Wednesday, October 3, 2018

SpaceX Launch Shifts To Sunday Evening

The next launch of a SpaceX rocket--of an earth observation satellite, the SAOCOM-1A, for Argentina--has shifted to Sunday evening, based on new launch data. The launch is now targeted for October 7th at 7:22pm, from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The SpaceX launch will also include the first, ground-based landing for a SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage on the west coast; SpaceX is planning to land the stage within sight of its launch pad at Vandenberg, while also deploying its oceangoing vessel, the Mr. Steven, to catch the fairing of the Falcon 9. Previously, SpaceX had been landing the first stage of Falcon 9 rockets launched from Vandenberg at sea, on a barge. The company has previously had success landing those boosters on land in Florida, but hasn't--until this launch--attempted one in California. The landing is expected to generate a sonic boom across the Central Coast. Image: the SAOCOM-1A satellite, which is scheduled for launch this weekend by SpaceX