NASA and other global space programs (excluding Indian) news, Updates and Discussions

[skywatcher]

ULA first Dream Chaser launch delayed to Q4 2024

 

[skywatcher]

May is a lovely month. What's up for May?

3 May China CNSA Chang'e-6 Moon sample return from far side of the Moon
4 May Australia Gilmour Space Eris rocket maiden flight test
7 May US Boeing Starliner crewed spacecraft flight test
30 May Russia Roscosmos Progress cargo delivery to ISS
(TBD) US SpaceX Starship fourth flight test

 

[skywatcher]

The complex Chang'e 6 Moon sample return is a precursor to the crewed Moon landing by this decade.

The 8.2 t Chang'e 6 probe consists of an orbiter, lander, ascender and a returner and with a funny mini-rover and a Pakistan's Moon orbiter

you never know what this is used for

 

[skywatcher]

Update: Major events for the rest of 2024

7 May 2024 ULA Atlas 5 Boeing starliner first crewed test flight
(TBD)May 2024 Gilmour Space Eris first orbital flight
(TBD)May SpaceX Starship Flight 4
(TBD)June 2024 ESA Arianespace Ariane 6 first orbital flight
(TBD)June 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-31 cargo mission to ISS
(TBD)June 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 Polaris Dawn crewed mission first commercial spacewalk
(TBD)July 2024 ISRO LVM 3 Gaganyaan 1 first uncrewed Gaganyaan flight test
(TBD)July 2024 Space Pioneer Tianlong-3 first orbital flight
15 Aug 2024 Roscosmos Soyuz Progress MS-28 cargo mission to ISS
(TBD)Aug 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 Crew-9 crewed mission to ISS
11 Sept 2024 Roscosmos Soyuz Soyuz MS-26 crewed mission to ISS
29 Sept 2024 Blue Origin New Glenn ESCAPADE Mars orbiters
30 Sept 2024 CASC Long March 7 Tianzhou-8 cargo mission to CSS
(TBD)Q3 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 Firefly Blue Ghost lunar lander
(TBD)Q3 2024 Skyroot Aerospace Vikram 1 first orbital flight
8 Oct 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 ESA Hera Asteroid orbiter
10 Oct 2024 SpaceX Falcon Heavy NASA Europa Clipper Jupiter orbiter
16 Oct 2024 Roscosmos Soyuz Progress cargo mission to ISS
23 Oct 2024 CASC Long March 2F Shenzhou-19 crewed mission to CSS
(TBD)Oct 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 AX-4 crewed mission
(TBD)Nov 2024 Galactic Energy Pallas-1 first orbital flight
(TBD)Nov 2024 SpaceX Falcon Heavy Griffin lunar lander
(TBD)Dec 2024 Rocket Lab Electron Photon & Venus Life Finder Venus flyby & entry
(TBD)Dec 2024 ISRO LVM 3 Gaganyaan 2 second uncrewed Gaganyaan flight test
(TBD)Dec 2024 Deep Blue Aerospace Nebula-1 first orbital flight
(TBD)Dec 2024 CASC Long March 12 first orbital flight
(TBD)Dec 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 IM-2 lunar lander & various rovers
(TBD)Dec 2024 SpaceX Falcon 9 Hakuto-R 2 lunar lander & rover
(TBD)Q4 2024 RFA RFA One first orbital flight
(TBD)Q4 2024 ULA Vulcan Centaur first Dream Chaser cargo mission to ISS

Other possible new launchers without definite launch windows:
(TBD)2024 Argentina TLON Space Aventura I first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 Canada Reaction Dynamics Aurora first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 French Venture OS Zéphyr first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 Germany Isar Aerospace Spectrum first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 Germany HyImpulse SL1 first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 Russia VKS RF Rokot first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 South Korea Perigee Aerospace Blue Whale 1 first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 South Korea Innospace Hanbit-Nano first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 UK Skyrora Skyrora XL first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 UK Orbex Prime first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 US Astra Rocket 4.0 first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 US Aevum Ravn X first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 US Phantom Space Daytona first orbital flight
(TBD)2024 US Rocket Lab Neutron first orbital flight