Orlando—The Space Coast saw a record number of launches from the two facilities with 57 in 2022. Space Launch Delta 45 commander Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy said in January that there could be between 86 and 92 potential launches in 2023.
February
No earlier than Feb. 26: Crew-6 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching Crew Dragon Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A. Flying will be NASA astronauts mission commander Stephen Bowen and pilot Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, heading to the International Space Station for around a six-month stay. It’s the sixth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
TBD, but targeting early 2023: Relativity Space Terran-1, a 3D-printed rocket awaiting company’s first-ever launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 16.
March
TBD, but as early as March: Polaris Dawn mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with the Crew Dragon Resilience. The private orbital mission will bring billionaire Jared Isaacman to space for a second time after 2021′s Inspiration4 mission. It’s the first of up to three planned Polaris missions, and will feature a tethered spacewalk. Also flying are Scott Poteet, given the title of mission pilot, specialist Sarah Gillis, and specialist and medical officer Anna Menon. Both Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees.
TBD, targeting before the end of March: First-ever launch of United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Certification-1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41: Slated to carry commercial company Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the moon, and the first two test satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet constellation. Also flying will be another human remains payload for Celestis Inc.,, this time brining the ashes of more than 150 people to space including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan who played “Scotty” on the TV series.
April
TBD, as early as April: Boeing CST-100 Starliner atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station.
May
TBD, as early as May: Axiom 2 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with a Crew Dragon to be named from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A: The second Axiom Space private mission to the International Space Station following 2022′s Axiom 1 mission. Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will command with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission. The names of those two have not been released.
October
TBD in October: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy to send NASA’s Psyche probe into space launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A. The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029. Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away.
Upcoming: TBD In 2023
TBD, the first half of 2023: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A on USSF-52, the third mission for the Space Force.
TBD, the first half of 2023: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A to launch the ViaSat-3 Americas’ communications satellite.
TBD, the first half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on USSF 51 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, fall 2023: Crew-7 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching a Crew Dragon from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A. It’s the seventh SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Flying are NASA astronaut and mission commander Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut and pilot Andreas Mogensen, JAXA astronaut and mission specialist Satoshi Furukawa, Roscosmos cosmonaut and mission specialist Konstantin Borisov.
TBD, second half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on first of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, second half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on second of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, second half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on third of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD before end of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, before end of 2023: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A to launch a telecom satellite for Hughes Network Systems called the Jupiter 3
TBD, before end of 2023: United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on the NROL-68 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37-B.
Already Launched In 2023
Jan. 3: A Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-6 mission carrying 114 payloads for a variety of customers blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:56 a.m.
Jan. 9: A Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb at 11:50 p.m. Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40.
Jan. 15: The fifth-ever flight of the powerhouse Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off at 5:56 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A on a mission for the Space Force dubbed USSF-67.
Jan. 18: A Falcon 9 on the GPS III Space Vehicle 06 mission for the Space Force rose through the pink, orange and blue horizon at 7:24 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40.
