Atlas V rocket launches Air Force X-37B spaceplane from Cape Canaveral
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts an Air Force X-37B spaceplane into orbit from Cape Canaveral on Saturday, May 17, 2020.
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SpaceX is currently targeting Thursday at 8:07 p.m. ET to launch a triple-core Falcon Heavy rocket to lift the Space Force’s mysterious unmanned “mini-shuttle” spaceplane, the X-37B, into orbit. .
At certain locations along the Space Coast, expect to hear a sonic boom that rattles windows. After a gradual separation along a northward trajectory, Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will target landing at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Additionally, while SpaceX has yet to officially confirm this second mission, another launch slot opens on Thursday at 11 p.m. for the Falcon 9 rocket to launch the latest batch of Starlink Internet Beam satellites into low Earth orbit. It’s planned.
The Starlink launch window is scheduled to extend past midnight until 3:23 a.m. Friday, according to a navigation alert from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
On Wednesday morning, SpaceX crews moved the towering 230-foot Falcon Heavy into position on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The commercial space giant bases its Starlink missions at Launch Complex 40 at the adjacent Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicts an 80% chance of “head-to-launch” weather for Falcon Heavy. However, the forecast notes a low to moderate risk of upper-level wind shear as a weak front moves east, bringing patchy showers to central Florida on Thursday morning. Masu.
“Much of the upper-level moisture associated with the waves will move away from the coast by midday, leaving only low-level upper-level showers along the western front near the launch window. Therefore, the main weather concern at launch is , the law of cumulus clouds associated with the launch. “Rain is possible in and along the front,” the squadron’s forecast said.
In the event of a delay, SpaceX plans to pursue a backup launch of Falcon Heavy on Friday at 8:06 p.m.
The X-37B, manufactured by Boeing, will embark on its seventh top-secret mission in orbit. The mission, designated USSF-52, will use a Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time. The autonomous spaceplane last launched in May 2020 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The secret spacecraft spent a record 908 days in orbit before landing at KSC’s launch and landing facility in November 2022.
“Our national security space launches carry our most critical capabilities into orbit,” Adm. Christine Panzenhagen, who commands Space Launch Delta 45, said in a November press release. He talked about the X-37B mission.
“We partner closely with our launch service providers and our entire team is focused on making the mission a success,” Panzenhagen said.
The 45th Weather Squadron has not released detailed forecasts for the Falcon 9 mission. The National Weather Service expects the weather at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday night to be mostly cloudy and cool, with a low around 52 degrees and west-southwest winds between 5 and 10 mph.
Thursday’s launch is scheduled two days after the Falcon 9’s first stage booster returned to Port Canaveral after it toppled and was badly damaged on top of a drone ship in high winds and waves.
For updates on the latest launch schedules from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, please visit: floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
rick neil He’s a space reporter for FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his story, go to click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1