After a couple of delays, the Falcon Heavy launch I've been waiting for since Sunday made its launch this morning at 10:13 AM EDT or 1413 UTC. The 6.6 ton satellite has been deployed to the geostationary orbit (GEO) 22,236 miles above Earth. The proper deployment to that orbit was announced by SpaceX at 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC):
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket launches the ViaSat-3 F3 satellite April 29, 2026. (Image credit: Spacex)
About eight minutes after launch, the twin strap-on Falcon 9 boosters touched down at SpaceX's Landing Zones 2 and 40, each one within about 2 miles from the rocket's LC-39A launch pad - within seconds of each other. This video capture shows LZ-2 on the left and LZ-40 on the right. The booster on LZ-2 had just shut off its engines while the LZ-40 vehicle is still using up the fuel in its lines. Video here
In the coverage by NASASpaceflight (dot com), they said there were several more FH launches coming, far more than this one compared to the previous FH launch 18 months ago. This schedule should work for you - it shows one in September - the Roman Space Telescope NET September - another NET 2026 and nine (!) FH launches NET 2027.
All that said, the launch view was practically a zero from my backyard. I think I saw the FH climbing out early in its mission for perhaps as much as three seconds. There was one tower of cloud that it stayed behind until seconds before it dropped those two boosters. We heard a good rumble and heard our patio doors rattle, but it didn't last long.
I'm glad there is still a company out there that can deliver the goods.
ReplyDeleteGood on them.
Yes! And the ACTUAL PAYLOAD (ViaSAT) was delivered into its intended orbit... Imagine that...
ReplyDeleteThrilling to watch three Falcon landings in one day...
All sound and no visual here as well. A good rumble going up, and a lesser one on the landing burn with the double pop to close out the launch.
ReplyDelete