Jonathan's Space Report
No. 849 draft 2025 Aug 17 Somerville, MA, USA
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Library Relocation
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The date of my departure to the UK is slipping at about the rate that the JWST launch date used to slip.
Still hoping for a positive update in about a month, but looks likely that I won't be moving till the new year.
International Space Station
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Expedition 73 continues.
On Aug 24 Dragon cargo mission CRS-33 was launched by Falcon 9 from Canaveral. The Dragon trunk
is equipped with a new propulsion system featuring two Draco thrusters to help with ISS orbit reboosts.
The Dragon carries the J-SSOD 32 deployer with five Japanese university/amateur cubesats.
Dragon CRS-33 docked at IDA-2 at 1105 UTC Aug 25. It performed its first ISS reboost at 1815 UTC Sep 3, with
an expected delta-V of 0.5 m/s.
Progress MS-30 undocked on Sep 9 at 1545 UTC and was deorbited over the
Pacific Ocean with entry at around 1930 UTC Sep 9.
The Progress MS-32 cargo ship was launched on 2025 Sep 11. Its cargo includes spacesuit Orlan-MKS No. 7.
Progress MS-32 docked with Zvezda at 2023 UTC Sep 13.
Northrop Grummann's Cygnus NG-23 cargo ship, S.S. Willie McCool, was launched on 2025 Sep 14 by Falcon 9
from Canaveral. It is the first Cygnus XL version, 7.9m long 3.0m dia.
Starship Flight 10
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SpaceX carried out the 10th flight test of Starship on 2025 Aug 26, with liftoff
of Booster 16 and Ship 37 around 2330:03 UTC. The booster reached an altitude of about 90 km,
flying successfully despite one unplanned engine shutdown. It completed successful
hot-staging at T+2m44s, and performed a boostback burn from T+2:50 to T+2:37. The hotstage
ring was jettisoned at 70 km altitude at T+4:47. Booster performed a landing burn
to reach a low velocity touchdown in the Gulf of Mexico at T+6:50.
Ship 37 completed its ascent with shutdown at T+8:53 into an orbit with 192 km apogee.
I estimate the perigee to have been +2 plus or minus 7 km. Since the perigee is within
the atmosphere, I do not characterize the flight as orbital, but 'marginally orbital'.
It will not be cataloged by Space Force or given an international designation; I give
it one of my 'special' launch designations, 2025-U03.
The Ship carried eight dummy Starlink V3 satellites which were deployed
from the payload bay at approximately T+19:20, T+19:50, T+21:00,
T+21:35, T+22:42, T+23:18, T+24:24, and T+25:00. The deployments looked
a bit rickety, with some hitting the door on the way out, but
apparently were successful overall. The dummy sats were on the same 2 x
192 km trajectory and were destroyed on reentry over the Indian Ocean near 76E 26S at
about 0017 UTC Aug 27.
Ship reached its 192 km apogee at T+23 min. On descent passing through
145 km (T+37:50), it made a brief Raptor restart burn, perhaps around
22 m/s posigrade, increasing the orbit from around 2 x 192 km to 47 x
220 km.
Ship passed the 120 km nominal entry interface at T+42min. At 90 km
(T+47:00) part of the aft skirt suffered a structural failure and
disintegrated. However, despite this and some heat damage to the flaps,
the flight continued in a controlled manner, with a soft vertical
touchdown on the Indian Ocean near 107E 19S at T+1:06:30 (0036:38 UTC).
As expected, about 8 seconds later the Ship toppled over and exploded.
Starlink launches
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Starlink Group 17-5 (24 Ku sats) was launched on Aug 18 from Vandenberg.
Starlink Group 17-6 (24 Ku sats) was launched on Aug 22 from Vandenberg.
Starlink Group 10-56 (28 Ku sats) was launched on Aug 27 from Canaveral.
Starlink Group 10-11 (28 Ku sats) was launched on Aug 30 from Canaveral.
Starlink Group 17-7 (24 Ku sats) was launched on Aug 30 from Vandenberg.
Starlink Group 10-14 (28 Ku sats) was launched on Aug 31 from Canaveral.
