Time: 2024-08-15
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. , also known as SpaceX , is set to launch the Maxar 2 mission into orbit from Space launch Complex 40 ( SLC-40 ) at Cape Canaveral . The Falcon 9 rocket liftoff is scheduled for Thursday morning , with a 60 - minute window opening at 9 a.m. Residents in counties like Brevard , Orange , Osceola , Indian River , Seminole , Volusia , Polk , St. Lucie , and Okeechobee may hear sonic booms following the launch , depending on weather conditions.
A sonic boom occurs when an object travels faster than the speed of sound , around 750 mph , creating a loud explosion - like noise . NASA and the U.S. Air Force explain that the sound energy of a sonic boom is approximately 110 decibels.
This morning , SpaceX will launch a pair of WorldView Legion imaging satellites for Maxar Technologies atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex - 40 near Kennedy Space Center . The launch window is set from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. EDT , with a northeast trajectory for the satellites.
Maxar plans to have six satellites in total in the series , with the third and fourth , launching today , joining the orbit . The remaining two satellites are scheduled to launch later this year , completing the series by the end of 2024.
The 45th Weather Squadron forecasts an 80 % chance of favorable weather conditions for the rocket launch , ensuring a smooth liftoff and landing . SpaceX has previously launched the first two satellites in the WorldView Legion series and now continues the mission with the third and fourth satellites.
For more updates on space missions and launches , stay tuned to the latest news from Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Maxar Technologies.
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