Aerospace Sector Shakes Up Launch Schedule with Multitude of Rocket Deployments

This week, multiple rocket launches are scheduled from sites in Florida, California, and French Guiana, reflecting a busy period for the aerospace sector. Among the highlights is SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, set for its first flight since October 2024, in a week that will also see launches from Atlas V and Ariane 6 aimed at deploying internet satellites for the Starlink and Amazon Leo constellations.

SpaceX intends to launch the Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida. The launch window opens on Wednesday, April 29, at 10:13 AM EDT. An initial attempt to launch on Monday was called off due to inclement weather. During this mission, Falcon Heavy will head eastward toward a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The two side boosters are designed to return to the launch site for landing, while the central booster will be sacrificed. Booster B1075 will make its landing at Landing Zone 2, while B1072 will land at Landing Zone 40. This mission will carry the ViaSat-3 F3 satellite, the last in the series designed to deliver broadband services at speeds exceeding 100 megabits per second across regions including America, Europe, and Asia.

In a separate event later this week, United Launch Alliance will launch its Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This launch is set for Monday, April 27, with a window opening at 8:52 PM EDT. The Atlas V, equipped with an RD-180 engine for its first stage and two RL10 engines for its upper stage, will carry 29 satellites for the Amazon Leo network. These satellites, totaling 16,800 kg, will initially deploy at 450 km altitude before using electric propulsion to navigate to their operational altitude of 630 km.

On the same day as the Falcon Heavy launch, SpaceX plans a first Starlink mission of the week, launching 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch window starts at 7:00 PM PDT. The mission’s first-stage booster, B1071, will be recovered after the flight, marking its 33rd deployment.

Additionally, Arianespace is poised to launch its Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana on Thursday, April 30, beginning at 08:51 UTC. This mission will deliver 32 Amazon Leo satellites to low-Earth orbit, with the rocket expected to follow a northeastern trajectory.

Another Falcon 9 launch is scheduled for Friday, May 1, also from Cape Canaveral, with a window opening at 1:33 PM EDT. The rocket will carry an additional 29 Starlink v2 Mini satellites, making it the second such mission this week.

Closing out the series of launches, Falcon 9 is set to lift off on Saturday, May 2, from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission will involve launching 46 payloads, including a South Korean Earth-observation satellite, as part of SpaceX’s small satellite rideshare program.

This dynamic week of launches exemplifies ongoing advancements in satellite technology and efforts to expand global internet coverage, marking significant milestones for several aerospace companies involved in these ambitious missions.