Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Falcon 9 Launch Attempt Still Set For Wednesday Morning

Hawthorne-based SpaceX says that it is still set for another attempt to launch the PAZ satellite mission into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base, on Wednesday, 6:17 a.m. PST. SpaceX said that the weather is "90% favorable" for tomorrow's launch window. SpaceX is attempting to put the PAZ satellite into orbit for Spanish satellite company Hidesat, and also will be putting two of its own satellites into space as secondary cargo. The two SpaceX satellites are prototypes for what SpaceX hopes will become a massive constellation of tiny "cubesats" to provide Internet access across the globe from near earth orbit. The launch, if successful, is expected to be highly visible across Southern California, as the Falcon 9 travels South from Vandenberg Air Force Base (near Santa Barbara), past Los Angeles, and out over the coast of San Diego. Image: the Falcon 9 and PAZ on the launchpad at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Tuesday.