Many people have asked what pollutants are added to the atmosphere by a rocket launch. I did some research and made a table estimating the effluence of a launch.
How Much Pollution Does A Rocket Launch Create?
SpaceX, Falcon 9, Starlink 6-110
As seen from KARS Park. This is a great place to see a launch if you are visiting the Space Coast.
SpaceX Launches Crew 12 From The Cape
Photo: Charles Boyer
SpaceX launched Falcon 9 early this morning, sending four astronauts on NASA’s Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurred at 5:15 AM ET, with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev aboard Crew Dragon capsule ‘Freedom.’
Crew 12 Delayed Again, Now Friday, February 13
Photo: Charles Boyer
SpaceX and NASA have pushed back the launch of its Crew-12 mission for the second time this week, citing weather concerns along the ascent corridor the rocket will follow on its path to orbit.
Crew 12 Launch Now NET Thursday, February 12
A Wednesday launch attempt for NASA’s Crew-12 mission has been scrubbed due to unfavorable weather along the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon spacecraft’s flight path, pushing the next opportunity to no earlier than 5:38 AM ET on Thursday, Feb. 12th.
Following a weather review Monday, mission teams opted to stand down from the February 11 window. Conditions along the trajectory remain a concern for the new target date, though forecasters expect improvement heading into a backup window on Friday, February 13th.
The four-person crew — NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev — continues pre-flight quarantine at Kennedy Space Center as they await their ride to the International Space Station.
Next Launch: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Crew-12
Go for Launch • Cape Canaveral SFS, FL • SLC-40
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Mission | Crew-12 (crewed Dragon mission to the ISS for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program) |
| Organization | SpaceX |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 |
| Launch Site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) |
| Window Opens | Thursday, 02/12/2026 5:38:00 AM (ET) |
| Window Closes | Thursday, 02/12/2026 5:38:00 AM (ET) |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Mission Description | SpaceX Crew-12 is the twelfth crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. |
| Countdown (to window open) | — |
As of: — (your local time)
Launch times are subject to change due to weather, range operations, and mission requirements.
The mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. If the Thursday window holds, the crew would dock with the station around 10:30 AM ET on Friday.
Range Conflict?
With NASA’s announcement that Crew 12 would now target Thursday, February 12, a potential range conflict comes into focus: United Launch Alliance and the US Space Force plan to launch Vulcan on a national security mission at roughly the same time on Thursday.
Next Launch: Vulcan VC4S | USSF-87
Go for Launch • Cape Canaveral SFS, FL • SLC-41
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Mission | USSF-87 (two GSSAP space situational awareness satellites to near-geosynchronous orbit) |
| Organization | United Launch Alliance |
| Rocket | Vulcan VC4S |
| Launch Site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) |
| Window Opens | Thursday, 02/12/2026 3:00:00 AM (ET) |
| Window Closes | Thursday, 02/12/2026 7:50:00 AM (ET) |
| Destination | Geostationary Orbit |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Mission Description | USSF-87 will launch two identical Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites, GSSAP-7 and GSSAP-8, directly to a near-geosynchronous orbit approximately 36,000 km above the equator. Data from GSSAP will contribute to timely and accurate orbital predictions, improving spaceflight safety and satellite collision avoidance. |
| Countdown (to window open) | — |
As of: — (your local time)
Launch times are subject to change due to weather, range operations, and mission requirements.
Given NASA’s announcement, one must wonder if the date for USSF-87 will change, or if ULA and the Space Force will stand pat, expecting a second change to Crew 12.
Stay tuned.
Axiom Space Chosen To Fly Fifth Private Mission To ISS
Photo: Charles Boyer
Axiom Space has secured another trip to the International Space Station after NASA selected the Houston-based company for a fifth commercial crew mission to the orbital outpost.
Axiom Mission 5 could launch as early as January 2027 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with a four-person crew spending approximately two weeks conducting research and technology demonstrations aboard the station. The actual launch date will depend on spacecraft scheduling and ISS operational needs.
NASA chose Axiom through a competitive process outlined in the agency’s March 2025 Research Announcement. The selection continues a pattern of relying on private missions to maximize utilization of the aging laboratory before its eventual retirement.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman framed the announcement as proof that commercial human spaceflight has matured from proof-of-concept flights into routine operations—capabilities the agency views as essential groundwork for lunar and Martian expeditions.
