Artykuły o Space launches

[Orionid]

For Final Time, ULA Launches “Most Metal” Delta IV Heavy Into History
by Ben Evans April 9, 2024 [AS]


The final Delta IV Heavy roars into clear Florida skies at 12:53 p.m. EDT Tuesday, drawing down the final curtain on the Delta Era after more than 63 years of service. Photo Credit: Jeff Seibert/AmericaSpace

After more than six decades of operational service, 389 flights launched and an impressive 95-percent success rate, the curtain finally fell on the Delta Era at 12:53 p.m. EDT Tuesday as the last triple-barreled Delta IV Heavy—labeled by United Launch Alliance (ULA) as its “Most Metal” of rockets—roared into clear Florida skies, heading into history and the program’s sunset. Pounding Space Launch Complex (SLC)-37B at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., with 2.1 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of liftoff thrust, the 235-foot-tall (72-meter) Heavy ferried the National Reconnaissance Office’s highly classified NROL-70 payload on the first leg of its trek up to Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO).
https://www.americaspace.com/2024/04/09/for-final-time-ula-launches-most-metal-delta-iv-heavy-into-history/

ULA concludes six decades of Delta rocket flights with final Delta 4 Heavy mission
April 9, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith [SFN]


A ULA Delta 4 Heavy rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 37 on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. This was the 16th and final launch of a Delta 4 Heavy rocket. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now

The second time was the charm for the finale of the Delta family of rockets. Following an issue with a gaseous nitrogen pipeline beyond the control of United Launch Alliance (ULA) that caused the March 28 scrub the second launch attempt on April 9 proved successful.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/04/09/live-coverage-ula-to-launch-final-delta-4-heavy-rocket-from-cape-canaveral/

https://spacenews.com/end-of-an-era-delta-4-heavy-soars-one-last-time/
https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/farewell-delta/

Vulcan competes second flight despite SRB anomaly
Jeff Foust October 4, 2024 [SN]


ULA's Vulcan Centaur lifts off on the Cert-2 mission Oct. 4. Credit: ULA webcast

WASHINGTON — United Launch Alliance’s second Vulcan Centaur lifted off Oct. 4 on a test flight needed to certify the vehicle for carrying national security payloads, but may have suffered a problem with one of its solid rocket boosters.

The Vulcan Centaur lifted off at 7:25 a.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The liftoff took place near the middle of a three-hour launch window after an initial half-hour delay to provide additional time for pre-launch checks.

The first countdown attempt was halted 1 minute and 51 seconds before liftoff. Tory Bruno, chief executive of ULA, said on social media that a “transient on a redundant data system” triggered the hold, and controllers resolved the issue and reset the countdown for the second attempt, which resulted in liftoff.

ULA said that the vehicle’s performance was nominal in the early stages of flight. However, the separation of the two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters (SRB) took place nearly 30 seconds later than the timeline the company provided before launch. About 35 seconds after liftoff, there appeared to be material coming off one of the boosters, whose plume changed appearance, suggesting damage to the SRB’s nozzle.
https://spacenews.com/vulcan-competes-second-flight-despite-srb-anomaly/

ULA launches second Vulcan flight, encounters strap-on booster anomaly
October 4, 2024 William Harwood [SFN]


By thirty-seven seconds after liftoff, it was clear one of two strap-on solid fuel boostersvwas suffered an anomaly as can be seen by sparks and debris falling away from the rocket. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now

United Launch Alliance fired off a next-generation Vulcan rocket Friday in the second of two “certification” test flights needed before the new launcher can be used to carry high-priority national security payloads for the U.S. Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office. (...)

The anomaly aside, the strap-on boosters burned out and were jettisoned about 20 seconds later than planned. The methane-burning BE-4s, each one generating 550,000 pounds of thrust, continued boosting the rocket out of the lower atmosphere for another three minutes or so before shutting down. (...)

The apparent booster anomaly could be seen in long-range tracking camera views when a shower of sparks and what looked like debris fell away from the right-side SRB 37 seconds after liftoff. The problem appeared to originate at or near the nozzle at the base of the booster. The exhaust plume changed shape dramatically, but the Vulcan was able to continue its climb to space.

The anomaly aside, the strap-on boosters burned out and were jettisoned about 20 seconds later than planned. The methane-burning BE-4s, each one generating 550,000 pounds of thrust, continued boosting the rocket out of the lower atmosphere for another three minutes or so before shutting down.

The non-reusable stage then fell away to crash into the Atlantic and the flight continued on the power of the Centaur 5 upper stage’s two Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C engines.

