TWIRL 111: SpaceX dominates the flight schedule with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches

We have three launches coming up next week, there are two Falcon 9 launches planned and one Falcon Heavy launch. Each of the launches will be viewable by visiting SpaceX’s website. You can find out the details of each of these missions below. Also, be sure to check the recap section for launches you may have missed this week. Now let's crack on with This Week in Rocket Launches #111.

Tuesday, April 25

• The first launch we have next week is a Falcon 9 from SpaceX. This will be a run-of-the-mill Starlink satellite launch to help boost the broadband satellite constellation. There’s a little bit of confusion about the number of satellites being sent up on this mission, but it could be 46 satellites. Similar to other Starlink satellites, these will be coated with anti-reflective coatings to lessen disruption to astronomers. The mission will launch between 1:02 p.m. and 2:48 p.m. UTC from Vandenberg AFB in California. It will be viewable on SpaceX’s website.

Wednesday, April 26

• The day after the Falcon 9 launch, SpaceX will send up a Falcon Heavy carrying the ViaSat 3 Americas, Arcturus, and G-Space 1 communications satellites to orbit. The Falcon Heavy is a derivative of the Falcon 9 but has two side boosters which should make it a bit more interesting to watch. Apparently, all of the boosters and the centre core in this mission will be expended. Once in orbit, ViaSat 3 will provide broadband services. The launch will take place at 11:29 p.m. UTC and the launch window will stay open for an hour. It will take off from Florida this time. To view the launch, just head over to SpaceX’s website.

Friday, April 28

• Lastly, we have another SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission will take off at 9:12 p.m. UTC carrying two O3b mPOWER broadband satellites into a Medium Earth Orbit for SES. This mission too will be streamed by SpaceX.

Recap

• The first launch we got last week was the Long March 4B caring the FengYun-3G satellite from the Juiquan Satellite Launch Centre in China. The satellite is will provide services for weather forecasting, disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change response, and ecological conservation.

• Next up we saw the launch of a Falcon 9 carrying 21 Starlink satellites into a low Earth orbit.

• The third launch was the big launch of the week that you’ve probably already seen, SpaceX’s launch of Starship atop the Super Heavy booster. If you’ve not watched the launch yet, keep your eyes peeled for the great shot of the thrusters underneath the rocket while it’s flying.

• The final launch was a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from India. It was carrying the TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4 satellites.

That’s all we have for you this week, be sure to check in next time!