Starlink Group 17-8 (24 Ku sats) was launched on Sep 3 from Vandenberg.
Starlink Group 10-22 (28 Ku sats) was launched on Sep 3 from Canaveral.
Starlink Group 10-57 (28 Ku sats) was launched on Sep 5 from Kennedy.
Starlink Group 17-9 (24 Ku sats) was launched on Sep 5 from Vandenberg.
Starlink Group 17-10 (24 Ku sats) was launched on Sep 13 from Vandenberg.
Other F9 launches
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On Aug 22 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Kennedy carrying OTV-8, the eight flight of the US Space
Force X-37B robot spaceplane. A secondary payload with an unknown mission, LIMASAT, was
also placed in orbit, probably ejected from the OTV service module.
On Aug 26 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg with the Luxembourg government's NAOS
imaging satellite. NAOS is owned by the Luxembourg Ministry of the Armed Forces and operated by LUXEOPs
(a RHEA System, LUXSPACE and OHB consortium). Several rideshare payloads were also carried
aboard a Transporter-9-class dispenser: Pelican 3 and 4 (300a and 300b) for Planet
were deployed in the same orbit as NAOS. The remaining payloads were deployed after
two further stage 2 burns: Firefly 4, 5 and 6
for Pixxel (India), LEAP-1, a hosted payload carrier for Dhruva Space (India), and Capella 16 (Acadia 6),
an X-band radar sat for Capella Space.
On Sep 10 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg carrying 21 Transport Layer communications
satellites built by York Space Systems for the US DoD Space Development Agency (SDA) as part of its
Tranche 1 system.
On Sep 12 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Canaveral with Indonesia's Nusantara Lima comms satellite.
Nusantara Lima (N-5) is a Boeing 702MP with a launch mass of around 5550 kg.
SAST launches
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SAST (CASC 8th Academy, Shanghai) launched a CZ-4C from Xichang on Aug 17 with the Shiyan 28B-02 satellite,
built by SECM.
SAST launched a CZ-6A from Taiyuan on Aug 17 with the Weixing Hulianwang Digui 09 zu Weixing (SatNet
LEO Group 9) satellites, built by CAST.
SAST launched a CZ-6A from Taiyuan on Sep 6 with the three Yaogan 40 hao 03 zu satellites, probably
for signals intelligence.
CALT launches
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CALT (CASC 1st Academy. Beijing) launched a CZ-8A from Hainan on Aug 25 with the Weixing Hulianwang Digui 10 zu
Weixing (SatNet LEO Group 10) satellites.
CALT launched a CZ-3C from Xichang on Sep 5 with a YZ-1 upper stage, placing the Shiyan 29
satellite in an inclined synchronous orbit. The CZ-3C third stage was left in subsync transfer orbit.
CALT launched a CZ-7A from Wenchang on Sep 9 with the Yaogan 45 satellite. The CZ-7A second stage
made a single burn to deploy YG-45 in a 203 x 7468 km x 20.0 deg orbit.
CAS Space launches
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CAS Space's Lijian-1 flight Y10 was launched from Jiuquan on Aug 19, placing seven sats in orbit:
AIRSAT-05 (Zhongke-1 05 = Haishao 2), an X-band radar sat for Zhongke Weixing Keji Jituan
Tianyan-26, an imaging remote sensing sat for Navi Beidou IT Co Ltd (Xi'an) and Tianlian Cekong Jihsu.
Duogongfeng 2-01, 2-02, 2-03, test satellites (possibly with student experiments?) from the PLA Academy of
Military Science and the National University of Defense Technology.
ThumbSat-1 and 2, 0.1 kg femtosatellites from ThumbSat (Tijuana, Mexico).
Bion-M
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On Aug 20 Roskosmos launched a Soyuz-2-1b with the Bion-M No. 2 spacecraft.
Bion-M No. 2 consists of a recoverable cabin using the venerable Vostok sphere design, with a Yantar-class service module.
The cabin has a life sciences payload including 75 mice.
Angara-1.2
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On Aug 21 the Russian Defense Ministry launched four small satellites aboard an Angara-1.2 rocket
to a 0110 LTDN sun-synch orbit. Three of the satellites were tracked in a 321 x 337 km x 96.6 deg orbit.
