SpaceX is getting ready to launch the most recent pair of Galileo spacecraft for the European Union’s navigation satellite tv for pc constellation.
The mission marks the second time that Galileo satellites will launch from U.S. soil, following the so-called L-12 mission, which flew on one other Falcon 9 rocket again in April 2024. Liftoff of the L-13 mission from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral House Power Station is about for six:50 p.m. EDT (2250 UTC).
Spaceflight Now can have stay protection starting about an hour previous to liftoff.
Heading into the launch alternative, the forty fifth Climate Squadron forecast only a 40 % probability of favorable climate at liftoff. The booster restoration climate danger was additionally famous as “average” on a scale of low-moderate-high.
“A number of components are in play for the climate this week. Primarily an space of low stress spinning off the southeast U.S. shoreline will regularly transfer onshore close to South Carolina by Tuesday afternoon,” meteorologists wrote. “This circulation sample, together with a number of waves of upper-level vorticity will assist generate convergent bands of clouds and related showers rotating by most of Florida into Tuesday.
“Moreover, anticipate west coast seabreeze convection to make its manner throughout Florida nearing the spaceport Tuesday afternoon additional enhancing prospects for showers and thunderstorms.”
The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, tail quantity B1067 within the SpaceX fleet, will likely be launching for a twenty second time. It beforehand supported two astronaut missions to the Worldwide House Station (Crew-3 and Crew-4), two cargo mission to the ISS (CRS-22 and CRS-25) and 12 Starlink missions.
About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1067 will land on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Simply Learn the Directions.’ This can be a departure from the flight profile when SpaceX launched Galileo satellites again in April.
“Throughout the Galileo L12 mission earlier this yr, the Falcon 9 booster was expended to supply the extra efficiency wanted to ship the payload to its orbit,” SpaceX wrote on its web site. “Knowledge from that mission knowledgeable delicate design and operational modifications, together with mass reductions and trajectory changes, that can enable us to soundly get better and reuse this booster.
“Falcon 9 is able to safely ship Galileo L13 to orbit and return to the droneship within the Atlantic Ocean.”
Whereas SpaceX mentioned it totally intends to get better B1067, the corporate is hedging its bets given the challenges of touchdown with this flight profile.
“The booster reentry trajectory will end in larger heating and dynamic stress on the booster than lots of our historic landings. Though the reentry situations are on the upper finish of previous missions, they’re nonetheless acceptable,” SpaceX wrote. “This touchdown try will check the bounds of restoration, giving us helpful information on the design of the automobile in these elevated entry situations.
“This in flip will assist us innovate on future automobile designs to make our autos extra sturdy and quickly reusable whereas increasing into more difficult reentry situations.”
Galileo enlargement
The Galileo satellites designated FOC FM26 & FM32 are managed and operated by the European Union Company for the House Programme (EUSPA) on behalf of the EU. The FOC designation refers back to the Full Operational Functionality sequence of satellites. Regardless of the designations, these would be the thirty first and thirty second satellites launched to be a part of the operational constellation.
Earlier this month, the EUSPA confirmed that the L12 satellites accomplished on-orbit commissioning and formally joined the constellation on Sept. 5. The satellites are in medium Earth orbit about 23,200 km (14,416 mi.) above Earth.
“These two new satellites strengthen Galileo’s place because the world’s most correct positioning system,” mentioned EUSPA Govt Director Rodrigo da Costa in an announcement. “With the European Fee, EUSPA and ESA collaborating intently, Galileo goes past simply satellites; it stands as proof of our united dedication to innovation, safety, and progress. Every addition not solely improves availability and navigation robustness for over 4 billion customers but additionally reinforce new market alternatives for European companies, SMEs, and entrepreneurs.”
The satellites every weigh 2.3 tons (4,600 lbs.) and have an anticipated 15-year lifespan, in keeping with producer, Airbus.
