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This is for those of you interested in spaceflight, or more specifically, rocket launches. The following is the schedule for the next 3 months. This first one was supposed to go up this week but was postponed. [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img] You can look at the updated on at SPACEFLIGHTNOW.com.
Indefinite Ariane 5 • Hot Bird 7 & Stentor
Launch window: 2221-2304 GMT (1721-1804 EST)
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace Flight 157 will launch Eutelsat's Hot Bird 7 direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite and the French space agency's Stentor communications technology demonstration spacecraft. This will be the first flight of the Ariane 5's new cryogenic upper stage. Delayed from late-October, early-November and Nov. 20 targets. Scrubbed on Nov. 28 by cryogenic feed arm problem. [Nov. 28]
Dec. 5 Atlas 2A • TDRS-J
Launch window: 0242-0322 GMT (2142-2222 EST on Dec. 4th)
Launch site: SLC-36A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket will launch NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite J, TDRS-J, the third of a new generation of Boeing-built spacecraft. Delayed from Oct. 7 to Nov. 9. Then moved up to Oct. 1 since spacecraft and rocket would be ready. But then delayed back to Nov. 9. Then moved up to Oct. 29. Delayed from Oct. 29 to give more time to complete launch vehicle preparations in the factory. Delayed from Nov. 21 and 23rd (GMT) due to RL-10 engine assessment. [Nov. 14]
Dec. Ariane 44L • NSS 6
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-2, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace Flight 156 will launch the NSS 6 telecommunications satellite to be operated by NewSkies Satellites. Built by Lockheed Martin, this spacecraft will cover Asia, Australia, Southern Africa and the Middle East. Delayed from November. [Oct. 31]
Dec. 14 H-2A • ADEOS 2
Launch window: 0131-0147 GMT (2031-2047 EST on Dec. 13)
Launch site: Tanegashima, Japan
The fourth flight of Japan's H-2A rocket will launch the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-2 (ADEOS-2), along with the Micro-Lab Sat, Whale Ecology Observation Satellite System (WEOSS) and the Federation Satellite (FedSat). Pushed back from November and Dec. 10. [Oct. 30]
Dec. 15 Titan 2 • Coriolis
Launch window: 1418 GMT (0918 EST)
Launch site: SLC-4W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
The Air Force Titan 2, known as G-4, will launch the Coriolis spacecraft. The satellite carries the WindSat instrument to measure ocean surface wind speed and direction using an experimental polarimetric radiometer and the Solar Mass Ejection Imager payload. Delayed from Aug. 22 and Nov. 15 as ripple effects from earlier Titan 2 mission slips. Then moved up from January to fly before DMSP F16. [Sept. 16]
Dec. Proton • Nimiq 2
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
An ILS Proton M/Breeze M will launch the the Canadian Nimiq 2 direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite. The Ku/Ka-band spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin for Telesat Canada. Moved from Atlas 5 to Proton to accommodate Hellas Sat 2 on Atlas 5. [Oct. 21]
Dec. 20 Delta 2 • ICESAT & CHIPSAT
Launch window: 0045-0130 GMT (1945-2030 EST on 19th)
Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Boeing Delta 2 will launch NASA's NASA's Ice, Cloud and and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESAT) and the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer Satellite (CHIPSAT). The rocket will fly in the 7320 vehicle configuration. Delayed from Dec. 15, 2001 after the student-built Cooperative Astrophysics and Technology Satellite (CATSAT) payload was removed from this launch; CHIPSAT was added as replacement. Delayed from March 30, May 12, Aug. 30, Sept. 10 and Dec. 15 targets. [Nov. 8]
Unknown Molniya-M • Military
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
A Molniya-M rocket is scheduled to launch a classified satellite payload into orbit for the Russian military. Delayed from Oct. 22 in wake of Soyuz/Foton failure. [Oct. 21]
Jan. 12 Ariane 5 • Rosetta
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket will launch the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft on a mission to rendezvous with Comet 46 P/Wirtanen for detailed observations. The probe will also deploy a lander to the comet's surface. Moved up from Jan. 20 target. [Oct. 23]
Jan. 13 Atlas 3B • AsiaSat 4
Launch time: TBA
