Mar 14, 2023RELEASE 23-026NASA Picks Firefly Aerospace for Robotic Delivery to Far Side of MoonTo carry multiple payloads to the far side of the Moon including a satellite to orbit that area, NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace of Cedar Park, Texas. The commercial lander will deliver two agency payloads, as well as communication and data relay satellite for lunar orbit, which is an ESA (European Space Agency) collaboration with NASA.The contract award, for just under $112 million, is a commercial lunar delivery targeted to launch in 2026 through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, initiative, and part of the agency’s Artemis program.This delivery targets a landing site on the far side of the Moon for the two payloads, a place that permanently faces away from Earth. Scientists consider this one of the best locations in the solar system for making radio observations shielded from the noise generated by our home planet. The sensitive observations need to take place during the fourteen earth-day long lunar night.One of these payloads delivered to the lunar surface aims to take advantage of this radio-quiet zone to make low-frequency astrophysics measurements of the cosmos – focusing on a time known as the “Dark Ages,” a cosmic era that began some 370,000 years after the Big Bang and lasted until the first stars and galaxies formed. Since there is no line of sight and no direct communication with Earth from the far side of the Moon, Firefly also is required to provide communication services.“NASA continues to look at ways to learn more about our universe,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Going to the lunar far side will help scientists understand some of the fundamental physics processes that occurred during the early evolution of the universe.”Firefly is responsible for end-to-end delivery services, including payload integration, delivery from Earth to the surface and orbit of the Moon, and NASA payload operations for the first lunar day. This is the second award to Firefly under the CLPS initiative. This award is the ninth surface delivery task award issued to a CLPS vendor, and the second to the far side.“We look forward to Firefly providing this CLPS delivery,” said Joel Kearns, the deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “This lunar landing should enable new scientific discoveries from the far side of the Moon during the lunar night. This particular group of payloads should not only generate new science but should be a pathfinder for future investigations exploiting this unique vantage point in our solar system.”The three payloads slated for delivery are expected to weigh in total about 1,090 pounds (494.5 kilograms). These payloads are: Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment-Night (LuSEE-Night): A pathfinder to understand the Moon’s radio environment and to potentially take a first look at a previously unobserved era in our cosmic history. It will use deployable antennas and radio receivers to observe sensitive radio waves from the Dark Ages for the first time. LuSEE-Night, is a collaboration between the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, the University of California, Berkeley, Space Science Laboratory, and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. It is managed for NASA by the Planetary Missions Program Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lunar Pathfinder: A communications and data relay satellite that will provide communication services to lunar missions via S-band and UHF links to lunar assets on the surface and in orbit around the Moon and an X-band link to Earth. ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder is designed and developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited. ESA collaborated with NASA for delivery through the CLPS initiative. User Terminal (UT): This payload will institute a new standard for S-Band Proximity-1 space communication protocol and establish space heritage. It will be used to commission the Lunar Pathfinder and ensure its readiness to provide communications service to LuSEE-Night. It consists of software-defined radio, an antenna, a network switch, and a sample data source. UT is in development by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.Commercial deliveries to the lunar surface with several providers continue to be part of NASA’s exploration efforts. Future CLPS deliveries could include more science experiments and technology demonstrations that further support the agency’s Artemis program.Learn more about CLPS at:http://www.nasa.gov/CLPS
T.S. Kelso @TSKelsoCelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink Group 7-1 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2023-08-17 at 07:00:50 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-1. Deployment of 21 satellites is set to occur at 08:03:22.440 UTC. Data for the 4 backup launch opportunities is also provided.
