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BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Florida’s Space Coast is home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the busiest launch sites in the world, and the blast-off rate is only increasing.
To help you stay in the know, we’ve compiled a list of upcoming Space Coast launches to keep on your calendar. Keep checking back because as most space enthusiasts know, launch schedules are subject to change due to weather, technical reasons and range restrictions.
ULA Atlas V with NASA’s Lucy spacecraft
When: Oct. 16 - 5:34 a.m.
Where: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41
What: NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket and will be the first space mission to study the Trojan asteroids associated with the planet Jupiter. Lucy will complete a 12-year journey to eight different asteroids which hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system.
SpaceX Crew-3 launch with four astronauts
When: Oct. 30 - 2:43 a.m.
Where: Kennedy Space Center launchpad 39A
What: SpaceX will launch four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA and its international partners on the Falcon 9 rocket in the Crew Dragon spacecraft on the Crew-3 mission. This will mark the fourth set of astronauts delivered to the space station by SpaceX.
Boeing Starliner orbital flight test -- take two
When: TBD
Where: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 41
What: Boeing will try again to launch the company’s CST-100 Starliner astronaut capsule on an uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station. ULA’s Atlas V rocket will blast off with the spacecraft putting it on course with the ISS. This will be the second attempt for the orbital test flight, or OFT, for Starliner after the first try in December 2019 failed to reach the space station after a computer timing issue, forcing Starliner to land back on Earth less than 48 hours after launch.
After an extensive investigation by Boeing and NASA, the company is targeting no earlier than late July for launch.
ULA Atlas V with U.S. Space Force mission
When: TBD
Where: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41
What: ULA will launch a mission called STP-3 for the Space Force. The payload is a ride-sharing mission with STP satellite and several smaller satellites.
ULA Vulcan rocket with Astrobotic moon lander
When: Early 2022
Where: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex-41
What: Part of NASA’s commercial lunar payload services program, or CLIPS, private company Astrobotics will send several NASA payloads on the Peregrine lunar lander to the moon. ULA is set to launch the moon lander which will also carry other science experiments and payloads for customers besides NASA.
SpaceX Falcon 9 with Intuitive Machine moon lander
When: Early 2022
Where: Kennedy Space Center launchpad 39A
What: Part of NASA’s commercial lunar payload services program, or CLIPS, private company Intuitive Machines will send several NASA payloads on the Nova-C lunar lander to the moon. SpaceX is set to launch the moon lander which will also carry other science experiments and payloads for other customers.
Boeing Starliner crew flight test
When: No earlier than April 2022
Where: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41
What: Following Boeing’s repeat of the uncrewed Starliner launch (OFT-2) to the space station, NASA and Boeing officials say they are targeting 2022 for the first Starliner flight to the ISS with astronauts.