After Hurricane Ian, ULA and SpaceX hope to clear launch backlog next week

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The Space Coast's two most prolific launch providers hope to clear a backlog of missions with three back-to-back flights this coming week, a cadence deemed necessary after Hurricane Ian forced them to stand down.

With Ian's impacts to the spaceport declared minimal and teams returning to work just after the storm passed, United Launch Alliance and SpaceX are planning flights on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this coming week to make up for lost time. Pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center will host.

First up on Tuesday, Oct. 4, is United Launch Alliance: an Atlas V rocket equipped with three solid rocket motors will take two commercial communications satellites to orbit from the Cape's Launch Complex 41. Liftoff is set for 5:36 p.m. EDT.

The payloads, SES-20 and SES-21, are owned by Luxembourg-based operator SES. The Boeing-built satellites will primarily focus on TV broadcast and data while meeting new Federal Communications Commission attempts at improving 5G service.

Weather conditions should be about 70% "go" for Atlas V's attempt, the Space Force said Saturday. 

"Dry and noticeably cooler air behind (Hurricane Ian) brings an end to our summer convective season, with plenty of sunshine and light winds expected Saturday through Monday," Space Launch Delta 45 said.

On launch day Tuesday, a low developing off the coast is expected to bring a cold front, along with winds and a few showers, through Central Florida. Forecasters said the main concern during the window would be cumulus clouds.

Upcoming SpaceX launches

SpaceX and NASA, meanwhile, are targeting 12 noon Wednesday, Oct. 5 for the launch of the next crewed mission to the International Space Station. NASA's Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Koichi Wakata, and Russia's' Anna Kikina will ride Crew Dragon to the ISS for a six-month science mission.

The crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center's former Shuttle Landing Facility just after noon Saturday, kicking off several days of rehearsals and preparations for liftoff. They had originally been scheduled to arrive just two days before Ian made landfall, but the flight from Johnson Space Center in Houston was called off.

"Nobody does this alone, and we have thousands of people around the globe who we need to thank for getting us to this spot," Cassada said after landing at KSC Saturday. "This is a remarkable opportunity for all of us. We have trained and prepared for years for this."

"It doesn't come easy for anyone, and we just want to thank everyone who has supported us up until today, everyone who is making this launch happen even on the heels of a hurricane, and everyone who is going to support us every day as part of Expedition 68," Cassada said.

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After liftoff, the rocket's first stage booster will aim for landing on a SpaceX drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. It should arrive at Port Canaveral for later processing before the week is out.

This will mark the first time a Russian cosmonaut flies on Crew Dragon. The agreement between Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, and NASA was a crew swap – Russia already fulfilled its end of the deal by launching NASA astronaut Frank Rubio to the ISS on a Soyuz rocket on Sept. 21.

A liftoff weather forecast will be issued sometime Sunday.

The last of the three missions will also be hosted by SpaceX. A Falcon 9 rocket, this time flying from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape, will take two Intelsat-owned communications satellites to orbit. Built by Northrop Grumman, they've been named Galaxy 33 and 34. Launch is expected sometime between 7 and 8 p.m. EDT.

This flight will also include a northeast trajectory and drone ship landing in the Atlantic. A forecast for this launch, meanwhile, is expected Monday.

NASA delays Artemis I launch

On Friday, NASA said its Space Launch System rocket tasked with launching the Artemis I mission to the moon was not damaged during Hurricane Ian and will fly no earlier than mid-November. The 322-foot vehicle and its Orion spacecraft were moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC just before Ian arrived.

"There was no damage to Artemis flight hardware, and facilities are in good shape with only minor water intrusion identified in a few locations," NASA said Friday. "As teams complete post-storm recovery operations, NASA has determined it will focus Artemis I launch planning efforts on the launch period that opens Nov. 12 and closes Nov. 27."

"Focusing efforts on the November launch period allows time for employees at Kennedy to address the needs of their families and homes after the storm and for teams to identify additional checkouts needed before returning to the pad for launch," NASA said.

Teams will decide on a more specific date soon.

For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Contact Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com or 321-242-3715. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @EmreKelly.

Launches Next Week

Tuesday, Oct 4: ULA SES 20 and 21

• Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V
• Configuration: 531 (five-meter fairing, three solid rocket motors, one upper stage engine)
• Mission: SES-20 and SES-21 commercial communications satellites
• Launch Time: 5:36 p.m. EDT
• Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Trajectory: East
• Weather: 70% "go"

Wednesday, Oct. 5: SpaceX Crew-5

• Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
• Mission: NASA's Crew-5 to the International Space Station
• Launch Time: 12 noon EDT
• Astronauts: Josh Cassada (NASA), Nicole Mann (NASA), Koichi Wakata (JAXA), Anna Kikina (Roscosmos)
• Location: Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center
• Trajectory: Northeast
• Landing: Drone ship
• Weather: Forecast expected Sunday

Thursday, Oct. 6: SpaceX Galaxy 33 and 34

• Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
• Mission: Intelsat's Galaxy 33 and 34 commercial communications satellites
• Launch Time: Between 7 and 8 p.m. EDT
• Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Trajectory: Northeast
• Landing: Drone ship
• Weather: Forecast Expected Monday

Visit floridatoday.com/space starting 90 minutes before each liftoff for live video and real-time updates.