The Weekly Rocket Report
01/20/2025-01/26/2025
Ricky Whitmore
Space Writer
Hello all and welcome back to the Weekly Rocket Report. I’m a few days behind, I swear I’m trying, just busy. Nonetheless I am here, to break down the launches from last week, let's begin!
The week began in China with a launch of Galactic Energy’s Ceres 1 rocket. The rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Center and carried 5 satellites to orbit early Monday morning.
Hopping back across the Pacific on Tuesday there were two Falcon 9 Starlink Missions. The first of these, Starlink 13-1/USA485-486 sent 23 payloads into orbit. 21 of these were Starlink Satellites, and the other 2 are believed to be part of the Starshield Program. After separation the first stage landed back down range on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas”.
The second Starlink launch of Tuesday morning was Starlink Group 11-8 carrying. 27 satellites into earth orbit after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The booster landed downrange on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”.
Jumping back across the Pacific again, we return to China. A Long March 6A launched 18 low earth orbit satellites as part of their G60 constellation. The official mission title was G60 Polar Group 06, and the rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Launch Center overnight Wednesday into Thursday.
Long March 6A launches G60 Polar Group 06. Photo Credit: https://x.com/CNSpaceflight
Later Thursday morning came the launch of a Long March 3B/E from the Xichang Launch Center in China. TJSW-14, the payload, is a highly classified Chinese satellite that they claim is for a communication test.
The final launch for the week is another Starlink mission. Starlink Group 11-6 launched from SLC-4E at Vandenberg and rocketed towards space. The 23 satellites were deployed to orbit, and the booster landed downrange on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”.
That’s it for the week of launches everyone. Hope you all enjoyed the yearly rocket report, and I hope to see everyone back here next week for another Weekly Rocket Report!
As always feel free to write to me at rickyew2112@gmail.com, or find me on X @Rickyew2112
Sic Itur Ad Astra
(Thus They Journey to the Stars)