SpaceX is starting the week with a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time). The Starlink 12-7 mission will deploy 21 Starlink internet satellites, with 13 designed for direct-to-cell communication. The Falcon 9’s first stage has an impressive history, supporting 20 previous missions. A backup launch window is available on Tuesday.
SpaceX recently launched 23 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This successful mission was the company’s 11th Falcon 9 launch this year. The first stage booster landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, marking SpaceX’s 401st rocket recovery.
Multiple rocket launches are planned for the coming days. SpaceX’s Starlink 11-6 mission is scheduled for January 24th, launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This will be SpaceX’s third launch of the week, following two successful Starlink deployments on January 21st.
Blue Origin is preparing for the first launch of its New Glenn rocket. The NG-1 mission is a qualification flight for national security payloads. The massive 320-foot rocket will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Blue Origin plans to land the first stage on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 7 test flight is also approaching. This ambitious mission will deploy simulated Starlink satellites for the first time. Modifications to Starship include increased propellant capacity, avionics upgrades, and improvements to the heat shield and flight control systems. A recent fueling test loaded almost 11 million pounds of propellant into the megarocket.
India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission. This critical mission will test autonomous rendezvous and docking technologies, vital for future human spaceflight and satellite servicing. The PSLV-C60 rocket will also carry 24 additional scientific payloads.
SpaceX recently launched two private moon landers, Blue Ghost and Resilience, on a Falcon 9 rocket. Launched from Florida’s Space Coast, this mission is a significant step in commercial lunar exploration.