NASA - SAC-D / Aquarius Mission patch.
10 June 2011
Image above: Liftoff of the Delta II rocket with the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls.
Right on schedule, the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft separated from the Delta II launch vehicle's second stage nearly one hour into its flight, placing the satellite in Earth orbit.
Aquarius SAC-D Soars into Orbit!
The successful release of the spacecraft comes after a smooth countdown and liftoff from NASA's Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Launch was on time at 7:20 a.m. PDT (10:20 a.m. EDT) at the start of a five-minute launch window.
NASA's Aquarius instrument is part of the SAC-D spacecraft built by CONAE, Argentina's space agency. The mission is expected to gather global measurements of ocean surface salinity, leading to a better understanding of ocean circulation, climate and Earth's water cycle. Once in orbit, the spacecraft will go through a checkout period before it begins its three-year mission.
Read more: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aquarius/news/aquarius20110609.html
Image (mentioned), Video, Text, Credit: NASA / NASA TV:
Greetings, Orbiter.ch
