Skynet 7-20-24 “8 Cool Destinations on Mars” & Constellation “Draco, the Dragon” 9 PM CT |

On this day in space history: in 1975, both crews of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission launched from their respective spaceports en route to a historic international rendezvous. On this day in spaceflight history, in 1975, the Soviet and U.S. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project crew members performed the first international rendezvous and docking in space and shared an unforgettable handshake.

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Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Constellation “Draco, the Dragon”

Space Launches For This Week

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

NET July 23 Falcon 9 • Starlink 10-4

Launch time: Window opens at 12:14 a.m. EDT (0414 UTC)

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starklink V2 Mini satellites to low Earth orbit. Following stage separation, the booster will land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. Pending FAA approval. Launch delayed from July 14 in wake of Starlink 9-3 failure and faces possibility of further delay.

Updated: July 19

NET July Falcon 9 • Starlink 10-9

Launch time: TBD

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

Updated: July 19

NET July 30 Atlas 5 • USSF 51

Launch time: TBD

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

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-101, will launch the USSF 51 mission for the U.S. Space Force. This mission will launch an undisclosed payload for the military.

Updated: July 10

TBD Falcon 9 • Polaris Dawn

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Polaris Dawn mission will be commanded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, making his second trip to space. He will be joined on the all-private mission by pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. Delayed from November and December 2022, March 2023, April 2024 and early summer 2024.

Updated: July 15

NET July Falcon 9 • ASBM

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission, consisting of two satellites owned by Space Norway. The Falcon 9 will launch the two Northrop Grumman-built satellites into a highly elliptical orbit that lingers over the Arctic region. The satellites carry communications payloads for the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Space Force, and Inmarsat.

Updated: July 12

NET August Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 3 & 4

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the second 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.

Updated: July 10

August TBD Falcon 9 • Transporter-11

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch dozens of satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit on the company’s 11th such rideshare mission. Among the payloads are the European Space Agency’s Arctic Weather Satellite, UK-based Surrey Satellites’ Tyche satellite for the UK Space Command, Japan-based iQPS’ QPS-SAR No. 8 satellite and U.S.-based Planet Labs’ Tanager-1 satellite. Delayed from July 10.

Updated: July 16

3rd Quarter Falcon 9 • BlueBird Block 1

Launch time: TBD

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch five 700-square-foot Block 1 BlueBird satellites on behalf of its customer, AST SpaceMobile, Inc.

Updated: April 02

Sept. TBD Vulcan • Certification Flight 2

Launch time: TBD

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

The second flight of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket will carry ballast and a collection of small payloads. ULA changed this mission when it became clear the original payload, Sierra Space Dream Chaser cargo ship, would not ready for launch. This second test flight is needed to gain certification from the U.S. military to fly national security payloads.

Updated: July 15

TBD Vulcan Centaur • Dream Chaser 1

Launch time: TBD

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

A United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch on its second demonstration flight with Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser cargo vehicle for the International Space Station. The Dream Chaser is a lifting body resupply spacecraft that will launch on top of a rocket and land on a runway. This will be the Dream Chaser’s first flight to space. The Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly in the VC4L configuration with four GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, a long-length payload fairing, and two RL10 engines on the Centaur upper stage. Delayed from August 2022, December 2023, January 2024, April 2024 and September 2024.

Updated: July 12

TBD Eris • TestFlight1

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Pad 1, Bowen Orbital Spaceport

Gilmour Space in Australia is preparing to launch the inaugural flight of its Eris Block 1 rocket. The three-stage launch vehicle is 25 m (82 ft) tall and is equipped with 1.5 m (4.9 ft) diameter payload fairings. The rocket is designed to send up to 305 kg up to low Earth orbit. This first mission, called “TestFlight1,” does not appear to have a payload on board. Delayed from May 4 due to a lack of launch permit.

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.