NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

TRACERS & Others

Launch Time
Wed Jul 23, 2025 18:13 UTC

Rocket

Falcon 9 Block 5
Image Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX
Status: Active
Price: $69.75 million
Liftoff Thrust: 7,607 kN
Payload to LEO: 22,800 kg
Payload to GTO: 8,300 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 70.0 m
Fairing Diameter: 5.2 m
Fairing Height: 13.0 m

Vehicles

Landing Zone 4

B1081

Flight #16
41 day turnaround
496th Falcon recovery attempt
481st successful Falcon recovery
64th consecutive successful Falcon recovery
138th consecutive successful Falcon landing

Mission Details

TRACERS

NASA's Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission, consisting of two identical satellites that will orbit Earth in tandem (one following the other), will help understand magnetic reconnection and its effects in Earth’s atmosphere. Magnetic reconnection occurs when activity from the Sun interacts with Earth’s magnetic field. By understanding this process, scientists will be able to better understand and prepare for impacts of solar activity on Earth.

Manufacturer: Millennium Space Systems
Operator: NASA
Payloads: 2
Total Mass: 400.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Bard (PExT Demo)

Bard will flight-demonstrate the Polylingual Experimental Terminal (PExT), an advanced communications technology developed in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and NASA's SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program. The terminal is designed to enable real-time interoperability between government and commercial satellite relay networks—a first-of-its-kind capability as NASA shifts toward a commercial satellite relay communications architecture.

Manufacturer: York Space Systems
Operator: NASA
Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 140.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Athena EPIC

NASA, the U.S. Space Force, NOAA, and NovaWurks have strategically aligned efforts to gain wisdom from Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost) — a SmallSat that will demonstrate the ability of NovaWurks SensorCraft architecture to support future missions. Athena serves as a pilot opportunity for transformational activities by pathfinding an innovative space vehicle architecture, learning from commercial best practices, implementing a whole-of-government approach, and reducing schedule to launch as well as lifecycle costs. The instrument will be a simplified and lighter version of the CERES (Clouds and the Earth Radiant Energy System) instrument.

Manufacturer: NovaWurks
Operator: NASA, NOAA & USSF
Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 50.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

REAL

Realistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (REAL) is a scientific investigation mission designed to characterize the loss of particles from Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts. REAL will carry an energetic particle instrument that is sensitive to both electrons and protons. From its vantage point in low-Earth orbit, REAL will point its instrument along Earth’s magnetic field to measure radiation belt particles as they enter the atmosphere.

Manufacturer/Operator: Dartmouth College
Payloads: 1
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Skykraft 4

The Skykraft-4 constellation spacecraft are technology demonstrators and pathfinders for the roll-out of a space-based Air Traffic Management constellation. The spacecraft will demonstrate ADS-B and VHF capabilities from space.

Manufacturer/Operator: Skykraft
Payloads: 4
Total Mass: 300.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

LIDE

AKA Direct Access Live Demonstration

LIDE is a 12U satellite developed by Tyvak and designed to serve as a testbed for direct access tests with ground terminals using a bidirectional K/Ka band RF transponder.

Manufacturer/Operator: Tyvak
Payloads: 1
Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Location

SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Stats

2025

157th orbital launch attempt

SpaceX

533rd mission
93rd mission of 2025
521st successful mission
27th consecutive successful mission

Falcon 9

508th mission
90th mission of 2025
504th successful mission
153rd consecutive successful mission