A Full Slate of Launches
The week of August 17–23 brings a packed schedule of rocket launches, headlined by three SpaceX Starlink missions and two major Chinese space efforts: the second flight of LandSpace's reusable Zhuque-3 rocket and the launch of China's Chang'e 7 lunar mission.
SpaceX has three Starlink launches scheduled this week, according to Astronomy Magazine. The first, Starlink Group 17-50, is set for Tuesday, Aug. 18, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 10:00 p.m. EDT, with the Falcon 9 booster expected to land on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You. On Thursday, Aug. 20, the company will launch Starlink Group 10-39 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 11:19 a.m. EDT, with the booster targeting a landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. The third mission, Starlink Group 15-20, is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 22, from Vandenberg at 3:25 a.m. EDT, again with the booster set to land on Of Course I Still Love You.
Astronomy Magazine reports that SpaceX has launched over 12,000 Starlink satellites across more than 200 missions since 2019.
China's Reusable Rocket and Lunar Mission
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, Chinese aerospace firm LandSpace is targeting 7:35 p.m. EDT for the second flight of its Zhuque-3 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, according to tracking from Next Spaceflight as reported by Astronomy Magazine. The launch was scrubbed last week after a Long March 7A rocket exploded hours before Zhuque-3's targeted launch. Zhuque-3 is LandSpace's methane-fueled rocket, comparable to Falcon 9 in payload and designed for first-stage recovery. During Zhuque-3's first test flight in December 2025, the rocket performed as expected during launch, but the booster was lost due to a combustion anomaly, resulting in the first stage breaking apart near the landing zone during reentry.
Closing out the week on Sunday, Aug. 23, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is targeting 8:00 p.m. EDT for the launch of Chang'e 7 aboard a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The mission will send an orbiter, lander, rover, and hopping probe toward a landing at the Moon's south pole to hunt for water ice in permanently shadowed craters. Chang'e 7 will help to lay the groundwork for the International Lunar Research Station, described by Astronomy Magazine as China's answer to the Artemis program.
Florida Launch Details and Viewing Information
The News-Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, provides detailed information about the Aug. 20 Starlink 10-39 launch from Florida. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 29 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch window is set for 11:19 a.m. to 3:19 p.m. ET Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. The launch trajectory is northeast, and the launch location is Launch Complex 40.
No sonic booms are expected for the Space Coast of Florida. Depending on weather and cloud cover, the launch may be visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and as far south as West Palm Beach. The News-Press notes that when there's a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there's an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky, and the contrail afterward makes for a great photo.
The News-Press article also provides information on where to watch the launch across Brevard County, the Treasure Coast, and Volusia County, and mentions that NASA+ content can be watched with Amazon Prime Video. Live coverage of the launch starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Looking Ahead
Astronomy Magazine also looks beyond this week. On Aug. 25, SpaceX has two Starlink launches on the books: Group 10-49 from Cape Canaveral and Group 15-22 from Vandenberg. On Aug. 27, Arianespace is targeting the launch of the MTG-I2 weather satellite aboard an Ariane 62 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. NASA is currently targeting no earlier than Aug. 30 for the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aboard a Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center. The telescope will offer a field of view more than 100 times larger than Hubble's.
Recent Launch Activity
The busy week follows a period of significant activity. Astronomy Magazine reports that a Long March 7A carrying a Chinese communication satellite failed during first-stage flight from Wenchang Space Launch Site on Aug. 10, prompting LandSpace to stand down from its own Zhuque-3 attempt hours later. Japan launched Michibiki 7, the final satellite completing its regional navigation constellation, aboard an H3-22S from Tanegashima on Aug. 10. SpaceX flew four Falcon 9 missions across the week of Aug. 10-16.