Things are a little quieter this week on the space launch front compared with last week. This week we can expect to see Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launch a Blacksky Global satellite among others, Iran’s Pars 1 satellite is set to make another launch attempt, and SpaceX is expected to launch the successor to Starship SN9 which exploded several weeks ago.
The first launch of the week is due on Monday from New Zealand where Rocket Lab will launch an Electron rocket carrying Blacksky Global satellite and several CubeSats dubbed Centauri 3, Gunsmoke-J, M2 (A/B), Myriota 7, and Veery Hatchling. The firm has decided to call the mission “They Go Up So Fast” - something which is actually true thanks to the rocket weighing just 12,500 kg. On the day of launch, Rocket Lab will publish a live stream on its website.
Next up, again on Monday, is Iran’s Simorgh rocket which will deliver the Pars 1 satellite into orbit. The mission was originally scheduled for last Thursday but it appears to have been pushed back. The rocket will launch from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Center in Semnan. The satellite is equipped with remote-sensing technologies which will monitor the country’s agricultural lands, forests and lakes, and monitor any damage from fires and floods that may happen in the future.
Finally, we’ve got SpaceX’s Starship SN10 which is due for a test launch, possibly in the coming days. This is not a launch to space and is just a test so there’s no fixed schedule but it could happen as soon as tomorrow. In this test launch, we will be keenly watching to see whether the company can finally pull off the landing which it has failed to do with SN8 and SN9 which have launched since December. The NASASpaceFlight YouTube channel and SpaceX’s official YouTube channel will cover the event when it finally happens but don’t be surprised if it gets scrubbed several times.
That’s all for the first week of March but the month ahead is packed with launches every week so be on the lookout for future This Week in Rocket Launches posts over the coming weekends.