Are you eager to witness the thrill of a space shuttle launch? While the Space Shuttle program concluded in 2011, orbital launches continue with exciting missions planned. This article provides a regularly updated list of upcoming rocket launches from various spaceports worldwide. All times are in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). “NET” indicates “No Earlier Than,” and “TBD” signifies “To Be Determined.”
Upcoming Rocket Launches: A Comprehensive Overview
Several launches are on the horizon, carrying a diverse range of payloads from satellites to crewed missions. Here’s a closer look at some key upcoming events:
SpaceX Missions Dominate the Near Future
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Crew-10 Mission to the International Space Station (ISS): Scheduled for a NET March 14 launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will propel the Crew Dragon spacecraft “Endurance” carrying three astronauts and a cosmonaut to the ISS. This mission marks the second spaceflight for Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi, and the first for Nichole Ayers and Kirill Peskov. A previous launch attempt on March 12 was scrubbed due to a ground systems issue.
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Transporter-13 Mission: Set for a NET March 14/15 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, a Falcon 9 will deploy dozens of small satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. The payload includes CubeSats for NASA’s EZIE mission, the first microsatellite for Kongsberg NanoAvionics’ N3X constellation (Arvaker 1), and Botswana’s Botsat-1 satellite. The Falcon 9’s first stage will attempt a landing at a designated pad near the launch site.
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Starlink 12-16 Mission: Scheduled for a NET March 15 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, another Falcon 9 will carry a batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit, expanding SpaceX’s global internet network. The first stage booster is slated to land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Other Notable Launches
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Rocket Lab’s Electron Missions: Two Electron launches are planned from Mahia, New Zealand. The “The Lightning God Reigns” mission (NET March 14/15) will deploy the QPS-SAR-9 Earth-imaging satellite for iQPS. The “High Five” mission (NET March 17/18) will launch the final batch of nanosatellites for Kinéis, completing the company’s 25-satellite constellation. No first stage recovery is planned for either mission.
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Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha Rocket: The “Message in a Booster” mission (NET March 15/16) from Vandenberg Space Force Base will see an Alpha rocket launch Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 satellite bus. This is the sixth Alpha launch and the second in a multi-launch agreement between Firefly and Lockheed Martin.
Future Missions on the Horizon
Looking further ahead, missions such as the Soyuz MS-27 crewed launch to the ISS (NET April 8), Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch with the EscaPADE mission (NET Spring 2025), the Vulcan Centaur launch carrying the Dream Chaser cargo vehicle (TBD 2025), and the Falcon 9 launch of Sentinel-6B (NET November 2025) are all significant events to anticipate.
Keeping Track of Launch Schedules
Space launch schedules are dynamic and subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, refer to official space agency websites and dedicated launch tracking resources. While a “Space Shuttle Launch Today” might not be on the immediate horizon, the future of space exploration is filled with exciting missions and groundbreaking advancements. For a historical record of past launches, visit our comprehensive Launch Log.
