A really busy launch manifest is predicted within the upcoming week, with 10 launches scheduled from numerous websites internationally. Falcon 9 is predicted to launch 5 of the ten launches this week, with two Starlink missions, a mission for the Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace, a mission for AST SpaceMobile, and a demo of the corporate’s upcoming Starfall reentry automobile.
Internationally, an Ariane 64 will launch a batch of Amazon Leo satellites from French Guiana with upgraded stable rocket boosters, whereas Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch an artificial aperture radar satellite tv for pc for Synspective. Three Chinese language rockets are additionally anticipated to launch this week, although the payloads being launched are unknown.
Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-54
The primary launch of the week noticed a Falcon 9 launch a batch of 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites into the Group 17 shell of SpaceX’s Starlink web constellation. Falcon 9 lifted off from Area Launch Advanced 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Area Power Base in California at 8:34 AM PDT (15:34 UTC) on Monday, June 15. Flying on a southern trajectory from Vandenberg, Falcon 9 deployed the satellites right into a Solar-synchronous orbit (SSO).
Falcon booster B1093 supported the mission, flying for a 14th time. Following launch and stage separation, the stage landed on SpaceX’s west coast droneship, Of Course I Nonetheless Love You, downrange within the Pacific. This booster beforehand supported the Tranche 1 Transport Layer B, Tranche 1 Transport Layer C, Transporter 16, and 11 Starlink missions.
The Starlink satellites earlier than deployment in orbit. (Credit score: SpaceX)
Standing 70 m tall and three.7 m in diameter, Falcon 9 is a two-stage partially reusable launch automobile able to lofting 22,000 kg to LEO and eight,300 kg to geostationary switch orbit. Falcon 9’s reusable first stage options 9 Merlin engines, whereas the second stage includes a single vacuum-optimized Merlin engine. Each levels make the most of liquid kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants.
The primary of three Chinese language launches to fly within the span of 24 hours lifted off on Tuesday, June 16, at 08:45 UTC from Launch Advanced 2 (LC-2) on the Xichang Satellite tv for pc Launch Middle in China. A Chinese language Aerospace Science and Expertise Company (CASC) Chang Zheng 3B/E (CZ-3B/E) lofted a categorised satellite tv for pc named Shijian-31 on a southeastern trajectory.
This mission marked the return to flight for the CZ-3B/E. The rocket’s most up-to-date mission, the launch of the Shijian 32 mission on Jan. 16, failed throughout third stage flight, ensuing within the payload not reaching orbit. The CZ-3B/E first flew in 2007 and has develop into one in every of China’s workhorse rockets. Comprised of three levels, the automobile has a liftoff thrust of 5,986 kN and makes use of poisonous however extremely storable hypergolic propellants. The CZ-3B/E stands 56.3 m tall.
The launch marked the 176th general CZ-3B/E mission.
CZ-12 present process pre-launch processing. (Credit score: raz_liu)
Chang Zheng 12 | Unknown Payload
The subsequent scheduled launch from China was a Chang Zheng 12 (CZ-12) on Wednesday, June 17, at 02:44 UTC from Business LC-2 on the Wenchang Area Launch Website. CZ-12 adopted a southeastern trajectory into an unknown orbit to deploy an unknown payload.
The CZ-12 is a two-stage medium-lift launch automobile that stands 62 m tall and three.8 m in diameter. Debuting in November 2024, the primary stage options 4 YF-100K engines, and the second stage options two YF-115 engines. Each levels make the most of RP-1 and LOX propellants. The rocket is able to lofting 12,000 kg to a 200 km low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 6,000 kg to a 700 km SSO.
This mission served because the sixth general CZ-12 mission and the second of 2026.
A Kuaizhou 11, manufactured by the Chinese language state-owned spaceflight firm ExPace, launched on Wednesday, June 17, at 03:40 UTC from Website 95A on the Jiuquan Satellite tv for pc Launch Middle. The automobile flew on a southeastern trajectory to deploy an unknown payload to an unknown orbit.
Flying since 2020, the Kuaizhou 11 is a four-stage, 25.3 m-tall rocket able to lifting 1,500 kg to LEO. This mission marked the rocket’s second mission of 2026 and sixth general.
Falcon 9 launched on Wednesday, June 17, at 2:39 AM EDT (06:39 UTC) from Area Launch Advanced 40 (SLC-40) on the Cape Canaveral Area Power Station in Florida. Three BlueBird Block 2 satellites, encapsulated atop Falcon 9, rode into LEO alongside a northeastern trajectory out of the Cape. The launch window lasted till 4:15 AM EDT (08:15 UTC).
BlueBird Block 2 satellites are manufactured and operated by AST SpaceMobile and can contribute to AST’s aim of building 24/7 steady mobile broadband service protection throughout the USA. With over 5,600 protection cells, the satellites assist 40 MHz beams and 120 Mbps transmission charges, delivering almost 10 occasions the bandwidth capability of the BlueBird satellites at present in orbit. The three BlueBird Block 2 satellites flying on this mission — titled FM3, FM4, and FM5 — mass a complete of 13,500 kg.
Flying on its twenty ninth mission, Falcon booster B1077 supported this mission, in the end touchdown atop SpaceX’s east coast droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, downrange within the Atlantic Ocean. This booster has beforehand supported the Crew-5, GPS III SV06, Inmarsat I-6 F2, CRS-28, Galaxy 37, CRS NG-20, Optus-X, and 21 Starlink missions.
