SpaceX, China and Japan prepare to launch satellites this week - TWIRL #171

Image via SpaceX

This week in rocket launching should be so-so. SpaceX will use a Falcon 9 to launch Starlink satellites, Japan will use an H3 rocket to launch an Earth observation radar satellite, and China will launch a Long March 6A carrying an unknown payload.

Sunday, June 30

Who: SpaceX
What: Falcon 9
When: 7:11 – 11:11 UTC
Where: Florida, USA
Why: SpaceX will use the Falcon 9 to launch 23 Starlink satellites called Starlink Group 8-9. These satellites will work with other Starlink satellites to transmit Internet connectivity from space to customers on Earth. The satellites have an anti-reflective coating for the benefit of the astronomers. After the Falcon 9 has lifted off, the rocket’s first stage is supposed to make a reusable landing.

Monday, July 1

Who: JAXA
What: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H3 rocket
When: 3:06 – 3:19 am UTC
Where: Yoshinobu Launch Complex 2, Japan
Why: An H3 rocket will launch JAXA’s Daichi 4 Earth observation satellite into orbit. It will be used for observation and monitoring of disaster affected areas, forests and sea ice. It can also see new things like infrastructure displacement.

Thursday, July 4th

Who: China National Space Administration
What: Long March 6a
When: 10:30 PM UTC
Where: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China
Why: The Long March 6A will launch with an unknown payload.

summarize

The first “launch” last week, was not a launch, it was a landing! India’s space agency launched its 4.5-km-long Relaunch Vehicle (RLV) called Pushpak. The vehicle, which looks like a mini-space shuttle, made a landing on the track with the help of a parachute to slow it down.

The next launch also came from Asia, the China Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) launched a test vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It reached an altitude of 12 km before making a successful landing – watch out SpaceX!

In America, we had a Falcon 9 launch with Starlink satellites. The first stage of the rocket then landed.

Then we got a similar launch again.

Back to China, the country brought back some lunar samples

Here you can see the generated samples.

And here is another video of the samples on display.

This week we got the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch, not something we see too much of. It launched NOAA’s GOES-U and the environmental satellite. Both side boosters landed.

Finally, we got another Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites and the successful landing of the first stage.

That’s all for this week, check back next time.