You can watch the launch of a bunch of small satellites on the internet.
The launch of a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket called Transporter 3 is scheduled to take place at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is expected to take place during a 29-minute window that opens at 10:25 a.m. The time is 1525 GMT.
You can watch the launch live on the Space.com website, or you can watch it on the SpaceX website about 15 minutes before liftoff.
Dozens of small satellites from a variety of customers are perched atop the 230 foot tall (70 meters) launch vehicle as part of the company's third dedicated rideshare mission. The passenger satellites tucked inside the rocket's nose cone will be deposited into the correct location.
The return to launch site (RTLS) landing is the first since June and onlookers will be in for a treat. The sonic booms are expected as the rocket makes its way back to terra firma.
The majority of the rockets are landed on the deck of one of the drones. It takes more fuel to return to land than it does to land on the deck of a drone ship.
Today's flight is the 2nd of the year and the first landing at the Cape since last summer. It's rare for flights out of the Cape to fly on a southerly launch trajectory. The Falcon 9 may be seen from the ground.
The company sent out an email to local residents advising them of the booms.
The advisory said that the first stage of the Falcon 9 will land at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in eight minutes. There is a chance that residents in the area will hear sonic booms during the landing.
What residents hear will depend on the weather.
See the evolution of the rockets.
Multiple clients can share the cost of the rocket with different customers through missions like this. If they need a more refined orbit, they can either wait for a Transporter mission that has a close proximity to their needs or they can choose a different launcher.
The launch of 60 small satellites for a mission called SSO-A was the first of its kind. This flight allowed for the delivery of a small armada of satellites into low-Earth orbit, each one released as part of a carefully choreographed ballet, timed just right so that the satellites did not collide with one another.
With the success of that mission, the company decided to make its Transporter rideshare service available, offering payloads rides on a Falcon for $1 million a pop. The weight of the payload is required. You can travel to a sun-synchronous orbit with less than 200 kilograms. The launch slots are booked through the company website and are offered at regular intervals.
The first Transporter-1 rocket, which was launched in January of 2021, carried a record number of satellites. The Transporter-2 mission launched 88 small satellites.
There is a rare landing on all three missions. The 21st successful touchdown of a first stage booster here at the Cape will be celebrated on Thursday if everything goes as planned. Most of the landings have occurred at sea.
There is a 70% chance of good weather for the launch opportunity today, with the only weather concerns being the potential for clouds over the launch site. There is a backup launch time on Friday if necessary.
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