Indo-Pacific space launches heat up in 2024

By Andrew Curran, Australia in Space

2024 is shaping up as a bumper year for space launches, with government space agencies and private operators crowding the launch schedule. While attention often focuses on what's launching in the North American and European markets, closer to home, in the Indo-Pacific, there are several launches and countries worth watching in 2024.

In Australia, two launches are likely within the next six months, including Gilmour Space Technologies' Eris rocket from their Queensland spaceport and HyImpulse's SR75 rocket launch from the Koonibba Test Range outside Ceduna, which the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation operates in conjunction with Southern Launch.

Near neighbour Indonesia continues its gradual stepup of space sector activity this year, including sending the Telkomsat HTS 113BT satellite into orbit in February via a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The satellite plugs a gap in the country's low Earth orbit telecommunications network after its predecessor was lost in a 2020 launch failure.

India preps for first crewed space mission in 2025

After conducting seven launches in 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning 12 launches in 2024, including several test flights to prepare for India's first crewed mission into space, dubbed Gaganyaan, and scheduled to happen sometime in 2025.

"We have a lot of research-oriented spacecraft launches which will cater to scientists and exploration of research along with four to five launches specifically connected to Gaganyaan," said Director of India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre Arumugam Rajarajan earlier this month.

China heads to the far side of the Moon

The Chinese space sector made a strong start to 2024, launching a Long March 2C rocket on January 9. In the payload was a probe named Einstein, which will scan space for bursts of X-rays that could help explain some events linked to black holes and merging stars.

China National Space Administration is also preparing to launch the Chang'e-6 lunar probe in the first half of 2024. In a history-making first, the probe will travel to the Moon to collect samples from its far side.

North Korea plans three more satellites in 2024

North Korea doesn't publicise its launch schedules. However, after successfully putting a spy satellite into orbit in November, albeit on its third attempt, the official Korean Central News Agency reports that Pyongyang wants to put three more reconnaissance satellites into orbit in 2024. North Korea's increased space activity coincides with a record number of weapons tests in 2023, ratcheting up geopolitical tensions in the region.

SpaceX’s first commercial space walk

On the other side of the Pacific, SpaceX Falcon 9 launches have become a dime a dozen, but the commercial space operator hopes to send one of its bigger Starlink rockets into space in 2024 and have it successfully return. Both previous Starlink missions have made it to space but then exploded.

Among SpaceX's other noteworthy missions this year is a collaboration with billionaire US businessman Jared Isaacman to conduct the first commercial space walk, now scheduled for April. If the private Polaris Dawn mission is successful, space walks will no longer be the exclusive domain of government space agencies.