🚀 Falcon 9
🛰 SES 9
Friday, March 4, 2016 23:35 (GMT)
Mission Overview
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES-9 communications satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 in Flordia.
The launch of SES-9 was delayed due to the 6 month suspension of Falcon 9 launches following a failure in 2015. Because of this delay, SpaceX agreed to adjust the launch profile for the mission to give the satellite an extra push and reduce the time it will take to reach the desired orbit.
In addition to the initial 6 month delay, the launch was scrubbed 4 times due to various complications around using super cooled liquid oxygen. SpaceX is cooling the liquid oxygen more than usual in order to carry more fuel for the launch and landing attempt. However, this seems to make fueling and maintaining fuel levels substantially more difficult.
After separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will perform reentry and attempt to land on the SpaceX barge “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the conditions of this launch, the landing is expected to fail.
Photos
About SES-9
SES-9 is a communications satellite owned by SES and built by Boeing. It is designed to provide broadcast and communications services to Northeast Asia, South Asia, Indonesia, and vessels navigating in the Indian Ocean.