Here is your one-stop shop for space launches with our October launch schedule. This month sees at least 42 satellites launched, 3 launches to space stations, 1 spacecraft launched and 1 test flight. Read on to find out more!
Last updated: November 4th 2021
Satellite Launches
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 14th OneWeb 11 : 36 OneWeb satellites launch aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia at 10:40 BST. They will form part of their broadband network. Delayed from September 18th.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 14th Xihe : China launch the Xihe satellite, also known as the Chinese Hydrogen Alpha Solar Explorer (CHASE), from Taiyun, China at 11:51 BST. It will launch aboard a Long March 2D rocket.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 24th Shijian 21 : A Long March 3B rocket launches the Shijian 21 satellite for China. It will launch from Xichang, China at 02:27 BST.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 24th SES 17 & Syracuse 4A : Arianespace use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket to launch 2 communication satellites, SES 17 and Syracuse 4A. Both were built by Thales Alenis Space. SES 17 is for SES of Luxembourg and Syracuse 4A is for the French military. They will launch from Kourou, French Guiana between 02:01 and 04:30 BST. Delayed from September and October 22nd.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 25th Jilin 1 Gaofen 02F : A small satellite will be added to the Jilin 1 Earth observation constellation, launching aboard a Chinese Kuaizhou 1A rocket from Taiyuan, China at about 07:20 BST. The constellation is owned by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. Delayed from October 22nd.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 26th QZS 1R : Built by Mitsubushu Electric Corp., the QZS 1R satellite will replace Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System. It will launch aboard a Japanese H-2A rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, Japan between 03:00 and 04:00 BST. Delayed from October 25th.
Launches to Space Stations
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 5th ISS 65S : Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, film director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Pereslid will make their way to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft. They will launch aboard a Russian government Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan at 09:55 BST. Delayed from September 22nd.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 15th Shenzhou 13 : 3 Chinese astronauts make their way to the Chinese space station from Jiuquan, China at 17:23 BST. They will launch aboard a Chinese Long March 2F rocket.
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 28th Progress 79P : A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 79th Progress cargo delivery to the International Space Station. It will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan at 01:00 BST. Delayed from August 21st.
Spacecraft Launches
- LAUNCH SUCCESS 16th Lucy : NASA’s Lucy spacecraft launches aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin and led by the Southwest Research Institute and will fly by seven Trojan asteroids. It will launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida between 10:34 and 11:49 BST.
Test Flights
- LAUNCH FAILURE 21st Test Flight : A KSLV 2 rocket is launched on its first attempt by South Korea. Developed by the Korean Aerospace Research Institute, it will carry a dummy payload from Naro Space Center, South Korea at 09:00 BST.