Global Launch Log: Every Orbital Launch and Result — 2026-09-11
China successfully launched six remote sensing satellites on a Long March 4B rocket from Jiuquan, marking the 666th flight of the Long March series. Meanwhile, the US Space Force faces a critical bottleneck as its $76 billion satellite program relies solely on SpaceX's Falcon 9 due to the grounding of Vulcan Centaur and the destruction of Blue Origin's New Glenn launch infrastructure.
Global Launch Log: Every Orbital Launch and Result — 2026-09-11
Top developments
China’s Long March 4B Deploys Six Satellites in Jiuquan
On September 10, at 17:00 Beijing time, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) successfully launched a Long March 4B rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission utilized a "one rocket, six satellites" configuration to deploy Yaogan-53 01-03 and Yaogan-56 01-03 satellites into orbit. This flight represents the 666th mission for the Long March series, continuing China's steady cadence of domestic launch operations.
SpaceX Becomes Sole Provider for Major US Space Force Program
A newly released acquisition report reveals that the US Space Force’s $76 billion satellite launch program, which covers 337 missions, is currently dependent entirely on SpaceX’s Falcon 9. This monopoly arose after United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur was grounded and Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a catastrophic static fire and pad explosion at LC-36. The situation recreates a dangerous single-point-of-failure risk for national security payloads that the program was designed to avoid.
ULA Faces Financial Pressure and Potential Ownership Changes
Amidst the Vulcan grounding, Ars Technica reports that United Launch Alliance (ULA) is facing significant financial difficulties that may force its owners, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to consider selling the joint venture. ULA is preparing to resume Vulcan launches in the coming weeks, but the company’s financial health remains precarious as it attempts to recover market share lost to SpaceX.
Eutelsat Contracts Infinite Orbits for GEO Life Extension
In a significant commercial development, satellite operator Eutelsat has contracted French startup Infinite Orbits to extend the life of a geostationary satellite by five years. This marks a major milestone for the life-extension service (LES) sector, validating the business model for extending the operational life of high-value orbital assets.
Local view
China (Sohu/Sina): Chinese media outlets highlighted the successful Long March 4B launch as a routine but significant achievement, emphasizing the "one rocket, six satellites" capability and the milestone of the 666th Long March flight. The coverage focuses on the stability and reliability of the domestic launch infrastructure, contrasting it with recent international anomalies.
Context & numbers
- Global Launch Count: As of early September 2026, there have been approximately 210 orbital launches worldwide this year, according to Orbital Radar data.
- Success Rate: Recent statistics indicate a global success rate of roughly 96.1% for orbital attempts reaching near-orbit or orbit, with 317 successes recorded in the full year of 2025 (contextual baseline for 2026 trends).
- Program Value: The US Space Force program currently relying on SpaceX is valued at $76 billion and encompasses 337 missions.
On the radar
- Vulcan Return-to-Flight: ULA is preparing to resume launching the Vulcan rocket in the coming weeks following its grounding. Any successful launch will be critical for alleviating the SpaceX monopoly on US national security missions.
- Blue Origin Recovery: Blue Origin is working on rebuilding Launch Complex 36 after the New Glenn static fire. A return-to-flight target is set for year-end, but the timeline carries significant risks for Amazon Leo’s deployment schedule.
- Upcoming Manifest: Several Falcon 9 missions are scheduled from Cape Canaveral in September, including classified USSF missions and Starlink deployments. A Vulcan VC6L mission for Amazon Leo is also listed with a NET September date, pending clearance.
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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