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USSF-62

© SpaceX

All launches
SpaceX

USSF-62

Success

Falcon 9 Block 5
T-minus to liftoff

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HOURS

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MINUTES

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SECONDS

Apr 11, 14:25:00 UTC
StatusSuccess
VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5
OrbitPolar Orbit
PadSpace Launch Complex 4E
Loading map…

Mission

First Weather System Follow-on (WSF) satellite. WSF-M (Weather System Follow-on - Microwave) is the next-generation operational environmental satellite system for the Department of Defense (DoD), to replace the microwave wavelength weather forecasting capabilities of the DMSP satellites. Ball Aerospace has been selected in late November 2017 to be the prime contractor for 2 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) weather satellites with a passive microwave imaging radiometer instrument and hosted Government furnished energetic charged particle (ECP) sensor space weather payload developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The radiometer leverages the Ball-built Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument. This mission will improve weather forecasting over maritime regions by taking global measurements of the atmosphere and ocean surface.

Launch Timeline

Countdown

T-00:38:00

GO for Prop Load

T-00:35:00

Prop Load

T-00:35:00

Stage 1 LOX Load

T-00:16:00

Stage 2 LOX Load

T-00:07:00

Engine Chill

T-00:01:00

Startup

T-00:01:00

Tank Press

T-00:00:45

GO for Launch

T-00:00:03

Ignition

In-flight

T+00:00:00

Liftoff

T+00:01:12

Max-Q

T+00:02:19

MECO

T+00:02:23

Stage 2 Separation

T+00:02:30

SES-1

T+00:02:36

Booster Boostback Burn Startup

T+00:03:01

Fairing Separation

T+00:03:30

Booster Boostback Burn Shutdown

T+00:06:07

Entry Burn Startup

T+00:06:25

Entry Burn Shutdown

T+00:07:24

Stage 1 Landing Burn

T+00:07:52

Stage 1 Landing

T+00:08:27

SECO-1

T+00:49:51

SES-2

T+00:49:56

SECO-2

T+00:54:57

Payload Separation

Quick facts

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5
OrbitPolar Orbit
PadSpace Launch Complex 4E
SiteVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
WindowApr 11, 14:25:00 UTC→Apr 11, 14:35:00 UTC

Vehicle

FamilyFalcon
Height70 m
Diameter3.65 m
Stages2
ReusableYes
LEO capacity22,800 kg
Track record606/607 successful
Landings593/598
Acquiring satellite view…
Trajectory unknown
Space Launch Complex 4E
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
34.632, -120.611
Scrub riskLOW
Go90%
Q

Q's read

Weather & scrubLOW risk
Weather Go90%LL2 Go95%Wind4 ktGusts4 ktCloud80%Temp62°F

Limiting rule: No flight through cumulus cloud with top at or above the freezing level.

300% cloud cover in layer above freezing (14899 ft) — approximated