There are at least 11 orbital launches and one suborbital flight scheduled to be conducted around the world by the end of the year. Launches will take place from the United States, Russia, India, China, New Zealand and French Guiana.

The schedule includes flight tests of the following vehicles:

• Astra’s Rocket 3.2 rocket (Dec. 11)
• Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo crewed suborbital space plane (Dec. 11)
• Russia’s Angara heavy-lift booster (Dec. 14)
• Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne (Dec. 19).

The full schedule is below. Thanks to Spaceflight Now’s excellent launch schedule page for much of the information.

Launch dates and times are subject to change without warning. And remember, no wagering!

By Charles Pope
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base were formally re-designated Dec. 9, as facilities central to the mission of the U.S. Space Force during a ceremony rich in symbolism that further confirmed the nation’s commitment to operating in and defending space.

Vice President Mike Pence announced the decision to shift the designation of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base to Patrick Space Force Base during a formal ceremony at Cape Canaveral.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. December 10, 2020 (CASIS PR) – The board of directors for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) has selected James H. Crocker as interim executive director of the nonprofit organization responsible for managing the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory in cooperation with NASA.

As the interim executive director, Crocker will provide transitional leadership for the organization and ensure continued execution of the ISS National Lab mission by working with the CASIS board of directors, NASA, and other key stakeholders until a permanent executive director is selected.

• New funding secures roadmap to first launch from Sutherland spaceport in Scotland
• Orbex is 1st UK space-sector company to win prestigious Horizon 2020 funding

Forres, UK, 10^th December 2020 – Orbex, the innovative European space launch company, has secured $24 million in a funding round led by BGF, the UK’s most active investment company, and Octopus Ventures, one of the largest VCs in Europe.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (NASA PR) — NASA has selected 18 astronauts from its corps to form the Artemis Team and help pave the way for the next astronaut missions on and around the Moon as part of the Artemis program.

Vice President Mike Pence introduced the members of the Artemis Team Wednesday during the eighth National Space Council meeting at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

ROME, 9 December 2020 (Telespazio PR) — ALTEC and Telespazio today signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to manage the ground segment and operations for the Space Rider mission.

Space Rider is an unmanned space vehicle with a payload capacity of about 600 kg, able to carry out scientific and technological experiments in microgravity conditions, while orbiting at an altitude of about 400 km.

CHENNAI, India, December 8, 2020 (Agnikul Cosmos PR) — The Department of Space (DoS) and Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, an IIT Madras based launch vehicle startup, are pleased to announce that they have signed a non-disclosure agreement under the newly proposed IN-SPACe entity. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) is an independent nodal agency under DoS for allowing space activities and usage of DOS owned facilities by private organizations as well as to prioritise the launch manifest.

Under the agreement, Agnikul will be able to work with various Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) centers to get access to technical information and facilities necessary to go forward with their launch vehicle development that will enable rapid space access to anyone launching a small satellite. This is a significant step & the first such step by the Department of Space in mentoring private players to collaborate with ISRO.

A Chinese Long March 11 rocket launched the Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) mission on Thursday. Long March 11 lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 4:14 a.m. The two GECAM satellites were placed in their intended orbits,  according to a press release from Long March 11’s developer, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). The GECAM satellites, which each weigh 163 kg, are designed to […]

Boeing Mission Update
December 9, 2020

NASA and Boeing are targeting March 29 for the launch of Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is a critical developmental milestone on the company’s path toward flying crew missions for NASA.

SpaceX flew its Starship SN8 vehicle for nearly seven minutes on Wednesday, but the ship exploded as it attempted to land at the test site in Boca Chica, Texas. The vehicle flew vertically, powered by three Raptor engines. One engine stopped, and then a second one stopped firing, leaving a sole Raptor to power the flight. “Successful ascent, switchover to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point!” SpaceX […]

Munich-based Isar Aerospace has raised 75 million euros ($91 million) from investors to further development of its Spectrum small-satellite launch vehicle. Swiss venture fund Lakestar led the Series B round with the participation of existing backers Airbus Ventures, Earlybird, Vsquared Ventures and former SpaceX executive Bulent Altan. Spectrum is a two-stage vehicle designed to lift up to 1,000 kg (2,204 lb) into low Earth orbit. It will be equipped with […]

GREENBELT, Md. (NASA PR) — NASA’s Science Mission Directorate has awarded prize funding of $100,000 each to six entrepreneurial startup companies under its pilot Entrepreneur’s Challenge  program for concepts ranging from machine learning to enable exploration and other technologies to new ways to build instruments to study the universe. NASA partnered with Starburst, the global aerospace hub, to jointly launch a pilot program to engage entrepreneurs. The challenge’s purpose is to […]