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Despite the fog, it was a picture-perfect launch
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket rose through the dense fog late Wednesday afternoon at Vandenberg Space Force Base and soared above the fog — first into the vast blue sky, then into the darkness of space.
Liftoff was at 4:10 p.m. from Space Launch Complex 4E.
A minute or so later, the first stage separated, and the second stage carried 52 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. They’re intended to help bring the internet to 40 countries, and that includes remote locations.
After the launch, the first stage booster landed, right on target, on the drone ship called Of Course, I Still Love You. It was parked 100 miles off the California coast.
This was the booster’s fifth launch and landing. It was used to launch NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1 and two Starlink missions.
Before the launch Wednesday, fog blanketed the Vandenberg launch pad. The rocket was barely visible on the live webcast at spacex.com. But white gas could be seen as some of the liquid oxygen vaporized as it made contact with the air.
A minute after liftoff, the Falcon 9 was traveling faster than the speed of sound, according to SpaceX commentator Kate Tice, who narrated the live webcast from the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne.
At 2 minutes, 36 seconds, separation of the first stage was confirmed.
“We can now see the Starlink satellites are being deployed,” said Ms. Tice, the quality systems engineering manager.
SpaceX showed a split screen. On one side was the first stage returning to Earth, and on the other was the glow behind the second stage with a dramatic backdrop that got Ms. Tice’s attention.
“I love that view of Earth in the background,” she said.
To slow the first stage for its descent toward the drone ship, Falcon 9 ignited three Merlin engines as it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, Ms. Tice explained.
“As the clouds get closer into view, you can get a sense of how fast the vehicle is traveling,” Ms. Tice said. “It’s coming down to 4,000 kilometers per hour, demonstrating the ability of the atmosphere to help slow the vehicle down.”
Soon she said, “We’re about 30 seconds away from the first stage landing burn.”
Then the Falcon 9 had a picture-perfect landing onto the drone ship.
The landing marked the completion of SpaceX’s second launch on Wednesday.
At 9 a.m. Pacific time, SpaceX launched Dragon’s fifth operational human spaceflight from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station. Falcon 9’s first stage booster landed on the drone ship called Just Read the Instructions.
The Dragon capsule is expected to dock today with the space station at 1:57 p.m. Pacific time.
Live coverage at spacex.com is scheduled to start around noon Pacific time.
During their time on the station, crew members will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations in areas such as human health and lunar fuel systems, according to SpaceX.
And SpaceX has another launch scheduled today.
The company plans to launch the Intelstate G-33/G-34 mission from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 4:07 p.m. Pacific time. This time the first stage booster will land on A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. A live webcast will begin about 15 minutes prior to the launch at spacex.com.
email: dmason@newspress.com
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