Six global rocket launches this week highlight rising commercial space activity

This week sees a flurry of space activity, with six launches planned across the globe, prominently featuring Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which will use a previously flown booster for its upcoming mission. SpaceX is set to conduct three separate Starlink operations, two of which will lift off from California while the remaining launch will take place from Florida.

Kicking off the week on April 14, the Chinese commercial rocket Lijian-1 is scheduled to ascend at 04:00 UTC from the Jiuquan Launch Center in Gansu, China. This launch marks the 12th flight of the four-stage, solid-propellant vehicle, but the payload remains undisclosed.

Later that same day, at 3:59 AM EDT (07:59 UTC), SpaceX will conduct its first Starlink mission from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket will carry 29 Starlink satellites into a precisely aimed orbit with a 53.16-degree inclination. This mission is notable as it features the booster B1080, which will be making its 25th flight—the rocket’s impressive track record includes support for missions like Axiom Mission 2 and a series of Starlink launches. Following its ascent, the booster will attempt a landing on the droneship Just Read The Instructions, located roughly 640 kilometers offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

In a shift to the West Coast, SpaceX will launch another Falcon 9 later on April 14 at 7:00 PM PDT (02:00 UTC) from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission will carry another 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The booster for this flight, B1082, will land on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, which will retrieve it from the Pacific Ocean for refurbishment.

On April 17, a second Chinese launch is planned with the Chang Zheng 2D rocket, set to take off at 04:10 UTC from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. While details about the payload remain unclear, the rocket’s trajectory suggests a southward flight path during its mission. The Chang Zheng 2D, a two-staged rocket, is notable for its use of hypergolic propellants.

The highlight of the week will be Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch planned for April 17 at 6:45 AM EDT (10:45 UTC) from Cape Canaveral. This mission will test the reusability of its first-stage booster, dubbed Never Tell Me The Odds, which first flew aboard the New Glenn’s second mission in November 2025. The rocket aims to deliver a 6,100 kg BlueBird Block 2 FM2 satellite into low-Earth orbit for cellular broadband service across the United States. Following the launch, the booster will attempt to land on Blue Origin’s recovery platform, Jacklyn, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The week will conclude with another Falcon 9 launch on April 18 at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC), once again from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission will contribute to SpaceX’s ever-expanding Starlink network, targeting an impressive 90th orbital launch attempt this year and marking the milestone 630th flight for the Falcon 9 rocket series. As interest in space exploration and satellite deployment continues to grow, these launches underscore the rapidly evolving landscape of commercial spaceflight.