SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Set For Feb. 8 From Cape Canaveral
By NASA.gov // February 4, 2015
'DSCOVR' TO LAUNCH FROM Cape Canaveral
ABOVE VIDEO: The Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite mission, better known as DSCOVR, will monitor the constant stream of charged particles from the sun, also called “Solar Winds.” These observations are the backbone of NOAA space weather alerts and forecasts.
BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION – The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) is scheduled to launch at 6:10 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
SpaceCoastDaily.com will feature the live stream of the launch beginning at 3:30 p.m.
In addition to launch coverage, NASA TV also will air a prelaunch news conference at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 which will be available on SpaceCoastDaily.com.
DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force and will maintain the nation’s solar wind observations capability.
These observations are critical to the accuracy and lead time of NOAA’s space weather alerts, forecasts, warnings and space weather events like geomagnetic storms caused by changes in solar wind.
Such events can affect public infrastructure systems including power grids, telecommunications systems and avionics aboard aircraft.
DSCOVR succeeds NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer in supporting solar observations and will provide 15 to 60 minute warning time to improve predictions of geomagnetic storm impact locations.
SpaceX will make a second attempt to land the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
ABOVE VIDEO: SpaceX released this dramatic footage of its booster rocket trying to land on a floating barge in the Atlantic, an unprecedented attempt that ended in a fiery explosion.
The barge landings are the next step in SpaceX’s effort to make the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage reusable.
A landing attempt on the last Falcon 9 launch on Jan. 10 ended with a fiery crash, destroying the booster but sparing the vessel major damage.
