These five rocket launches were some of the most important in space exploration history.
Florida’s spaceport will have a busy week after Hurricane Ian jammed up launches for a few days until the weather cleared.
Ahead of Ian’s landfall in Southwest Florida, NASA’s Artemis-1 rocket, the Space Launch System, was forced to roll back into the hangar at Kennedy Space Center. Even with landfall on the Gulf Coast, Central Florida’s Space Coast saw major flooding, hurricane-force winds and rain.
The launch delay by Hurricane Ian means NASA is now targeting November to launch the moon rocket for the first time. In the meantime, ULA, SpaceX and NASA have plans for unrelated back-to-back launches this week that will keep the Space Coast busy for three days.
ULA is targeting 5:36 p.m. EDT Tuesday to launch its Atlas V rocket with SES 20 and 21 communication satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.
The Atlas V rocket will send the satellites into geosynchronous orbit for satellite operator SES.
SpaceX and NASA are working toward launching four astronauts at noon Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center. The Crew-5 launch, comprised of American, Russian and Japanese space explorers, will be a 6-month mission to the International Space Station.
The launch was delayed from Oct. 3 to allow more time to assess KSC facilities for any potential damage from Ian.
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The sun sets behind a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the Crew-5 astronaut launch. (Image: SpaceX)
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Cosmonaut Anna Kikina sits in a mockup of the spacecraft that will take NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station during a training at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. (Image: NASA)
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NASA astronauts Josh Cassada, left, and Nicole Mann, second from left, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, second from right, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, right, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-5 mission launch, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image: NASA)
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NASA astronauts Josh Cassada, left, and Nicole Mann, second from left, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, second from right, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, right, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-5 mission launch, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
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In this aerial view, a home burns after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on September 29, 2022 in Sanibel, Florida.
(Joe Raedle) -
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A during a brief static fire test ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina are scheduled to launch from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
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NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina will launch on top of the Falcon 9 in a Crew Dragon spacecraft.
To wrap up the week, another SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the Galaxy 33 and Galaxy 34 commercial communications satellites for Intelsat at 7:07 p.m. EDT Thursday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.
The Falcon 9 will deliver the satellites for Intelsat to geosynchronous orbit, providing communication services throughout North America.
Florida’s wet season ends with Ian
(FOX Weather)
Weather plays a big role in any rocket launch. The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron works with ULA, SpaceX and NASA to provide launch forecasts days, hours and minutes ahead of any liftoff.
After being drenched by Ian’s record-setting rainfall, Florida is experiencing a welcome dry stretch ending the wet season, but scattered showers are forecast to return later in the week.
For those who get to see this triple-launch week in person or even one liftoff, the weather couldn’t be better. The FOX Forecast Center is tracking highs just below or above 80 degrees through the weekend with a partially cloudy sky. A solid chance of rain doesn’t appear in the forecast until next week for Florida’s Space Coast.
ULA has an 80% chance of favorable launch weather for Tuesday’s communication satellite launch. The primary concern will be cumulus clouds. The backup launch opportunity on Wednesday has a better forecast with 90% favorable conditions.
(FOX Weather)
NASA’s Crew-5 launch with SpaceX will continue to benefit from the cool, dry air from Hurricane Ian. The primary concerns are Cumulus clouds and rain with greater than a 90% chance of favorable conditions.
The Galaxy 33 and 34 satellite launch on a Falcon 9 this Thursday should have excellent weather with more than a 90% chance of favorable liftoff conditions. The primary concern will be cumulus clouds.
(FOX Weather)
