Launches: SpaceX Reschedules Starship Flight at Beginning of Busy Period
SpaceX scrubbed the maiden flight test of its Starship/Super Heavy booster on Monday due to a frozen valve at the start of a busy two-week period that could see the company conduct five launches.
SpaceX said it would need a minimum of 48 hours before it could attempt another launch. They later announced that the next attempt would be in 72 hours on Thursday. The company will webcast the launch beginning 45 minutes before liftoff. Learn more about the flight here.
Future Launches
| Date | Launcher – Organization | Payload – Organization | Purpose | Launch Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 19 | Starship/Super Heavy – SpaceX | None | Flight Test | Starbase |
| April 19 | Falcon 9 – SpaceX | 21 Starlink – SpaceX | Communications | Cape Canaveral |
| April 22 | PSLV – ISRO | TeLEOS-2 – AgilSpace | Communications | Satish Dhawan |
| April 24 | Falcon Heavy – SpaceX | ViaSat-3 Americas – ViaSat | Communications | Kennedy |
| Arcturus (Aurora 4A) – Astranis/Pacific Dataport | Communications | |||
| Nusantara-H1A – PSN+ | Communications | |||
| April 25 | Falcon 9 – SpaceX | Starlink – SpaceX | Communications | Vandenberg |
| April 28 | Falcon 9 – SpaceX | O3b mPower FM23, FM24 – SES | Communications | Cape Canaveral |
| May 1 | Electron – Rocket Lab | 2 TROPICS – NASA | Earth observation | Mahia |
+ PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (Indonesia)
SpaceX has four other launches scheduled through the end of the month. These include the sixth launch of the Falcon Heavy booster with three communications satellites aboard and two Starlink flights. A Falcon 9 is also scheduled to launch two communications satellites for SES on April 28, 2023.
Rocket Lab will launch a pair of Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) satellites for NASA. The flight is scheduled for May 1, 2023 (April 30 in the U.S.) from Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand.
The four-satellite TROPICS constellation will study tropical cyclones and hurricanes. Rocket Lab will launch the second pair of satellites in the middle of May.
India’s PSLV booster is scheduled to launch the TeLEOS-2 communications satellite for AgilSpace on April 22, 2023.
The Week in Launches
Arianespace launched ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) aboard an Ariane 5 rocket on April 14. The satellite is on an eight-year journey to the solar system’s largest planet where it will study the ice-covered moons of Europa, Callisto and Ganymede.
It was Europe’s first launch and the penultimate launch of Ariane 5. The last Ariane 5 is scheduled for its final flight on June 21.
Launches
April 10-16 2023
| Date | Launcher – Organization | Payload – Organization | Purpose | Launch Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 14 | Ariane 5 – Arianespace | Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer – European Space Agency | Jupiter orbiter | Kourou |
| April 14 | Falcon 9 – SpaceX | Transporter-7 – 51 satellites | Multiple | Vandenberg |
| April 16 | Long March 4B – CASC* | Fengyun 3G – CMA+ | Meteorology | Jiuquan |
+ China Meteorological Administration
SpaceX launched the Transporter-7 rideshare mission with 51 satellites aboard the same day. It was the first Transporter mission to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The company conducted the previous six rideshare missions from Florida.
A Long March 4B rocket launched the Fengyun 3G meteorology satellites for the China Meteorological Administration on April 16.
Launches to Date
The United States continues to lead the world with a record of 30 launches. China is in a second place with 17 launches, followed by Russia with six launches. The top three nations have conducted 89.8% of the launches thus far this year.
Orbital Launches by Nation
Through April 16, 2023
| Nation | Successes | Failures | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 27 | 3 | 30 | 50.8 |
| China | 17 | 0 | 17 | 28.8 |
| Russia | 6 | 0 | 6 | 10.2 |
| India | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3.4 |
| Japan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3.4 |
| Europe | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.7 |
| Israel | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.7 |
| Total | 55 | 4 | 59 | 100 |
SpaceX has accounted for 24 of 30 American launches. The company has launched 824 satellites into orbit.
Launches by Company/Agency
Through April 16, 2023
| Company/Agency | Successes | Failures | Total | Satellites Launched | Satellites Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpaceX (USA) | 24 | 0 | 24 | 824 | 0 |
| CASC* (China) | 13 | 0 | 13 | 32 | 0 |
| Roscosmos (Russia) | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Rocket Lab (USA) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| ISRO (India) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 0 |
| RVSN RF+ (Russia) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Arianespace (Europe) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Galactic Energy (China) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| ExPace (China) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| i-space (China) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MHI^ (Japan) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Israel Ministry of Defence | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Space Pioneer (China) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Virgin Orbit (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| ABL Space Systems (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| JAXA (Japan) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Relativity Space (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 55 | 4 | 59 | 921 | 12 |
^ Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
+ Russian Strategic Rocket Forces
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation remains dominant with 13 of the nation’s 17 launches.