Space Force reports one object in a 287 x 957 km orbit, which is unexpected and I'll be looking for
updated orbit data to confirm this.
Electron
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On Aug 24 Rocket Lab launched an Electron from Mahia carrying five secret commercial satellites.
The satellites are likely either for Echostar Australia or E-Space.
Shaviyt
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On Sep 2 Israel launched a Shaviyt westward from Palmachim AFB, placing the 'Ofeq-19 spy sat in retrograde orbit.
Commercial Chinese launches
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On Sep 3 Xinghe Dongli launched a Gushenxing-1 from Jiuquan. It carried four payloads:
Kaiyun 1, from Kaiyun Lianhe Xinxi Jishu Jituan Gufen YG (Kaiyun United Information Tech Group Co Ltd),
with a space surveillance payload.
Yunyao-1 27, from Yunyao Yuhan Keji YG, with a GNSS-RO meteorology payload,
Yuxing-3 08, with a tech payload and an imaging payload, owned by an unknown organization.
Aishenxing LSP, a hosted payload platform from Xinghe Dongli attached to the GSX-1 final stage.
A China Long March Rocket Co. Jielong-3 was launched from the DFHT barge
near Rizhao on Sep 8 with the 5th batch of Geely autonomous-driving-support satellites.
Glonass
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Russia launched a Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat from Plesetsk on Sep 13 carrying a Glonass navigation satellite
and the Mozhaets-6 experimental satellite; the satellites were given the code names Kosmos-2595 and Kosmos-2596.
Table of Recent Orbital (and near-Orbital) Launches
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Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL. Catalog Perigee Apogee Incl Notes
Aug 13 0037 METOP SG-A1 Ariane 62 Kourou Weather 172 802 x 806 x 97.7
Aug 13 0056 USA 554 Vulcan VC4S Canaveral LC41 Tech 173 35700 x 35800 x 0?
NTS 3 Nav 173 35700 x 35800 x 0?
Aug 13 0643 Weixing Hulianwang Digui 08 Chang Zheng 5B/YZ2 Wenchang LC101 Comms 174 1080 x 1110 x 86.5
Aug 14 0505 Starlink Group 17-4 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 175 265 x 278 x 97.6
Aug 14 1229 Starlink Group 10-20 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 176 264 x 275 x 53.2
Aug 15 0117 Weixing Hulianwang Jishu 07 Zhuque-2 Jiuquan LC96A Unk F07 -5000?x500? x50
Aug 17 0855 Shiyan 28B-02 Chang Zheng 4C Xichang LC3 EO Sci? 177A 792 x 797 x 11.0
Aug 17 1415 Weixing Hulianwang Digui 09 Chang Zheng 6A Taiyuan Comms 178 985 x 1010 x 86.5
Aug 18 1627 Starlink Group 17-5 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 179 265 x 278 x 97.6
Aug 19 0733 Zhongke-1 05 (Haishao-2) Lijian-1 Jiuquan Radar 180 520 x 540 x 97.5
Tianyan-26 Imaging 180
DGS 2-01 Tech? 180
DGS 2-02 Tech? 180
DGS 2-03 Tech? 180
ThumbSat-1 Tech 180
ThumbSat-2 Edu 180
Aug 20 1713 Bion-M No. 2 Soyuz-2-1b Baykonur LC31 LifeSci 181A 191 x 347 x 96.9
Aug 21 0932 Kosmos (4) Angara 1.2 Plesetsk Imaging? 182 321 x 337 x 96.6
Aug 22 0350 X-37B OTV-8 Falcon 9 Kennedy LC39A Spaceplane 183A 327 x 334 x 49.5
LIMASAT Unknown 183B 334 x 339 x 49.4
Aug 22 1704 Starlink Group 17-6 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 184 266 x 280 x 97.6
Aug 23 2242 UNKNOWN Electron Mahia LC1A ? 185A 654 x 668 x 98.0
Aug 24 0645 Dragon CRS-33 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Cargo 186A 374 x 377 x 51.6
Aug 25 1908 Weixing Hulianwang Digui 10 Chang Zheng 8A Hainan LC1 Comms 187 866 x 877 x 50.0
Aug 26 1853 NAOS Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Imaging 188A 458 x 464 x 97.3
Firefly 4, 5, 6 Imaging 188 595 x 603 x 97.8
Pelican 300a and 300b Imaging 188 458 x 464 x 97.3
LEAP-1 Tech 188 595 x 603 x 97.8
Capella 16 Radar 188 595 x 603 x 97.8
Aug 26 2330 Starship 37 (FT10) Starship Starbase OLP1 Test U03 2? x 192 x 26.5
Aug 27 1110 Starlink Group 10-56 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 189 262 x 276 x 53.2
Aug 28 0812 Starlink Group 10-11 Falcon 9 Kennedy LC39A Comms 190 265 x 276 x 53.2
Aug 30 0459 Starlink Group 17-7 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 191 266 x 279 x 97.6
Aug 31 1149 Starlink Group 10-14 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 192 265 x 274 x 53.2
Sep 2 1930 'Ofeq-19 Shaviyt Palmachim Radar 193 220? x 300? x 139?