The upper stage fired its engines a second time after reaching orbit to demonstrate its ability to restart in space, a key requirement for military payloads requiring complex “high energy” trajectories to reach their operational orbits. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/10/03/live-coverage-ula-to-launch-second-test-flight-of-its-vulcan-rocket-from-cape-canaveral/

Space Force marks Florida’s record-breaking launch year
by Sandra Erwin January 1, 2025

SpaceX dominates the commercial space race. ‘Crazy numbers,’ says Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, commander of the Eastern Range


A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Florida on Dec. 31, 2024, completing the company’s 134th and final launch of the year. Credit: SpaceX

WASHINGTON — Florida’s Space Coast capped off a record-breaking year with 93 launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, up from 74 launches in 2023.

Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, commander of the Eastern Range and Space Delta 45, credited the accelerated pace to innovations by both Space Launch Delta 45 and the private sector. “We’ve been able to reach these crazy numbers by leveraging automation, modernizing infrastructure, and streamlining processes,” Panzenhagen told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-marks-floridas-record-breaking-launch-year/

SpaceX launch surge helps set new global launch record in 2024
by Jeff Foust January 1, 2025


A Falcon 9 launch of a Dragon cargo spacecraft in November, one of more than 130 launches by SpaceX in 2024. Credit: SpaceX

WASHINGTON — The world set another record for orbital launches in 2024 in a continuing surge of launch activity driven almost entirely by SpaceX.

There were 259 orbital launch attempts in 2024, a 17% increase from the previous record of 221 orbital launch attempts in 2023, based on SpaceNews analysis of open source records. That figure does not include suborbital launches, such as four SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy test flights or two launches of the HASTE suborbital variant of Rocket Lab’s Electron.
https://spacenews.com/spacex-launch-surge-helps-set-new-global-launch-record-in-2024/

India eyes record year for space with 10 planned launches
by Andrew Jones January 3, 2025


An LVM-3 rocket carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lifts off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on July 14, 2023. Credit: ISRO

HELSINKI — India’s space agency is planning 10 orbital launches in 2025 along with a debut commercial launch, potentially taking the country’s launch activity to double figures for the first time.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S. Somanath told Indian media that 10 orbital launches are planned across the year, including four Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) launches, an LVM-3 and a human-rated LVM-3 launch for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, as well as three Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) missions and a launch of the SSLV solid rocket.
https://spacenews.com/india-eyes-record-year-for-space-with-10-planned-launches/

Dept. of the Air Force opens bidding for Space Launch Complex 14 at Vandenberg SFB
January 6, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

Update: Jan. 6, 1:25 p.m. EST (1825 UTC): Corrected some of the launch complex status information for accuracy.


Vandenberg SFB Guardians and Airmen supported the NASA Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, July 23, 2025. At the forefront of space operations at Vandenberg, the safety team ensures minimal risk for safe, reliable and frequent access to space. Image: U.S. Space Force/Jennifer Green-Lanchoney

The space, which will be designated as Space Launch Complex 14 or SLC-14, is being set aside for orbital rockets in a heavy or super-heavy vertical launch class. The government defines “heavy” as having payload capacity of between 20,000-50,000 kg (44,092-110,231 lbs) and “super-heavy” anything greater than 50,000 kg.

“Due to the unique attributes of SLC-14 and the goal of maximizing assured access to space in support of national security objectives, the Department of the Air Force (DAF), United States Space Force (USSF), and Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) are committed to ensuring the best use of this property,” the RFI stated.

Vandenberg currently plays host to a variety of launch providers, which are spread across multiple pads:

SLC-2 – Firefly Aerospace, Alpha rocket

SLC-3 – United Launch Alliance, Vulcan rocket (under development)

SLC-4E – SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket

SLC-5 – Phantom Space, Daytona rocket (undeveloped; environmental assessment completed)

SLC-6 – SpaceX, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets (under development)

SLC-8 – Government-owned, multi-use pad (most recently used by Northrop Grumman’s Minotaur 4 rocket on April 16, 2025)

SLC-9 – Undeveloped (a draft environmental assessment document dated Feb. 2025 references Blue Origin in a “Reasonably Foreseeable Projects” table, but a spokesperson for SLD 30 said on Jan. 6 that Blue Origin currently doesn’t hold any out grant or lease for property at VSFB)

SLC-576E Licensed to Long Wall (formerly ABL Space Systems) (...)

Who’s in contention?

Multiple U.S. launch providers have rockets that qualify in the heavy to super-heavy classification either currently launching or in development. But in order to increase the diversity of rockets flying from Vandenberg, SLD 30 is looking primarily for options that don’t currently exist at VSFB.

