This article documents expected notable spaceflight events during the year 2027.
China plans to launch the eXTP X-ray observatory. [1]
A DARPA program aims to launch the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) nuclear thermal rocket. [2]
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aims to launch. [3]
Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | |||
Remarks | ||||||||
March | ||||||||
Q1 (TBD) [4] | Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg | SpaceX | |||||
TBA | TBA | Low Earth (SSO) | TBA | |||||
Dedicated SmallSat Rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit, designated Transporter-19. | ||||||||
March (TBD) [5] | VLM-1 | Alcântara Space Center | IAE/ DLR | |||||
TBA | TBA | Low Earth | TBA | |||||
Maiden VLM flight. | ||||||||
June | ||||||||
Q2 (TBD) [4] | Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg | SpaceX | |||||
TBA | TBA | Low Earth (SSO) | TBA | |||||
Dedicated SmallSat Rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit, designated Transporter-20. | ||||||||
Q2 (TBD) [6] | Vega-C | Kourou ELV | Arianespace | |||||
TBA | TBA | Low Earth | TBA | |||||
Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) #17 rideshare mission. | ||||||||
December | ||||||||
Q4 (TBD) [6] | Ariane 64 | Kourou ELA-4 | Arianespace | |||||
TBA | TBA | Geosynchronous | TBA | |||||
Multi-Launch Service (MLS) #2 rideshare mission. | ||||||||
Q4 (TBD) [4] | Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg | SpaceX | |||||
TBA | TBA | Low Earth (SSO) | TBA | |||||
Dedicated SmallSat Rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit, designated Transporter-21. | ||||||||
Q4 (TBD) [7] [8] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
ZeusX service module | Qosmosys | Selenocentric | Lunar orbiter | |||||
ZeusX lunar lander | Qosmosys | Selenocentric to lunar surface | Lunar lander | |||||
LIBER | Qosmosys | Selenocentric to lunar surface | Lunar rover | |||||
Lunar Integrated Bulk Extraction Rover (LIBER) will attempt to mine on the lunar surface. | ||||||||
To be determined | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [9] [10] | Angara A5 | Vostochny Site 1A | Roscosmos | |||||
NEM-1 (SPM-1) | Roscosmos | Low Earth (SSO) | Space station assembly | |||||
NEM-1, also known as Science Power Module 1 (SPM-1), will be the core module of the proposed Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS). It was initially intended to be launched to the International Space Station. [11] | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [12] | Angara A5V | Vostochny Site 1A | Roscosmos | |||||
Dummy payload | Roscosmos | Low Earth | Flight test | |||||
First flight of the Angara-A5V variant. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [13] | Ariane 64 | Kourou ELA-4 | Arianespace | |||||
Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) | ESA | Areocentric | Mars sample-return | |||||
Orbiter component of the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return. It will collect the sample return canister delivered into orbit by the Mars Ascent Vehicle and carry it back to Earth. [14] | ||||||||
JFY2027 (TBD) [15] | Epsilon S | Uchinoura | JAXA | |||||
Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-5 | JAXA | Low Earth | Technology demonstration | |||||
Part of JAXA's Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [16] [17] | Falcon Heavy | Kennedy LC-39A | SpaceX | |||||
GPS IIIF-01 | U.S. Space Force | Medium Earth | Navigation | |||||
First GPS IIIF satellite. A total of 22 GPS IIIF satellites are planned to be launched by 2034. [18] | ||||||||
JFY2027 (TBD) [15] | H3 | Tanegashima LA-Y2 | MHI | |||||
IGS-Optical 9 | CSICE | Low Earth (SSO) | Reconnaissance | |||||
JFY2027 (TBD) [15] | H3 | Tanegashima LA-Y2 | MHI | |||||
IGS-Optical Diversification 2 | CSICE | Low Earth (SSO) | Reconnaissance | |||||
2027 (TBD) [1] [19] | Long March 7 | Wenchang LC-2 | CASC | |||||
eXTP | CAS | Low Earth | X-ray astronomy | |||||
Chinese-led X-ray astronomy collaboration between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and multiple European institutions. [19] | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [20] | Long March 10 | Wenchang | CASC | |||||
CNSA | Low Earth | Flight test | ||||||
First flight of China's triple-core crew launch vehicle for Moon missions. Previously known as the 921 rocket or the Long March 5 Dengyue. [21] | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [22] | Nuri (KSLV-II) | Naro LC-2 | KARI | |||||
TBA | TBA | Low Earth (SSO) | TBA | |||||
Sixth planned launch of Nuri, and the final launch in the extended testing and verification phase for the launch vehicle. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [23] | PSLV | Satish Dhawan | ISRO | |||||
Resourcesat-3SA | ISRO | Low Earth (SSO) | Earth observation | |||||
2027 (TBD) [24] | Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat | Baikonur | Roscosmos | |||||
Rezonans-MKA | Roscosmos | Tundra | Magnetospheric research | |||||
2027 (TBD) [25] | Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat | Baikonur | Roscosmos | |||||
Arktika-M №5 [27] | Roscosmos | Molniya | Meteorology | |||||
2027 (TBD) [28] | Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat | Vostochny Site 1S | Roscosmos | |||||
Luna 26 | Roscosmos | Selenocentric | Lunar orbiter | |||||
2027 (TBD) [29] [30] | Starship | TBA | SpaceX | |||||
Superbird-9 | SKY Perfect JSAT | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
2027 (TBD) [31] | Vega | Kourou ELV | Arianespace | |||||
