SpaceX to launch Iridium 6/GRACE-FO aboard Falcon 9 | 22 May 2018 19:47 UTC
3 replies, posted
https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/558/3f5f96ec-2cd7-4c27-b424-af5cfffc8738/image.png
Live Stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_0GgKfwCSk
Mission:
For this sixth Iridium mission, five Iridium® NEXT satellites will be launched as part of the company’s
campaign to replace the world's largest commercial satellite network. A total of eight Iridium NEXT
launches are planned with SpaceX, which will deliver 75 new satellites to orbit. In total, 81 satellites are
being built, with 66 in the operational constellation, nine serving as on-orbit spares and six as ground
spares. Iridium is the only satellite communications network that spans the entire globe.
The NASA/German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission will
continue GRACE’s 15-year legacy of tracking the movement of Earth’s mass. As its twin satellites fly over
areas of higher and lower mass, the distance between them changes slightly due to gravitational forces.
By precisely measuring these changes, the distribution of Earth’s mass can be mapped monthly and
tracked over time. This data can be used to monitor changes in ice sheets and glaciers, underground
water storage, water in large lakes and rivers, and sea level, providing a unique view of Earth’s evolving
climate and its water and energy cycles, with far-reaching societal benefits.
https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/558/cd062bb2-535b-4357-973c-6da2ca96a844/image.png
Stream is live
Successful deployment of the GRACE-FO sats
Iridium deployments underway.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.