Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. This morning's launch kicks off a busy stretch for SpaceX and the Falcon 9. Block 5 vehicles are scheduled to launch communications satellites for the companies Iridium and Telkom Indonesia on July 25 and Aug. 2, respectively. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Telstar 19V communications satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on July 22, 2018. (Image credit: SpaceX) The July 25 mission will feature an attempt to catch the Falcon 9's payload fairing — the protective nose cone that shrouds satellites during liftoff — with SpaceX's superfast boat "Mr. Steven," according to media reports. SpaceX recently outfitted Mr. Steven with a much larger net, to give the vessel a better chance of pulling off its first mid-air snag. The Block 5 is the last Falcon 9 variant that SpaceX will produce, Musk has said. The company eventually plans to shift all spaceflight responsibilities to its in-development BFR Mars-colonization rocket-spaceship duo.