Global Launch Log: Every Orbital Launch and Result — 2026-09-02
SpaceX has achieved a historic milestone by completing its 100th Falcon 9 launch of 2026, while the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope successfully deployed following its August 30 launch. Meanwhile, Isar Aerospace is preparing for a critical first orbital attempt with its Spectrum rocket, and Russia conducted a military Soyuz launch from Plesetsk despite reports of drone activity in the region.
Global Launch Log: Every Orbital Launch and Result — 2026-09-02
Top developments
SpaceX Reaches 100th Falcon 9 Launch of 2026
SpaceX officially crossed the 100-launch threshold for its Falcon 9 vehicle in 2026, a testament to the rocket's high cadence and reliability. This milestone was reached during a week that also saw the successful deployment of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which launched on an Atlas V (shared context) or Falcon Heavy (contextual check: Source says "SpaceX celebrate" and "Roman Telescope... progressing... toward a launch", but KeepTrack says "Ariane 62 delivered MTG-I2" and "SpaceX reached 100 Falcon 9 launches"). Correction: The source "KeepTrack Week in Review" explicitly states "SpaceX reached 100 Falcon 9 launches for 2026". The Roman Telescope launch details are from Space.com, noting the launch was on Aug 30. The specific rocket for Roman is not explicitly named as Falcon 9 in the snippet, but SpaceX involvement is noted. The 100th flight is a standalone metric achievement.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Deployment
NASA released stunning imagery on August 31 showing the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope separating from its rocket booster shortly after its August 30 launch. The telescope is now proceeding through its commissioning phase, with NASA and SpaceX celebrating the successful ascent. President Trump reportedly joined the live post-launch press conference, highlighting the mission's political visibility.
Isar Aerospace Targets First Orbit with Spectrum
German startup Isar Aerospace has set September 4 as its target date for the first-ever orbital attempt of its Spectrum rocket. The mission carries significant weight, with three binding contracts worth over $340 million depending on a successful stage separation, including awards from the ESA European Launcher Challenge and a delivery for Planet Labs. This represents a critical test for Europe's emerging commercial launch sector.
Russian Soyuz Launch from Plesetsk Amid Drone Tensions
On August 24, Russia successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, placing a satellite for the Ministry of Defense into orbit. Ukrainian media reported that the launch occurred despite potential attacks by Ukrainian drones on the facility, though Russian state media confirmed the successful insertion of the payload.
Local view
Russian media outlets, including RIA Novosti and Izvestia, emphasized the successful completion of the Soyuz-2.1b launch from Plesetsk on August 24, framing it as a routine operation by the Russian Aerospace Forces' space troops. The reports focused on the delivery of the satellite to the Ministry of Defense, downplaying external security concerns mentioned by Ukrainian sources.
Context & numbers
As of early September 2026, there have been approximately 210 orbital launches globally, according to Orbital Radar's database. SpaceX's achievement of 100 Falcon 9 flights in less than eight months underscores its dominance in global launch frequency, significantly outpacing other providers.
On the radar
- Crew-13 Delay: SpaceX and NASA have delayed the next astronaut launch to the ISS (Crew-13), originally scheduled for September 12, due to a leak detected on the Dragon spacecraft. A new launch date has not yet been announced.
- Upcoming Starlink Missions: A Falcon 9 launch carrying 27 Starlink V2 Mini satellites is scheduled soon, featuring booster B1088 on its 19th flight.
- Vulcan and Starship Windows: ULA's Vulcan VC6L and SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy v3 are both targeting NET (No Earlier Than) September windows, keeping high-profile tests on the near-term manifest.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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