CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – The launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a SiriusXM satellite is targeted to liftoff at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, December 13, 2020, from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The launch window closes at 1:21 p.m. EST.
SpaceX has confirmed a new target launch time of 12:30pm EST (1730 GMT) for the Falcon 9 rocket.
This new time is “optimized for launch and recovery,” SpaceX says. The forecast now calls for an 80% chance of good weather at Cape Canaveral.
Live coverage: https://t.co/TCIqjjI24P
— Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) December 13, 2020
Launch Weather 80% ‘GO’
According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is an 80% chance of favorable weather for launch.
Attempted Landing On Drone Ship
Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 Block 5 will attempt a landing on an autonomous drone ship Just Read The Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.
SXM-7 Payload
Once in orbit, SIRIUSXM will use the SXM-7 satellite to ensure continuous and reliable delivery of SiriusXM’s entertainment and data services to tens of millions of subscribers across North America.
SXM-7 weighs almost 7,000 kg and will be carried to geostationary orbit.
The satellite is built on Maxar’s 1300-CLASS PLATFORM and is designed to provide service for 15 years or longer.
Once in orbit, the satellite will deploy a large unfurlable antenna reflector, which will enable broadcasts to mobile radios, such as those in moving vehicles.
