Independent guide and review of Florida as a holiday destination

LAUNCH UPDATES

May 11, 2009

The Space Shuttle Atlantis has lifted off on the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

April 3, 2009

The Atlas 5 Rocket carrying the second of five Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft (WGS) for the US military blasted off from pad SLC-41.

April 1, 2009

The launch of the Atlas 5 Rocket (WGS SV2) has been pushed back to April 3.

March 31, 2009

The Space Shuttle Atlantis has reached launch pad 39A ready for its launch on May 12 to complete the final servicing mission of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Space Shuttle Endeavour will be rolled out to launchpad 39B on April 10 as a backup.

March 28, 2009

The Space Shuttle Discovery has landed at 3:14 pm EDT back at the Kennedy Space Center following a delay caused by the weather at Kennedy.

March 26, 2009

The Space Shuttle Discovery is due to land back at the Kennedy Space Center at 1:43 p.m. EDT on Saturday, March 28 at the end of a 13 day mission.

March 25, 2009

The Space Shuttle Atlantis will move to the launch pad on Tuesday, March 31 in preparation for its launch on May 12 to complete the final servicing mission of the Hubble Space Telescope.

March 24, 2009

A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 launched the seventh NAVSTAR GPS Block 2R military navigation satellite from launch pad SLC-17A.

March 18, 2009

The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket with the WGS SV2 satellite has been scrubbed following an abnormal leak rate in the Centaur upper stage oxidizer valve.

March 15, 2009

The Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off at 7:43 pm EST on the start of the 28th mission to the International Space Station.

More launch details

Rocket/Space Shuttle Launch Schedule 2009

If you ever get the opportunity to watch the launch of a rocket or space shuttle then you do not want to miss it; it is an experience of a lifetime. Words cannot describe the sounds of a space shuttle blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center.

Upcoming Launch Schedule for 2009 and beyond

All launch dates are provisionally and are subject to change, you should always check with the Kennedy Space Center before making a special trip.

Atlantis STS-98 night-time launch Atlantis/STS-98 night-time launch April 2001 [courtesy of NASA]

Previous launch details can be found here.

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July 11, 2009 - Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-127 (ISS-2J/A)

The 29th mission to the International Space Station will deliver the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM EF), Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module - Exposed Section (ELM-ES) and Spacelab Pallet - Deployable 2 (SLP-D2).

Endeavour was prepared as an emergency rescue craft for the Atlantis servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope but was not required.

Launch was originally set for June 13 but was scrubbed because of a gas leak from a hydrogen venting system on the external tank. The launch was rescheduled for June 17 but cancelled again after further leaks were detected. Provisional launch time is for 7:39 pm EDT on July 11 from launch pad LC-39A.

Rescheduled from May 15, to June 13, 2009, because of the Atlantis mission on May 11/12. Delayed again from June 17, 2009.

August 12, 2009 - United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, PAN (AV018)

The Atlas 5 mission is a classified satellite for the U.S. government. No further details are available.

Launch is from launch pad SLC-41 between 4:02 and 7:02 pm EDT. Delayed from July 17.

August 17, 2009 - United Launch Alliance Delta 2 Rocket, STSS

The Delta 2 mission is a tracking technology demonstrator for the Missile Defense Agency as part of a ballistic missile defense system (Space Tracking and Surveillance System).

Launch is scheduled for launch pad SLC-17A at 8:49 am EDT.

Delayed from November 25, 2007, April, July 16, November 13 and 20, 2008 and January 23, June 16 and July 29, 2009.

No earlier than August 18, 2009 - Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-128 (ISS-17A)

The 30th mission to the International Space Station will deliver the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), Three crew quarters, galley, second treadmill (TVIS2) and Crew Health Care System 2 (CHeCS 2).

Launch time is provisionally set for 4:25 am EDT from launch pad LC-39A.

Originally planned for Discovery, switched to Atlantis and then back to Discovery. Delayed from July 30 and August 6 and 7.

August 21, 2009 - United Launch Alliance Delta 2 Rocket, GPS 2R-21 (M8)

A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 will launch the eighth NAVSTAR GPS Block 2R military navigation satellite from launch pad SLC-17.

Delayed from September 11 and December 18, 2008.

Not before August 20, 2009 - NASA Ares I-X

This is the first launch of the new NASA Ares I-X Constellation launch vehicle on a sub-orbital test flight. The Ares programme will eventually return astronauts to the moon and replace the space shuttle.

Launch will be from launch pad LC-39B sometime between August 20 and 31.

Delayed from July 11, 2009.

Summer 2009 - United Launch Alliance Delta 5 Rocket, Intelsat 14

A United Launch Alliance Delta 5 Rocket will launch the Intelsat 14 commercial communications satellite.

Launch will be from launch pad SLC-41.

Summer 2009 - United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Rocket, WGS 3

A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 heavy rocket will launch the third of five Wideband Global SATCOM satellite (WGS) for the US military from launch pad SLC-37B.

Delayed from November 2008.

October 14, 2009 - United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, SDO

The Atlas 5 mission is to launch NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) as part of the space agency's Living With a Star (LWS) Program.

Launch will be from launch pad SLC-37B.

Delayed from December 2008. Moved up from January 26, 2010 to take the Mars Science Laboratory launch slot.

November 12, 2009 - Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-129 (ISS-ULF3)

The 31st mission to the International Space Station will deliver the EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 1 (ELC1) and EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 2 (ELC2).

Launch time is provisionally set for 4:22 pm EDT from launch pad LC-39A.

Originally planned for Endeavour. Delayed from October 15.

Late 2009 - United Launch Alliance Delta 5 Rocket, X-37B

A United Launch Alliance Delta 5 Rocket will launch the Pentagon's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle space plane prototype.

Late 2009 - United Launch Alliance Delta 2 Rocket, GPS 2F-1

A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 will launch the first GPS Block 2F military navigation satellite from launch pad SLC-37B.