2nd of the National Team’s Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander test missions to validate the necessary technologies for its HLS lunar module. Some of the life support hardware will travel on this mission in preparation for the first crew Blue Moon flight. This mission will also carry NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) lunar rover. VIPER is designed to explore the relatively nearby but extreme environment of the Moon in search of ice and other potential resources. This mobile robot will land at the South Pole of the Moon on a 100-day mission, in order to teach us about the origin and distribution of water on the Moon and help determine how we can harvest the Moon's resources for future human space exploration. VIPER is designed to roam the Moon using its three instruments and a 1 meter long drill to detect and analyze various lunar soil environments at a range of depths and temperatures. The rover can venture into permanently shadowed craters, some of the coldest spots in the solar system, where ice reserves have endured for billions of years. The rover was originally slated to launch on Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One lunar lander (with the Falcon Heavy rocket), but the VIPER mission was cancelled in July 2024 due to budget cuts. After consulting with the industry to find alternative ways to deliver the rover to the lunar surface, NASA ultimately chose to launch it with Blue Origin’s 2nd Blue Moon MK1 lander mission.
Low Earth OrbitThe JPSS constellation of satellites collects global multi-spectral radiometry and other specialized meteorologic, oceanographic, and solar-geophysical data via remote sensing of land, sea, and atmospheric properties. These data support NOAA’s mission for continuous observation of Earth’s environment to understand and predict changes in weather, climate, oceans, and coasts to support the nation’s economy and protect lives and property. NASA uses the instruments aboard the JPSS satellites to continue decades of Earth science research for the betterment of humanity. JPSS-4 carries the NASA Earth Venture mission Libera, an instrument to improve our understanding of trends in Earth’s energy imbalance and our changing climate.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitChinggis Sat is a Mongolian national geostationary orbit telecommunications satellite for the Mongolia Ministry of Digital Development and Communications. Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for construction of the high-performance Ku-Band satellite. Once launched, the satellite will make high-speed internet available throughout Mongolia, including to those in rural areas and under-served nomadic communities, enabling easier and wider access to services such as tele-medicine, e-learning, e-government services and supporting the growth of high value add sectors of the economy. It will be positioned at the 113.6° E orbital slot and will be based on the space-proven, cutting-edge SpaceBus 4000 satellite bus.
Geostationary Transfer OrbitThor 8 is a multi-purpose communications satellite for Space Norway. The satellite will both replace older satellites being phased out in the coming years and provide increased capacity and service offerings that offers capacity for both data services and broadcasting, such as high power direct-to-home (DTH) television services, from the 1° West orbital position. It carries two dedicated payloads for broadcasting in Europe and the Nordics, as well as payloads for data services to commercial and governmental customers. With a launch mass of 4 metric tons, the satellite will be built on Thales Alenia Space’s Spacebus-4000B2 platform and will operate in the Ka and Ku frequency bands.
Geostationary Transfer OrbitA batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, thi…
Note: Payload identity uncertain. Meridian is a series of communications satellite for military and civilian use.
First test launch of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket.
A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Artemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon …
A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.
First test launch and mission of CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 rocket, with 3 spacecraft on board: * New March 02 (Qingzhou space station cargo resupply …
The European Space Agency (ESA)'s LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) demonstrator mission will feature a 10-satellite const…