We recently completed final integration for all of the satellites flying onboard LauncherOne during this mission — a total of 7 spacecraft from the Department of Defense Space Test Program, SatRevolution, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
From the U.S. Coast Guard:Quote from: USCGSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-OFFSHORE CALIFORNIA-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONSVirgin Orbit be launching a two stage rocket from Mojave Desert, CA, on 23 Jun 21. The Coast Guard is issuing an advisory for potential falling debris encompassing all navigable waters from the surface to the seafloor within the following coordinates:<snip>Launch is scheduled to commence 1730-1930 on 23 June 2021. Alternate launch dates due to weather are 24 Jun 21 and 26-27 Jun 21. <snip>
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-OFFSHORE CALIFORNIA-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONSVirgin Orbit be launching a two stage rocket from Mojave Desert, CA, on 23 Jun 21. The Coast Guard is issuing an advisory for potential falling debris encompassing all navigable waters from the surface to the seafloor within the following coordinates:<snip>Launch is scheduled to commence 1730-1930 on 23 June 2021. Alternate launch dates due to weather are 24 Jun 21 and 26-27 Jun 21. <snip>
June 13 • Pegasus XL • TacRL-2Launch time: 0811 GMT (4:11 a.m. EDT; 1:11 a.m. PDT)Launch site: L-1011, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Space Adventures announced February 2020 an agreement with SpaceX for a similar Crew Dragon mission, one that would spend several days in orbit but not visit the ISS. At the time Space Adventures said the mission would take place between late 2021 and the middle of 2022, but the company has not updated on the schedule for the mission or announced who will fly on it.
We now know that Ax-2 will fly with SpaceX, as will Ax-3 and Ax-4. All of those missions are expected to launch by 2023, Axiom representatives said. Neither company revealed the financial terms of the contract.
Axiom’s second mission, Ax-2, could launch in late 2022, pending NASA approval. Retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner, an experienced race car driver and pilot, will fly on the Ax-2 mission with up to two unnamed civilian crewmates.Officials have not announced crew members for the Ax-3 and Ax-4 missions, which will serve as precursors to the launch of an Axiom-owned module to link up with the International Space Station. Axiom eventually intends to build its own commercial space station, somewhat smaller but cheaper to operate than the ISS.
The flight is not yet on the space station schedule. Axiom Space will have to compete for a flight opportunity whenever NASA announces the next “window” for a private visit to the station. But a launch opportunity is expected to open up in the fall 2022 timeframe.
Two satellites, CURIE A and CURIE B, will be launched aboard VCLS Demo 2 Astra, No EarlierThan December 1, 2021. They will be inserted into a circular orbit at 500 km, on an inclinationfrom the equator of 41 degrees. Transmission will begin 45 minutes after deploy from the launchvehicle, and cease upon deorbiting.
The flight crew commanded release of the 55-foot-long (17-meter) at 4:11 a.m. EDT (1:11 a.m. PDT; 0811 GMT) as the L-1011 flew at an altitude of 39,000 feet (11,900 meters).After a five-second free fall, the Pegasus ignited its solid-fueled first stage Orion 50S XL motor to begin the climb into space....Northrop Grumman has one more Pegasus XL rocket in the hangar, and could build more. So far, the Pegasus doesn’t have a customer beyond Sunday’s TacRL-2 mission.The Space Force issued a request for proposals earlier this year for two additional tactically responsive launch missions — TacRL-3 and 4 — for flights in 2022 and 2023.
Quote from: Comga on 06/14/2021 03:10 pmHow can we NOT know the launch time, at least approximately?Hasn't at least one of the multitudinous payloads discussed the equator crossing time for the sun synchronous orbit?Ben Cooper says "mid-afternoon EDT". http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html
How can we NOT know the launch time, at least approximately?Hasn't at least one of the multitudinous payloads discussed the equator crossing time for the sun synchronous orbit?
Quote from: Newton_V on 06/12/2021 04:26 amI believe this title [NROL-85 launch thread] should read "Western Range"This could be a <wink> hint <wink> from a fellow contributor that things have changed?
I believe this title [NROL-85 launch thread] should read "Western Range"
Quote from: Skyrocket on 06/14/2021 02:30 pmExolaunch has published an illustration of the payload stack.The above image is the final image in the press release. I've attached the other six images here.Exolaunch to Send its Largest Mission of One Ton of Smallsats into Orbit via SpaceX's Transporter-2 Rideshare MissionCompany Finishes “Fingerspitzengefühl” Launch Campaign at Cape Canaveral for its International Customers Flying Aboard Falcon 9
Exolaunch has published an illustration of the payload stack.
William Harwood @cbs_spacenewsMinotaur/NROL-111: LIFTOFF! At 9:35am EDT (1335 UTC)
NROL-111 is NRO’s final scheduled launch for 2021. In 2022, NRO is scheduled to start the year with two launches from New Zealand in January and February, NROL-162 and NROL-199. Also in February, NROL-87 is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Three additional NRO missions are planned for later in 2022.