A Packed Week of Space Launches
The coming week is set to be a thrilling one for space enthusiasts. Seven different rockets are prepped and ready for lift-off, including the second flight of a reusable rocket from a notable private aerospace manufacturer. There will be three takeoffs from another well-known private spaceflight company, while rockets from China, French Guiana, New Zealand, and several sites across the U.S. also make their ascents.
First Up: A Chinese Rocket
China will kick off this busy week with the inaugural launch. The rocket, a three-stage model with a fairing measuring 2.5 m high and 4.2 m in diameter, will take off from a launch site in Wenchang. The payload for this mission is an Earth observation satellite from China. This will be the fifth flight for this type of rocket this year, and the 255th orbital launch attempt worldwide.
France Joins the Action
A French rocket is next in line, lifting off from the Guiana Space Center. The rocket will use two solid rocket boosters to help it carry its payload, the Sentinel-1D satellite, into a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Once fully operational, the satellite will replace a predecessor that has been orbiting Earth for over a decade. The satellite will provide high-resolution imagery of Earth’s surface and assist in improving the tracking of marine vessels.
New Zealand's Contribution
Next, a rocket from New Zealand will make its 16th flight, launching from the Māhia Peninsula. It will carry a 100 kg satellite into a low-Earth orbit (LEO). The satellite, referred to by the Japanese name for the god of nation-building, will join five other satellites in the same series. The small, high-performance satellites collect high-resolution images of Earth, even in cloudy or poor weather conditions. The ultimate plan is to have a constellation of 36 satellites providing regular monitoring of specific points on Earth.
Back to the US
A U.S. company will launch a two-stage reusable rocket, carrying 29 mini satellites into LEO. After successfully separating from the main rocket, the booster will land on a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. The rocket is designed to be reusable, with one booster having flown 30 flights. The payload fairings are also recovered and reused after each flight.
Communications Satellite to be Launched
Next, an American private aerospace manufacturer is set to launch a communications satellite with their most powerful rocket model. Unlike other rockets, this one is not reusable; after helping the rocket ascend, the solid rocket motors and first stage will fall back into the Atlantic and be destroyed. The payload is a part of a constellation of three satellites, each designed to deliver bandwidth where and when it’s needed most.
Another Reusable Rocket Launch
Another reusable rocket from the U.S. is set to lift off, carrying 28 mini satellites into LEO. The booster, which has flown seven times before, will land on a drone ship after its ascent.
Another Chinese Rocket
China will launch another rocket, this time a four-stage, all-solid-propellant model. The payload for this mission is not currently known.
Final Launch of the Week
Wrapping up the week, a U.S. company will launch a reusable rocket carrying a dual-spacecraft mission into a heliocentric orbit. The combined payload mass is 1,070 kg. After separating from the main stage, the booster will attempt to land on a recovery vessel. The two spacecraft will study ion and sputtered escape from Mars using three instruments. The goal is to understand the processes controlling the structure of Mars’ magnetosphere, how energy and momentum are transported from the solar wind through Mars’ magnetosphere, and the processes controlling the flow of energy and matter into and out of the collisional atmosphere.