Sep 3 0351 Starlink Group 17-8 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 194 266 x 279 x 97.6
Sep 3 1156 Starlink Group 10-22 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 195 259 x 269 x 53.2
Sep 5 0234 Shiyan 29 Chang Zheng 3C/YZ1 Xichang Tech 196 35799 x 36572 x 28.5
Sep 5 1130 Kaiyun-1 Gushenxing-1 Jiuquan SSA 197 492 x 513 x 97.4
Yuxing 3-08 Imaging 197 492 x 513 x 97.4
Yunyao-1 27 Met 197 492 x 513 x 97.4
Aisehnxing LSP Tech 197 492 x 513 x 97.4
Sep 5 1232 Starlink Group 10-57 Falcon 9 Kennedy LC39A Comms 198 262 x 272 x 53.2
Sep 6 1634 Yaogan 40-03-01 Chang Zheng 6A Taiyuan Sigint? 199A 796 x 813 x 86.0
Yaogan 40-03-02 Sigint? 199B
Yaogan 40-03-03 Sigint? 199C
Sep 6 1806 Starlink Group 17-9 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 200 255 x 268 x 97.6
Sep 8 1948 Geely Group 05 Jielong-3 DFHT, Rizhao Commms 201 584 x 603 x 50.0
Sep 9 0200 Yaogan 45 Chang Zheng 7A Wenchang LC201 ? 202A 203 x 7468 x 20.0
Sep 10 1412 T1TL-B 01 to 21 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 203
Sep 11 1554 Progress MS-32 Soyuz-2-1a Baykonur LC31 Cargo 204A 187 x 219 x 51.7
Sep 12 0156 Nusantara Lima Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 205A 249 x 15729 x 26.5
Sep 13 0210 Kosmos-2595 (Glonass) Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat Plesetsk LC43/3 Nav 206B 19136 x 19156 x 64.8
Kosmos-2596 (Mozhaets-6) Nav 206A
Sep 13 1755 Starlink Group 17-10 Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Comms 207 255 x 269 x 97.6
Sep 14 2211 Cygnus NG-23 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Cargo 208A
Table of Recent Suborbital Launches
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Aug 12 1000 RockSat-X Terrier Imp.Mal. Wallops Education 160? Atlantic
Aug 20 Agni RV Agni V Chandipur IC 4 Test 800 Indian Ocean
Aug 22 0610 CPS FT-3R? STARS ICBM-T1? Kodiak Hypersonic 500? Kwajalein
Aug 28 0243 TOMEX+ 41.123CE Terrier Imp.Orion Wallops LA2 ARC Atmospheric 154? Atlantic
Aug 28 0244 TOMEX+ 41.124CE Terrier Imp.Orion Wallops LA2 MRL Atmospheric 154? Atlantic
Aug 28 0248 TOMEX+ 36.335CE Black Brant 9 Wallops LA2 50K Atmospheric 135? Atlantic
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| Jonathan McDowell | |
| Somerville MA 02143 | inter : planet4589 at gmail |
| USA | twitter: @planet4589 |
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