Watch SpaceX Launch A Satellite In Today’s Falcon 9 Thales Mission

SpaceX is launching a satellite for customer Thales Alenia Space today. The company’s Falcon 9 rocket should blast off at around 6:14 ET today, provided the launch window sees favorable conditions once it opens. The mission will see the first satellite operated by Turkmenistan enter orbit, if all goes as planned.

The SpaceX mission will involve deploying the commercial satellite around 32 minutes after the initial liftoff, and the broadcast should kick off around 6 PM ET in the live feed window above.

While the mission will use SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, the company will not be running a test of the landing process for the reusable first stage this time around. SpaceX last attempted to recover that stage using its automated drone spaceport barge on April 14, during an International Space Station resupply mission.

That attempt was nearly successful, with a touchdown at the appropriate velocity, but with a toppling of the rocket after the fact. You can view an HD capture of the landing attempt below.

from TechCrunch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/1p2j2bJPsS0/
via IFTTT