DSCOVR Space Weather Satellite Successfully Launched By SpaceX

[Webster]

Ars Technica: DSCOVR space weather satellite launched by SpaceX successfully

On Wednesday afternoon, SpaceX successfully launched a space weather satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida after two launch windows had failed Elon Musk's company. “Primary mission on target. Spacecraft head towards the sun! All good there.” Elon Musk tweeted minutes after today's launch.

The Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR, was going to launch Tuesday evening at 6:05pm EST, but the launch was scrubbed within 10 minutes to liftoff due to sheer wind conditions. A previous attempt had been made on Sunday, but that launch was scrubbed due to the Air Force's tracking radar going down. If the launch had not been successful today, it would have been postponed for more than a week due to the unfavorable position of the Moon. “During that period, the Moon's position would exert a gravitational pull on the flight that would require more propellant to overcome,” Central Florida Future wrote.

DSCOVR's mission is to travel toward the Sun, taking measurements of solar storms and magnetic conditions, and relaying that information back to Earth within 15 to 60 minutes. “Without timely and accurate warnings, space weather events like the geomagnetic storms caused by changes in solar wind have the potential to disrupt nearly every major public infrastructure system, including power grids, telecommunications, aviation, and GPS,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wrote. Although SpaceX is responsible for DSCOVR's launch, NOAA will take over control of the satellite as it moves out into the further reaches of space.

The launch was not entirely perfect, however. The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that SpaceX put underneath DSCOVR was supposed to be recovered via drone ship after a soft landing at sea. However, dangerous conditions in the Atlantic will prevent recovery of the Falcon 9 that sent DSCOVR to space. “The drone ship was designed to operate in all but the most extreme weather,” SpaceX wrote on its press page. “We are experiencing just such weather in the Atlantic with waves reaching up to three stories in height crashing over the decks. Also, only three of the drone ship’s four engines are functioning, making station-keeping in the face of such wave action extremely difficult. The rocket will still attempt a soft landing in the water through the storm (producing valuable landing data), but survival is highly unlikely.”

Still, Musk assured the public that barring the high seas, the first stage of the Falcon 9 would have been recoverable. “Rocket soft landed in the ocean within 10m of target & nicely vertical! High probability of good droneship landing in non-stormy weather,” he tweeted.

Thoughts?

 

[Nebulous]

Good luck little droneship

 

[Jazzy]

The rocket will still attempt a soft landing in the water through the storm (producing valuable landing data), but survival is highly unlikely.”

Need to go back to the drawing board and figure out another way.

 

[+paradox]

of course, i watched this rocket go into space as well...

it was a nice and clear evening, what a pretty sight...

 

[Webster]

The rocket will still attempt a soft landing in the water through the storm (producing valuable landing data), but survival is highly unlikely.”

Need to go back to the drawing board and figure out another way.

This would've been their second attempt to land the Falcon 9's first stage on a floating barge, but the sea-state conditions were way too rough for them to attempt it...hence, the watery landing.