A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is poised for liftoff tonight from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. On board is the Solar Orbiter spacecraft, an international collaborative mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. Countdown clocks across the spaceport are ticking down toward scheduled liftoff at 11:03 p.m. EST. There's a two-hour launch window.
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Solar Orbiter spacecraft has made its final move on Earth: the short journey from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 11:03 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 9. There is a two-hour launch window.
Solar Orbiter, an international collaborative mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, has been given the "go" for launch on Sunday, Feb. 9, aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is targeted for 11:03 p.m. EST.
The mission was cleared to proceed during the launch readiness review held Friday morning at the agency's Kennedy Space Center. ESA, NASA and ULA officials evaluated the status of the spacecraft, rocket and ground-based assets needed to support launch. All parties were "go" at the review, according to NASA Launch Director Tim Dunn.
Weather forecasters with the U.S. Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron are predicting an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions for the launch of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. Liftoff is slated for Sunday, Feb. 9, at 11:03 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The primary weather concerns at launch time are potential violation of the cumulus cloud rule and ground winds.
Two televised briefings are planned for today:
1 to 2 p.m. EST: Prelaunch news conference.
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. EST: Science briefing.
Solar Orbiter, an international collaborative mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, is slated to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Sunday, Feb. 9. Liftoff is targeted for 11:03 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Two briefings are planned for Friday, Feb. 7, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center:
1 to 2 p.m. EST: Prelaunch news conference
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. EST: Science briefing
Final preparations are underway for the launch of the Solar Orbiter spacecraft, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 9, at 11:03 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Following its Jan. 20 encapsulation inside the payload fairing at Astrotech's processing facility in Titusville, the spacecraft was transported to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Space Launch Complex 41 on Jan. 31.
Researchers using Parker Solar Probe data released a new wave of research papers in a special supplement of The Astrophysical Journal on Feb. 3, 2020.
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is healthy and operating as designed following its fourth close approach to the Sun, called perihelion, on Jan. 29.
NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), Airbus and United Launch Alliance now are targeting 11:03 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 9, for the launch of the Solar Orbiter mission on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch has a two-hour window. The two-day launch delay was caused by two items that delayed transport of the spacecraft to the pad. The first item was a schedule conflict on Wednesday with a commercial mission launch from a nearby launch pad. The second item was the weather Thursday morning.
At 4:37 a.m. EST on Jan. 29, 2020, NASA's Parker Solar Probe broke speed and distance records as it completed its fourth close approach of the Sun.