Launch site: SLC-36B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Lockheed Martin's Atlas rocket, AC-205, will launch the AsiaSat 4 telecommunications satellite. The Boeing-built craft will provide a variety of communications and broadband multimedia services to the Asia Pacific region and direct-to-home TV programming to Hong Kong. Delayed from May 28 because payload would not be ready. Then moved up from Jan. 30 target. [Oct. 21]
Jan. 16 Shuttle Columbia • Spacehab
Launch period: TBD
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
STS-107 will feature the flight of a Spacehab research laboratory in the shuttle's payload bay with a variety of experiments for a 16-day science mission. Pushed back from May 23. Then delayed from June 27 as ripple effect from slip of STS-109. Delayed from July 11. Delayed from July 19 due to flowliner crack issue. Officials then decided to fly STS-112 first, delaying this flight until after the next two station missions. [Sept. 9]
Jan. Sea Launch • Thuraya 2
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Odyssey platform, Pacific Ocean (154° West, 0° North)
The Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket will launch the second Thuraya mobile communications spacecraft for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company of United Arab Emirates. The Boeing-built satellite will join Thuraya 1 in providing a telephone network for Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia. [June 18]
Jan. 21 Titan 4B • Milstar 2-F4
Launch time: approx. 2135 GMT (1635 EST)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
The Lockheed Martin Titan 4B will launch the fourth Military Strategic and Tactical Relay 2-series communications satellite with Centaur upper stage. The launch will be run by the U.S. Air Force. This will be the sixth and final Milstar satellite overall. Delayed from Nov. 4 as ripple effect from delays of Titan/NRO launch. Officials decided to move this mission ahead of the NRO mission. [Oct. 23]
NET Jan. 25 Pegasus XL • SORCE
Launch window: 2010-2108 GMT (1510-1608 EST)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
An Orbital Sciences air-launched Pegasus XL rocket will carry NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite into orbit to make precise measurements of total solar irradiance, which is the main source of energy in the Earth's atmosphere. Delayed from July 31 and Oct. 31. Delayed from Dec. 1 due to additional time required to re-work a silicon seal associated with the interface between the Pegasus rocket and its wing area. Delayed from Dec. 13 to check torque values on fasteners on the rocket's fin actuators and the thrust vector control system. [Nov. 7]
NET Jan. Delta 2 • GPS 2R-8
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-17B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Boeing Delta 2 will launch the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System 2R-8 military navigation satellite. The launch will be run by the U.S. Air Force. The rocket will fly in the 7925 vehicle configuration. Launch date slipped from June 11, 2001; then from Aug. 16 since the GPS constellation is healthy and didn't need replacement satellite at that time. NASA has moved ProSEDS from this mission to a later Delta 2 launch. Then delayed from March 6 and April 29. Delayed from May 8 to review changes to rocket's self-destruct system. Delayed from Aug. 11 due to wiring harness issue. Delayed from Nov. 7 due to damage suffered in launch pad accident. [Nov. 28]
Late-Jan. Proton • AMC 9
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
An ILS Proton will launch the AMC 9 telecommunications spacecraft for American operator SES Global. The Alcatel-built satellite will cover North America. Pushed back from 4th Quarter. [Oct. 9]
Indefinite Delta 4 • DSCS B6
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Boeing Delta 4 Medium will launch the Defense Satellite Communications System B6 spacecraft on the first military launch of the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Liftoff to occur at least two months after the maiden Delta 4 launch. Delayed from July 18, Oct. 15, Nov. 13 and Dec. 14 as ripple effect from delays of inaugural Delta 4 mission. New date is pending. [Sept. 6]
NET Feb. 6 Delta 2 • GPS 2R-9
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-17, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Boeing Delta 2 will launch the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System 2R-9 military navigation satellite. The launch will be run by the U.S. Air Force. The rocket will fly in the 7925 vehicle configuration. The second stage will carry NASA's Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) as a secondary payload. Decision to fly ProSEDS on this flight was made once the Air Force determined whether this will be an ascending or descending node launch. ProSEDS requires ascending node. Delayed from May 16, July 25, Oct. 14 and November targets. [Nov. 12]
