Weekly Rocket Report
11/11/2024-11/17/2024
Ricky Whitmore
Space Writer
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Weekly Rocket Report, let’s jump into the mix.
The first launch of the week came early Monday afternoon as a Falcon 9 took Koreasat 6A to space. Following a landing at LZ-1 by the Falcon’s booster, the satellite was deployed in orbit, where it will provide satellite and TV broadcast services.
Falcon 9 Launches KoreaSat 6A. Image Credit: SpaceX
Later Monday afternoon was the first launch of a busy week for the Starlink program. Starlink Group 6-69 lifted off from the Cape deploying 24 Starlink satellites to join the ever-growing mega-constellation. The rocket’s booster landed successfully on a drone ship in the Atlantic.
Moving on to Wednesday we saw the launch of Haiyang 4-01. The satellite, designed to study ocean salinity measurements, was brought to orbit on a Chinese Long March 4B rocket.
Long March Launches Haiyang 4-01. Image Credit: CSA
Thursday saw back-to-back Starlink launches. Starlink Group 9-11 launched 20 satellites just after midnight (EST) from Vandenberg California, and Starlink Group 6-68 launched 24 satellites 4 hours later from the Cape. The boosters for both missions landed on drone ships to be re-used yet again.
Moving on to Friday we had a Long March 7 launching Tianzhou 8 from Wenchang launch site in China. Tianzhou are the Chinese cargo resupply missions to their space station Tiangong. The cargo capsule docked successfully to the station and its cargo will support the crew of Shenzhou 19 which launched at the end of October.
Long March 7 Launches Tianzhou 8 to the Tiangong Space Station. Image Credit: CSA
Last we had another Falcon 9 launch from the Cape. Sunday evening saw the launch of Optus-X/TD7. Not much is known about the payload other than it was built by Northrop Grumman to be used by Optus, a telecommunications company based in Australia.
That’s all the launches for the week. Monday the 11th was Veterans Day in the United States (where I write from), and I just want to extend my thanks to all those who serve or have served. Thank you. All of that being said, I will see you back here next week for another update to our 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)