Launch Roundup: Starlink constellation continues to expand while China begins building G60 constellation

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Following a busy last two weeks, the pace of the worldwide launch schedule is slowing down this week. The first launch of the week will see China launch the initial batch of its G60 internet satellite constellation. If the plans for this expansive constellation are fulfilled, we can expect to see many more of these launches in the near future.

In addition to the Chinese launch, SpaceX continues to add to its Starlink constellation with two Falcon 9 launches planned for this week. Having launched five Starlink missions and one Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) mission since the second stage anomaly on July 12, SpaceX appears to be back at its normal Falcon 9 launch cadence.

While preparations continue for SpaceX to launch both the Crew 9 and Polaris Dawn missions in the coming weeks, it appears that the new crew access arm at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) is unlikely to be available for either mission. Speaking in response to a question at a press conference on July 26, NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stitch indicated that NASA and SpaceX were still working through the certification process for the use of SLC-40 for crew launches. He said the current expectation was that the process would be completed towards the end of September. The target date for Polaris Dawn is currently listed as “no earlier than August 2024.”

Previous launch of a Long March 6A in July. (Credit: Ourspace)

CASC Long March 6A | G60 Qianfan Xingzuo F1 x18

A Long March 6A is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 06:55 UTC from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China with the first batch of G60 internet constellation satellites. Currently published information suggests that the Long March 6A will travel directly south from the launch site.

As mentioned, the payload is the first 18 G60 satellites, which will serve as the Chinese equivalent of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. 108 satellites are expected to be launched this year as part of an initial tranche of 1,296 satellites. Ultimately, the constellation will consist of more than 14,000 low-orbit broadband multimedia satellites. Chinese entity Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) raised 6.7 billion Yuan, or around $943 million, to construct the constellation, which is intended to provide global internet access for China.

Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology (Genesat) oversees the construction of the G60 satellites. SSST formed Genesat in collaboration with the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS). The G60 satellites are being built at a factory in Shanghai’s Songjiang District using a fully automated production line that aims to produce up to 500 units per year by the end of 2025.

With this launch, the G60 constellation appears to be leading the internet satellite race in China. G60’s competitors include a similar low-orbit constellation known as Guowang (SatNet) and a medium-Earth orbit constellation called Smart Skynet. Additionally, Chinese company Landspace recently applied for clearance for a 10,000 satellite constellation. The G60 launch will help to secure orbits and frequencies for China as demand in this competitive sector increases, both globally and nationally.

Long March 6A is a two stage booster with four solid rocket motors strapped to the rocket’s first stage. Unlike Falcon 9, which SpaceX uses to launch its Starlink constellation, the Long March 6A is not reusable, although suitable reusable boosters are being built and tested in China. This will be the fourth launch of the Long March 6 rocket this year.

SpaceX Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 8-3

A Falcon 9 carrying a new batch of Starlink satellites is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 8:59 AM EDT (12:59 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch window is four hours long and lasts until 12:59 PM EDT (16:59 UTC).

The unannounced booster will carry the payload of v2 Mini Starlink satellites into a low-Earth orbit, launching on a northeastern trajectory out of the Cape. The booster will land on an autonomous droneship stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.

This mission will mark the 144th global launch attempt for 2024 and the 76th for Falcon 9.

SpaceX Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 10-7

A further batch of v2 Mini Starlink satellites will be launched atop a Falcon 9 on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 7:20 AM EDT (11:20 UTC). Launch is set to occur from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The unannounced booster will land approximately 600 km downrange on one of SpaceX’s two east coast autonomous droneships, which are Just Read The Instructions and A Shortfall Of Gravitas.

Assuming an on-time launch, this mission will be the Falcon 9’s 77th mission of 2024.

The two Space Norway ASBMs being prepared for flight. (Credit: Northrop Grumman)

SpaceX Falcon 9 | Space Norway ASBM

A Falcon 9 will lift off from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sunday, Aug. 12, at 7:00 PM PDT (Monday, Aug. 13, at 02:00 UTC).

Falcon 9 will carry two Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) satellites into a highly elliptical Earth orbit. Each satellite will carry instruments for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and satellite communications company Inmarsat. Together, the two satellites will mass 7,200 kg. Northrop Grumman built the two satellites, which will also provide continuous and reliable communications to the northern polar regions of Earth.

There are not yet any details regarding the booster or recovery operations for this mission.

(Lead image: Launch of Starlink Group 10-4 from LC-39A. Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)

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