{"id":46463,"date":"2026-07-29T01:30:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T17:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/launch-preview-falcon-9-and-chang-zheng-rockets-set-to-launch-this-week\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T01:30:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T17:30:25","slug":"launch-preview-falcon-9-and-chang-zheng-rockets-set-to-launch-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/launch-preview-falcon-9-and-chang-zheng-rockets-set-to-launch-this-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Launch Preview: Falcon 9 and Chang Zheng rockets set to launch this week"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--[CDATA[<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-scaled.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-350x233.jpeg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-525x350.jpeg 525w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-1920x1280.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-1170x780.jpeg 1170w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-585x390.jpeg 585w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Falcon-9-launch-and-landing-Credit-Julia-Bergeron-for-NSF-263x175.jpeg 263w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/--><\/p>\n<p>Five orbital launches are scheduled worldwide for this week. In China, a Chang Zheng 6A and Chang Zheng 7A are set to launch two unknown payloads into orbit. Meanwhile, SpaceX has three Falcon 9 launches on the manifest from Florida and California, with two Starlink missions and a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-114351\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Chang Zheng 7A | Unknown Payload<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first launch of the week is a Chang Zheng 7A, scheduled to launch on Wednesday, July 29, from Launch Complex 201 (LC-201) at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China. The three-stage vehicle will launch within a one-hour, 57-minute launch window beginning at 11:42 UTC. The rocket is expected to follow an easterly trajectory to an unknown orbit.<\/p>\n<p>The 60.13-m-tall Chang Zheng 7A, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket has four liquid-fueled boosters fueled by kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX). The first stage features two YF-100 oxidizer-rich staged combustion cycle engines fueled by RP-1 and LOX, while the second stage has four YF-115 engines also powered by RP-1 and LOX. An optional stage is also available, which features two YF-75 gas-generator-cycle engines powered by liquid hydrogen (LH2) and LOX. The rocket can carry up to 12,000 kg to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and has a liftoff thrust of 7,128 kN.<\/p>\n<p>This mission will be Chang Zheng 7A\u2019s 17th launch and third mission of 2026.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/008u7hKbly1hhrek5rboyj356o3gghdx-scaled.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-95819\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Chang Zheng 6A launches from Taiyuan. (Credit: CASC)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Chang Zheng 6A | Unknown Payload<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The second international launch of the week is a Chang Zheng 6A from Launch Complex 9A (LC-9A) at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China on Thursday, July 30. A twenty-minute window opens at 00:52 UTC with a planned liftoff time of 01:00 UTC. The rocket will launch on a southeasterly trajectory to an unknown orbit.<\/p>\n<p>Chang Zheng 6A is a two-stage medium-lift launch vehicle. The first stage is powered by two YF-100 engines fueled by RP-1 and LOX, with the second stage utilizing a single YF-115 engine fueled by the same propellants. Four FG-112 solid rocket boosters are attached to the first stage. The 50-m-tall vehicle is capable of carrying 5,000 kg to LEO and has a total liftoff thrust of 7,230 kN.<\/p>\n<p>The launch will be the vehicle\u2019s seventh mission of 2026 and 26th overall.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-52<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first SpaceX mission of the week is expected from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday, July 29. Falcon 9 will launch on a southerly trajectory to a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) inclined by 97 degrees, where it will deploy a batch of Starlink v2 Mini satellites. The four-hour window begins at 7:00 PM PDT (02:00 UTC July 30).<\/p>\n<div style=\"position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;overflow:hidden;\"><iframe title=\"Space Coast Live: 24\/7 Views of NASA, SpaceX Falcon 9 Operations, and Starship Pad Construction\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Jm8wRjD3xVA?feature=oembed\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"\" mozallowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>SpaceX\u2019s autonomous droneship <em>Of Course I Still Love You<\/em> will recover the booster, B1081, downrange in the Pacific Ocean. B1081 will be on its 26th flight after a 34-day turnaround, previously supporting NASA\u2019s Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), Transporter-10, Transporter-13, and 15 Starlink missions.<\/p>\n<p>Falcon 9, a partially reusable two-stage vehicle, can deliver up to 22,000 kg to LEO and 8,300 kg to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The first stage utilizes nine Merlin 1D sea-level engines fueled by RP-1 and LOX, with the second stage\u2019s single Merlin 1D vacuum-optimized engine fueled by the same propellants.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Falcon 9 | NROL-95<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Falcon 9\u2019s second mission of the week, NROL-95, is expected to launch on Thursday, July 30, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. A 12-minute launch window opens at 3:09 AM EDT, with Falcon 9 launching on a northeasterly trajectory to LEO to deliver a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.<\/p>\n<p>Following launch and stage separation, first stage booster B1096 will perform a return-to-launch-site landing at Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2). B1096 will be on its seventh flight, previously supporting the Amazon Leo (KF-01), IMAP &amp; Others, NROL-77, GPS III SV09, CRS-34, and Starlink Group 6-87.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position:relative;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;overflow:hidden;\"><iframe title=\"SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 with NROL-95\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7QchKzHqvOM?feature=oembed\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"\" mozallowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><strong>Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-53<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The final mission of the week is scheduled to launch from SLC-4E at Vandenberg on Sunday, August 2. Similar to Starlink Group 17-52, Falcon 9 will launch on a southerly trajectory to an SSO inclined by 97 degrees, with a four-hour launch window opening at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC). The vehicle will deliver 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites for SpaceX\u2019s internet constellation.<\/p>\n<p>Falcon booster B1063, flying on its 34th mission, will land atop <em>Of Course I Still Love You <\/em>downrange in the Pacific Ocean. B1063 previously supported the Sentinel-6A, DART, Transporter 7, Iridium-9 &amp; OneWeb #19, Tranche 0B, NROL-113, NROL-167, NROL-149, NAOS &amp; Others, and 24 Starlink missions.<\/p>\n<p>The mission will be the 673rd Falcon 9 mission and the rocket\u2019s 90th launch of 2026. Furthermore, this mission will mark the 182nd orbital launch attempt worldwide in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Lead image: Falcon 9 launch and landing in Florida. Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Starship_Flight_13_Patch_v1_Forum_Banner-scaled.png\"><\/p>\n<p>The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9 and Chang Zheng rockets set to launch this week appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Five orbital launches are scheduled worldwide for this week. In China, a Chang Zheng 6A and Chang Zheng 7A are set to launch two unknown payloads into orbit. Meanwhile, SpaceX has three Falcon 9 launches on the manifest from Florida and California, with two Starlink missions and a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46463"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46463\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}