Indefinite Ariane 5 • Hot Bird 7 & Stentor
Launch window: 2221-2304 GMT (1721-1804 EST)
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace Flight 157 will launch Eutelsat's Hot Bird 7 direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite and the French space agency's Stentor communications technology demonstration spacecraft. This will be the first flight of the Ariane 5's new cryogenic upper stage. Delayed from late-October, early-November and Nov. 20 targets. Scrubbed on Nov. 28 by cryogenic feed arm problem. [Nov. 28]
Dec. 5 Atlas 2A • TDRS-J
Launch window: 0242-0322 GMT (2142-2222 EST on Dec. 4th)
Launch site: SLC-36A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket will launch NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite J, TDRS-J, the third of a new generation of Boeing-built spacecraft. Delayed from Oct. 7 to Nov. 9. Then moved up to Oct. 1 since spacecraft and rocket would be ready. But then delayed back to Nov. 9. Then moved up to Oct. 29. Delayed from Oct. 29 to give more time to complete launch vehicle preparations in the factory. Delayed from Nov. 21 and 23rd (GMT) due to RL-10 engine assessment. [Nov. 14]
Dec. Ariane 44L • NSS 6
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-2, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace Flight 156 will launch the NSS 6 telecommunications satellite to be operated by NewSkies Satellites. Built by Lockheed Martin, this spacecraft will cover Asia, Australia, Southern Africa and the Middle East. Delayed from November. [Oct. 31]
Dec. 14 H-2A • ADEOS 2
Launch window: 0131-0147 GMT (2031-2047 EST on Dec. 13)
Launch site: Tanegashima, Japan
The fourth flight of Japan's H-2A rocket will launch the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-2 (ADEOS-2), along with the Micro-Lab Sat, Whale Ecology Observation Satellite System (WEOSS) and the Federation Satellite (FedSat). Pushed back from November and Dec. 10. [Oct. 30]
Dec. 15 Titan 2 • Coriolis
Launch window: 1418 GMT (0918 EST)
Launch site: SLC-4W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
The Air Force Titan 2, known as G-4, will launch the Coriolis spacecraft. The satellite carries the WindSat instrument to measure ocean surface wind speed and direction using an experimental polarimetric radiometer and the Solar Mass Ejection Imager payload. Delayed from Aug. 22 and Nov. 15 as ripple effects from earlier Titan 2 mission slips. Then moved up from January to fly before DMSP F16. [Sept. 16]
Dec. Proton • Nimiq 2
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
An ILS Proton M/Breeze M will launch the the Canadian Nimiq 2 direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite. The Ku/Ka-band spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin for Telesat Canada. Moved from Atlas 5 to Proton to accommodate Hellas Sat 2 on Atlas 5. [Oct. 21]
Dec. 20 Delta 2 • ICESAT & CHIPSAT
Launch window: 0045-0130 GMT (1945-2030 EST on 19th)
Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Boeing Delta 2 will launch NASA's NASA's Ice, Cloud and and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESAT) and the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer Satellite (CHIPSAT). The rocket will fly in the 7320 vehicle configuration. Delayed from Dec. 15, 2001 after the student-built Cooperative Astrophysics and Technology Satellite (CATSAT) payload was removed from this launch; CHIPSAT was added as replacement. Delayed from March 30, May 12, Aug. 30, Sept. 10 and Dec. 15 targets. [Nov. 8]
Unknown Molniya-M • Military
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
A Molniya-M rocket is scheduled to launch a classified satellite payload into orbit for the Russian military. Delayed from Oct. 22 in wake of Soyuz/Foton failure. [Oct. 21]
Jan. 12 Ariane 5 • Rosetta
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket will launch the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft on a mission to rendezvous with Comet 46 P/Wirtanen for detailed observations. The probe will also deploy a lander to the comet's surface. Moved up from Jan. 20 target. [Oct. 23]
Jan. 13 Atlas 3B • AsiaSat 4
Launch time: TBA
Launch site: SLC-36B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Lockheed Martin's Atlas rocket, AC-205, will launch the AsiaSat 4 telecommunications satellite. The Boeing-built craft will provide a variety of communications and broadband multimedia services to the Asia Pacific region and direct-to-home TV programming to Hong Kong. Delayed from May 28 because payload would not be ready. Then moved up from Jan. 30 target. [Oct. 21]
