The Upcoming Week in Launches: Artemis I and Some Other Ones
The Wikipedia orbital launch page lists six launches to close out August. The big one, of course, is NASA’s Artemis I mission next Monday. The others, not so momentous but still worth listing.
Disclaimer: This schedule is subject to change without notice. Parabolic Arc takes no responsibility for delays, changes, additions or what have you. And, as always, no wagering.
Tuesday, August 23
Launch Vehicle: Long March 11
Launch Site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center
Launch Company: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
Payload: TBA
Wednesday, August 24
Launch Vehicle: Long March 2D
Launch Site: Taiyuan Xichang Satellite Launch Center
Launch Company: CASC
Payload: TBA
Saturday, August 27
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9
Launch Site: Vandenberg Space Force Base
Launch Company: SpaceX
Payloads: 46 Starlink broadband satellites
Webcast: www.spacex.com
Sunday, August 28
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Launch Company: SpaceX
Payloads: 53 Starlink broadband satellites
Webcast: www.spacex.com
Monday, August 29
Launch Vehicle: Space Launch System Block 1
Launch Site: Kennedy LC-39B
Launch Window: 8:33-10:33 a.m. EDT (12:33-14:33 UTC)
Launching Agency: NASA
Payloads: Orion spacecraft and 10 secondary payloads
Webcast: www.nasa.gov
Artemis I Secondary Payloads
| Satellite | Organization | Orbit | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArgoMoon | Italian Space Agency | Heliocentric | Spacecraft will demonstrate capacity of CubeSats to conduct precise maneuvers in deep space by providing detailed images of the SLS’s Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage |
| BioSentinel | NASA | Heliocentric | Spacecraft will use budding yeast to detect, measure, and compare the impact of deep space radiation on DNA repair |
| CuSP | NASA | Heliocentric | Space weather measurements |
| EQUULEUS | University of Tokyo | Earth-moon L2 | 6U CubeSat will measure the distribution of plasma around Earth |
| LunaH-Map | NASA | Selenocentric | Lunar polar orbiter will search for evidence of frozen water deposits |
| Lunar IceCube | NASA | Selenocentric | Lunar orbiter will search for frozen water deposits |
| LunIR | Lockheed Martin Space | Heliocentric | Demonstration technology to collect surface spectroscopy and thermography |
| Near-Earth Asteroid Scout | NASA | Heliocentric | Technology demonstration of solar sail to rendezvous with asteroid |
| OMOTENASHI | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) | Selenocentric | Smallest vehicle to attempt lunar lander |
| Team Miles | Fluid and Reason, LLC | Heliocentric | Technology demonstration of plasma thrusters |
Late August
Launch Vehicle: Kuaizhou 1A
Launch Site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Launch Company: ExPace
Payloads: Centispace-1 S3 and Centispace-1 S4 navigation satellites
9 responses to “The Upcoming Week in Launches: Artemis I and Some Other Ones”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
3 American launches in a week. One going to the Moon. Awesome!
And the other 2 are from SpaceX, as usual.
Space X is America’s space program in a lot of ways. They are the meat and potatoes. I’m so glad I’ve lived to see this kind of a launch cadence from an all American spaceflight system. Space X is a history making enterprise.
Spacex is the worst thing that has ever happened to space exploration.
Gary gary gary …. Mr Church, take your pills.
Another garbage spacex fanboy. But not anonymous….
There is a high probability that most if not all of the rideshare CubeSats are not going to work due to excessive delay with the SLS launch. There is no way to get to them to charge up or swapped out the batteries in the CubeSats without destacking the Orion stack from the SLS.
Well shuttle hardware never gave a timely launch. I’m pretty surprised they did not allow for charge cycling the batteries while waiting for launch. That’s a real loss.
More junk going up in the quest for the rocket-jesus-megaconstellation-Frankenstein-monster. Sad.
But America will rejoice when it’s SLS Moon rocket lifts off and the rest of the planet gives us a standing ovation.