Rocket Launch Schedule 2017

By James | Last updated December 29, 2023

This page may contain compensated affiliate links. Please read the Disclaimer for more information

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 2016.

January 21, 2017 – United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket, SBIRS GEO 3

The Atlas V rocket launched the third U.S. military Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous satellite (SBIRS GEO 3) for early warning missile detection.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from May 26, July 27 and October 3, 2016.

February 19, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 10

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

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A.

This was a historic moment as it was the first launch from launch pad LC–39A since the Space Shuttle Atlantis flew the 135th and last ever mission on July 11, 2011.

Delayed from February 13, June 10 and August 1. Moved up from November 21, 2016. Delayed from November 11, 2016, January 22, February 8, 15 and 19, 2017.

March 16, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Echostar 23

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the EchoStar 23 communications satellite for EchoStar Corp. The mission profile did not allow SpaceX to attempt a recovery of the first stage in this instance.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A.

Delayed from Q3 and Q4, 2016, January 26, 30, February 3, 28 and March 14, 2017.

March 18, 2017 – United Launch Alliance Delta IV Rocket, WGS 8

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

Launch was from launch pad SLC–37B.

Delayed from February 2, March 2, 8 and 17, 2017.

March 30, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, SES 10

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the SES 10 communications satellite.

This was the first ever mission by SpaceX re-using the first stage booster from a previous launch and recovery.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A.

Delayed from Q3 and October, 2016, February 2017.

April 18, 2017 – United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket, Cygnus CRS OA–7

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launched the eighth Cygnus resupply cargo load to the International Space Station.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–41.

Delayed from March 9, 21 and 27, 2017.

May 1, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, NROL–76

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a classified satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A.

This was the first ever launch of an NRO satellite by SpaceX.

Delayed from April 16 and 30, 2017

May 15, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Inmarsat 5 F4

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Inmarsat 5 F4 communications satellite.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A with a launch window of 7:20 pm. to 8:10 p.m. EDT. Because of the weight of the payload, no attempt was made to recover the first stage booster.

Delayed from April 30, 2017

June 3, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS–11

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

This launch marks the 100th launch from pad LC–39A, previous home to the Saturn 5 Apollo moon launches and Space Shuttle.

The Dragon capsule had already flown before on a previous mission (CRS–4) in 2014 and the first stage booster then made a successful recovery landing at LZ–1 after the launch. This is the fifth recovery of the first stage booster back at Cape Canaveral.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A with a launch window at 5:07 p.m. EDT.

Delayed from June 2 and August 15, 2016, January 13, February 1, April 9, May 14 and 31, 2017. Launch scrubbed on June 1 due to unfavourable weather conditions.

June 23, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, BulgariaSat 1

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the BulgariaSat 1 communications satellite using a previously flown first stage booster.

SpaceX successfully landed the first stage on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) “Of Course I Still Love You”, in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the first stages second landing at sea, the first was in the Pacific having launched from Vandenberg in California.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A at 3:10 p.m. EDT.

Delayed from June 15 and 17, 2017.

July 5, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Intelsat 35e

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Intelsat 35e communications satellite.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A at 7:38 p.m. EDT.

Delayed from April and July 1, 2 and 3, 2017.

August 14, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS–12

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

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A at 12:31 p.m. EDT. The first stage successfully landed back at Cape Canaveral.

Delayed from December 15, 2016, Quarter 1, April 8, June 1 and August 10, 2017. Moved forward from August 14 to August 13 and then back to August 14 again.

August 18, 2017 – United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket, TDRS M

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launched the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) that will provide communications between Mission Control and the International Space Station and other orbiting satellites.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–41 with a launch window from 7:56 a.m. to 8:36 a.m. EDT.

Moved up from August 4, 2017 to August 3 and then delayed following an incident at the Astrotech Space Operations plant in Titusville, that damaged the Omni S-band antenna. Moved up from August 20 to August 18, 2017.

August 25, 2017 – Minotaur 4, ORS 5

An Orbital ATK Minotaur 4 rocket launched the ORS 5 for the U.S. military. The Operationally Responsive Space programme (ORS) is designed to scan space for other satellites and debris.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–46 with a launch window starting at 11:15 p.m. EDT.

Delayed from July 15, 2017.

This is the first time launch pad SLC–46 has been used since 1999.

September 7, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, OTV–5

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched one of the top-secret X–37B Orbital Test Vehicles for the US military on its fifth mission.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

Delayed from August 28.

October 11, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, SES 11/Echostar 105

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the joint SES 11/Echostar 105 communications satellite using a previously flown first stage booster.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A with a launch window from 6:53 to 8:53 p.m. EDT.

Delayed from October and November 2016, July 23, September 27, October 2, 7 and 10, 2017.

This is the third time SpaceX has re-flown a stage one booster and is the fifteenth launch of a Falcon 9 rocket in 2017. The booster made a successful landing on the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (ASDS), “Of Course I Still Love You”, offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

October 15, 2017 – United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 Rocket, NROL–52

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

Launch was from launch pad SLC–41 with a launch window from 3:28 a.m. EDT.

Because of the early launch time, there were not any launch viewing opportunities from within the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Delayed from August 31, September 25, October 5, 6, 7 and 14, 2017.

October 30, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, Koreasat 5A

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Koreasat 5A communications satellite for KTsat.

Launch was from launch pad LC–39A with a launch window from 3:34 to 5:58 p.m. EDT. The first stage booster made a successful touchdown on the on the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (ASDS), the 19th successful recovery.

Delayed from November 10 and December 8, 2016 and July 2017.

December 15, 2017 – SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 13

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the fifteenth Dragon spacecraft. The refurbished Dragon capsule previously flew in 2015.

The purpose of the mission was to take the thirteenth resupply cargo load to the International Space Station.

Both the first stage booster and the capsule itself have flown on previous missions.

Launch was from launch pad SLC–40 with a launch window of 10:36 a.m. EST.

Launchpad SLC–40 has been out of action since the explosion on September 1, 2016 which saw the total loss of both the Falcon 9 rocket and the Amos 6 satellite, during a static firing test.

Delayed from September 13, November 1, December 4, 8 and 12, 2017.

Sources

  • Kennedy Space Center
  • Space Flight Now
  • Aviation Week and Space Technology
  • SpaceX
  • United Launch Alliance

See also:- NASA tours | NASA tickets

Florida Theme Parks

Theme Park Ticket Guides