Given all the requirements and the state of play on the orbital launch front, one of the contenders would likely be SpaceX with their Starship-Super Heavy rocket. The company is slated to launch the latest iteration of the rocket, dubbed Version 3, sometime in early 2026.

In 2025, SpaceX also received approval from the Department of the Air Force to move forward with overhauling SLC-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) in Florida, which will feature two Starhip launch towers. It’s unclear if SpaceX were to make a play for SLC-14 if it would also feature two towers, like SLC-37 or its Starbase site in Texas.

Blue Origin is another likely contender for the launch real estate. While they do have the currently undeveloped space at SLC-9 for its New Glenn rocket, in late November, the company unveiled plans for a news super-heavy lift version called New Glenn 9×4, which will feature nine BE-4 engines on the booster and is designed to carry more than 70 metric tons (154,324 lb) to low Earth orbit.

Another company who may take a shot at the space is Relativity Space. Like both Blue Origin and SpaceX, their heavy lift rocket, Terran R, is also designed to have a reusable first stage booster and is expected to deliver up to 23,500 kg (51,809 lb) to low Earth orbit in its reusable configuration.

Relativity is in the midst of converting Launch Complex 16 at CCSFS from its previous design that supported the smaller Terran 1 rocket, which flew once before it was retired. It’s aiming for an inaugural flight of Terran R from Florida no earlier than late 2026. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/06/dept-of-the-air-force-opens-bidding-for-space-launch-complex-14-at-vandenberg-sfb/

[Orionid]

China caps record year for orbital launches with Tianhui-7 and Shijian-29 technology test missions
by Andrew Jones December 31, 2025


A Long March 7A lifts off from Wenchang, Dec. 30, 2025, carrying the Shijian-29 A and B satellites. Credit: CASC

HELSINKI — China reached 92 orbital launches in 2025 with back-to-back missions this week, capping a record year for both the country and the global space sector.

The launches see global orbital launch attempts reach more than 320, not including an incident involving a Kuaizhou rocket on the pad at Jiuquan, far surpassing the 259 launch attempts in 2024. This means a new global record has been set for the fifth consecutive year, far eclipsing the records set by the peak launch rates of the Cold War era.

Final launches of China’s year began late Dec. 29, with a Long March 4B—an older, hypergolic rocket—lifting off at 11:12 p.m. Eastern (0412 UTC, Dec. 30) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) revealed the payload to be the Tianhui-7 remote sensing satellite in a post-launch statement.

Tianhui, roughly translating to “sky drawing,” is a remote sensing and mapping satellite series for likely both civilian and military applications. There are few details regarding the sensors and payloads for Tianhui-7, with CASC describing it as mainly for tasks such as geographic information mapping, land resource surveys and scientific experimental research.

The satellite’s manufacturer, CASC’s China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), stated post-launch that Tianhui-7’s core payload is designed to “achieve world-class resolution and precision.” Payload heat dissipation was identified as a mission-critical design driver, linked directly to high-resolution imaging, while also revealing that the CAST team rejected a mature, lower-risk solution in favor of a new, unproven technical architecture because it offered better imaging performance.

The satellite was tracked in a roughly circular 485-kilometer-altitude sun synchronous orbit.

Shijian-29 A and B

Tianhui-7 was followed less than a day later by China’s final launch of the year. A Long March 7A lifted off at 5:40 p.m. Eastern (2240 UTC) Dec. 30 from the coastal Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan.

CASC revealed the launch to carry the Shijian-29 A and B satellites when announcing launch success. The pair are described as being used mainly to “conduct verification tests of new technologies for space target detection.” This broad definition could refer to space situational awareness (SSA) purposes. Shiyan-12 (01) and (02), launched on a Long March 7A in 2021, are thought to be both technology pathfinders and geostationary SSA assets.

Little is known about the satellites, as is typical for the Shijian series, which includes a diverse array of spacecraft used variously to conduct experiments, test new technologies and verify operational practices on orbit. Two satellites in the series this year conducted pioneering refueling tests around the geostationary belt.

CASC stated that Shijian-29 A was built by the corporation’s Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), while Microsat under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) stated it provided satellite B.

The pair are likely headed for geostationary transfer orbit, given the launch vehicle and airspace closure notices, though this was not confirmed by orbital tracking at time of launch. The Long March 7A has, exceptionally, also sent satellites into medium Earth orbits with the Yaogan-45 and Yaogan-46 missions.