Jan. 16 Shuttle Columbia • Spacehab
Launch period: TBD
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
STS-107 will feature the flight of a Spacehab research laboratory in the shuttle's payload bay with a variety of experiments for a 16-day science mission. Pushed back from May 23. Then delayed from June 27 as ripple effect from slip of STS-109. Delayed from July 11. Delayed from July 19 due to flowliner crack issue. Officials then decided to fly STS-112 first, delaying this flight until after the next two station missions. [Sept. 9]
Jan. Sea Launch • Thuraya 2
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Odyssey platform, Pacific Ocean (154° West, 0° North)
The Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket will launch the second Thuraya mobile communications spacecraft for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company of United Arab Emirates. The Boeing-built satellite will join Thuraya 1 in providing a telephone network for Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia. [June 18]
Jan. 21 Titan 4B • Milstar 2-F4
Launch time: approx. 2135 GMT (1635 EST)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
The Lockheed Martin Titan 4B will launch the fourth Military Strategic and Tactical Relay 2-series communications satellite with Centaur upper stage. The launch will be run by the U.S. Air Force. This will be the sixth and final Milstar satellite overall. Delayed from Nov. 4 as ripple effect from delays of Titan/NRO launch. Officials decided to move this mission ahead of the NRO mission. [Oct. 23]
NET Jan. 25 Pegasus XL • SORCE
Launch window: 2010-2108 GMT (1510-1608 EST)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
An Orbital Sciences air-launched Pegasus XL rocket will carry NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite into orbit to make precise measurements of total solar irradiance, which is the main source of energy in the Earth's atmosphere. Delayed from July 31 and Oct. 31. Delayed from Dec. 1 due to additional time required to re-work a silicon seal associated with the interface between the Pegasus rocket and its wing area. Delayed from Dec. 13 to check torque values on fasteners on the rocket's fin actuators and the thrust vector control system. [Nov. 7]
NET Jan. Delta 2 • GPS 2R-8
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-17B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Boeing Delta 2 will launch the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System 2R-8 military navigation satellite. The launch will be run by the U.S. Air Force. The rocket will fly in the 7925 vehicle configuration. Launch date slipped from June 11, 2001; then from Aug. 16 since the GPS constellation is healthy and didn't need replacement satellite at that time. NASA has moved ProSEDS from this mission to a later Delta 2 launch. Then delayed from March 6 and April 29. Delayed from May 8 to review changes to rocket's self-destruct system. Delayed from Aug. 11 due to wiring harness issue. Delayed from Nov. 7 due to damage suffered in launch pad accident. [Nov. 28]
Late-Jan. Proton • AMC 9
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
An ILS Proton will launch the AMC 9 telecommunications spacecraft for American operator SES Global. The Alcatel-built satellite will cover North America. Pushed back from 4th Quarter. [Oct. 9]
Indefinite Delta 4 • DSCS B6
Launch window: TBA
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Boeing Delta 4 Medium will launch the Defense Satellite Communications System B6 spacecraft on the first military launch of the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Liftoff to occur at least two months after the maiden Delta 4 launch. Delayed from July 18, Oct. 15, Nov. 13 and Dec. 14 as ripple effect from delays of inaugural Delta 4 mission. New date is pending. [Sept. 6]
NET Feb. 6 Delta 2 • GPS 2R-9
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-17, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Boeing Delta 2 will launch the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System 2R-9 military navigation satellite. The launch will be run by the U.S. Air Force. The rocket will fly in the 7925 vehicle configuration. The second stage will carry NASA's Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) as a secondary payload. Decision to fly ProSEDS on this flight was made once the Air Force determined whether this will be an ascending or descending node launch. ProSEDS requires ascending node. Delayed from May 16, July 25, Oct. 14 and November targets. [Nov. 12]
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