Spaceflight Daily Report, Thursday 23rd July 2026

Image credit: CAS Space

Launch of Tianlian-2-06

CASC/CALT launched a Long March 3B/E (Chang Zheng 3B/E) from Xichang in Sichuan at 1200 UTC, or 2000 local time (CST). The rocket was struck by lightning during its ascent, but the mission appears to have been successful. The payload was Tianlian-2-06, a geosychronous relay satellite for supporting communications between satellites, crewed spacecraft, and ground stations. This was the 177th flight of the Long March 3 family, and the 105th flight of the 3B/E variant. [Source: CALT]

Launch of Kinetica 1 Rideshare

CAS Space launched a Kinetica-1 (Lijian-1) from Jiuquan in Gansu at 2333 UTC, or 0733 Friday morning local time (CST). It delivered five satellites to Sun-synchronous orbit; an AI data centre demonstration satellite called Chenguang-1 for Orbital Chenguang, a space debris monitoring satellite called Gande-1-01 for Lianxi Space Technology Group and Aotian Technology, an infrared observation satellite called Xiguang-2-03 for Xinghuo Chuanming Beijing Technology, an experimental AI satellite called Jitian-A-04 for Zhejiang Lab, and a meteorology satellite called Yinglong Fengguang-1 for Jiangsu Yinglong Satellite Technology. This was the 15th flight of Kinetica-1. [Source: CAS Space]

Delay of Starship Flight 13

Starship Flight 13 has been delayed again by 24 hours due to bad weather. SpaceX want good visibility to observe the heatshield during ascent. The storm is meant to be clearing up ahead of tomorrow's launch window. [Source: SpaceX]

International Space Station Activities

The crew of the International Space Station prepared for the departure of the MS-28 crew this weekend, as well as carrying out routine research and maintenance. [Source: NASA]

Spaceflight Daily Report, Tuesday 16th June 2026

Image credit: NASA

Launch of Shijian 31

CASC/CALT launched a Long March 3 (Chang Zheng 3) from Xichang in Sichuan at 0945 UTC, or 1745 local time (CST). It flew in its 3B/E configuration with four strap-on boosters. It was carrying Shijian 31, a geosynchronous satellite of classified purpose. This is the return-to-flight of the normally reliable Long March 3 after its third stage failed during a launch back in January. It was the 176th flight of the Long March 3. [Source: CALT]

CRS-34 Undocking

The Cargo Dragon serving the CRS-34 mission to the International Space Station undocked from the forward docking port of the station's Harmony module at 1625 UTC after a brief delay caused by radiation interfering with an accelerometer. After spending a month at the station, it's carrying equipment and scientific payloads back to Earth, including stem cell research, semiconductor research, and investigations into the effects of microgravity on bone health. Cargo Dragon will splash down in the Pacific Ocean under parachutes tomorrow so that the experiments can be retrieved. [Source: NASA]

Demolitions at SLC-6

Old launch structures at Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California were demolished today. These structures were designed to support legacy rockets like the Space Shuttle and the Delta IV, but now SpaceX are planning on building new ones to support their own rockets. [Source: US Space Force]