It’s shaping up to be another busy week on the launch calendar, with high-profile science missions, national security payloads, a pair of Starlink deployments, a critical resupply to the International Space Station, and the highly anticipated 10th test flight of SpaceX’s Starship.

Here’s a detailed look at what’s on the manifest for the week of August 18 through August 24, 2025.

[All Launch Date and Times are subject to change; to see the latest launch schedule visit https://tlpnetwork.com/launches]

August 18, 2025

Starlink 17-5 | Falcon 9

The week begins on the U.S. West Coast, where a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base’s SLC-4E at 11:44 EDT (15:44 UTC).

 The mission, Starlink 17-5, will deploy 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into a Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 97.6° inclination.

The flight will mark the 9th launch of booster B1088, which has built a remarkable record of rapid reuse. Previous missions for the booster include NROL-126, Transporter-12, SPHEREx & PUNCH, NROL-57, and multiple Starlink flights. Notably, B1088 set a new SpaceX record for fastest turnaround earlier this year, returning to flight just nine days after launching SPHEREx & PUNCH.

Following separation, the booster will land on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You stationed in the Pacific.

If successful, this will be the 72nd Starlink mission of 2025, pushing the year’s total deployed satellites to over 1,780.

Watch Live: https://youtube.com/live/M1dUttkGYOo?feature=share

August 20, 2025

Bion-M n°2 | Soyuz 2.1a

On Wednesday, August 20, Russia is set to continue its long-running biological research program with the launch of Bion-M n°2 aboard a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 31/6 at 13:13 EDT (17:13 UTC).

The Bion program, which dates back to the 1970s, carries animals, plants, and biological samples to orbit for multi-week experiments in microgravity. Bion-M n°2 is expected to host an array of research payloads from Russian and international partners, supporting studies into the effects of spaceflight on living organisms.

After its mission, the satellite is designed to return to Earth with its biological specimens intact for laboratory study.

August 21, 2025

Kosmos (Unknown Payload) | Angara 1.2

On the same day, Russia plans to launch an Angara 1.2 rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 04:30 EDT (08:30 UTC). 

The mission, listed as a Kosmos payload, is believed to be military in nature, though exact details remain undisclosed.

X-37B on USSF-36 (OTV-8) | Falcon 9

Attention then turns to Florida, as SpaceX prepares to launch the U.S. Space Force’s USSF-36 mission, carrying the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on its 8th flight.

Liftoff is scheduled from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A at 23:40 EDT (03:40 UTC Aug 22).

While many details remain classified, the U.S. Space Force has confirmed that OTV-8 will demonstrate laser-based communications technologies, linking the reusable spaceplane with proliferated satellite constellations in orbit. The mission will extend the X-37B’s history of secretive, long-duration spaceflights testing advanced hardware and new concepts for reusable spacecraft.

Watch Live: https://youtube.com/live/t-6K8G39Svo?feature=share

August 22, 2025

Starlink 17-6 | Falcon 9

SpaceX will return to Vandenberg SFB for another Starlink launch.

Starlink Group 17-6 is scheduled to lift off from SLC-4E at 11:44 EDT (15:44 UTC) on Friday, August 22, with a further 24 V2 Mini satellites joining the constellation.

The back-to-back cadence of Groups 17-5 and 17-6 highlights SpaceX’s rapid operational tempo and the increasing importance of Starlink for both consumer broadband and government/military communications.

Watch Live: https://youtube.com/live/6pjhzjhM2l4?feature=share

August 24, 2025

CRS SpX-33 | Falcon 9

On Sunday, August 24, a Falcon 9 rocket will launch SpaceX’s 33rd Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-33) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-40 at 02:45 EDT (06:45 UTC).

Dragon will deliver several thousand kilograms of food, research, and hardware to the International Space Station. But the real headline is the first use of a new “boost trunk” module — an extended structure designed to allow Dragon to perform station reboost maneuvers during its months-long stay attached to the ISS. 

This marks the first time a CRS spacecraft has been equipped to directly raise the station’s orbit, a capability normally handled by Russian Progress vehicles or visiting crewed spacecraft.

Watch Live: https://youtube.com/live/UNBuvSak2o4?feature=share

Flight 10 | Starship S37 + Super Heavy B16

Capping the week is one of the most anticipated tests of the quarter.

After completing the investigations into the loss of Starship on its ninth flight test and the Ship 36 static fire anomaly, hardware and operational changes have been made to increase reliability and SpaceX is ready to launch Starship on its 10th flight test.. 

The launch window opens at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, which corresponds to 7:30 p.m. EDT (23:30 UTC), pending vehicle and pad readiness 

This developmental test aims to test the Super Heavy booster’s capabilities through multiple landing burn experiments, in addition to Starship’s first payload deployment, and push toward recovering the upper stage.

For this mission, SpaceX will not try to catch the booster but will soft land it in the Gulf of Mexico.

Watch Live: https://youtube.com/live/_rT3G5AHQw4?feature=share

This week’s lineup illustrates the expanding global scope of space operations. From Russia’s scientific return capsule to America’s classified military spaceplanes, and from SpaceX’s relentless Starlink expansion to the pioneering Starship program, each mission underscores the diversity of modern spaceflight.

Stay tuned to The Launch Pad for live coverage and mission updates throughout the week — because space is better together.