MERLIN | CNES / DLR | Low Earth (SSO) | Earth observation of atmospheric methane | |||||
2027 (TBD) [32] [33] | Vega-C | Kourou ELV | Arianespace | |||||
FORUM | ESA | Low Earth (SSO) | Earth observation | |||||
Ninth Earth Explorer mission for ESA's Living Planet Programme. FORUM is baselined for launch on the Vega-C, and will fly in a loose Sun-synchronous formation with MetOp-SG A1. [34] | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [35] | Vega-E | Kourou ELV | Arianespace | |||||
TBA | ESA | Low Earth | Flight test | |||||
First flight of Vega-E. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [36] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 | ULA | |||||
DRACO Demo | DARPA | Low Earth | Technology demonstration | |||||
USSF-25 mission. [37] Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) is a DARPA program to demonstrate a working nuclear thermal rocket in space. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [38] | ŞİMŞEK-1 | İğneada Space Centre | Roketsan | |||||
Turkish Space Agency | Low Earth | Flight test | ||||||
Maiden flight of ŞİMŞEK-1. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [39] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
Al Yah 4 | Yahsat | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
Replacement for Yahsat 1A (Al Yah 1). | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [40] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
Axiom Power Thermal Module (AxPT) [41] | Axiom Space | Low Earth (ISS) | ISS assembly / Space habitat | |||||
Fourth Axiom Orbital Segment module. The addition of this module will enable the Axiom Orbital Segment to separate from the ISS and operate as an independent space station. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [42] | TBA | TBA | Roscosmos | |||||
Bion-M No.3 | Roscosmos | Low Earth | Biological science | |||||
2027 (TBD) [43] [44] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
COSI | NASA | Low Earth | Gamma-ray astronomy | |||||
Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI). Part of NASA's Small Explorers program. | ||||||||
H2 2027 (TBD) [45] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
CO2M-C (Sentinel-7C) | ESA | Low Earth (SSO) | Earth observation | |||||
Third satellite (option) of the Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring mission. [46] Part of the European Space Agency's Copernicus Programme. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [47] [48] | TBA | Baikonur or Vostochny | Roscosmos | |||||
Ekspress-AT3 | RSCC | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
Ekspress-AT4 | RSCC | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
2027 (TBD) [49] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
GSSAP 8 | U.S. Space Force | Geosynchronous | Space surveillance | |||||
2027 (TBD) [50] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
INCUS × 3 | NASA | Low Earth (SSO) | Meteorology | |||||
NASA Earth Venture Mission-3 (EVM-3). | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [51] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
JPSS-3 | NOAA | Low Earth (SSO) | Meteorology | |||||
2027 (TBD) [52] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
Nyx | The Exploration Company | Low Earth (Axiom Station) | Reentry capsule | |||||
Uncrewed commercial mission to the Axiom Station. | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [53] [54] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
Oracle | AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate | Earth–Moon L1 | Space domain awareness | |||||
Cislunar Highway Patrol System (CHPS). | ||||||||
2027 (TBD) [55] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
JSAT-31 | SKY Perfect JSAT | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
2027 (TBD) [56] | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||||
Thaicom 10 | Thaicom | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) | Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
March (TBD) [57] | Improved Orion | Esrange | MORABA / SNSA | ||||
REXUS-37 | DLR / SNSA | Suborbital | Education | ||||
March (TBD) [57] | Improved Orion | Esrange | MORABA / SNSA | ||||
REXUS-38 | DLR / SNSA | Suborbital | Education | ||||
24 June [58] | Black Brant IX | Wallops Flight Facility | NASA | ||||
REDSoX | MIT | Suborbital | X-ray astronomy | ||||
Rocket Experiment Demonstration of a Soft X-ray Polarimeter (REDSoX) mission. | |||||||
October (TBD) [57] | VSB-30 | S1X-7/M19 | Esrange | SSC | |||
MASER-19 | SSC | Suborbital | Microgravity research | ||||
SubOrbital Express Microgravity flight opportunity 7. | |||||||
October (TBD) [57] | Red Kite/Impr. Malemute | Esrange | MORABA | ||||
MAPHEUS-18 | DLR | Suborbital | Microgravity research | ||||
November (TBD) [57] | VSB-30 | Esrange | MORABA | ||||
TEXUS-64 | DLR / ESA | Suborbital | Microgravity research | ||||
Date (UTC) | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
12 August | Lucy | Flyby of asteroid 3548 Eurybates | Target altitude 1000 km |
15 September | Lucy | Flyby of asteroid 15094 Polymele | Target altitude 415 km |
December | Hayabusa2 | Flyby of Earth [59] | Gravity assist |
Start Date/Time | Duration | End Time | Spacecraft | Crew | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
For the purposes of this section, the yearly tally of orbital launches by country assigns each flight to the country of origin of the rocket, not to the launch services provider or the spaceport. For example, Soyuz launches by Arianespace in Kourou are counted under Russia because Soyuz-2 is a Russian rocket.
Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|
Family | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|
Rocket | Country | Family | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|
Rocket | Country | Type | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|
Site | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|
Orbital regime | Launches | Achieved | Not achieved | Accidentally achieved | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transatmospheric | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Low Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Geosynchronous / transfer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Medium Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
High Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Heliocentric orbit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Including planetary transfer orbits |
The Guiana Space Centre, also called Europe's Spaceport, is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located approximately 310 mi (500 km) north of the equator at a latitude of 5°. In operation since 1968, it is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its equatorial location and open sea to the east.
Vega is an expendable launch system in use by Arianespace jointly developed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Development began in 1998 and the first launch took place from the Guiana Space Centre on 13 February 2012.
Soyuz-2 is a modernised version of the Soviet Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage launch vehicle for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. Compared to the previous versions of the Soyuz, the first-stage boosters and two core stages feature uprated engines with improved injection systems. Digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to be launched from a fixed launch platform, whereas the launch platforms for earlier Soyuz rockets had to be rotated as the rocket could not perform a roll to change its heading in flight.
The Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz (ELS) is a launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou/Sinnamary, French Guiana. It was used by Soyuz-ST rockets: modified versions of the Soyuz-2 optimised for launch from Kourou under Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre programme.
A heavy-lift launch vehicle is an orbital launch vehicle capable of generating a large amount of lift to reach its intended orbit. Heavy-lift launch vehicles generally are capable of lifting payloads between 20,000 to 50,000 kg or between 20,000 to 100,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit (LEO). As of 2024, operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include the Long March 5 and the Proton-M.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2019.
Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre was a European Space Agency (ESA) programme for operating Soyuz-ST launch vehicles from Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), providing medium-size launch capability for Arianespace to complement the light Vega and heavy-lift Ariane 5. The Soyuz vehicle was supplied by the Roscosmos with TsSKB-Progress and NPO Lavochkin, while additional components were supplied by Airbus, Thales Group and RUAG. Autor LV (ICBM) = NPO "Energia", Kaliningrad.
The following is a timeline of important events in the history of private spaceflight, including important technical as well as legislative and political advances. Though the industry has its origins in the early 1960s, soon after the beginning of the Space Age, private companies did not begin conducting launches into space until the 1980s, and it was not until the 21st century that multiple companies began privately developing and operating launch vehicles and spacecraft in earnest.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2020.
This article documents expected notable spaceflight events during the 2020s.
The year 2022 witnessed the number of launches of SpaceX's Falcon rocket family surpassing the CNSA's Long March rocket family, making the United States the country with the highest number of launches in 2022 instead of China. This year also featured the first successful launch of Long March 6A, Nuri, Angara 1.2, Vega-C, Kinetica-1, and Jielong-3. National space agencies' activities in this year is also marred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leading to tension between Roscosmos and Western space agencies, threats of ending collaboration on the International Space Station (ISS), and delays on space missions.
The year 2023 saw rapid growth and significant technical achievements in spaceflight. For the third year in a row, new world records were set for both orbital launch attempts (223) and successful orbital launches (211). The growth in orbital launch cadence can in large part be attributed to SpaceX, as they increased their number of launches from 61 in 2022 to 98 in 2023. The deployment of the Starlink satellite megaconstellation was a major contributing factor to this increase over previous years. This year also featured numerous maiden launches of new launch vehicles. In particular, SSLV, Qaem 100, Tianlong-2, Chollima-1,and Zhuque-2 performed their first successful orbital launch, while SpaceX's Starship – the world's largest rocket – launched two times during its development stage: IFT-1 and IFT-2.
This article documents expected notable spaceflight events during the year 2026.
Spaceflight in 2025 promises to follow the 2020s trend of record breaking orbital launches and increased developments in lunar, Mars and low-earth orbit exploration.
This article documents expected notable spaceflight events during the year 2028.