The Past Week in Launches: SpaceX & China Launch Twice, a Soyuz Rideshare and India Falls Short
by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
During the past week, SpaceX launched 98 Starlink satellites, a Chinese commercial launch provider made it three in a row, Russia launched a rideshare mission with an Iranian satellite aboard, and India’s new small satellite launcher fell just short of orbit.
There have been 103 orbital launches worldwide, with 99 successes and four failures.
Let’s take a closer look at the last week in launch.
August 7, 2022
Launch Vehicle: Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
Launch Provider: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Payloads
| Satellite | Owner/Operator | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| EOS-02 (Microsat-2A) | ISRO | Earth observation |
| AzaadiSA | Space Kidz | Education |
The first time was not a charm for ISRO’s latest on-the-nose-named launch vehicle. An anomaly in the fourth stage placed the two satellites into a highly elliptical and utterly unsustainable 356 x 76 km (221 x 47 mile) high orbit. Both spacecraft burned up in Earth atmosphere as the SSLV’s maiden launch proved to be a failure. On the bright side, the first three stages, which are new, performed nominally.
August 9. 2022
Launch Vehicle: Ceres-1
Launch Provider: Galactic Energy
Launch Site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (China)
Payloads
| Satellite | Owner/Operator | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Taijing-1 01 (Pingan-3) | MinoSpace | Earth observation |
| Taijing-1 02 (Xingshidai-12) | MinoSpace/ADA Space | Earth observation |
| Donghai-1 | ASES Space | Remote Sensing |
Galactic Energy is now three-for-three with its Ceres-1 rocket since the maiden flight in November 2020. The booster’s first three stages use solid fuel and the fourth stage uses hydrazine. Ceres-1 can deliver around 350 kg (772 lb) to Earth orbit.
August 9, 2022
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat
Launch Provider: Roscosmos
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan)
Payloads
| Satellite | Owner/Operator | Nation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khayyam | Iranian Space Agency | Iran | Earth observation |
| CubeSX-HSE-2 | National Research University Higher School of Economics | Russia | Earth observation |
| CYCLOPS | Baltic State Technical University | Russia | Tech demo |
| Geoscan-Edelweiss | GeoScan | Russia | Tech demo |
| ISOI | Samara Medex/Russian Academy of Sciences | Russia | Earth observation |
| KAI-1 | Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev | Russia | Tech demo |
| KODIZ (Monitor-1) | Moscow State University | Russia | Radiation research |
| Kuzbass-300 | Kuzbass State Technical University | Russia | Earth observation |
| MIET-AIS | National Research University of Electronic Technology | Russia | Navigation |
| Polytech Universe-1 | Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University | Russia | Electromagnetic radiation research |
| Polytech Universe-2 | Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University | Russia | Electromagnetic radiation research |
| ReshUCube-1 | Siberian State Aerospace University | Russia | Electromagnetic radiation research |
| Siren BelSU | National Research University “Belgorod State University” | Russia | Space farming |
| Skoltech B1 | Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology | Russia | Tech demo |
| Skoltech B2 | Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology | Russia | Tech demo |
| UTMN TSU | Tyumen State University | Russia | Earth observation |
| VIZARD-SS1 | Gymnasium № 1522 / School № 2086 | Russia | Navigation |
August 10, 2022
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 Block
Launch Provider: SpaceX
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center (USA)
Falcon 9 Launch of 2022: 35
| Satellites | Purpose | Number of Satellites | Satellites Launched to Date | Satellites Still Working |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink | Satellite broadband | 52 | 3,011 | 2,713 |
August 10, 2022
Launch Vehicle: Long March 6
Launch Provider: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
Launch Site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (China)
Payloads
| Satellite | Owner/Operator | Purpose | Number of Satellites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D 09 35-43 | Chang Guang Satellite Technology | Earth observation | 9 |
| Jilin-1 Hongwai-01A 01-06 | Chang Guang Satellite Technology | Earth observation | 6 |
| Tianjin Binghai-1 | Chang Guang Satellite Technology, Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace Technology | Earth observation | 1 |
August 12, 2022
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9
Launch Provider: SpaceX
Launch Site: Vandenberg Space Force Base (USA)
Falcon 9 Launch of 2022: 36
| Satellites | Purpose | Number of Satellites | Satellites Launched to Date | Satellites Still Working |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink | Satellite broadband | 46 | 3,055 | 2,759 |
3 responses to “The Past Week in Launches: SpaceX & China Launch Twice, a Soyuz Rideshare and India Falls Short”
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Yes, SpaceX just keeps them flying!
Also it appears that not only is Northrop-Grumman ATK is buying launches from SpaceX but ESA is also negotiating for some launches as well to replace the Soyuz and Arianne 6 flights they had on their schedule. Looks like SpaceX is very rapidly becoming the global standard for rocket launch.
If SpaceX is smart it should use this opportunity to cut a deal to launch Super Heavy/Starship from Kourou and avoid the FWS problems it has in the USA.
USA bureaucracy and ESA bureaucracy. Sounds like an adventure to me.
Were Elon to be interested in near-equatorial jungle launch sites, I suspect he’d get a better deal and a far warmer welcome at Alcantara.