayed from March.

Updated: May 24

June Falcon 9 • SDA Tranche 0B

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 18 Tranche 0 demonstration satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Development Agency. The launch is the second of two Falcon 9 missions to carry SDA demonstration spacecraft for a future constellation of military missile tracking and data relay satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg.

Updated: April 01

June Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first pair of 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. The first stage of the Falcon 9 will return to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base for landing. Delayed from April.

Updated: April 24

June 16 Ariane 5 • Syracuse 4B & Heinrich Hertz

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana

Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA260, to launch the Syracuse 4B and Heinrich Hertz communications satellites. Syracuse 4B, built by Airbus, will relay secure communications between French military aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval vessels, including submarines. The Heinrich Hertz satellite, built by OHB, will test new communications technologies on a mission funded by the German government. This will be the final launch of an Ariane 5 rocket. Delayed from February due to problems completing the Heinrich Hertz satellite. Moved forward from June 21.

Updated: May 05

June 17 Falcon 9 • Satria

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Satria communications satellite for the Indonesian government and the Indonesian satellite operator PSN. The Satria satellite will provide broadband internet and communications capacity for schools, hospitals, and other public use facilities in Indonesia’s rural regions. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space, and is based on the Spacebus Neo platform. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Updated: May 24

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.