Upcoming Launches: SpaceX Plans Two Starlink Missions, China’s Chang Zheng 5 Launch Scheduled

Spaceflight enthusiasts have an exciting week ahead as SpaceX, China, and Roscosmos gear up for several launches. SpaceX is scheduled to launch two Starlink missions, China is preparing for two payloads to orbit on the powerful Chang Zheng 5 (CZ-5) rocket, and Roscosmos is ready to launch Russian-built satellites atop the Soyuz rocket.

SpaceX kicked off the week with the launch of the Starlink Group 7-15 mission. On February 22, at 8:11 PM PST (04:11 UTC on February 23), the mission took off from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 4E at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission carried 22 Starlink v2 Mini satellites to low-Earth orbit (LEO) on a trajectory inclined by 53 degrees. These satellites join the thousands of others already providing internet access around the world. It marks Falcon 9’s 303rd mission overall and the 17th mission of the year.

On February 23, China made its mark with the CZ-5 launch. The Chang Zheng 5 rocket, China’s largest active heavy-lift launch vehicle, took off from Launch Complex 101 of the Wengchang Space Launch Site on the east coast of China. The secretive CZ-5 mission launched the Tongxin Jishu Shiyan-11 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The satellite is believed to be part of China’s military program for early warning detection and signals intelligence. CZ-5 completed its first mission this year after launching only once last year.

SpaceX will continue its busy week with the launch of Starlink Group 6-39. On February 24, at 4:59 PM EST (21:59 UTC), Falcon 9 will launch from SLC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission will carry 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites to LEO, with the largest number of v2 Mini satellites ever transported by Falcon 9.

Roscosmos’ Soyuz 2.1b rocket is set to take flight on February 29 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia. This mission will launch a Meteor-M satellite, equipped with advanced capabilities for cloud cover mapping, Earth surface monitoring, sea surface wind detection, and temperature and humidity profile monitoring. Additionally, 17 cubesats built by private company SPUTNIX will be used to automatically identify and survey shipping routes in the ocean, monitor agricultural land, and observe environmental systems across Russia.

To wrap up the week, China will launch a CZ-3B/E on February 29. The payload for this mission remains unknown, but with an upgraded version of the CZ-3B, the CZ-3B/E can accommodate additional mass.

As the week of spaceflight launches unfolds, space enthusiasts eagerly await updates on these exciting missions. SpaceX aims to reach a goal of 120 total launches within 2024, while China continues to make strides with its ambitious launch schedule. With each launch, the boundaries of space exploration are pushed further, bringing us one step closer to unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

[Image: SpaceX’s Starlink Group 7-15 mission launch on February 22, 2024. Credit: SpaceX]