Falcon 9 Rocket Set to Launch with Earth-Observation Satellites From Vandenberg SFB
- by Noozhawk
- May 02, 2024
- 0 Comments
- 0 Likes Flag 0 Of 10
SpaceX photo
After being delayed for two weeks, a Falcon 9 rocket and a pair of commercial Earth-observation satellites will try for liftoff Thursday morning at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Liftoff of the SpaceX rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 is scheduled to occur during a 14-minute window opening at 11:36 a.m.
If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Friday, with the 14-minute window that day also opening at 11:36 a.m., SpaceX said Wednesday afternoon.
The mission will include the first-stage booster returning to Vandenberg, which means sonic booms may be heard in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties.
A return to a landing site just west of its launch location at Vandenberg will occur more than eight minutes after liftoff.
This will be the 20th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster supporting this mission.
A pair of WorldView Legion Earth-observation satellites for Maxar make up the payloads aboard the rocket.
WorldView Legion’s data will be used for various purposes, including national security, monitoring oil spills, assessing natural disasters and more.
Sign Up for the A.M. Report
Keep up with Noozhawk's daily news coverage, delivered at 4:15 a.m. right to your inbox.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Deployment of the first spacecraft will occur 13 minutes into the flight, with the second satellite set to separate more than 16 minutes after the launch.
The mission had been planned for last month but encountered unspecified delays.
Vandenberg has restricted access, but several locations around the Lompoc Valley provide views of the launch and landing sites, which are south of West Ocean Avenue/Highway 246.
The locations include west of Lompoc on Ocean Avenue/Highway 246 and near the intersection of Moonglow and Stardust roads.
Providence Landing Park, at 699 Mercury Ave. in Vandenberg Village, also is a popular gathering spot.
A live webcast of the mission is scheduled to begin on the SpaceX account on X (formerly Twitter) about 15 minutes before liftoff.
Tagged:
Please first to comment
Related Post
Tweets by elonmusk
To get the latest tweets please make sure you are logged in on X on this browser.