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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying GovSat-1/SES-16
is poised for liftoff at pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Launch targeted for Jan. 31, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com |
You
can watch the launch live on a SpaceX dedicated webcast starting about 15
minutes prior to the 4:25 p.m. EDT (2025
GMT) liftoff time.
can watch the launch live on a SpaceX dedicated webcast starting about 15
minutes prior to the 4:25 p.m. EDT (2025
GMT) liftoff time.
Watch the SpaceX broadcast live at: SpaceX.com/webcast
The GovSat-1
launch window at pad 40 extends for a little over two full hours. The window
opens at 4:25 p.m. EST (2125 GMT) and extends
until closing at 6:46 p.m. EST, or 2346 GMT.
launch window at pad 40 extends for a little over two full hours. The window
opens at 4:25 p.m. EST (2125 GMT) and extends
until closing at 6:46 p.m. EST, or 2346 GMT.
GovSat-1 will be located
at the 21.5 degrees East orbital slot.
at the 21.5 degrees East orbital slot.
It will serve Europe,
the Middle East and Africa, including substantial maritime coverage over the
Mediterranean and Baltic seas, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
the Middle East and Africa, including substantial maritime coverage over the
Mediterranean and Baltic seas, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
In contrast to most recent launches, this ‘flight-proven’ Falcon
9 will not be recovered.
9 will not be recovered.
However it is equipped with a quarteet of grid fins and
landing legs and will guided to carry out the descent recovery sequence and make
a soft ocean landing – minus the drone ship.
landing legs and will guided to carry out the descent recovery sequence and make
a soft ocean landing – minus the drone ship.
The recycled first stage for the GovSat-1 mission was previously
used to launch the NROL-76 spy satellite on a classified mission for the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from LC-39A
in May 2017.
used to launch the NROL-76 spy satellite on a classified mission for the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from LC-39A
in May 2017.
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of SpaceX Falcon
9 & Heavy, NASA, ULA and more space mission reports direct
from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
9 & Heavy, NASA, ULA and more space mission reports direct
from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing
Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.specupclose.com –
twitter @ken_kremer – ken
at kenkremer.com
Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.specupclose.com –
twitter @ken_kremer – ken
at kenkremer.com