Weekly Rocket Report (11/04/2024-11/10/2024)

Weekly Rocket Report

11/04/2024-11/10/2024

Ricky Whitmore

Space Writer

Hello and welcome back to the Weekly Rocket Report, let’s jump right into things. 

First on the docket we have a launch from Japan, only the 6th one this year.  Kirameki 3, a Japanese military communication satellite launched Monday early Monday morning on a H3-22S rocket. 

H3-22S Launches Kirameki 3.  Photo Credit: MHI

Later that day we had a launch from Russia.  A Soyuz 2.1b Fregat launched Ionosfera, a probe to study Earth’s Ionosphere and Magnetosphere as part of the Roscosmos Ionozond program.  The rocket was also carrying a number of small satellites of varying purposes and origins. 

Soyuz 2.1b Launches Ionosfera. Photo Credit: Roscosmos

Monday night it was time for some ISS action!  A Falcon 9 blasted off from 39A at the Cape carrying around 6,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the orbiting laboratory.  The mission, officially called CRS SpX-31 saw a successful docking of Cargo Dragon to the station a few days after launch, and saw a successful landing of it’s booster back at LZ-1. 

Early Tuesday morning we were treated to a launch from Rocket Lab’s Electron.  The payload of the launch is uncertain, but it is known the contract for the launch was signed only a few months ago, proving that Rocket Lab is able to quickly put together a rocket, integrate a payload, and get it to space when required.  For any Jimmy Buffett fans out there, you’ll appreciate the name of the mission, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. 

Electron Launches Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitude.  Photo Credit: Rocket Lab

Thursday afternoon was one of two Starlink missions this week.  This mission, Starlink Group 6-77 launched from SLC-40 at the Cape and successfully deployed its payload of 23 Starlink sats, after its booster successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.  

The next, out of China, was a Long March 2C.  The rocket was carrying PIESAT-2 01-04, which are X-band radar observation satellites.  

Next in line was yet another Starlink Mission, this time Starlink Group 9-10.  The Falcon 9 reached orbit, with the first stage coming back to land on a drone ship, and the second stage deploying 20 more Starlink sats in orbit.  

Falcon 9 Launches Starlink Group 9-10.  Photo Credit: SpaceX

The final launch for the week was from China.  Late Sunday night a Kinetica 1 roared to life, carrying a payload of 15 satellites into orbit.  

That’s all for this week folks, we had a busy one (even if we didn’t even get to watch them all.  Please China, stream more launches).  We’ll see you all next week folks for another exciting installment of the 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)