Six orbital launches are anticipated worldwide this week, headlined by 4 Falcon 9 Starlink missions from SpaceX’s launch services alongside the Florida and California coasts. Alongside Falcon 9, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V is ready to deploy 29 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit, and a Chang Zheng 7A from China will ship an undisclosed payload from Wenchang.
Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 10-47
SpaceX launched its first mission of the week on Monday, Might 25, aboard a Falcon 9 automobile from House Launch Complicated 40 (SLC-40) on the Cape Canaveral House Pressure Station (CCSFS) in Florida. The automobile lifted off at 7:48 AM EDT (11:48 UTC), seven minutes into the four-hour launch window, delivering a batch of Starlink v2 Mini satellites to orbit.
Falcon 9 flew on a northeasterly trajectory to a low-Earth orbit (LEO) inclined 53.16 levels. SpaceX’s autonomous droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas recovered the primary stage booster, B1078, downrange within the Atlantic Ocean. B1078 was on its twenty eighth flight, having beforehand supported the SpaceX Crew-6 and 22 Starlink missions.
Falcon 9, SpaceX’s partially reusable medium-lift launch automobile, makes use of two levels powered by Rocket Propellant-1 (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants. Falcon 9’s first stage is powered by 9 Merlin 1D engines, whereas the expendable second stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D Vacuum engine.
Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-37
SpaceX will launch its second mission of the week from House Launch Complicated 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg House Pressure Base (VSFB) in California on Tuesday, Might 26, at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC). The four-hour launch window closes at 11:00 AM PDT (18:00 UTC).
Booster B1100, flying on its sixth mission, has beforehand supported 5 Starlink missions. Falcon 9 will fly on a southeasterly trajectory to a Solar-Synchronous orbit (SSO) at a near-polar inclination of 97.61 levels. SpaceX’s droneship Of Course I Nonetheless Love You will recuperate the primary stage downrange within the Pacific.
Falcon 9 will ship 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites for SpaceX’s high-speed web satellite tv for pc constellation. At present, over 10,000 satellites are positioned in SSO and LEO for the constellation.
A Falcon 9 on the launch pad at SLC-4E at Vandenberg. (Credit score: SpaceX)
Chang Zheng 7A | Unknown Payload
China’s Chang Zheng 7A (CZ-7A) will launch an unidentified payload from Launch Complicated 201 on the Wenchang House Launch Website in China on Tuesday, Might 26, throughout a 45-minute launch window that opens at 16:15 UTC. Following launch, the rocket will journey on an easterly trajectory into an unknown orbit.
The CZ-7A is a liquid-fuelled medium-lift launch automobile developed by the China Aerospace Science and Know-how Company (CASC) that options three levels and 4 strap-on liquid boosters. The primary two levels make the most of RP-1 mixed with LOX, whereas the third stage makes use of liquid hydrogen and LOX as propellants. The automobile has a complete liftoff thrust of seven,128 kN and might ship as much as 12,000 kg to LEO.
This mission will function the CZ-7A’s fifteenth total mission and the primary of 2026.
Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 10-53
SpaceX’s third Starlink mission of the week is scheduled to launch from House Launch Complicated 40 (SLC-40) at CCSFS. The four-hour launch window opens at 7:52 AM EDT (11:52 UTC) on Friday, Might 29. Falcon 9 will fly on a northeasterly trajectory to a LEO inclined 53.1 levels, delivering 29 Starlink v2 Mini satellites to orbit.
SpaceX’s east coast droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, will recuperate the primary stage booster, B1085, within the Atlantic Ocean. The mission will mark the booster’s sixteenth flight, beforehand supporting SpaceX’s Crew-9, Fram2, Blue Ghost, and 9 Starlink missions.
Atlas V 551 | Amazon Leo (LA-07)
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) is scheduled to launch an Atlas V 551 from House Launch Complicated 41 (SLC-41) at CCSFS on Friday, Might 29. The 29-minute launch window opens at 7:33 PM EDT (23:33 UTC). The automobile will launch on a northeasterly trajectory into an orbit inclined by 51.9 levels.
Atlas V is ULA’s medium-lift expendable launch system. An RD-180 engine, fueled by RP-1 and LOX, powers the primary stage. The Centaur higher stage, powered by two RL10 engines, makes use of liquid hydrogen and LOX propellants. As much as 5 Graphite-Epoxy Motors (GEM-63) strong rocket boosters might be strapped to the primary stage, and the Atlas V 551 makes use of 5 GEM-63s.
Atlas V will ship 29 web satellites to LEO for the Amazon Leo web constellation, previously often known as Challenge Kuiper. This mission will function the 109th total Atlas V mission. Atlas V is scheduled to fly simply two extra Amazon Leo missions and the remaining Boeing Starliner flights earlier than being retired in favor of its alternative, ULA’s Vulcan rocket.
Atlas V acquired its payload of 29 satellites for the subsequent United Launch Alliance mission to house for Amazon. The Leo 7 launch allows enlargement of the Amazon Leo constellation to offer quick, dependable web to communities around the globe. The launch is deliberate for Friday,… pic.twitter.com/KvSNIK4j5b
— ULA (@ulalaunch) May 15, 2026
Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-41
The week’s remaining mission is a Falcon 9 Starlink launch from SLC-4E at VSFB, scheduled to launch throughout a four-hour window beginning at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC) on Saturday, Might 30. Falcon 9 will comply with a southerly trajectory right into a SSO inclined 97.1 levels. The Starlink v2 Mini satellites will use their Corridor-effect thrusters to boost their orbital altitudes to 535 km.
Booster B1082, flying on its twenty second mission after a 45-day turnaround, will land atop Of Course I Nonetheless Love You (OCISLY) downrange within the Pacific Ocean. This mission marks Falcon 9’s 645th total launch and its 62nd of the 12 months, in addition to the 124th launch try worldwide in 2026.
(Lead picture: An Atlas V 551 is ready forward of its Might 29 launch of Amazon Leo satellites. Credit score: ULA)
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