[ad_1]
SpaceX this year sent astronauts in orbit for the first time and I saw the explosive debut of its latest Starship prototype. But there is still a launch scheduled to close 2020.
A Falcon 9 rocket is about to send a new spy satellite into space for the US National Reconnaissance Office on Saturday morning from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday morning, but some erratic pressure readings triggered an automatic shutdown, pushing the launch back to Friday and now to saturday.
This classified national security mission is designated NROL-108 and will be the sixth launch in 2020 of the National Reconnaissance Office. Like most other NRO launches, this one has a somewhat cryptic poster and slogan, in the form of a cartoon gorilla pounding its chest and the phrase “peace by force.”
“Gorillas are peaceful animals but can be ferocious if necessary,” NRO riddle tweeted. “Like the gorilla, our mission # NROL108 is constantly vigilant and ready to defend its own.”
Gorillas are peaceful animals but can be fierce if necessary. Like the gorilla, our # NROL108 The mission is constantly vigilant and ready to defend its own, demonstrating the NRO’s commitment to protecting American fighters, interests and allies. NET scheduled launch on December 17 with @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/M5k7obXk08
– NRO (@NatReconOfc) December 14, 2020
A recent NRO mission, launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on November 13, featured a mysterious Lord of the Rings theme, including an Elvish script.
“I think we just have a few Lord of the Rings fans,” an NRO spokesperson later told me via email.
The weather forecast looks favorable for Saturday’s mission to take off during its three-hour launch window between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. PT (9 a.m. to noon ET). The Falcon 9’s first-stage thruster will attempt to make a land landing at the Cape Canaveral space station.
SpaceX will be broadcasting the launch live and you can watch it above.
[ad_2]
Source link