SpaceX Plans At Least 32 Launches Through 2015

Doug Messier CCDev, COTS, Dragon, News, SpaceX 3 Comments
Dragon floats down under three parachutes after its maiden flight to space. (Credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX has a busy schedule ahead for its Falcon 1e and Falcon 9 rockets, with at least 32 launches scheduled through 2015. The highlights:

  • At least 23 Falcon 9 launches
  • 14 Falcon 9/Dragon COTS flights for NASA (including 2 demo missions)
  • At least 8 Falcon 9 satellite launches
  • Multiple Falcon 9 launches for Iridium (2015-17)
  • 1 Bigelow space station module launch (2014)
  • Inaugural Falcon9/DragonLab mission (2012)
  • First Falcon 9 flight from Vandenberg (2012)
  • Debut of the uprated Falcon 1e rocket (2011)
  • Approximately 9 Falcon 1e launches
  • Approximately 6 Falcon 1e flights for ORBCOMM (2011-14).

The schedule could get busier if SpaceX receives NASA funding to upgrade Falcon 9 and Dragon to carry humans to orbit under the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. The space agency expects to make awards in March. SpaceX Founder Elon Musk said that he wants to fly Falcon 9 at least 17 more times before placing astronauts aboard.

SpaceX Launch Manifest, 2011-2017

CustomerTarget Date*VehicleLaunch Site
NASA COTS – Demo 22011F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA COTS – Demo 32011F9/DragonCape Canaveral
Falcon 1e Inaugural Test Flight2011Falcon 1eKwajalein
ORBCOMM – Multiple flights2011-2014Falcon 1eKwajalein
MDA Corp. (Canada)2011Falcon 9Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 12011F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 22011F9/DragonCape Canaveral
DragonLab Mission 12012F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 32012F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 42012F9/DragonCape Canaveral
CONAE (Argentina)2012Falcon 9Vandenberg**
Spacecom (Israel)2012Falcon 9Cape Canaveral**
DragonLab Mission 22013F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 52013F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 62013F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 72013F9/DragonCape Canaveral
CONAE (Argentina)2013Falcon 9Vandenberg**
NSPO (Taiwan)2013Falcon 1eKwajalein
Space Systems/Loral2014Falcon 9Cape Canaveral**
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 82014F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 92014F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 102014F9/DragonCape Canaveral
Astrium (Europe)2014Falcon 1eKwajalein
Bigelow Aerospace2014Falcon 9Cape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 112015F9/DragonCape Canaveral
NASA Resupply to ISS – Flt 122015F9/DragonCape Canaveral
Iridium2015-2017Falcon 9Vandenberg

*Target date indicates hardware arrival at launch site
**Or Kwajalein, depending on range availability