“SpaceX Fails to Achieve 100 Falcon Launch Goal as Scrubs Impede Progress; Aiming for 300th Mission Milestone at Year’s End”

The past week has been a busy one in the world of space launches, with several missions being launched and others experiencing delays. Let’s take a closer look at some of the highlights.

SpaceX, the well-known private aerospace manufacturer, had a challenging week with two of its missions being scrubbed due to various reasons. The US Department of Defense’s X-37B vehicle, which was scheduled to launch on the Falcon Heavy USSF-52 mission, experienced delays due to ground systems concerns and weather conditions. Similarly, the Starlink Group 6-34 mission faced delays twice in a row due to high-level ground winds. However, a double header launch is now scheduled for December 28, with both a Falcon Heavy and a Falcon 9 launch planned within five hours of each other. This Falcon 9 flight, known as Starlink Group 7-9, will mark SpaceX’s 300th mission and its last of this year.

China also had significant launches during the week. The country successfully launched the Chang Zheng 2F/T rocket carrying China’s secretive CSSHQ spaceplane on December 14. The next day, a Chang Zheng 5 rocket launched the Yaogan 41 reconnaissance satellite into a high elliptical orbit. These launches showcased China’s capabilities in the field of space exploration.

Rocket Lab, another private aerospace manufacturer, launched its Electron rocket on the “The Moon God Awakens” mission. The mission aimed to deploy synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites for iQPS, marking Rocket Lab’s first launch for this customer since an anomaly during a previous mission in September.

The undocking of Cargo Dragon CRS-29 from the International Space Station (ISS) was delayed by three days due to weather conditions. Eventually, it left the ISS on December 15 after a one-month stay and splashed down off the coast of Florida.

Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, launched its uncrewed NS-24 mission. This marked the first launch of its New Shepard spacecraft after a 15-month hiatus caused by an engine nozzle failure on a previous mission. The payload included 33 science and research payloads, as well as 38,000 postcards from Blue Origin’s “Club For The Future” program.

Another notable launch is Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha vehicle on the “Fly the Lightning” mission. The mission aims to demonstrate Lockheed Martin’s new wideband electronically steerable antenna integrated onto the Terran orbital nebula satellite bus. This payload has the potential to provide rapid capabilities to United States warfighters.

Russia is set to launch an unknown payload on a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The payload will be placed into a Sun-synchronous orbit. Additionally, an unknown payload will be launched atop a Soyuz 2.1v/Volga rocket from Site 43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Block 5 is scheduled to launch the SARah 2 & 3 remote sensing satellites for the German military. These satellites will utilize synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology and will comprise the SAR-Lupe constellation.

Furthermore, SpaceX plans to launch another batch of Starlink satellites, known as Starlink Group 6-32, into low-Earth orbit. This launch is part of the company’s efforts to provide global broadband coverage.

Lastly, the PSLV-DL rocket will launch the XPoSat mission from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre. This mission aims to study various astronomical sources in extreme conditions using an X-Ray Polarimeter.

Despite some delays and challenges faced by space agencies and private companies, the year is wrapping up with several exciting missions and remarkable achievements. SpaceX’s goal of achieving 100 launches this year may have shifted due to the recent scrubs, but the company’s overall success has been nothing short of extraordinary. Looking ahead, SpaceX has set an ambitious goal of 144 intended launches for the next year, implying an increased cadence and an enhanced return-to-launch site (RTLS) profile for its missions.

As the year comes to a close, the space industry continues to push boundaries and redefine what is possible in space exploration. With numerous launches scheduled and milestones reached, it is clear that the future of space exploration holds endless possibilities.