The ISS Program Office sees these commercial visits as opportunities to cultivate new markets and validate technologies while preserving the station’s scientific and diplomatic functions. As NASA works toward handing off low Earth orbit operations to private providers, missions like Ax-5 serve as both revenue generators and testbeds for the post-ISS era.
As before, the mission will fly aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, launched by a Falcon 9.
Axiom Crews
| Mission | Launch Date | Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Axiom-1 | April 8, 2022 | Michael López-Alegría (Cmdr) — USA/Spain Larry Connor (Pilot) — USA Eytan Stibbe (MS) — Israel Mark Pathy (MS) — Canada |
| Axiom-2 | May 21, 2023 | Peggy Whitson (Cmdr) — USA John Shoffner (Pilot) — USA Ali Alqarni (MS) — Saudi Arabia Rayyanah Barnawi (MS) — Saudi Arabia |
| Axiom-3 | January 18, 2024 | Michael López-Alegría (Cmdr) — USA/Spain Walter Villadei (Pilot) — Italy Alper Gezeravcı (MS) — Turkey Marcus Wandt (MS) — Sweden |
| Axiom-4 | June 25, 2025 | Peggy Whitson (Cmdr) — USA Shubhanshu Shukla (Pilot) — India Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (MS) — Poland Tibor Kapu (MS) — Hungary |
| Axiom-5 | NET January 2027 | Crew TBD |
Axiom will nominate its crew roster for Axiom 5 to NASA for its approval and international partner agencies. Selected astronauts will then complete training alongside NASA personnel and the spacecraft operator before flight.
SpaceX Experiences Second Stage Anomaly, Falcon 9 Flight Schedule Now Unclear
Yesterday after the launch of Starlink 17-32 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, SpaceX deployed its payload of Starlink satellites as planned, but was apparently unable to complete a deorbit burn of the second stage used for the mission. That burn allows the company to precisely place the re-entry zone for safe disposal of the second stage. That in turn has led SpaceX to pause Falcon 9 flights while it investigates the issue.
For its part, SpaceX said on X last night that “During today’s Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites, the second stage experienced an off-nominal condition during preparation for the deorbit burn. The vehicle then performed as designed to successfully passivate the stage. The first two MVac burns were nominal and safely deployed all 25 Starlink satellites to their intended orbit. Teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and corrective actions before returning to flight.”
UPDATE: Talk of Titusville asked the FAA whether an investigation would be required and whether it would pause Falcon 9 licenses until the investigation was completed, and after the latest government shutdown was resolved, they replied on February 5th, “Safety is our top priority. SpaceX is required to conduct a mishap investigation. The FAA will oversee every step of the investigation, approve the final report and any corrective actions.”
Falcon 9 Upper Stage Incidents
| Mission | Incident Date | Return to Flight |
|---|---|---|
| Starlink Group 9-3 | July 2024 | 15 days later |
| Crew-9 | September 2024 | ~2 weeks later |
| Starlink 10-12 | February 2025 | Undetermined |
As of: February 3, 2026 at 8:32 AM EST
Spaceflight expert Dr. Jonathan McDowell noted yesterday that the second stage for Starlink 17-32 won’t be in orbit long. He posted on the X platform late last night, saying “[The US] Space Force has cataloged the errant Starlink 17-32 Falcon 9 upper stage as object 67673 [and it is] in a 110 x 241 km x 97.3 deg orbit. It will reenter quickly.”
The payload deployed normally, so there is no danger of uncommanded reentry of the 25 Starlink satellites. According to Dr. McDowell, “The Starlinks report themselves in the target 246 x 260 km orbit. The second stage did not make a deorbit burn, but it did passivate by venting prop, and this lowered the perigee to 110 km.”
Effect On Eastern Range Launches?
With launches delayed for the time being, it is fair to say that the first three of the four Falcon 9 launches SpaceX has planned for Cape Canaveral may not be launched on their planned launch dates:
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches – February 2026
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
| Date | Mission | Window | Pad | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5 | Starlink 6-103 | 4:46 PM EST | SLC-40 | 29 Starlink sats; B1095 (5th); ASOG |
| NET Feb 6 | Starlink 6-104 | TBD | SLC-40 | 29 Starlink sats; B1077 (26th); JRTI |
| NET Feb 11 | Crew-12 | 6:00 AM EST | SLC-40 | Crew Dragon to ISS; RTLS landing |
| Late Feb | Starlink (TBD) | TBD | SLC-40 | Additional missions expected |
Legend: NET = No Earlier Than • ASOG/JRTI = Drone ships • RTLS = Return to Launch Site
Note: Schedule subject to change. Additional Starlink flights typically added throughout the month.
