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2024 is a busy year for spaceflight and exploration enthusiasts with countless launches, mission milestones and skywatching events to look forward to.
With so much going on, it’s hard to keep track of everything. Never fear — keep up with the latest events in our 2024 space calendar. You can also Find out what’s up in the night sky this month with our visible planets guide and skywatching forecast.
Please note: Launch dates are subject to change and will be updated throughout the year as firmer dates arise. Please DO NOT schedule travel based on a date you see here. Launch dates are collected from NASA events, ESA news, Roscosmos space launch schedule, Spaceflight Now launch schedule, Everyday Astronaut, Supercluster and others.
You may like Learn About Space History with NASA JPL’s Free 2018 Calendar The year 2022 is going to be lit! (With NASA space launches.)
December
Skywatching Skywatching Geminid Meteor Shower December 13-14 December 13-14: The Geminid meteor shower occurs between Nov.19 to Dec. 24 and this year will peak on the nights of Dec.13 and Dec. 14. The shower can produce 130 to 140 meteors per hour on a clear sky. Year after year, the Geminids are the strongest meteor shower in terms of rates, with well over 100 possibly appearing per hour. Read more: Meteor showers 2024: When is the next one?
Skywatching Skywatching Full Cold Moon Social Links Navigation December 15 December 15, 4:02 a.m. EST (0902 GMT): December’s full moon, called the Cold Moon, falls on Dec. 15 and will be situated amidst the season’s brightest constellations as it says goodbye to 2024.
Rocket Launch Rocket Launch SpaceX, SES O3b mPOWER 7 & 8 December 15 December 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES O3b mPOWER 7 & 8 mission on Sunday (Dec. 15), to insert the two communication satellites into medium Earth orbit (MEO). The two Boeing-built spacecraft will expand the O3b constellation of communication satellites operated by provider SES S.A. of Luxembourg.
Skywatching Skywatching Winter Solstice December 21 December 21: Winter arrives to the Northern Hemisphere December 21, marking the shortest day of the year. Earth’s axis will be titled the farthest away from the sun. In the lead-up to the Winter Solstice, the days become shorter and shorter, then on the evening of the solstice — in the Northern Hemisphere occurs annually on the 21st or 22nd of December — winter begins, according to a NASA resource. From then onwards the days become increasingly long leading up to the Summer Solstice, or the June Solstice, and the longest day of the year.
Rocket Launch Rocket Launch Blue Origin, New Glenn Debut December December: Blue Origin will launch its New Glenn rocket from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket stands about 322 feet (98 meters) tall and can send 50 tons (45 metric tons) to low Earth orbit, and will be Blue Origin’s first orbital rocket. The company is now in the final stretch of preparations for the upcoming launch. New Glenn will carry the company’s new Blue Ring spacecraft platform on a National Security Space Launch certification flight. Related: Blue Origin fires up 2nd stage of huge New Glenn rocket ahead of debut launch (video)
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