LAUNCH CALENDAR:
March 24: A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket to launch GPS 2R-20 global positioning system satellite for the U.S. Air Force in a space shot staged from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Fla. 4:34-4:49 a.m. EDT (0834-0849 GMT).
March 26: A Russian Soyuz rocket to launch the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft carrying the Expedition 19 crew to the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. 7:49 a.m. EDT (1149 GMT).
March 28: An International Launch Services Proton rocket with Breeze M upper stage to launch the W2A communications satellite from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan 12:29 p.m. EDT (1629 GMT).
April 16: An Ariane 5 rocket to launch the European Space Agency’s Herschel and Planck spacecraft into orbit from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. 8:30 a.m. EDT (1239 GMT).
April 21: A SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket to launch Malaysia’s RazakSat Earth watching satelite from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean.
April 22: A Russian Soyuz rocket to launch the Pogress 33 unmanned cargo ship toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
April 24: NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7:59 p.m. EDT (2359 GMT).
April 28: A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 booster to loft the GOES-O Earth watching satellite into geosynchronous orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Fla. 6:24-7:24 p.m. EDT (2224-2324 GMT).
May 5: The Space Tracking and Surveillance System Advanced Technology Risk Reduction (STSS-ATRR) Demonstration satellite to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 booster for the Missile Defense Agency from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base.
*NET May, 12: NASA shuttle to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the STS-125 Hubble Servicing Mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. 1:11 p.m. EDT (1711 GMT).
May 25: A Russian Soyuz rocket to launch the Soyuz TMA-15 spacecraft carrying three extra Expedition 19 crewmembers (for a total of six) to the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
*NET June 13: NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the STS-127 mission to deliver a Japanese external platform to the International Space Station. 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
June 24: A Russian Soyuz rocket to launch the Pogress 34 unmanned cargo ship toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
*NET July 11: NASA’s Ares I-X test launch to blast off from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
July 30: An Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite to launch for the U.S. military from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
*NET August 6: NASA’s space shuttle Atlantis to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the STS-128 mission to deliver supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. 9:25 a.m. EDT (1325 GMT).
October 1: An Orbital Sciences Taurus rocket to launch NASA’s Glory spacecraft to study Earth’s energy balance in a space shot to lift off from Vandenberg Air Force Station in California. PENDING Orbiting Carbon Observatory launch mishap investigation.
*NET November 12: NASA’s space shuttle Discovery to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the STS-129 mission to deliver supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station.
*NET December 10: NASA’s space shuttle Discovery to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the STS-130 mission to deliver Node-3, supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station.
For a list of other upcoming 2009 launches expected in 2009, but no firm date set, GO HERE.
Courtesy of: Space.com
Gary from Jacksonville says
Four more shuttle launches this year. Great!