SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 from Florida on Friday afternoon
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Update: SpaceX launched this mission at 5:48 PM ET on Friday, December 16th. The missile was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Follow SpaceX’s targets for 5:48 p.m. Friday afternoon for the Falcon 9 liftoff from Florida.
Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station hosts the O3b mPower mission for SES, a satellite operator based in Luxembourg. Known as O3b mPower 1 and 2, the spacecraft is scheduled to lift off during today’s 87-minute launch window.
Meteorologists with the Space Force’s 45th Meteorological Squadron said in a report Thursday that launch conditions are expected to reach 90 percent. Only a slight chance of a cloud will remain for Friday’s launch attempt.
For the latest information, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Updates from Friday’s event below:
Leaves!
5:48 PM: SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
10 minutes until takeoff
5:38 PM: SpaceX is counting down to takeoff at 5:48pm and everything seems to be right with the countdown. This evening’s launch will include an eastern trajectory and a drone ship landing in the Atlantic, so there will be no local sonic boom this time.
ongoing fueling
5:15 pm: SpaceX fueled the 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 40 before liftoff at 5:48 p.m. ET.
Go to refuel
5:08 pm: SpaceX Launch Manager Is the “Go” to Start Falcon 9 Fueling! Take-off is scheduled for 5:48 p.m
1 hour until take off
4:48 PM: again within an hour for takeoff. We’re watching for updates to see whether or not the SpaceX launch manager will be able to poll in about 20 minutes to proceed with Falcon 9 fueling before today’s launch attempt. Today’s new launch time is 5:48pm and closing launch time available today. If SpaceX can’t start refueling on time, the mission will likely explode. Stay tuned.
New T-0 launch time
4:30 pm: SpaceX’s launch manager updated the takeoff time to 5:48 p.m. for the Falcon 9 mission today. There is no reason given by SpaceX.
1 hour until take off
4:21 PM: Now within an hour of take off. In about 20 minutes, we expect SpaceX’s launch manager to conduct reconnaissance to determine whether or not to proceed with fueling the Falcon 9 ahead of today’s launch attempt.
It’s a little cloudy and cold today. Space power forecasters expect conditions to be more than 90% favorable for take-off. Stay tuned.
New T-0 launch time
2:55 pm: SpaceX is now targeting a Falcon 9 launch at 5:21 PM ET from Launch Complex 40. Stay tuned.
Welcome to the live coverage
2:45 p.m.: Good evening everyone. Thanks for joining us for today’s live coverage of SpaceX’s O3b mPower mission for SES. Today’s mission has an 87-minute launch window. So far, the SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are counting down to the launch of the Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 40 at 4:21 p.m. ET. Stay tuned as we watch the countdown.
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