Rocket Launch Schedule 2016

By James | Last updated December 29, 2023

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

Click here for previous launch details for 2015.

February 5, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, GPS 2F–12

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket launched the twelfth block 2F Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) satellite for the U.S. Air Force.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–41 at 8:38 a.m.

Delayed from January 26 and February 3 and 4, 2016.

March 4, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, SES 9

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the SES 9 communications satellite.

Launch window was from 6:35 p.m. to 8:06 p.m. from launch pad SLC–40.

Delayed from July 15 and August, November and December 2015, February 6, 24, 25, 28 and March 1, 2016.

March 22, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, OA–6

The Atlas 5 rocket launched the sixth Orbital Sciences Cygnus cargo mission. The purpose of the mission was to take the fifth resupply cargo load to the International Space Station.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from March 10 and 20.

April 8, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 8

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the tenth Dragon spacecraft. The purpose of the mission was to take the eighth resupply cargo load to the International Space Station.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–40 at 4:43 p.m. EST.

This mission marked the first successful re-entry of the first stage and landing on the SpaceX autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) called “Of Course I Still Love You”, some 190 miles east of Cape Canaveral in the Atlantic Ocean.

Delayed from August 13 and September 2, 2015, January 3, February 7 and March 20, 2016.

May 6, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, JCSAT 14

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the JCSAT 14 communications satellite for the Tokyo-based SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–40.

This mission marked the second successful re-entry of the first stage and landing on the SpaceX autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS).

Delayed from late 2015 and April 28, 2016.

May 26, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Thaicom 8

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Thaicom 8 communications satellite to provide data services for Thailand, Southeast Asia, Africa and India. SpaceX were again successful in recovering the first stage when it landed on their autonomous spaceport drone ship.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–40.

Moved forward from June 2016.

June 11, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy Rocket, NROL–37

The Delta 4 Heavy rocket launched a classified payroll for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–37B.

Delayed from April 27, May 12, June 3 and 9.

June 16, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Eutelsat 117 West B & ABS 2A

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch the Eutelsat 117 West B & ABS 2A communications satellites for the French Eutelsat company.

The first stage attempted to land back on the autonomous spaceport drone ship but came in fast and hot and was destroyed.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–40.

Delayed from quarter 4 2015, March/April 2016, May 3 and late May, 2016.

June 24, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, MUOS 5

The Atlas 5 rocket launched the fifth Mobile User Objective Satellite (MUOS) for the U.S. Navy.

Launch window was from 10:30 a.m. to 11:14 a.m. from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from May 5 and May 27, 2016.

July 18, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 9

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the eleventh Dragon spacecraft. The purpose of the mission was to take the ninth resupply cargo load to the International Space Station including an adaptor that will allow both Boeing’s CST–100 Starliner capsule and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to dock. The first attempt to deliver an adaptor failed when an earlier SpaceX rocket exploded shortly after lift-off a year ago.

SpaceX successfully recovered the first stage when it landed back at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral, the second time a rocket has been recovered on land.

Launch window was at 12:45 a.m. from launch pad SLC–40.

Delayed from December 9, 2015, June 24 and 27, July 18, 2016.

July 28, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, NROL–61

The Atlas 5 rocket launched a classified payroll for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Launch was at 8:37 a.m. EDT from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from April 21, June 14 and 24. Moved forward from July 29.

August 14, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, JCSAT 16

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the JCSAT 16 communications satellite for the Tokyo-based SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation and the first stage was again successfully recovered when it landed on their autonomous spaceport drone ship.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–40 at 1:26 a.m. EDT.

August 19, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Rocket, AFSPC 6

The Delta 4 rocket launched the third and fourth satellites for the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) for the U.S. Air Force.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–37B at 12:52 a.m. EDT.

Delayed from July 21 and August 4, 2016.

September 3, 2016 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Amos 6

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was due to launch the Amos 6 communications satellite for Spacecom of Israel.

Launch window was from 3:00 to 5:30 a.m. EDT from launch pad SLC–40.

During a static firing test on September 1, a fire broke out causing an explosion which totally destroyed the Falcon 9 rocket and the $200m satellite. There were no personnel near the launchpad at the time.

This is the second failure of a Falcon 9 rocket in the last 18 months. In June 2015 a Falcon 9 rocket exploded just after launch on its way to the International Space Station.

Delayed from Q3 2015, Q1 2016, May and July.

September 8, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, OSIRIS-REx

The Atlas 5 rocket launched NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission.

OSIRIS-REx stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer and it plans to land on an asteroid called Bennu in 2018, collect surface samples and then return them to Earth in 2023.

Launch window was from 7:05 p.m. to 9:05 p.m. EDT from launch pad SLC–41.

November 4, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, GOES-R

The Atlas 5 rocket launched the first new geostationary weather satellite for NASA and NOAA.

Launch window was from 5:40 to 7:40 p.m. EDT from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from March 11 and October 13. Delayed from November 4 due to Hurricane Matthew.

December 7, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Rocket, WGS 8

The Delta 4 rocket launched the eighth Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft (Wideband Gapfiller Satellite) for the U.S. military.

Launch window was 6:53 to 7:42 p.m. EDT from launch pad SLC–37B.

Delayed from September 22, 28, October 20 and November 17, 2016. Moved forward from December 15, 2016.

December 15, 2016 – Pegasus XL CYGNSS

NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) was air launched from a Lockheed Tristar by a Pegasus XL rocket.

Air launch time was at 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.

Delayed from October 17, November 21, December 12 and 14, 2016.

December 18, 2016 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, EchoStar 19

The Atlas 5 rocket launched the EchoStar 19 communications satellite.

Launch window was from 1:22 to 3:22 EST from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from November 10, December 8 and 12, 2016.

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