The Weekly Rocket Report #55
12/08/2025-12/14/2025
Ricky Whitmore
Space Writer
Hello Everyone, it is Weekly Rocket Report Time! Busy week as predicted so lets break it all down shall we?
The week begins at the Taiyuan Launch Center in China, with the launch of Long March 6A. The rocket was launching SatNet LEO Group 15, adding a small batch of 5 communication satellites to their polar orbit constellation.
Next on the list was Falcon 9 launching Starlink Group 6-92 from the Cape. The 29 satellites were deployed successfully and the rocket’s booster landed downrange on the drone ship “A Shortfall Of Gravitas” following stage separation.
Finishing off Monday was another launch from CASC. Long March 4B launched Yaogan 47, a “remote sensing” satellite for the Chinese military.
Moving to Tuesday we stay in China for another Long March launch. This time Long March 3B/E launched TJSW-22, satellite claimed to be for “communications”. As is per usual it is a Chinese military satellite and its actual mission is not known.
Speaking of classified military satellites, we travel back to the United States for the launch of NROL—77. Launched by Falcon 9 Tuesday afternoon on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office. The mission is obviously classified but it is assumed to be a Ocean Surveillance satellite to support the US Navy. Following stage separation the Falcon’s booster flew back to the Cape, touching down at LZ-2.
Falcon 9 launches NROL-77. Photo Credit: SpaceX.
One more launch on Tuesday, and we bounce back to China and the much used Jiuquan Launch Center. For the 5th time this year Kinetica 1 took off carrying 9 satellites bound for Sun Synchronous Orbit. The list of satellites carried by the CAS Space rocket is as follows: Satellite 813 (on behalf of the United Arab Emirates), Jilin-1, Gaofen 07B-01/07C-01/07D-01, Dongpo-15, Yixing-2 09, Yixian-A, SPNEX (on behalf of Egypt), and Slipper2Sat (on behalf of Nepal).
Kinetica 1 launches 9 satellites. Photo Credit: Weibo.
On to Wednesday and back to Falcon 9 for the liftoff of Starlink Group 15-11. The launch put 27 more satellites in orbit, and returned its booster back to Earth where it landed on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”.
Sticking with Falcon 9 Thursday began with the launch of Starlink Group 6-90. This mission added another 29 satellites to the Starlink constellation, and saw its booster return and land on the drone ship “Just Read The Instructions”.
Another launch on Thursday, and another launch of internet satellites, once again, from China. SatNet LEO Group 16 and its batch of communication satellites rode a Long March 12 to orbit.
Long March 12 launches SatNet LEO Group 16. Photo Credit: CNSA.
Friday evening ExPace got back into the mix, with Kuaizhou 11 launching DEAR-5. The rocket was carrying a microgravity experiment payload on behalf of the company AZSPACE.
Kuaizhou 11 launches DEAR-5. Photo Credit: https://x.com/CNSpaceflight.
Saturday night Electron took to the skies carrying 4 JAXA satellites on a mission called RAISE and Shine. The payload was a demonstration mission with multiple cube sats being launched, a replacement for Raise 3, which was unsuccessful.
Electron launches RAISE and Shine. Photo Credit: Rocket Lab.
The final launch of the week came from Falcon 9, which launched Starlink Group 15-12. The first stage returned successfully to the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You”, and the second stage successfully deployed its 27 satellites.
There we go once again everyone, another week of launches, and another busy one. Very busy week on the satellite internet launches, with 6 launches dedicated to them in the week. Next week there seems to be a lot to look forward to, including Atlas V, H3, New Shepard, Electron, Ariane 6, and more! I will see you back here next week to talk about all of it!
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)