2017 Launch Schedule for Space Coast 🚀

Have you ever wondered who puts those rockets in the air on the Space Coast? Or even what is the mission for each of those launches? One thing for sure in Brevard County, we are not at a shortage of talented human beings that work every day to grow Space Exploration. Not just for our county but for our country. 🇺🇸

Whether it's SpaceX, Nasa, ULA, or PAFB to include many of the contractors that make the missions possible like Northrop Grumman and Blue Origins- we are lucky to live amongst the scientists and engineers that make space flight a reality. 

What an honor to witness the work of many. 

I put together a list of the upcoming scheduled launches for 2017 and their mission. I hope you get the chance to see them light up our skies on the Space Coast!

Enjoy!

Jan 19/20 Atlas 5 • SBIRS GEO Flight 3

Launch window: 0046-0126 GMT on 20th (7:46-8:26 p.m. EST on 19th)

Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-066, will launch the U.S. military’s third Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous satellite, or SBIRS GEO 3, for missile early-warning detection. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from May 26, July 27 and Oct. 3. 

Jan 26 Falcon 9 • EchoStar 23

Launch time: Approx. 0500-0730 GMT (12:00-2:30 a.m. EST)

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch EchoStar 23 communications satellite for EchoStar Corp. EchoStar 23, based on a spare platform from the canceled CMBStar 1 satellite program, will provide direct-to-home television broadcast services over Brazil. Delayed from 3rd quarter, 4th quarter and Jan. 8. 

Feb 8 Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 10

Launch time: 1855 GMT (1:55 p.m. EST)

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 12th Dragon spacecraft on the 10th operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Feb. 13, June 10 and Aug. 1. Moved up from Nov. 21. Delayed from Nov. 11 and Jan. 22.

Falcon 9 • SES 10

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES 10 communications satellite. Owned by SES of Luxembourg, the spacecraft will provide direct-to-home TV broadcasting and other telecommunication services for Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. It will also cover Brazil and support offshore oil and gas exploration. Delayed from 3rd Quarter and October.

TBD Falcon 9 • Koreasat 5A

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Koreasat 5A communications satellite for KTsat based in South Korea. Koreasat 5A will provide direct-to-home television broadcast and other communications services over Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Guam, Indochina, and South Asia. The satellite will also support maritime communications. 

March 8 Delta 4 • WGS 9

Launch window: 2335-0136 GMT (6:35-8:36 p.m. EST)

Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket will launch the ninth Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft, formerly known as the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite. Built by Boeing, this geostationary communications spacecraft will serve U.S. military forces. The rocket will fly in the Medium+ (5,4) configuration with four solid rocket boosters. Delayed from Feb. 2 and March 2.

March 16 Atlas 5 • OA-7

Launch window: 0429-0459 GMT (12:29-12:59 a.m. EDT)

Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-070, will launch will launch the eighth Cygnus cargo freighter on the seventh operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as OA-7. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from March 9.

TBD Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 11

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 13th Dragon spacecraft on the 11th operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from June 2, Aug. 15, Jan. 13 and Feb. 1.

TBD Falcon 9 • SES 11/EchoStar 105

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES-11/EchoStar 105 hybrid communications satellite to replace the AMC-15 and AMC-18 satellites. As SES-11, the spacecraft’s C-band capacity will provide replacement capacity for SES of Luxembourg for AMC-18. EchoStar Corp. of Englewood, Colorado, will market the Ku-Band transponder capacity, with coverage of the 50 U.S. states, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, as EchoStar 105, replacing AMC-15. Delayed from October and November.

2nd Quarter Falcon Heavy • Demo Flight

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch on its first demonstration flight. The heavy-lift rocket is formed of three Falcon 9 rocket cores strapped together with 27 Merlin 1D engines firing at liftoff. Delayed from 3rd Quarter of 2015 and April, September and December 2016. Delayed from 1st Quarter 2017. [Nov. 19]

May 4 Atlas 5 • AEHF 4

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft will provide highly-secure communications. The rocket will fly in the 531 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Dec. 15 and Jan. 26. 

June 1 Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 12

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 14th Dragon spacecraft on the 12th operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Dec. 15, 1st Quarter and April 8. 

July TBD Minotaur 4 • ORS 5

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>An Orbital ATK Minotaur 4 rocket will launch the ORS 5 mission for the U.S. military’s Operationally Responsive Space program. ORS 5, also known as SensorSat, is designed to scan for other satellites and debris to aid the U.S. military’s tracking of objects in geosynchronous orbit, replacing capability previously provided by the SBSS mission. The Minotaur 4 rocket will fly with an Orion 38 fifth stage motor to give the launcher extra capability to place the ORS 5 payload into an equatorial orbit. 

Third Quarter Falcon Heavy • STP-2

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the U.S. Air Force’s Space Test Program-2 mission with a cluster of military and scientific research satellites. The heavy-lift rocket is formed of three Falcon 9 rocket cores strapped together with 27 Merlin 1D engines firing at liftoff. Delayed from October 2016 and March 2017.

August 3 Atlas 5 • TDRS M

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-075, will launch the TDRS M communications and data relay satellite for NASA. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) connects mission control with the International Space Station and other orbiting satellites. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Moved forward from Aug. 4. 

August TBD Falcon 9 • Crew Dragon Demo 1

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on an uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station under the auspices of NASA’s commercial crew program. Delayed from December 2016, May 2017 and July 2017. 

August 31 Atlas 5 • NROL-52

Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-076, will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket will fly in the 421 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, two solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. 

Sept 13 Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 13

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida

>>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 15th Dragon spacecraft on the 13th operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.

November 9th Atlas 5 • SBIRS GEO Flight 4

Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-078, will launch the U.S. military’s fourth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous satellite, or SBIRS GEO 4, for missile early-warning detection. The rocket will fly in the 411 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, one solid rocket booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Oct. 27.

December 7th Atlas 5 • AFSPC 11

Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-079, will launch the AFSPC 11 mission for the U.S. Air Force. 

LATE 2017 Delta 4 • GPS 3-01

Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

>>A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket will launch the U.S. Air Force’s first third-generation navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The rocket will fly in the Medium+ (4,2) configuration with two solid rocket boosters. Delayed from May 3.

Resource