As of: February 3, 2026 at 8:32 AM EST
That includes Crew 12, which was planned for NET February 11. Before yesterday’s Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal and subsequent schedule shift to NET March 6 for NASA’s moon mission, the February 11 date was in question due to Artemis II, now that date is in peril while SpaceX investigates its latest anomaly.
This story is evolving. Stay tuned.
Crew-12 Enters Prelaunch Quarantine, Launch Windows Announced
The three astronauts and one cosmonaut on NASA’s Crew 12 flight to the International Space Station have entered quarantine in preparation for their upcoming launch in about two weeks. This is a normal step in the launch campaign, and is designed to reduce the chances of communicable diseases affecting the Crew 12 flyers as well as others already aboard ISS.
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev will remain in Houston until February 6th, when they are expected to fly to Kennedy Space Center for final launch preparations.
Launch Windows
NASA has also announced launch windows for Crew 12:
| SpaceX Crew-12 Launch Windows | |
|---|---|
| Mission | NASA/SpaceX Crew-12 |
| Destination | International Space Station |
| Launch Site | SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station |
| Window 1 | Feb. 11 — 6:00 a.m. EST |
| Window 2 | Feb. 12 — 5:38 a.m. EST |
| Window 3 | Feb. 13 — 5:15 a.m. EST |
| Note | NASA continues working toward potential launch windows for both Artemis II and Crew-12 in February. Final launch dates will be determined closer to flight. |
The launch will be the second crewed flight from SLC-40. Crew 9, carrying Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, lifted off from the site on September 28, 2024, marking the second crewed launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station since Apollo 7 launched from LC-34. The ill-fated Boeing Crewed Flight Test (CFT) aboard Starliner was the first. The two CFT astronauts already aboard ISS, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, became part of Crew 9 once it was at ISS.
SpaceX, Falcon 9, GPS III SV09, January 27, 2026
On one of those rare nights where it is actually winter on the Space Coast, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying the GPS III SV09 satellite to orbit for the US Space Force. Liftoff was at 11:53 PM ET into clear, chilly skies.
SpaceX Launches GPS III SV09 From Cape Canaveral
Photo: Charles Boyer
On one of those rare nights where it is actually winter on the Space Coast, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying the GPS III SV09 satellite to orbit for the US Space Force. Liftoff was at 11:53 PM ET into clear, chilly skies.
Ascent was normal, with Main Engine Cutoff coming at T+ 02.29 into the mission. As the second stage and payload continued towards orbit, with Booster B1096 completing its fifth mission by landing on SpaceX’s drone ship ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’, which was prepositioned off the coast of the Carolinas. ASOG and the booster will now return to Port Canaveral, where B1096 will be offloaded, returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X at Kennedy Space Center where it will be inspected, refurbished and prepared for its next mission.
Payload
GPS III Space Vehicle 09 is the ninth of ten upgraded navigation satellites built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Space Force. It offers three times better accuracy and eight times stronger anti-jamming capability compared to older GPS satellites. Military users get the encrypted M-code signal for secure operations, while civilians benefit from the L1C signal that works alongside Europe’s Galileo system.
The satellite is named “Ellison Onizuka” after the Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut lost in the Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986—almost exactly 40 years ago. After reaching medium Earth orbit about 90 minutes after liftoff, SV09 will undergo testing before joining the operational GPS constellation.
Next Launch
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Mission | Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 6-101 — Go for Launch! |
| Organization | SpaceX |
| Location | Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 40 |
| Status | Go for Launch |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Window Opens | Thursday, 01/29/2026 11:00 PM ET |
| Window Closes | Friday, 01/30/2026 3:00 AM ET |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Mission Description | A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system. |
| Broadcast Start Time | Coverage typically begins ~15 minutes before launch. |
| SpaceX Streaming Coverage | Watch Live on SpaceX.com |
| Spaceflight Now YouTube Coverage |
Watch on YouTube – Spaceflight Now Live Stream
(Coverage begins ~60 minutes before launch) |
As of 6:00 PM Monday January 27, 2026. Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for more information.
Photo: Charles Boyer
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