We have a pretty ordinary week in terms of rocket launches this week. There are no manned missions or anything like that, instead we will see SpaceX, China, and Chinese companies launch satellites into space.
Sunday, 3 December
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Who: SpaceX
- What: Falcon 9 B5
- When: 4:00 - 4:59 a.m.
- Where: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral, US
- Why: SpaceX will be launching 23 Starlink satellites into a low Earth orbit. This batch is designated as Starlink Group 6-31, you can use this to observe these satellites using apps like ISS Detector. As you can see these satellites, this is a problem for astronomers, to reduce the visual noise, SpaceX has applied an anti-reflective coating to the satellites.
Monday, 4 December
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Who: CNSA
- What: Long March 2C
- When: 4:10 a.m. UTC
- Where: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre
- Why: This rocket will be carrying an unknown payload into space.
- Who: Galactic Energy
- What: Ceres GX-1
- When: 11:30 p.m. UTC
- Where: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre
- Why: Galactic Energy will be launching EllipSpace’s Xingchi 2A/B (Star Pool 2A/B) satellites. According to EllipSpace’s website, the Star Pool satellites will make up a comprehensive sensing satellite constellation made up of more than 100 intelligent satellites. It’ll provide space-based communication, navigation, and remote control services.
Tuesday, 5 December
- Who: China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
- What: Smart Dragon 3
- When: 7:33 p.m. UTC
- Where: South China Sea
- Why: This rocket will take off from a ship in the sea carrying the Xiangang hyperspectral remote sensing satellite for the Advanced Manufacturing Center of the Hong Kong Science Park. It will be able to provide global sub-meter visible light remote sensing images and provide high-precision data for the global Internet of Things, disaster prevention and reduction, emergency safety, remote sensing, smart city construction, and other fields.
Wednesday, 6 December
- Who: SpaceX
- What: Falcon 9 B5
- When: 4:00 - 8:00 a.m. UTC
- Where: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral, US
- Why: SpaceX will be launching 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Like the ones mentioned earlier, they have anti-reflective coatings. This batch will be known as Starlink Group 6-33. For those not up to date, Starlink satellites beam internet connectivity down from space so customers can get online is many places around the world.
- Who: LandSpace
- What: Zhuq~~ue ZQ-2
- When: 11:30 p.m. UTC
- Where: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre
- Why: This is the rocket’s third launch, it will be carrying an unknown payload into space. The first stage of this rocket will be expendable this time but in future the company wants it to be reusable.
Recap
- The first launch last week was a Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites to space, the first stage also landed.
- Next, Russia launched a Soyuz 2.1a carrying the Progress MS-25 spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).
- Finally, SpaceX launched the Korea 425 mission to low Earth orbit. It’s a secretive mission containing 25 smallsats.
That’s it for this week, check in next time!
