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February 2021
Progress 77P Soyuz Launch
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 77th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Launch time: 11:45 p.m. EST on 14th (0445 GMT on 15th)
Find out more »NG-15 Antares Launch
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket will launch the 16th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 15th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-15. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230 configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. Launch time: 12:36 p.m. EST (1736 GMT)
Find out more »OneWeb5 Soyuz Launch
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 36 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Launch time: TBD
Find out more »STP-3 Atlas 5 Launch
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the STP-3 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The STP-3 rideshare mission will launch the STPSat 6 satellite and several small satellites. STPSat 6 hosts several payloads and experiments, including the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System-3 (SABRS-3) payload, and NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) experiment. The rocket will fly in the 551 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, five solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine…
Find out more »Starlink V1.0-L18 Falcon 9 Launch
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 19th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L18. Launch date: February - TBD Launch time: TBD
Find out more »Starlink V1.0-L19 Falcon 9 Launch
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 20th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L19. Launch date: February 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »Amazônia 1 PSLV Launch
India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), designated PSLV-C51, will launch the Amazônia 1 Earth observation satellite for Brazil. The Brazilian-built spacecraft carries an optical camera to monitor environmental conditions, such as deforestation, in the Amazon region. Several secondary payloads from private Indian companies will also be on this launch. Launch date: Late February 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »March 2021
BlackSky Global SSLV Launch
India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch on its first commercial mission with four Earth observation satellites for BlackSky Global, a Seattle-based company. The rideshare mission for BlackSky is being arranged by Spaceflight. Launch date: TBD Launch time: TBD
Find out more »Star One D2 & Eutelsat Quantum Ariane 5 Launch
Arianespace used an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA254, to launch Star One D2 and Eutelsat Quantum communications satellites. Owned by the Brazilian operator Embratel Star One, the Star One D2 was built by Maxar and will deliver telecommunications, direct-to-home television services, and fast broadband to customers in South America, Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The Eutelsat Quantum satellite was built by SSTL and Airbus Defense and Space under the auspices of a public-private research and…
Find out more »CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2 Atlas 5 Launch
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-082, will launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on second unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station. This mission was added after Boeing’s decision to refly the Starliner’s Orbital Flight Test before proceeding with the Crew Flight Test. The rocket will fly in a vehicle configuration with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage. Launch window: TBD
Find out more »Crew 2 Falcon 9 Launch
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on its second operational flight with astronauts on-board to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet will launch on the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. Launch time: TBD
Find out more »Electron STP-27RM Launch
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch on its first mission from a new launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch customer is the U.S. Air Force, and the mission will launch an experimental mission for the Space Test Program called Monolith with a space weather instrument. The Monolith mission will demonstrate the ability of a small satellite to support large aperture payloads. Launch date: 1st Quarter 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »SSLV Demonstration Launch
India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch on its first orbital test flight. Consisting of three solid-fueled stages and a liquid-fueled upper stage, the SSLV is a new Indian launch vehicle designed to carry small Launch date: Early 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »NROL-111 Minotaur 1 Launch
A U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Minotaur 1 rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Launch date: March 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »GISAT 1 GSLV Mk.2 Launch
India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk. 2 (GSLV Mk.2), designated GSLV-F10, will launch India’s first GEO Imaging Satellite, or GISAT 1. The GISAT 1 spacecraft will provide continuous remote sensing observations over the Indian subcontinent from geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth. Launch date: NET March 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »USSF 8 (GSSAP 5 & 6) Atlas 5 Launch
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the USSF 8 mission with the fifth and sixth satellites for the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, or GSSAP, designed to help the military track and observe objects in geosynchronous orbit. The rocket will fly in the 511 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, one solid rocket booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Launch date: March 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »Pléiades Neo 1 Vega Launch
An Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV18, will launch the Pléiades Neo 1 Earth observation satellite for Airbus. Pléiades-Neo 1 is the first of four Pléiades-Neo high-resolution Earth observation satellites built, owned, and operated by Airbus. The Vega rocket will also launch multiple rideshare payloads. Launch date: March 2021 Launch time: TBD
Find out more »April 2021
ISS 64S Soyuz Launch
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft to the International Space Station with members of the next Expedition crew. The capsule will remain at the station for about six months, providing an escape pod for the residents. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Launch time: TBD
Find out more »Lyrid Meteor Shower Peak (Lyrids)
The April Lyrids (LYR, IAU shower number 6) are a meteor shower lasting from April 16 to April 26 each year. The radiant of the meteor shower is located in the constellation Lyra, near this constellation's brightest star, Alpha Lyrae (proper name Vega). Their peak is typically around April 22 each year.
Find out more »May 2021
Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower Peak (Eta Aquarids)
(Photo by Rocky Raybell) The Eta Aquarids are a meteor shower associated with Halley's Comet. The shower is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. Unlike most major annual meteor showers, there is no sharp peak for this shower, but rather a plateau of good rates that last approximately one week centered on May 7. The meteors we currently see as members of the Eta Aquariid shower separated from…
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