This week is shaping up to be one of 2025’s busiest for space launches, with a total of 12 scheduled missions globally. SpaceX is leading the charge with five Falcon 9 launches, including the highly anticipated Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Crew-11 mission, set for July 31, will transport a four-member crew composed of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman (commander) and Mike Fincke (pilot), alongside JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platanov, for a six-month mission dedicated to scientific research aboard the ISS. This will mark the third flight for booster B1094, which will perform a return-to-launch-site landing after successfully launching the crew.
This week also features Rocket Lab’s mid-week launch of the HASTE, a suborbital version of its Electron rocket, aimed at testing hypersonic technologies. Launching from Virginia’s Wallops Flight Facility, it continues Rocket Lab’s foray into the suborbital launch market, which has seen growing interest for test and experimental payloads.
On the international front, a joint NASA and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) mission, the NISAR satellite, is set to launch on July 30, enhancing Earth observation capabilities by mapping vital ecological changes with a level of detail crucial for understanding natural disasters. This mission is significant not only for its scientific contributions but also as ISRO approaches its landmark 100th launch.
In China, the Chang Zheng 8A rocket will launch communications satellites as part of their massive Guowang constellation project, which aims to deploy about 13,000 satellites to enhance internet services across the country, rivaling similar initiatives like SpaceX’s Starlink.
Despite challenges faced by startups like Gilmour Space, which experienced an engine failure during its inaugural Eris launch, the overall landscape for space exploration and satellite deployment appears optimistic. There remains a strong sense of achievement amongst participants as they push the boundaries of technological capabilities – showcasing the global enthusiasm for advancing our reach beyond Earth.
With such a high number of launches, this week serves as a reminder of the rapid advancements in space technology and the international collaboration necessary to achieve ambitious goals in space exploration.