Launch Preview: Falcon 9, ZhuQue-2E to launch during quiet week

4 min read · reported by NASASpaceflight

This week features a relatively quiet launch manifest, with SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 comprising much of the launch schedule. Three Falcon 9 missions will launch a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station, a batch of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, and a classified set of satellites for the United States Space Force. Furthermore, a Chinese ZhuQue-2E will launch an unknown payload to orbit.

Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 15-25

The first scheduled launch of the week was a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California. Starlink Group 15-25 flew from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) on Monday, Oct. 12, at 5:28 PM PDT (Tuesday, 00:28 UTC). The launch window remained available until 8:00 PM PDT (03:00 UTC) on Tuesday, Oct. 13. This mission had been delayed several times for undisclosed reasons, though poor weather may have been one issue since September 30.

Booster B1088 supported this mission, marking its 20th flight. After liftoff from SLC-4E, Falcon 9 took a southeast trajectory and landed atop SpaceX’s autonomous droneship, Of Course I Still Love You , in the Pacific. The mission carried 27 Starlink v2 Mini satellites into a low-Earth orbit inclined at 70.01 degrees to the equator.

The booster’s career began with the NROL-126 mission, and it has also flown the Transporter 12, SPHEREx & PUNCH, NROL-57, and USSF-366 missions, along with 14 Starlink flights to date.

Falcon 9 is a 3.9 m-diameter, 70 m-tall two-stage rocket. Nine Merlin 1D engines power the first-stage booster, while the second stage uses a single vacuum-optimized Merlin engine. Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy were the first orbital rockets to achieve regular re-use, with one Falcon booster having flown as many as 37 flights. The two payload fairings are also recovered and reused after flight.

Falcon 9 | CRS-35

A Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral is now much less common following the transfer of Starlink launch duties to Starship; however, International Space Station (ISS) mission orbital mechanics fit well with east coast launch sites. One such Falcon 9 mission was CRS-35, which launched on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:33 AM EDT (10:33 UTC). Due to Cargo Dragon’s need to rendezvous with the ISS, only an instantaneous launch window was available.

Launched as part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program, the mission flew to the ISS atop booster B1096, utilizing Cargo Dragon C211. Following liftoff and stage separation, the booster performed a return-to-launch-site landing at nearby Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40).

B1096 made its eighth flight, having previously flown missions for Amazon Leo, IMAP & Others, Starlink Group 6-87, NROL-77, GPS III SV09, CRS-34, and NROL-95. Its first flight was on July 16, 2025. Cargo Dragon C211 is making its fourth flight, having flown on CRS-26, CRS-29, and CRS-33.

The CRS-35 mission carried 2,867 kg of supplies, cargo, and research equipment to the ISS. Notable amongst the cargo are the two final iROSA rollout solar arrays to be installed during future spacewalks, and a replacement spacesuit as part of the regular suit replacement rotation plan. A dose pump for the toilet, tools, and sensors are also on the payload manifest.

The cargo also includes a piece of joint flight support equipment for Canadarm2 — a large foam clamshell that flies up empty and will return the failed robotic arm joint that was replaced during a spacewalk in June. Cargo Dragon C211 will remain docked to the ISS for approximately 30 days before returning to Earth with this and other items, including a previously used spacesuit for refurbishment.

Research equipment flying to the Station on this mission will be used to investigate the effects of microgravity on the production of artificial retinas and 3D heart tissue models. Glass production from non-traditional elements and medical experiments will study the links between inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Fresh fruit and vegetables, water, and other treats for astronauts round out the cargo load.

ZhuQue-2E | Unknown Payload

A Chinese ZhuQue-2E rocket, developed by Landspace, is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 11:40 UTC. ZhuQue-2E will liftoff from Site 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China, with the launch window extending to 12:19 UTC.

Following launch, ZhuQue-2E will fly due south out of Jiuquan to deploy an unknown payload to an unknown orbit. Launch and payload details will likely be released after launch.

ZhuQue-2E is a 49.5 m-tall, 3.35 m-diameter rocket that first launched in 2024. The two-stage rocket features four TQ-12A engines on its first stage and a single TQ-15A engine on its second stage, with both stages utilizing liquid oxygen and liquid methane as propellants. This mission will mark the fourth ZhuQue-2E mission of 2026, and the 10th overall.

Falcon 9 | USSF-481 TH-2

The third and final launch this week is another Falcon 9, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15, at 4:44 PM PDT (23:44 UTC), from SLC-4E at VSFB in California. This mission has a four-hour launch window that ends at 8:44 PM PDT (Friday, Oct. 16, at 03:44 UTC).

Booster B1081 will support this mission, flying for the 28th time and having previously supported the Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, NROL-186, Transporter-13, TRACERS, NROL-48, COSMO-SkyMED Second Generation FM3, USSF-153, and 16 Starlink missions.

Falcon 9 will fly due south from Vandenberg, indicating that the payload of classified satellites, denoted “TH-2”, will enter a polar orbit. These classified satellites are likely based on the SpaceX Starshield satellite bus — a version of Starlink used to support U.S. military communications from orbit.

Following launch, the booster will separate and land atop the droneship Of Course I Still Love You downrange in the Pacific Ocean. If this week’s launch schedule holds, this mission will mark the 120th SpaceX mission of 2026 and the 243rd orbital launch attempt worldwide in 2026.

Reported by NASASpaceflight. Reproduced unedited by Everything Space. View the original →