When are the next NASA spacecraft launches?

All spacecraft, regardless of their type, require a lot of advance planning and scheduling. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a number of facilities around the world, some of which are also used to launch spacecraft. Factors determining a launch facility include the type of spacecraft and the type of mission, among others. Although NASA is in charge of all space shuttle missions, the agency is not involved in all rocket launches. Many commercial, military and international missions launched from the U.S. and around the world are not affiliated with NASA.

Space shuttle launches always take place at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on the east coast of Central Florida. Rocket launches may take place at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is next to the KSC, or at Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB) in California. Missions which require equatorial orbits are typically launched from Cape Canaveral, while those requiring polar orbits are usually launched from Vandenberg AFB. NASA also has secondary launch sites on Kodiak Island, Alaska, and on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Launches from the KSC or Cape Canaveral can be viewed by the public. Only certain launches at the KSC are viewable by the public on-site, but there are a number of ideal viewing locations off-site, from which all launches from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg AFB can be observed. A complete schedule of missions is available online.

Additional Resources:

• NASA: Human Spaceflight
• Technology: Artificial Satellites
• NASA: Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
• NASA: International Space Station (ISS)
• NASA: Lunar Exploration Missions
• NASA: Constellation Program
• NASA: Orion Spacecraft
• NASA: Centennial Challenges
• NASA: History

By USA.gov team