SpaceX plans to launch the SES O3b mPOWER mission today, a flight that can place two communication satellites into medium Earth orbit (MEO).
The Falcon 9 rocket ferrying these satellites is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in some unspecified time in the future during an 89-minute window that opens at 4:08 p.m. EST (2108 GMT).
You possibly can watch the motion live via SpaceX’s account on X (formerly referred to as Twitter). Coverage is anticipated to start about five minutes before liftoff.
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In accordance with SpaceX’s mission plan, the Falcon 9’s first stage will come back to Earth and make a vertical touchdown on the corporate’s drone ship about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. The ship, referred to as “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” can be waiting nearby within the Atlantic Ocean; the rocket’s upper stage won’t be recovered, as is standard for Falcon 9 flights.
Two hours after liftoff, the rocket’s upper stage will deploy the primary of the 2 satellites into medium Earth orbit (MEO) some 5,000 miles (8,000 km) above our planet. Seven minutes later, the second satellite can be deployed.
The 2 Boeing-built spacecraft aboard the flight will expand the O3b constellation of communication satellites operated by provider SES S.A. of Luxembourg. Once the six-satellite constellation is complete, it is anticipated to offer high-speed connectivity to quite a lot of customers in each government and personal industries starting in late 2023.
The Falcon 9 booster on the flight has flown on eight previous missions, five of which were dedicated to constructing out Starlink, SpaceX’s megaconstellation of broadband web satellites. Starlink currently consists of greater than 5,000 operational satellites.
The SES O3b mPOWER mission marks SpaceX’s 84th launch of the 12 months.