Starlink G7-1 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Derived from a pre-launch Starlink-G7-1 state vector, provided by SpaceX. GP data is provided for the entire stack, as well as one for a single satellite.Launch: 2023-08-17 07:00:50 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 08:03:22.440 UTC. Backup Launch Opportunity #1Starlink G7-1B1 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1B1 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Launch: 2023-08-17 07:51:30 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 08:54:02.440 UTC. Backup Launch Opportunity #2Starlink G7-1B2 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1B2 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Launch: 2023-08-17 08:42:10 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 09:44:42.440 UTC. Backup Launch Opportunity #3Starlink G7-1B3 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1B3 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Launch: 2023-08-17 09:32:50 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 10:35:22.440 UTC. Backup Launch Opportunity #4Starlink G7-1B4 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1B4 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Launch: 2023-08-17 10:23:30 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 11:26:02.440 UTC.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-6-10QuoteSpaceX is targeting Wednesday, August 16 at 8:14 p.m. ET (00:14 UTC on August 17) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, four additional opportunities are available starting at 9:07 p.m. ET (1:07 UTC on August 17) until 12:00 a.m. ET on August 17 (4:00 UTC). Four backup opportunities are also currently available on Thursday, August 17 starting at 7:49 p.m. ET (23:49 UTC) until 11:11 p.m. ET (3:11 UTC on August 18).This is the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, PSN SATRIA, and four Starlink missions. (B1067.13) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, August 16 at 8:14 p.m. ET (00:14 UTC on August 17) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, four additional opportunities are available starting at 9:07 p.m. ET (1:07 UTC on August 17) until 12:00 a.m. ET on August 17 (4:00 UTC). Four backup opportunities are also currently available on Thursday, August 17 starting at 7:49 p.m. ET (23:49 UTC) until 11:11 p.m. ET (3:11 UTC on August 18).This is the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, PSN SATRIA, and four Starlink missions. (B1067.13) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-1QuoteSpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 12:01 a.m. PT (7:01 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, four additional opportunities are available starting at 12:51 a.m. PT (7:51 UTC) until 3:23 a.m. PT (10:23 UTC). Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and five Starlink missions. (B1061.15) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 12:01 a.m. PT (7:01 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, four additional opportunities are available starting at 12:51 a.m. PT (7:51 UTC) until 3:23 a.m. PT (10:23 UTC). Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and five Starlink missions. (B1061.15) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
FALCON 9The next SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on August 16 at 8:14 p.m. EDT or later. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on late August. A Falcon 9 will launch the next crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station from pad 39A on August 25 at 3:49 a.m. EDT. The launch time gets 22-26 mins earlier each day. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the mPOWER-C mission for SES from pad 40 on August 27 in the late afternoon EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40.
Stephen Clark @StephenClark1In a quarterly earnings call, Astra CEO Chris Kemp says the recent shift of 50 employees from launch services to space engines will delay first test flight of Rocket 4 into 2024. Recent layoff of 25% of Astra's staff was necessary to "manage our cash burn and financial runway."
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated August 16:QuoteThe next SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on August 16 at 9:55 p.m. EDT or later.https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-6-10QuoteSpaceX is targeting Wednesday, August 16 at 9:55 p.m. ET (1:55 UTC on August 17) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, two additional opportunities are available at 11:36 p.m. ET (3:36 UTC on August 17) and 12:00 a.m. ET on August 17 (4:00 UTC). Four backup opportunities are also currently available on Thursday, August 17 starting at 7:49 p.m. ET (23:49 UTC) until 11:11 p.m. ET (3:11 UTC on August 18).
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on August 16 at 9:55 p.m. EDT or later.
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, August 16 at 9:55 p.m. ET (1:55 UTC on August 17) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, two additional opportunities are available at 11:36 p.m. ET (3:36 UTC on August 17) and 12:00 a.m. ET on August 17 (4:00 UTC). Four backup opportunities are also currently available on Thursday, August 17 starting at 7:49 p.m. ET (23:49 UTC) until 11:11 p.m. ET (3:11 UTC on August 18).
Launch delayed to 03:36 UTC (11:36 p.m. local).https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-6-10QuoteSpaceX is targeting Wednesday, August 16 at 11:36 p.m. ET (3:36 UTC on August 17) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, an additional opportunity is available at 12:00 a.m. ET on August 17 (4:00 UTC).
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, August 16 at 11:36 p.m. ET (3:36 UTC on August 17) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, an additional opportunity is available at 12:00 a.m. ET on August 17 (4:00 UTC).
F9/Starlink 6-10: LIFTOFF! At 11:36:50pm EDT (0336 UTC).
Launch is now scheduled for 08:42 UTC (1:42 AM Pacific Time). Why? SpaceX didn't state the reason.https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-1QuoteSpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 1:42 a.m. PT (8:42 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, two additional opportunities are available at 2:33 a.m. PT (9:33 UTC) and 3:26 a.m. PT (10:26 UTC). Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 1:42 a.m. PT (8:42 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, two additional opportunities are available at 2:33 a.m. PT (9:33 UTC) and 3:26 a.m. PT (10:26 UTC). Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).
