SpaceX Goes for 3rd Attempt at Launching NOAA Satellite, 2nd Rocket Re-Landing Attempt
BySpaceX is hoping to not keep the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) waiting another day for the launch of their Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite.
According to the Associated Press, Wednesday's launch attempt is the third since the initial one was nixed Sunday. While serving as Bill Clinton's vice president, Al Gore first proposed the DSCOVR probe and 17 years later, it is finally going to space.
But SpaceX is also taking another shot at landing its Falcon 9 rocket back on Earth after sending it to space. The first time they tried was on an International Space Station resupply mission, but the rocket crashed after successfully delivering the capsule.
NASA said in an update on their website Wednesday afternoon that the launch scheduled for 6:03 p.m. ET at the Cape Canaveral, Fla. Air Force base is a "90 percent go." Like any launch, it is subject to be cancelled so much as a minute before scheduled if conditions change.
SpaceX most recently cancelled its launch of the DSCOVR satellite Tuesday because high winds would have threatened the rocket's maneuverability. Orbiting at about four times the distance of the moon, DSCOVR will be able to warn scientists on the ground of geomagnetic storms ahead of time. Solar flares can sometimes interrupt communication systems and Earth's electrical grids.
"Tuesday's launch attempt of NOAA's DSCOVR spacecraft aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was scrubbed because upper level winds were outside of limits established to ensure safe flight through the atmosphere," NASA said in its latest update. "Today, data from the first weather balloon are characterized as 'dramatically improved' and upper level winds currently are 'Green.'
"As on Tuesday, managers and engineers will evaluate data from several weather balloons throughout the day and make a final decision prior to entering the terminal countdown at T-10 minutes."