Launches by Booster
Through April 16, 2023
| Launch Vehicle | Company/Agency | Successes | Failures | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcon 9 | SpaceX | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| Electron | Rocket Lab | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Long March 2C | CASC* | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Long March 2D | CASC* | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Soyuz-2.1a | Roscosmos, RVSN RF | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Long March 3B/E | CASC* | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Long March 4C | CASC* | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Proton | Roscosmos | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ariane 5 | Arianespace | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ceres-1 | Galactic Energy | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Falcon Heavy | SpaceX | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| H-IIA | MHI~ | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Hyperbola 1 | i-space | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kuaizhou 1A | ExPace | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Long March 4B | CASC* | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Long March 7A | CASC* | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Long March 11 | CASC* | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| LVM III | ISRO+ | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Shavit 2 | Israel Defense Forces | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| SSLV | ISRO+ | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Soyuz-2.1v | RVSN RF | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tianlong-2 | Space Pioneer | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| H3 | JAXA^ | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| LauncherOne | Virgin Orbit | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| RS1 | ABL Space Systems | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Terran 1 | Relativity Space | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 55 | 4 | 59 |
~ Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
+ Indian Space Research Organisation
^ Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Ariane 5 made its first appearance on the list last week. It will be replaced by Ariane 6, which is due to make its maiden flight at the end of this year.
Launches by Location
Through April 16, 2023
| Location | Nation | Successes | Failures | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Canaveral | USA | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| Vandenberg | USA | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Kennedy | USA | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport | USA | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska | USA | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jiuquan | China | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Xichang | China | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Taiyuan | China | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Wenchang | China | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Baikonur | Kazakhstan | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Plesetsk | Russia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Satish Dhawan | India | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Europe’s Spaceport | French Guiana | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tanegashima | Japan | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Mahia | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Palmchim | Israel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cornwall | UK | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 55 | 4 | 59 |
Eighteen launches have been conducted from Florida. Vandenberg is in second place among American spaceports with seven launches.
Jiuquan leads all Chinese spaceports with 10 launches, followed by Taiyuan and Xichang with three launches each.
Suborbital Launches
There have been eight suborbital sounding rocket launches this year. The flights have been conducted for scientific and educational purposes.
Suborbital Launches by Location
Through April 16, 2023
Excludes Ballistic Missile Tests
| Launch Site | Nation | Launches |
|---|---|---|
| Esrange | Sweden | 3 |
| Andoya | Norway | 2 |
| Wallops | USA | 2 |
| Alcantara | Brazil | 1 |
| 8 |
Two Scandinavian launch — Andoya in Norway and Esrange in Sweden — have hosted five of the eight launches.
8 responses to “Launches: SpaceX Reschedules Starship Flight at Beginning of Busy Period”
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Comment system is still buggy. I’m not seeing any comments from anyone, except under the dashboard.
I don’t see as many as I would expect. Have to open each article and scroll down to see each time. Annoying on previously read articles.
Problems with the new commenting system (only a partial list… new commenting system is less than worthless):
1) Apparently no way to subscribe in order to get notifications of new comments. This stifles discussion.
2) No way to edit or delete a comment once posted. Assumes you are perfect all the time.
3) Apparently you can’t reply to some comments individually, but instead have to reply to the entire thread. This is confusing, as it’s often not clear who exactly you are replying to.
4) No way to see who up or down voted your post.
5) Lastly, instead of encouraging discussion of the new system, Doug removed all comments from the post about the new system, and closed commenting on it. His site, he can do what he wants, but it seems excessive.
Doug did not remove the comments, I did. Commenting on that post was meant to be turned off. Suggestions for future upgrades to the commenting system can be sent to webmaster –AT– multiverse.media.
Up and down voting is meant to be anonymous. Note, we are now using the native commenting system for now. As well, name calling posts will be deleted. Trolls will be banned.
We want to foster constructive discussion. So it’s up to all of you.
Constructive discussion seems to have died out here. One of the iconic events in launcher design last week and there is just a fraction of the discussion that used to be normal on this site for far lessor events.
I’m all for that, but the biggest problem with the new system is that there is no way to know there are new comments, so you have to have a ton of tabs open and reload them, and remember how many comments were there the last time, then scroll through the whole thing. For most people, this is too much work. Is there no way to turn on notifications in the new system? Or is it there and just so well hidden I can’t find it after days of searching?
While we’re on the subject, I’m noting a complete lack of ‘Reply” buttons on comments at a third level of indentation. That certainly imposes a considerable limit on conversation.
Nested comments to 5 levels was the default, now 7.