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    Weather Outlook Great, IXPE Locked in for 1 a.m. EST Launch

    The weather outlook for NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) launch from Kennedy Space Center remains outstanding. Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron predict a greater than 90% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff of NASA's first dedicated mission to measuring X-ray polarization. Propellant load is underway, which eliminates IXPE's …

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    Fun Facts About NASA’s IXPE Mission

    IXPE spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket

    Here are some fun facts you may not know about NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission: IXPE will study targets over a broad range of types of astronomical X-ray sources with emphasis on black holes and neutron stars. The mission will accomplish, for the first time, high-sensitivity measurements of the polarization of X-rays coming …

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    Live Broadcast of NASA’s IXPE Launch Starts Soon

    NASA's IXPE mission logo

    Tune in to NASA Television, the NASA app, or the agency's website, starting in about 10 minutes (12:30 a.m. EST), for live broadcast coverage of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission. Liftoff, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy's Launch Complex 39A, is targeted for 1 a.m. EST. The Launch is managed by NASA's Launch …

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    Key Launch Day Milestones for NASA’s IXPE

    NASA's IXPE spacecraft

    Here is a look at some of the key milestones for today's IXPE launch: Mission Timeline (all times approximate) LAUNCH AND SPACECRAFT DEPLOYMENT Time Events 1 a.m. EST Liftoff T+153 sec First stage main engine cutoff (MECO) T+156 sec First and second stages separate T+164 sec Second stage engine start 1 …

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    Weather Looking Great for NASA’s IXPE Launch

    NASA's IXPE mission logo

    The weather outlook for today's early morning launch of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center is terrific. Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron predict a 90% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff, with the cumulus cloud rule serving as the primary weather concern. A collaboration …

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    What is NASA’s IXPE Mission All About?

    NASA's IXPE spacecraft

    NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission sounds cool, and even has a catchy name. But what is IXPE's goal and how did the project come about? Here is a more in-depth look at IXPE, NASA's first satellite dedicated to measuring X-ray polarization. IXPE is going to explore some of the most extreme and mysterious …

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    Welcome to Live Coverage of the IXPE Launch!

    IXPE spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket on launch pad

    Happy late Wednesday evening, and welcome to live coverage of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft mission from Florida's Space Coast! Standing tall atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, IXPE is set to lift off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A in just about 90 minutes (1 a.m. EST, Thursday, Dec. 9). The …

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    Solar Tour Pit Stop #6: L1

    Float with NASA's Fleet at Lagrange Point 1! Greetings from Lagrange Point 1, or L1, the 6th stop on our solar tour! This is a special place between Earth and the Sun where their gravitational forces are balanced. It's a great spot for spacecraft because they'll stay put between the two objects and orbit with …

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    NASA’s IXPE’s Launch Boosted by Experience

    SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and IXPE spacecraft

    The rocket booster that will power NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft into the sky from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in just a matter of hours has been there many times before. "This booster has launched eight astronauts, three dragon capsules and one geostationary spacecraft," said Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX's director of civil satellite missions. …

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    NASA Zeroing in on Path Forward for Lucy Solar Array

    NASA plans to conduct additional ground tests on an engineering model of the Lucy solar array motor and lanyard prior to potentially attempting full deployment of one of the probe's solar arrays. A project team completed an assessment Dec. 1 of the ongoing solar array issue, which did not appear to fully deploy as planned …

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