As we embrace 2019 with open arms, we hope that the year would be better and more happening than the year gone by and herald path-breaking innovations in the realm of space.
A large number of satellites and spacecraft will be lifted and sent into orbital this year, and this will enhance our understanding of space and other phenomena on earth that impact us, including climate change, natural disasters, and agricultural patterns and foster an enabling mechanism for new disruptions.
Let’s have a look at the major satellite launches for 2019
January 2019
United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch the massive payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office in a mission called NROL-71 from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex in California on January 6.
Iridium Next satellite constellation, which is a series of communication satellites, will be launched aboard Space X Falcon 9. The launch is supposed to take place on January 8.
On January 17, SpaceX is expected to launch its crewed Dragon 2 spacecraft on its first test flight named Demonstration Mission 1 (DM-1).
ISRO will launch the small satellite EMISAT mission aboard a PSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India.
Blue Origin New Shepard NS-1O will take off from Van Horn, Texas. The mission will be carrying 9 NASA sponsored payloads.
JAXA will launch Epsilon-4 with Rapid-1 and MicroDragon satellites as payload on January 17 from Mu Center, Uchinoura, Japan. MicroDragon is a Vietnamese scientific satellite.
February 2019
Arianespace’s Ariane 5 will blast from Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on February 5, carrying GSAT-31 and HellasSat-4/ SaudiGeoSat-1, which is Saudi Arabian government satellite. It will provide advanced telecommunications capabilities in the Middle East.
Space X Falcon 9 will launch RSM Radasat constellation, which is a Canadian Earth Observation satellite, on February 19 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
On February 21 ROSCOSMOS Soyuz-2 will launch EgyptSat-A.
Space X Falcon Heavy Space Test Program 2 is expected to be launched in February end.
ArianeSpace Vega will launch Italian Earth Observation satellite PRISMA from French Guiana.
Cartosat-3 & NEMO-AM will take off aboard ISRO PSLV from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India.
March 2019
Progress MS-11 (72P), which will be carrying ISS cargo, will be launched aboard Soyuz-2 from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Arabsat- 6A, a Saudi Arabian communication satellite, will be launched aboard Space X Falon Heavy.
Indian Eath Observation satellite RISAT-2BR1 will be launched aboard ISRO PSLV.
Panet Dove-Flock-x will be launched aboard Electron from New Zealand.
Electron will also carry BlackSky Global 4 Earth Observation satellite.
April 2019
Long March 5 will carry Shijan-20 from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in China
On April 17, Northrop Grumman Antares wil launch CRS NG-11E (Cygnus) from MidAtlantic Regional Spaceport in USA.
ROSCOSMOS Proton-M will launch Spektr-RG mission
ROSCOSMOS Soyuz-2 will also carry Meteor-M, a meteorology satellite, from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Blue Origin New Shepard will carry Crewed Test Flight-1
May 2019
CRS SpX-18 (Dragon) will be launched aboard Space X Falcon 9 on May 7
EDRS-C/HYLAS-3, which is a communication satellite, will be launched aboard ArianeSpace Ariane 5
ROSCOSMOS Proton-M will carry Eutelsat 5 West B & MEV-1 communication satellites.
June 2019
Northrop Grumman Minotaur 1 will carry NROL-111 from Mid-Atlantic Space Centre in Virginia.
AMOS-17 which will provide coverage to Africa will be launched aboard Space X Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
ArianeSpace Ariane 5 will launch IntelSat-39
AEHF-5 will be launched aboard United Launch Alliance Atlas V
Cartosat-3A, which is an Earth Observation satellite, will be launched on ISRO PSLV
July 2019
HTV-8 will be launched aboard JAXA H-2B from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
CST-100 Starliner (Boe-CFT) will be launched aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V
Soyuz MS-14 (Test Flight) will lift off on ROSCOSMOS Soyuz-2 from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
August 2019
CST-100 Starliner crew capsule (Boe-CFT) would be launched aboard Atlas 5
September 2019
GISAT Earth Observation satellite to be launched aboard ISRO GSLV.
CSG-1 & CHEOPS to be launched by ArianeSpace aboard Soyuz -2 from French Guiana
October 2019
Bars-M3 reconnaissance satellite will be launched aboard Soyuz-2 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Note: We will keep on updating the list with the announcement of new launch schedules.
