A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is ready to launch two radar reconnaissance satellites for the German military early Saturday morning (Dec. 23).
A Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch the SARah-2 mission to low Earth orbit (LEO) from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday, during an 83-minute window that opens at 8:11 a.m. EST (1311 GMT; 5:11 a.m. local California time).
You may watch it live via SpaceX’s account on X (formerly referred to as Twitter). Coverage will begin about quarter-hour before the launch window opens.
Related: 8 ways in which SpaceX has transformed spaceflight
The SARah-2 mission will send two synthetic aperture radar (the “SAR” in “SARah-2”) reconnaissance satellites aloft for the German military.
“The satellites will proceed the substitute means of the aging SAR-Lupe constellation,” EverydayAstronaut.com wrote in a mission description.
“SARah 2 and SARah 3 are two ‘reflector antenna’ satellites, meaning they’ll consequently fly in formation with SARah 1 to extend the resolution of the constellation,” the outlet added.
SARah-2 shall be the eighth liftoff for this particular Falcon 9’s first stage, in response to SpaceX. The booster will come down for its eighth landing as well, touching down back at Vandenberg about eight minutes after launch, if all goes in response to plan.
SARah 2 and SARah 3, meanwhile, will deploy into LEO from the Falcon 9’s upper stage about 20 minutes and 25 minutes after liftoff, respectively.
Saturday’s launch continues a really busy 2023 for SpaceX. The corporate has launched greater than 90 orbital missions up to now this yr, in addition to two test flights of its giant Starship rocket that did not make it to orbit.
And there shall be more SpaceX motion before the calendar turns. For instance, the corporate’s powerful Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to launch the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B space plane to orbit on Dec. 28.