24 August 2017: Falcon 9 Full Thrust/Formosat 5 (Taiwan)
Launch vehicle: Falcon 9 Full Thrust, manufactured by SpaceX
Payload: Formosat 5 (Taiwanese Earth Observation Satellite)
Launch date: 24 August 2017
Launch time: 18:50-19:34 GMT
Location: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
This is an historic launch in that it will put Taiwan’s first indigenously-developed high-resolution remote sensing satellite into orbit. Read more here.
27 August 2017: Long March 3B/2 BeiDou satellites (People’s Republic of China)
Launch vehicle: Long March 3B, manufactured by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Payload: 2 BeiDou navigation satellites (BD3-M1, BD3-M2)
Launch date: 27 August 2017
Launch time: –
Location: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China
This launch has not yet been confirmed, but will be the first launch of BeiDou navigation satellites this year if it occurs. The 2 satellites will add to the existing 20 in operation.
31 August 2017: PSLV XL/IRNSS-1H (India)
Launch vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) XL, manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Payload: IRNSS-1H
Launch date: 31 August 2017
Launch time: –
Location: Sriharikota, India
The IRNSS-1H will replace IRNSS-1A, as part of India’s satellite navigation system. Read more here.
5 September 2017: Ariane5/Intelsat 37e, BSAT-4a (Japan)
Launch vehicle: Ariane 5, manufactured by Arianespace
Payloads: Intelsat 37e, BSAT-4a
Launch date: 5 September 2017
Launch time: 18:51 French Guiana Time (GMT-3)
Intelsat 37e will provide global coverage, mostly to Europe, North America and Africa, while BSAT-4a will be used for Direct-to-Home (DTH) television relay in Japan.
Other launches slated to take place in August-September, but are unconfirmed, include 2 or more launches from China, Koreasat 5A launched by SpaceX, Rocket Lab’s Electron and India’s GSAT-11 launched by Ariane 5.