SpaceX F9 - EarthCARE - SLC-4E

[Grendal]

Launch Date: May 28
Launch Window: 1:00 pm PDT (4:00 pm EDT, 22:20 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Core Booster Recovery: RTLS - LZ-4
Booster: B1081.7
Fairings: Reused
Mass: 2037 kg
Orbit: SSO
Yearly Launch Number: 57

EarthCARE (Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer) satellite is the sixth mission in ESA's Earth Explorer program and it aims to advance our understanding of the role clouds and aerosols play in reflecting incident solar radiation back into space and trapping infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface.

EarthCARE - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

An incredible view of stage separation and the booster falling away and starting the boostback burn. This launch used the shorter nozzle.

 

[ecarfan]

Oh yeah!

 

[rlsd]

Too bad for me. I went to Lampoc to see the launch but I didn't see anything because of the fog. A lot of people waited for more than 90 minutes with families and cameras but only heard the sonic boom.

 

[ecarfan]

Too bad for me. I went to Lampoc to see the launch but I didn't see anything because of the fog. A lot of people waited for more than 90 minutes with families and cameras but only heard the sonic boom.

Typical May/June weather on the central California coast. Not a good time to go to a rocket launch. Sorry you missed it.