Watch the Launch

Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON)

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Low Earth Orbit Cape Canaveral Air launch to orbit Probability: 70% #NASAICON

Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is a NASA mission to study Earth's thermosphere and ionosphere and the connection between space weather and weather on our planet. Mission is planned to last for two years.

Infographic

Geoff Barrett is an independent graphic artist that creates launch infographics for space flight events.

Pegasus XL

Family: Pegasus
Configuration:

The Pegasus is an air-launched rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now part of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems). Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kilograms (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, the vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 40,000 ft (12,000 m), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and attitude control while in the atmosphere.

Specifications
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    17.6 m
  • Diameter
    1.27 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    23 T
  • Thrust
    580 kN
Family
  • Name
    Pegasus XL
  • Family
    Pegasus
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Pegasus XL
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $40000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    443 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation

(OSC)

Successes: 65 Failures: 7 Pending: 0

Agency Type: Commercial

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceNews

NASA loses contact with ICON spacecraft

A NASA space science spacecraft launched three years ago has been out of contact with controllers for nearly two weeks after suffering some kind of technical problem.

Spaceflight Now

Pegasus rocket ready for airborne launch with NASA scientific satellite

NASA

NASA Spacecraft Launches on Mission to Explore Frontier of Space

Spaceflight Now

Long-delayed NASA science satellite gets October launch date

Spaceflight Now

NASA satellite to study ionosphere launches after two-year delay

Air launch to orbit

Cape Canaveral


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 19 hours ago
Starlink Group 2-10
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Chollima 1
Failure
4 days, 4 hours ago
Malligyong-1
Malligyong-1 Pad - Sohae Satellite Launching Station, Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Malligyong-1 (meaning "Telescope-1") is a North Korean satellite officially declared to be for military reconnaissance purposes. It failed to reach o…


Long March 2
Success
5 days ago
Shenzhou 16
Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) - Jiuquan, People's Republic of China

Fifth crewed flight to the Chinese space station.


GSLV Mk II
Success
5 days, 20 hours ago
IRNSS-1J (NVS-01)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

This is a replacement satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. The constellation will provide India with an alternative to GPS …


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
BADR-8
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Geostationary communications satellite built by Airbus Defense and Space and based on the Eurostar Neo platform for Arabsat.


Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Kondor-FKA No.1
Cosmodrome Site 1S - Vostochny Cosmodrome, Siberia, Russian Federation

The Kondor-FKA is a small civilian radar Earth observation satellite designed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya as a civilian counterpart to the Kondor-E sate…


Electron
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
TROPICS-3
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Last two operational (TROPICS-06 & TROPICS-07) satellites for NASA's Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a…


SpaceShipTwo
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
VSS Unity 25
Spaceport America - Air launch to Suborbital flight

Virgin Galactic return to space mission ahead of the first commercial flight.


Nuri
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
NEXTSat-2 & SNIPE
LC-2 - Naro Space Center, South Korea

Third flight of the KSLV-II "Nuri" launch vehicle, carrying NEXTSat-2 as well as SNIPE A through D.


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Progress MS-23 (84P)
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.