Space & rocket launch thread

[Baz]

Saw (and felt and heard) this one go up today......what a beast!

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Crew-11 mission for NASA from Launch Complex-39 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on Aug. 1, 2025 at 11:43 a.m. EDT.

Crew-11 is NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, together with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov

[Baz]

Watch live coverage as two of the world's newest heavy-lift rockets lift off, potentially within minutes of each other.

First up is the launch of Europe's Ariane 6 from Kourou in French Guiana. Liftoff with Europe’s first MetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG-A1) weather satellite is scheduled for 9:37 p.m. Kourou time (8:37 p.m. EDT / 0037 UTC).

That will be followed by a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Liftoff on the USSF-106 national security mission from Space Launch Complex 41 is scheduled for 8:56 p.m. EDT (0056 UTC).

This is the third mission for both Vulcan and Ariane 6. Both rockets had their inaugural launches in 2024.

Commentary will be provided by Spaceflight Now's Will Robinson-Smith, starting approximately an hour prior to liftoff of the Vulcan rocket.

[bmcuscgr94]

Some here on the west coast aren't thrilled with Space X so they've asked the state to get involved. I'm about half an hour away from Vandenberg so we see/hear all the launches weather permitting, been on bae for a launch years ago. Last month I had business on base so I scheduled the appointment on a launch day, but it was delayed.


https://www.edhat.com/news/coastal-commission-to-review-spacex-proposal-to-double-the-number-of-rocket-launches-per-year/

[bmcuscgr94]

Next launch is supposed to be tonight:

https://www.noozhawk.com/spacex-rocket-launch-at-vandenberg-sfb-delayed-081225/

[bmcuscgr94]

https://www.edhat.com/news/spacex-launched-100th-mission-of-the-year-from-vandenberg-on-monday/#comments

[bmcuscgr94]

# 5 for this month:

https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/vandenberg-preparing-for-fifth-spacex-launch-this-month

[Scott Douglas]

With the weather being what it's been lately maybe we'll get to see it from down here in the OC.

[Baz]

Pretty cool video!



Another launch is scheduled for tonight, I think.....

[Baz]

Starship sailing into Cape Canaveral: Musk teases new SpaceX barge 'You'll Thank Me Later'

“Watership to transport spaceship from Starbase to Cape Canaveral," Musk wrote in a comment on X

[Baz]

SpaceX launched another of its mammoth Starship rockets on a test flight Monday, successfully making it halfway around the world while releasing mock satellites like last time. Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — thundered into the evening sky from the southern tip of Texas. The booster peeled away and made a controlled entry into the Gulf of Mexico as planned, with the spacecraft skimming space before descending into the Indian Ocean. Nothing was recovered.

[Cajundaddy]

Looks like they have solved most of the earlier teething pains. Soon enough they will be launching 60 Starlink sats and returning to base for a catch and quick turnaround. I expect by 2030 you would be able to board Starship in TX and take a 1 hr flight to Sydney Australia.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Cajundaddy

I expect by 2030 you would be able to board Starship in TX and take a 1 hr flight to Sydney Australia.

That would be quite a feat! Right now I'd settle for half the time it currently takes....

[Baz]

Hopefully this one goes - in about an hour. Beautiful evening here - full moon is absolutely gorgeous!!!
------------------

Watch live coverage from Cape Canaveral as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket with 29 satellites for the company's Starlink internet service. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 is scheduled during a window that opens at 8:25 p.m. EST (0125 UTC) on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The first-stage booster for this mission, B1094, making its 5th flight will land on SpaceX's drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions', stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, a little more than eight minutes after leaving the launch pad.

The mission, designated Starlink 6-81, will take a south-easterly trajectory on departure from Florida's Space Coast.

[bmcuscgr94]

This one was yesterday:

https://www.noozhawk.com/icbm-test-launch-marks-60th-mission-of-2025-from-vandenberg-sfb/

This one is scheduled for today:

https://www.noozhawk.com/vandenbergs-next-mission-spacex-rocket-launch-on-thursday-110525/

[Rapewta]

Living on the central coast, Pismo Beach in the eighties, I saw some really cool rocket launches from Vandenberg.
In the late nineties, early 2000's I worked for a defense contractor that would test strapped down solid fuel rockets. 90 second burns. Amazing to watch.
We had the old Soviet liquid fuel rockets and of course the Minuteman.

I remember one time, I was charged with cleaning up a rocket stand and found a lot of solid fuel on the ground. Me and another employee lit it off. Oh boy.... Not too smart. That stuff went crazy and didn't go out until it was ready. Good times.

[Baz]

Watch live coverage from Cape Canaveral as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket with 29 satellites for the company's Starlink internet service. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 is scheduled at 10:21 p.m. EST (0321 UTC) on Moday, Nov. 10. The first-stage booster for this mission, B1096, making its 3rd flight will land on SpaceX's drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions', stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, a little more than eight minutes after leaving the launch pad.

The mission, designated Starlink 6-87, will take a south-easterly trajectory on departure from Florida's Space Coast.



14 minutes to go.......

[CurtEgerer]

Not sure what the deal is here (other than maybe Elon showing off a bit ) but they're apparently launching 2 rockets side-by-side Friday night at 10:01PM Great photo-op and, for the trifecta, there could even be a glimpse of the Northern Lights in the background (they were visible in central FL the last couple nights).

[maxnine11]

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-blue-origin-launch-two-spacecraft-to-study-mars-solar-wind/

[Baz]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

-snip-they're apparently launching 2 rockets side-by-side Friday night at 10:01PM -snip-

Yeah pretty crazy stuff for sure, Curt!

If the Mercury astronauts could see what we're doing today, huh?

================

Watch live coverage as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket with 29 satellites for the company's Starlink internet service. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A is scheduled at 10:08 p.m. EST (0308 UTC) . The first-stage booster for this mission, B1092, making its eighth flight will land on SpaceX's drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas', stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The missions, designated Starlink 6-89 from SLC-40, will take a south-easterly trajectory on departure from Florida's Space Coast.

Our live coverage with commentary from Spaceflight Now's Will Robinson-Smith will start about one hour prior to the first launch.

t-minus 50 minutes......

[CurtEgerer]

Well, SpaceX wound up changing one of the launches to 1:00am last night. Still not sure what the thinking was scheduling both initially at the same time. There are so many launches, it's tough to keep up!