Weather Forecast is 90 Percent Favorable for SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launch Monday Evening

By  //  December 16, 2019

An 88-minute launch window opens at 7:10 p.m

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the JCSAT 18/Kacific 1 communications satellite is set to lift off Monday evening, Dec. 16, from launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station near the Port. (Kacific image)

BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the JCSAT 18/Kacific 1 communications satellite is set to lift off Monday evening, Dec. 16, from launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station near the Port.

An 88-minute launch window opens at 7:10 p.m.

The JCSAT 18/Kacific 1 communications satellite, below, jointly owned by SKY Perfect JSAT Corp. of Japan and Kacific Broadband Satellites of Singapore, will provide mobile and broadband services across the Asia-Pacific region.

Following liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket booster engine will attempt to land on autonomous spaceport drone ship Of Course I Still I Love You stationed in the Atlantic.

Fairing-catching vessels GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief also have been dispatched and will attempt to snare both halves of the rocket’s fairing in their large nets.

There’s a 90 percent chance of favorable weather at liftoff, with the main concern being cumulus clouds associated with showers moving onshore, according to the 45th Weather Squadron.

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