The Weekly Rocket Report #24
04/27/2025-05/04/2025
Ricky Whitmore
Space Writer
Welcome back to the Weekly Rocket Report everyone! We had an exciting week, with a variety of rockets blasting off, let's break it all down.
The week began, with a very busy day Monday. It began Monday afternoon with a Long March 5B launching from the Wenchang Launch Site in China. The payload was a batch of 10 SatNet Group 3 satellites, part of a constellation of communication satellites in polar orbit.
A little over a half hour later, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base carrying Starlink Group 11-9. The 27 satellites were successfully deployed to orbit, and the rocket’s first stage booster landed down range on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”.
Next on the list at 7PM EST was one my favorite rockets, Atlas V. On this mission, Atlas launched KA-01, the first operational batch of Project Kuiper satellites. This officially begins the Project Kuiper satellites internet constellation, a project my Amazon to rival SpaceX’s Starlink network. This mission was carrying 27 satellites, which made for the heaviest payload at Atlas V has ever carried.
Atlas V launches KA-01. Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance.
Not to be outdone, Falcon 9 launched another Starlink mission from the Cape a few hours later. Starlink Group 12-10 consisted of 23 satellites put into LEO. Following stage separation the Falcon booster returned to Earth, landing on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas”.
Moving to the early morning hours of Tuesday, another infrequent launcher took to the skies. Vega C blasted off from the Guiana Space Center carrying Biomass to sun synchronous orbit. The payload, as you may have guessed, is designed to study the carbon and biomass in forests across the world. This will help determine their affect on Climate Change and the Earth’s carbon cycle.
Vega C launches Biomass. Photo Credit: ESA.
Next up we come to Firefly Alpha. The small launcher took off from Vandenberg Tuesday morning on a mission called “Message in a Booster” (Any Police fans here?). The payload was a demo mission for a new satellite bus designed by Lockheed Martin. Unfortunately, the mission in failure after Alpha’s second stage engine nozzle was lost causing a drastic reduction in second stage thrust. Because of this the second stage, and its payload were unable to attain orbital velocity. It has been a checkered road for Firefly, and it will be interesting to see how they bounce back in the future.
Alpha prior to the launch of “Message in a Booster”. The launch was unsuccessful. Photo Credit: Firefly Aerospace.
Jumping to Thursday we had another Starlink launch, this time Starlink Group 6-75. Falcon 9 took 28 satellites to orbit, and the first stage booster returned to Earth, landing on the drone ship “Just Read The Instructions”.
Finally, we end the week early Sunday morning with one more Starlink launch. Starlink Group 6-84 saw Falcon 9 lifting 29 internet satellites into orbit. Following the completion of its boost phase the first stage separated and returned to land on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas”.
That marks the end of the week everyone, definitely an exciting one. As much as I like a good Falcon 9 launch, it is great to see other launch vehicles making appearances to spice things up. Plus, if you know me, you know any ULA launch makes it a good week for me. As of right now the only thing on the schedule for next week is Starlink launches but who knows what will come up in the meantime. Whatever happens I’ll be back here to cover it all on the Weekly Rocket Report!
As always feel free to write to me at rickyew2112@gmail.com, or find me on X @Rickyew2112
Sic Itur Ad Astra
(Thus They Journey to the Stars)