BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – On Tuesday afternoon, SpaceX is expected to launch a communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral.
Countless hours of planning and preparation go into a single rocket launch. Hundreds plan visits and gather to watch the moment a spacecraft takes off. But how is an exact launch schedule determined?
It all comes down to a science, but because the specifics are different for each mission, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer.
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A launch time is the ideal time to start a mission to get the spacecraft into the correct orbit and the launch window can be instantaneous or last a few hours, according to NASA. The longer the launch window, the higher the potential for using more fuel as the vehicle would need to adjust to get back on track. NASA says the launch window is influenced by many factors, like where the spacecraft is going (the International Space Station, for example), the type of rocket and the goals of the mission.
Weather also plays an obvious role, as was evident in Wednesday’s launch attempt. The 45th Space Wing Weather Squadron gives a weather forecast at the launchpad, but with astronauts on board, there is more to consider. It’s important to also factor in weather forecasts and sea conditions for an abort landing, since the crew would need to be rescued from the water in those instances.
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Daily forecasts are released leading up to the launch and even more frequently the day of. The call for go or no-go can be made almost right up until launch time. More information on forecasting launch and landing weather conditions can be found here.
Some launches can be instantaneous, meaning they either launch on time or not at all that day.
However, Tuesday’s two-hour launch window opens at 3:11 p.m. This means that SpaceX will have until 5:11 p.m. to launch its Falcon 9 rocket; otherwise, the launch will have to be pushed to Wednesday.
If delayed, the launch window will reopen at 12:53 p.m. on Wednesday, lasting four hours instead.
Stay up-to-date on all space news at ClickOrlando.com/space.