China’s 2025 launch record

The launches were China’s 91st and 92nd orbital launch attempts of 2025, far surpassing its previous record of 68, set in 2024. There were just two failures, seeing the loss of a Zhuque-2E methalox rocket (Landspace) and a Ceres-1 solid rocket (Galactic Energy).

A big driver for China’s growing launch cadence was the country’s two megaconstellations, Guowang and Qianfan/Thousand Sails. There were 16 launches for the former alone, as China seeks to construct its own commercial and strategic response to Starlink and other systems. Also helping to facilitate the growth in launches was the new Hainan commercial spaceport—also expected to see pads 3 and 4 come online in 2026—and the expansion of a commercial zone at Jiuquan spaceport.

Jiuquan hosted 33 launches, up from 21 last year, while Wenchang and Hainan accelerated from nine launches to 21, eclipsing the 19 launches from Xichang in southwest China. There was also a relative drop in reliance on older, hypergolic Long March 2, 3 and 4 series rockets, with newer kerosene rockets including the Long March 5, 6, 7 and 8 series being used more regularly and with much greater payloads in terms of mass.

CASC claimed overall responsibility for 73 of the launches, with the rest performed by state-spinoffs Expace and CAS Space, and commercial launch service providers Galactic Energy, Landspace, iSpace and Orienspace. Three new rockets had debut launches in 2025, namely the Long March 8A—which has now flown five times—Landspace’s Zhuque-3 and the Long March 12A.

The latter two notably marked China’s first two attempts at recovering an orbital booster. While recovery attempts failed, both second stages (without payloads) successfully reached orbit. Landspace has indicated that it is targeting April 2026 for a second launch.

Several other rockets were potentially set for 2025 debuts, but a number of these have slipped into early 2026. These include the Kinetica-2 (CAS Space), Pallas-1 (Galactic Energy), Tianlong-3 (Space Pioneer), Hyperbola-3 (iSpace) and Nebula-1 (Deep Blue Aerospace).

One of the areas of major progress for China in 2025 was hardware tests for its crewed lunar ambitions, with further milestones expected imminently. The Long March 10A rocket is expected to debut in 2026.
https://spacenews.com/china-caps-record-year-for-orbital-launches-with-tianhui-7-and-shijian-29-technology-test-missions/

6 mind-blowing space missions now set to launch after Artemis II
By Ezzy Pearson Published: April 11, 2026 at 5:00 pm


The mission will also observe Mars's other moon, Deimos, and monitor Mars's climate - Credit: JAXA/NASA

From water hunting on the Moon to the closest planet to the Sun

(...) There's a whole host of missions launching between now and then, from a new super space telescope to a daring mission to Mars. After Artemis II, these are six of the most exciting missions set to blast off in 2026.

Chang’e 7

Artemis II isn’t the only mission heading to the Moon in 2026. In August, the China National Space Administration is expected to send its latest lander, Chang’e 7, to the lunar surface. (...)

Nancy Grace Roman Telescope

Another superstar space observatory will join Hubble and the JWST this year, as NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch sometime after September.

In many ways, the telescope is very similar to Hubble – it has the same 2.4m-wide (7.9ft) mirror, the same resolution and both are about the size of a bus. What sets Roman apart, however, is that it views an area of sky 100-times larger. (...)

PLATO

Over the last three decades, astronomers have confirmed the discovery of over 6,000 planets beyond our Solar System. What nobody has yet found among all those ‘exoplanets’, however, is a planet like Earth, because we haven’t had observatories capable of finding them.

The European Space Agency’s PLATO (Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars) spacecraft, due to launch towards the end of 2026, will change that. (...)

Martian Moons Exploration

In November 2026, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, will launch a mission aiming to achieve something no one has attempted before – landing on one of Mars’s moons. Even more astoundingly, they’re planning on bringing a piece of it back. (...)

Hera

In November 2026, the European Space Agency’s follow-up mission, Hera, will arrive at the asteroid to survey the damage.

The spacecraft will inspect Dimorphos, paying particular attention to the crash site. It will also deploy two smaller CubeSats, which will determine what the asteroid is made of and map its internal structure. (...)

BepiColombo

Of all the rocky planets in the Solar System, Mercury is the most overlooked. Only two missions have ever taken a close look at it, but that number is set to double on 21 November 2026, when BepiColombo arrives at the world closest to the Sun after an eight-year journey. (...)
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/6-space-missions-2026

China to carry out intensive space missions in 2026: CNSA
Source: Xinhua Editor: huaxia 2026-04-17 22:01:30
   
BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China will carry out intensive space missions in 2026, including Tianwen-2's close approach and observation of its target asteroid, an official of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Friday.