William Harwood @cbs_spacenewsF9/Starlink 6-10: LIFTOFF! At 11:36:50pm EDT (0336 UTC
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 2:33 a.m. PT (9:33 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, two additional opportunities are available at 3:26 a.m. PT (10:26 UTC) and 3:35 a.m. PT (10:35 UTC). Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Backup Launch Opportunity #3Starlink G7-1B3 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1B3 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Launch: 2023-08-17 09:33:10 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 10:35:42.440 UTC. Backup Launch Opportunity #4Starlink G7-1B4 Pre-Launch(Starlink-G7-1B4 Pre-Launch RMS Data)Launch: 2023-08-17 10:26:50 UTC.Deployment: 2023-08-17 11:29:22.440 UTC.
NextSpaceflight (Updated August 17th)Launch NET 27 August 2023, 21:04 UTChttps://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6943
Starlink Group 6-14Launch TimeNET September, 2023
Starlink Group 6-17Launch TimeNET September, 2023
Starlink Group 7-2Launch TimeNET September, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Starlink Group 7-3Launch TimeNET September, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Starlink Group 6-18Launch TimeNET October, 2023
Starlink Group 6-19Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 6-21Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 6-22Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 6-23Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 7-4Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Starlink Group 7-5Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Starlink Group 7-6Launch TimeNET October, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Starlink Group 6-24Launch TimeNET November, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 6-25Launch TimeNET November, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 6-26Launch TimeNET November, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 6-27Launch TimeNET November, 2023...SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA
Starlink Group 7-7Launch TimeNET November, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Starlink Group 7-8Launch TimeNET November, 2023...SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
Now 10:35 UTC (last opportunity today)QuoteSpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 3:35 a.m. PT (10:35 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-1
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 17 at 3:35 a.m. PT (10:35 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Two backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. (7:30 UTC) and 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).
SpaceX is targeting Friday, August 18 at 12:30 a.m. PT (7:30 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, an additional opportunity is available at 1:20 a.m. PT (8:20 UTC).This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Discussion thread for SpaceX's Transporter 9 dedicated rideshare flight.Discussion thread for SpaceX Rideshare ProgramLaunch targeting NET November 2023 from Vandenberg on Falcon 9 (booster 10xx.x) to SSO.Payloads: AMAN-1 (?U, SatRev) (via Momentus) JinjuSat-1 (2U, CONTEC, South Korea) (via Momentus) Picacho (1U, Lunasonde, USA) (via Momentus)D-Orbit Sateliot (x4) Apogeo (9x 1/3U, Apogeo) (hosted) StardustMe ?(hosted) DCubed manufacturing demoExoLaunch LizzieSat-1 (100kg, Sidus Space) Veronika (1U, Spacemanic/Boris Procik) Outpost Mission 2 (3U, Outpost)Impulse Space Mira S/N 2 - LEO Express-1 missionLauncher Orbiter (SN4?)GNOMES-4 (PlanetiQ, 41.7kg)MethaneSatGHOSt 4/5/6 (3x microsat, Orbital Sidekick)Xcraft (microsat, Xplore)Pony Express (2x 12U, aka Tyvak-0261/-0262)Aman-1 (3U, SatRev/Oman)Stork-x/x (2x 3U, SatRev, Poland)ScopeSat (8x 6U, SatRev, Poland)Mango Two (2x 3U, Spire)ICEYE US (1x 90kg)Umbra 7/8 (2x 83kg, Umbra)MuSat-2 (67kg, Muon Space)Endurosat with Rogue Space Systems payloadExoTrail spacevanWinnebago 2 (Varda)Alba Orbital Space ANT-D (1P, SpaceIn, Malaysia)Possible Payloads:Labsat IoT (12U?, Argentina)ForgeStar-1 (microsat, Space Forge)GENMAT-1 (6U)OMNI-LER1 (6U)Hawkeye 360OSW Cazorla (3U, Odyssey Spaceworks, using Endurosat bus)Removed Payloads: FOSSASat FEROX (?x 3?P, FOSSA Systems) Kanyini (6U, Myriota et al., Australia) SpIRIT (6U, U. of Melbourne, Australia)Jackal (2x 275kg, True Anomaly)YAM-6 (90kg)Momentus Vigoride 7 ?TROOP-F2 (6U, NearSpace Launch) (via SEOPS?) ?CUAVA-2 (6U, U of Sydney, Australia) ?Waratah Seed WS-1 (6U, U of Sydney, Australia) ?HelloPod (4x 2P?, Hello Space, Turkey) ?OREsat-0.5 (2U, PSAS, USA) ?Stork-7 (3U, SatRevolution, Poland) ?Zeus-2 (3U-XL, Qosmosys, Singapore) ?WREN (6U, C3S, Hungary) (hosted) Triton-X (LuxSpace) FOSSA Deployer (8P capacity) ?