An Atlas V rocket and its Landsat 9 spacecraft have passed a final review, clearing the way for Monday’s historic launch as the Earth-observation program marks nearly 50 years of missions from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The team will target liftoff of the Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-3 on the South Base at 11:12 a.m., but there will be a 30-minute launch window to get off the ground.
That departure time is one minute later than initially planned to avoid a collision with other spacecraft in orbit, officials said Saturday.
“The spacecraft, the Atlas V rocket and all range equipment are ready, and the combined government and contractor launch team is prepared for the launch of Landsat 9 on its mission to continue the near 50-year continuous collection of satellite multispectral imagery,” Tim Dunn, NASA’s launch director, said after the launch readiness review on Saturday.
Weather apparently will accommodate the liftoff attempt with a 10% chance that ground winds might force the team to delay departure, according to the military. Conditions worsen to a 40% likelihood of a delay for a Tuesday launch attempt, again because of ground winds.
Atlas V, built by United Launch Alliance, will place Landsat 9 as the latest in a series of observing Earth from space in a joint program for NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The first Landsat craft launched from the base in 1972 and was followed by seven others, most recently in 2013. Those eight satellites help make up the 1,999 launches that have occurred from Vandenberg since 1958, with Monday’s mission in line to become the 2,000th liftoff from the base.
The newest Landsat will operate 438 miles above Earth, orbiting the planet 15 times in 24 hours while collecting images of swaths 115 miles wide.
“Landsat 9 continues the Landsat program’s critical role in understanding lands and coastal resources — food, water forests, all the things that we need in everyday life,” said Michael Egan, Landsat 9 program executive from NASA’s Earth Science Division.
The satellite, built by Northrop Grumman and sporting a solar array made at the firm’s Goleta facility, will capture better details than the most recently launched craft.
“Landsat 9 builds on the technological advances of its predecessor, improving on Landsat 8’s ability to detect slight changes in surface temperature, which helps farmers track plant health and irrigation,” Egan added.
The milestone mission has led to a large celebration, including creation of a new mural to join Lompoc’s other big art. A dedication ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the mural, at the corner of West Ocean Avenue and I Street.
For viewing rocket launches, Vandenberg has restricted access so that only those with passes can get on base.
However, a launch viewing party for the public will occur at the Lompoc Airport, 1801 North H St., from 9 a.m. to noon, with exhibits also on hand.
Several off-base locations also offer views of the launch site, which is visible looking south of West Ocean Avenue (Highway 246). The peak of Harris Grade Road, Ocean Avenue west of Lompoc and areas in Vandenberg Village, such as the intersection of Moonglow and Stardust roads, also offer vantage points for watching the departure.
A live launch broadcast will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday at ulalaunch.com. The countdown and launch will be available on NASA TV, available through cable providers or its YouTube channel.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.