Ariane 64 | Amazon Leo (LE-03)
Starlink satellites aren’t the one web satellites scheduled to launch this week, as an Ariane 6 launched a batch of 36 Amazon Leo satellites to LEO. Ariane 6, flying in its 64 configuration with 4 P160C stable rocket boosters, launched from pad Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (ELA-4) on the Guiana Area Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on Wednesday, June 17, at 12:21 UTC.
Ariane 6 adopted a northeastern trajectory out of Kourou, flying with the upgraded P160C stable rocket boosters for the primary time as a part of a Block 2 improve. The brand new boosters are one meter longer than the previously-used P120C boosters and carry 156 tonnes of propellant. The improved efficiency of the P160C permits the Ariane 64 to hold extra Amazon Leo satellites, rising the variety of satellites that may be launched on a single mission from 32 to 36. The P160Cs within the 64 configuration additionally make the shape probably the most highly effective Ariane 6 variant.
The Ariane 6, manufactured by the ArianeGroup, is the direct successor to the Ariane 5. In its 64 configuration, the Ariane 6 is a two-stage heavy-lift launch automobile able to lofting 21,650 kg to LEO and 15,500 kg to SSO. Standing 63 m tall and 5.4 m large, each levels make the most of liquid hydrogen (LH2) and LOX as propellants, with the primary stage using a single Vulcain 2.1 engine and the second stage using a single Vinci engine.
This mission marked the eighth general mission for the Ariane 6 since its debut in 2024, and the third mission of 2026.
The upgraded P160C boosters are built-in onto the Ariane 6 stack forward of launch. (Credit score: Arianespace)
Rocket Lab is scheduled to hitch the launch manifest this week with the launch of the “Ten Owl Of Ten” mission on its Electron rocket. Electron is scheduled to launch from one in every of two pads at Rocket Lab’s Launch Advanced 1 (LC-1) on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand on Wednesday, June 17, at 20:40 UTC.
Electron will probably be carrying the StriX-8 satellite tv for pc for the Japanese satellite tv for pc firm Synspective. Geared up with artificial aperture radar instrumentation, StriX-8 will acquire knowledge with a floor decision of 1 to 3 meters and a swath width of greater than 10 to 30 km. The launch of StriX-8 is the fourth of a purchase order of 10 launches on Electron by Synspective, and StriX-8 would be the tenth general StriX satellite tv for pc launched by Rocket Lab.
Electron is a two-stage small satellite tv for pc launch automobile that makes use of 9 Rutherford engines on its first stage and a single vacuum-optimized Rutherford on the second stage. For this mission, Electron will fly with the Curie kick stage. Powered by RP-1 and LOX, Electron stands 18 m tall and 1.2 m large, and is able to lofting 320 kg to LEO and 200 kg to SSO.
This mission will mark the ninetieth general Electron mission and the seventh of 2026.
Payload integration full. The StriX satellite tv for pc for @synspective has been encapsulated on Electron forward of our subsequent mission to low Earth orbit for his or her Earth-imaging constellation.
'Ten Owl Of Ten' – our ninetieth Electron launch – is scheduled for launch NET June 18 NZT. pic.twitter.com/25o1beCcJo
— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) June 15, 2026
Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the NROL-179 mission for the Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace (NRO) on Thursday, June 18, at 1:54 AM PDT (08:54 UTC) from SLC-4E in California. The launch window lasts till 2:29 AM PDT (09:29 UTC). Falcon 9 will comply with a southeastern trajectory out of Vandenberg into LEO.
Although the precise particulars of the payload being launched are categorised, the mission is part of the NRO’s Proliferated Structure constellation, which is being constructed and deployed by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. The constellation is predicted to enhance entry timeliness, diversify communication pathways, improve resilience, and remove single factors of failure.
Falcon booster B1103 will assist this mission, flying for the third time. One of many youngest boosters in SpaceX’s fleet, the booster first flew the Starlink Group 17-35 mission in April and would go on to fly the Starlink Group 17-42 mission on Could 19. Following launch and stage separation, the booster will carry out a return-to-launch-site touchdown at Touchdown Zone 4 (LZ-4), which is situated instantly adjoining to SLC-4E.
Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-28
The second Starlink mission of the week is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC) from SLC-4E at Vandenberg in California. Falcon 9 will carry a batch of 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites to SSO.
One of many oldest boosters in SpaceX’s booster fleet, B1063, will assist this mission on its thirty third flight after a 70-day turnaround. The booster will land atop Of Course I Nonetheless Love You downrange within the Pacific following stage separation. B1063 first flew on the Sentinel-6A Michael Freilich mission in November 2020 and has since flown the DART, Transporter 7, Iridium-9 & OneWeb #19, Tranche 0B, NROL-113, NROL-167, NROL-149, NAOS & Others, and 23 Starlink missions.
The ultimate mission of the week will see Falcon 9 launch an indication mission for SpaceX’s upcoming Starfall reentry automobile. Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch on Sunday, June 21, at 6:43 AM EDT (10:43 UTC) from SLC-40 in Florida. The launch window extends to 11:26 AM EDT (15:26 UTC), and Falcon 9 will launch on a suborbital trajectory.
SpaceX’s Starfall reentry automobile is an upcoming mass-produced spacecraft that may autonomously transport payloads safely from orbit to Earth’s floor. The disk-shaped Starfall capsules may have a diameter of three.1 m, stand solely 0.75 m tall, and weigh roughly 2,100 kg. As soon as in service, the reentry autos will probably be able to carrying payloads of as much as 1,000 kg, supporting point-to-point cargo and in-orbit manufacturing providers.
The booster supporting this mission and its touchdown location are at present unknown. Particulars will probably be launched nearer to launch.
(Lead picture: Falcon 9 launches from Florida. Credit score: Julia Bergeron for NSF)
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