CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX efficiently launched a sophisticated GPS satellite tv for pc for the U.S. Area Drive on Thursday (June 17), marking the nineteenth launch of the yr right here on the Area Coast.
One of many firm’s two-stage Falcon 9 rockets blasted off from Area Launch Advanced 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Drive Station right here at 12:09 p.m. EST (1409 GMT), carrying the GPS III SV05 navigation satellite tv for pc to orbit. 9 minutes later, the rocket’s first stage touched down on the deck of “Simply Learn the Directions,” one among SpaceX’s two drone ships.
“What a stupendous view of the primary stage touchdown,” Youmei Zhou, a SpaceX propulsion engineer, stated through the firm’s stay launch commentary.
The GPS III SV05 satellite tv for pc mission is the second to launch to date this month for SpaceX, following the launch of a broadband satellite tv for pc for Sirius XM on June 6.
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It was nothing however blue skies over the launch pad, and onlookers have been handled to a stunning view because the rocket climbed to orbit.
Right now’s flight marks the fourth GPS satellite tv for pc supply by SpaceX for the U.S. army. Three earlier superior GPS III missions additionally launched on Falcon 9 rockets, together with two missions final yr. One other of the satellites launched in August 2019 on the United Launch Alliance’s last flight of the Delta IV Medium rocket.
“Should you’ve ever used your telephone’s mapping service or retrieved a location by way of a pin drop, you’ve used a satellite tv for pc on this system,” Zhou stated.
The U.S. army plans to launch a complete of 10 upgraded GPS satellites, as a part of an effort to interchange growing older members of its present constellation. SpaceX has additionally secured a contract to launch the subsequent GPS III mission as nicely, which is deliberate for someday subsequent yr.
Constructed by Lockheed Martin in Colorado, the GPS III-SV05 satellite tv for pc, named after Neil Armstrong, is the fifth member of an upgraded technology of GPS navigation spacecraft that’s designed to beam down higher-power indicators which can be extra resilient to jamming and boast extra broadcast frequencies to make the GPS community extra suitable with different related constellations, Lockheed representatives have stated.
Associated: Launch images! SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars with 1st GPS III navigation satellite tv for pc
Falcon’s fury
The 227-foot-tall (70 meters) Falcon 9 is SpaceX’s workhorse rocket and boasts greater than 1.5 million kilos of thrust at liftoff. Right now’s mission featured a primary for the Area Drive: flying a payload on a used rocket.
Final yr, the company gave SpaceX the inexperienced gentle to fly its payloads on refurbished rockets. That call adopted on the heels of one other latest announcement to permit SpaceX to get well the rocket’s first stage throughout nationwide safety missions — one thing that was beforehand not allowed.
The subsequent two GPS missions, that are already scheduled to fly on SpaceX rockets someday subsequent yr, will now launch atop refurbished rockets.
All of that is nice information for SpaceX, as the corporate has been relying closely on its fleet of veteran rockets, with many Falcon 9 first phases having racked up 5 or extra flights every.
Out of 19 missions to date this yr, just one has featured a model new Falcon 9; the remaining have been on flight-proven boosters.
It is also nice information for Area Drive and taxpayers as flying on reused rockets interprets to a financial savings of practically $53 million throughout the 2 flights (GPS III-SV05 and GPS III-SV06), Area Drive officers stated.
Honoring the previous
The army has given nicknames to every of the upgraded GPS satellites, naming them after well-known explorers. The satellite tv for pc that launched right now was given the moniker “Neil Armstrong” after the NASA astronaut who made historical past as the primary individual to step foot on the moon.
Earlier satellites have been named “Vespucci” and “Magellan” in honor of explorers Amerigo Vespucci and Ferdinand Magellan. The latest one which launched in November was named “Sacagewea” after the information who led Lewis and Clark on their well-known expedition within the 1800s.
Not one of the names are official, simply nicknames given to the satellites as a part of an area flight custom of naming spacecraft in addition to a option to honor the nice explorers of the previous.
Area Drive officers say different satellites to return will likely be named after house icons like Amelia Earhart, Sally Trip and Katherine Johnson.
Flight milestones
Right now’s mission marks the 122nd Falcon 9 rocket to fly and the nineteenth mission of 2021 for SpaceX. It additionally marks the 89th profitable booster restoration. SpaceX’s drone ship “Simply Learn the Directions” was positioned out within the Atlantic Ocean, awaiting the restoration try.
The corporate’s different drone ship, “Of Course I Nonetheless Love You,” is on its option to the West Coast. The large ship departed Port Canaveral final week, embarking on a journey by means of the Panama Canal. It’s going to ultimately dock within the port of Los Angeles and start West Coast restoration operations for SpaceX.
A 3rd drone ship, “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” is sort of full and will likely be heading to Port Canaveral to assist sustain with SpaceX’s fast launch and restoration fee.
The booster B1062 was the star of the present right now, and it’s the first Falcon 9 booster to hold two totally different GPS satellites to orbit. It is also the primary used Falcon 9 to loft one among these superior world positioning satellites.
Fairing restoration
The rocket’s nostril cone (or payload fairing) is the protecting shell housing the payload. It deploys as soon as the rocket reaches a sure altitude. Traditionally the {hardware} has been tossed apart, by no means for use once more.
With every Falcon 9 fairing half price an estimated $3 million, SpaceX has labored to get well them and fly them once more lately as a part of its reusability efforts. The fairings use parachutes to gradual their descent to allow them to be retrieved from the ocean.
SpaceX has been shuffling round restoration boats, and even hiring some short-term assist, with a view to get well these fairings from the ocean. The fairing restoration vessel for right now’s launch is making its debut right here in Florida. The black and orange boat, named Hos Briarwood, will hoist the fairings out of the water with its on board crane. In the event that they’re in fine condition, they might fly once more quickly.
SpaceX has one other mission to return this month, as the corporate continues with its rideshare program. The Transporter-2 mission is scheduled to launch on June 24 and can launch an entire host of satellites, just like the corporate’s record-setting 143-satellite Transporter-1 mission in 2020.
Observe Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Fb.
