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    Fueling Continues for Falcon 9

    Venting

    Liquid oxygen at minus-297 degrees F is being pumped into the SpaceX Falcon 9 at this hour as the countdown continues toward a 6:05 p.m. EST liftoff. A portion of the propellant boils off during the countdown and is vented producing the cloud beside the rocket in this image. A trickle of liquid oxygen will …

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    SpaceX Falcon 9 on Launch Duty Today

    Opening Shot

    NOAA's DSCOVR spacecraft will launch atop a two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Falcon 9 will put DSCOVR on a course to a region called L1 that is about a million miles from Earth. From there, DSCOVR will have a constant view of the …

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    Forecaster Details Conditions

    With one hour to go before today's launch opportunity, Mike McAleenan of the 45th Space Wing just delivered a detailed forecast calling for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions. The concerns are for high winds at launch time. Controllers are evaluating data recorded by weather balloons that are periodically sent aloft to gauge conditions …

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    Good Evening from Florida!

    Welcome to our continuous coverage of the countdown to launch of DSCOVR, a new spacecraft for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Today's launch time is 6:05:33 p.m. EST. There are no technical issues at this time, but the winds at higher altitudes are currently red.

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    Upper-Level Winds Remain Red

    At T-2 hours there are no technical issues and the launch weather is both observed and forecast to be "Go" at the planned liftoff time of 6:05:33 p.m. EST. Engineers continue to assess weather balloon data and the upper level winds remain red.

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    Liftoff Time Slightly Adjusted, Fueling Underway

    Managers have made a slight adjustment to the targeted liftoff time of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NOAA's DSCOVR into space. The new launch time is 6:05:33.5 p.m. EST. At T-2 hours, 55 minutes, the Falcon 9's first and second stages are being loaded with RP-1, a rocket-grade kerosene, and liquid oxygen.

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    Go for Tanking – Upper Level Winds Red

    Managers overseeing the launch of NOAA's DSCOVR spacecraft on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket have given a "Go" to begin loading the rocket's first and second stages with propellant. The process is expected to begin at L-3 hours, or 3:05 p.m. EST. There is an 80 percent chance for favorable launch weather conditions and there are …

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    DSCOVR/Falcon 9 This Morning

    DSCOlaunchday2

    The scene this morning at SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as reporters readied their cameras for this evening’s liftoff of NOAA’s DSCOVR spacecraft atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

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    Forecast: 80 Percent ‘Go’ for 6:05 p.m. Liftoff

    earth-fulldisc

    Forecasters upgraded today's expected weather to 80 percent chance of favorable conditions for the launch of NOAA's DSCOVR spacecraft at 6:05 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. A SpaceX Falcon 9 will place the spacecraft on a course to L1, an area about a million miles from Earth where DSCOVR will observe the …

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