SpaceX - Falcon 9 / Iridium 6 / GRACE-FO Mission patch.
May 22, 2018
Image above: The NASA/German Research Centre for Geosciences GRACE Follow-On spacecraft launch onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The mission will measure changes in how mass is redistributed within and among Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land and ice sheets, as well as within Earth itself. GRACE-FO is sharing its ride to orbit with five Iridium NEXT communications satellites as part of a commercial rideshare agreement. Photo Credits: NASA/Bill Ingalls.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the GRACE-FO/Iridium-6 Mission from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on 22 May 2018, at 19:47 UTC (12:47 PDT).
SpaceX GRACE-FO/Iridium-6 Mission - Falcon 9 launches GRACE-FO and Iridium-6
The GRACE-FO satellites have successfully separated from the Falcon 9 rocket and are now flying independently. They will be in different orbits for the next few days that will put them into the correct configuration for science operations.
GRACE-FO satellites
The NASA/German Research Centre for Geosciences Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on (GRACE-FO) mission launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The mission will measure changes in how mass is redistributed within and among Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land and ice sheets, as well as within Earth itself.
Iridium NEXT communications satellite
GRACE-FO is sharing its ride to orbit with five Iridium NEXT communications satellites as part of a commercial rideshare agreement.
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on (GRACE-FO): https://www.nasa.gov/missions/grace-fo
Iridium NEXT: https://www.iridium.com/network/iridium-next/
SpaceX: http://www.spacex.com/
Images, Video, Text, Credits: SpaceX/NASA/Tony Greicius/NASA TV/SciNews.
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