The country will also conduct crewed missions including Shenzhou-23, conduct flight verification tests of multiple reusable rockets, and promote high-quality development in the commercial space sector, said Liu Yunfeng, deputy director of the CNSA's system engineering department, at a press conference on the upcoming Space Day of China.

Looking back at the past year, China has made steady strides in space exploration. In 2025, the country conducted 92 space launch missions, a 35 percent increase compared with 2024, Liu said.

The Tianwen-2 probe was successfully launched and has entered the transfer orbit toward asteroid 2016HO3, embarking on China's first asteroid exploration and sample-return mission. Meanwhile, the Tianwen-1 mission continued global and regional surveys of Mars, with 3.5 terabytes of scientific data now publicly available to scientists worldwide.

In the crewed space sector, China successfully completed four launch missions and two return missions, including the country's first emergency launch. Preparations for the crewed lunar exploration program are progressing steadily, Liu said.

The country has also accelerated the large-scale application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System across key industries and public consumption sectors. The successful launch of the Ziyuan-3 04 satellite further enhanced China's stereoscopic Earth observation capabilities.

The development of China's satellite internet system has accelerated across the board, with large-scale production lines for constellation deployment advancing rapidly, Liu said.

The Long March-2D carrier rocket achieved 100 consecutive successful launches, becoming the second type of Chinese launch vehicle to reach the 100-launch milestone. Meanwhile, the Zhuque-3 and Long March-12A reusable carrier rockets successfully completed their maiden flight tests.

Liu also outlined the events planned for the 11th Space Day of China, to be held around April 24 in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, which include the opening ceremony, space science exhibitions and cultural forums.

This year's China Space Conference will take place from April 23 to 25, featuring a main forum alongside over 20 academic sessions. A space science and technology exhibition will be held in Chengdu from April 24 to May 5 to showcase advancements in space technology, space science, space applications, and commercial aerospace.

Starting in 2016, April 24 has been the Space Day of China to mark the launch of its first satellite "Dongfanghong-1" into space on April 24, 1970. ■
https://english.news.cn/20260417/500a6f9165d746c88ab859385b2d347c/c.html

[Orionid]

Cape Canaveral snaps record by launching 5 different rockets in one month
Rick Neale   Florida Today 11 hours ago

Five different types of orbital rockets launched from Florida's Space Coast during the same month — toppling Cape Canaveral's six-decade-old record dating to the days of NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs.

During April, the Cape hosted launches by NASA, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin, in addition to its usual heavy dose of SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. Then SpaceX's Falcon Heavy liftoff on April 29 — the first since October 2024 — pushed the monthly total to a record-breaking five rocket varieties.

"Talk about an awesome time to be on the Space Coast and in the space game," said Col. Brian Chatman, who commands Space Launch Delta 45.

Previously, a maximum of four different orbital launch vehicles had launched from the Cape during a single month. That record occurred twice, in February 1965 and July 1966. (...)

April 1: NASA's hulking Space Launch System propelled the four Artemis II astronauts on their 10-day journey around the moon and back.

April 2: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted 29 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit.

April 4: A ULA Atlas V sporting five solid-rocket boosters launched 29 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit.

April 19: Blue Origin's third-ever New Glenn heavy-lift rocket lifted off, but failed to properly deploy AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite.

April 29: SpaceX's triple-core Falcon Heavy roared off the pad and lifted a Viasat broadband satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Florida's Space Coast has hosted 31 orbital rocket launches thus far this year. That cadence stacks up short of 2025's final total of 109 launches — an all-time record. (...)

SLD 45 Historical Services Office records show the missions that established the Cape's four-rocket-per-month record:

February 1965: Thor-Delta C on OSO-2 mission, Titan III-A on LES-1 mission, Saturn I (Block II) on Saturn SA-9/Pegasus-1 mission, and Atlas-Agena B on Ranger-8 mission.

July 1966: Delta E on Explorer-33 mission, Saturn IB on Apollo 3, Atlas-Agena B on GTV-10, and Gemini-Titan II on Gemini 10. (...)
https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2026/05/01/nasa-spacex-nasa-blue-origin-ula-break-florida-monthly-rocket-launch-record-from-cape-canaveral/89877047007/

Is there a launch today? SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida
Rick Neale ,  Brooke Edwards   Florida Today
https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2026/05/01/rocket-launch-schedule-coming-up-in-may-from-cape-canaveral-florida-and-nasa-kennedy-space-center/89887895007/