Spaceflight Daily Report, Tuesday 13th October 2026

CRS-35 lifts off. Image credit: SpaceX.

Launch of Starlink Group 15-25

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg in California at 0028 UTC, or 1728 Monday afternoon local time (PDT). This was carrying Starlink Group 15-25, the latest batch of 27 Starlink v2-mini satellites for the constellation. It was the 695th flight of the Falcon 9, and the 20th flight of booster B1088, which successfully landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. [Source: SpaceX]

Launch of SpaceX CRS-35

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 1033 UTC, or 0633 local time (EDT). This was carrying SpaceX CRS-35, a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cargo Dragon being used for the mission is C211, on its 4th flight, which was previously used for CRS-26, 29, and 33. The 2867 kg of cargo includes a fourth pair of iROSA roll-out solar arrays to supplement the station's ageing power supply, which will be installed during a future spacewalk, as well as a new toilet. CRS-35 is expected to dock with the zenith port of the Harmony module on Thursday, and will remain at the station for a few weeks before returning to Earth. This was the 696th flight of the Falcon 9, and the 8th flight of booster B1096, which performed a boostback burn and successfully landed at Cape Canaveral's Landing Zone 40. [Source: SpaceX, NASA]

International Space Station Activities

The crew of the International Space Station performed routine research and maintenance while they wait for the arrival of CRS-35. Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina practised with the Teledroid controller. Jessica Watkins serviced 3D printing hardware and the Astrobee robot. Luke Delaney serviced a spacesuit jetpack and set up an ultrasound scanner for remote servicing by engineers on the ground. Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk cleaned and inspected a science freezer. Watkins, Delaney, and Menon also underwent eye checks. Sergey Teteryatnikov cleaned smoke detectors. [Source: NASA]

(Missed) Missile Tests

In addition to last week's French missile test, there have been two other missile tests in recent days which reached heights great enough to qualify as suborbital spaceflights:

• On 2nd October, North Korea launched at least one ballistic missile from Wonsan towards the Sea of Japan at 2136 UTC, or 0636 local time (KST). It achieved a maximum altitude of around 90 km. [Source: Japanese Ministry of Defense]
• On the morning of 9th October, the United States Air Force launched a Minotaur I missile from Vandenberg in California. It was carrying an unarmed Mk21A re-entry vehicle. [Source: Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center]
• Two missiles launched by North Korea on 12th October probably did not exceed an altitute of 80 km, so won't be counted as spaceflights in this month's statistics. [Source: Japanese Ministry of Defense]

(Missed) Deployment of Payloads from OSSIE

OSSIE, a space tug operated by Spanish company UARX Space which launched on SpaceX Transporter-18, deployed three payloads on 2nd October; HADES-L and UNNE-1B for AMSAT Spain, and ERMINAZ-2U for AMSAT Germany. All three are amateur radio satellites. [Source: Jonathan McDowell's GCAT]

Other notes

• Voyager Technology's Griffin-1 lander has completed several critical tests. Next, it will be integrated with Astrolab's FLIP rover and prepared for launch later this year under the mission designation Moon Base I. [Source: NASA]
• Astronaut Christina Koch has taken on the role of NASA's deputy chief engineer. With this promotion, none of the Artemis II crew remain on the roster for future missions; Jeremy Hansen left the CSA in July, and Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover became emeriti in September. [Source: NASA]
• NASA have completed stacking for the boosters of the SLS rocket aiming to launch the Artemis III mission next year. There is still a great deal more work to be done before the rocket is ready for launch. [Source: NASA]