According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is an 80% chance of favorable weather for launch.
The primary weather concern is liftoff winds.
For the backup launch day on Saturday, launch weather conditions will deteriorate to just a 35% chance of favorable weather for launch as a front approaches.
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.
Watch SpaceX Rocket Launch Live On YouTube
SES 18 and 19 Payload
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch two C-band satellites built by Northrop Grumman allowing SES to meet the Federal Communications Commission’s time-critical objective to roll out 5G services across the United States.
These satellites will enable SES to clear 280MHz of mid-band spectrum for 5G use while seamlessly migrating SES’s existing C-band customers and ensuring the continued delivery of digital television to nearly 120 million American TV homes and other critical data services.
“Clearing mid-band spectrum and protecting our broadcast customers to ensure business continuity is a significant undertaking and we absolutely need to be working with the right partners,” said Steve Collar, CEO at SES.
“We have a deep and trusted relationship with SpaceX having been the first to launch a commercial satellite with them and subsequently the first commercial company to adopt the flight-proven booster and we could not be more confident in their ability to deliver on this time-critical mission.”