The SpaceX rocket launch is scheduled to liftoff at 10:29 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch window ends at 11:17 a.m. EDT.
Launch Weather 80% ‘GO’
According to the latest weather forecast from the United States Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is an 80% percent chance overall of acceptable weather conditions for Wednesday’s launch. The primary weather concern for launch is cumulus clouds.
Attempted Landing On Drone Ship
Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt a landing on the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Of Course I Still Love You. If successful, this would be the fourth time SpaceX landing a first stage booster on a drone ship, and the fifth successful booster landing.
The Eutelsat 117 West B communications satellite built by Boeing for Eutelsat will provide Latin America with video, data, government, and mobile services for 15 years.
Also built by Boeing, the ABS-2A communications satellite will provide coverage for Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.
Both satellites use electric propulsion that produces thrust by ionizing and accelerating the noble gas xenon. While producing comparatively low thrust relative to conventional rocket engines, ion thrusters provide significantly greater specific impulse, or fuel economy. This results in increased payload carrying capacity and a greater number of on-orbit maneuvers for a spacecraft using ion thrusters rather than traditional rocket engines. Photo credit: SpaceX
