A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket brought the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) -2 and LOFTID. Credit: United Launch Alliance
Powered by 860,000 pounds of thrust from the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rockets RD-180 engine, the launch that happened at 1:49 a.m. PST on November 10. It resulted in some stunning photographs captured by NASA, United Launch Alliance, and the United States Space Force, as can be seen below.
The Moon makes a stunning background for the successful launch of the 3rd in a series of polar-orbiting weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and our Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) on November 10 at 4:49 a.m. EST from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket brought the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) -2 and LOFTID. Credit: United Launch Alliance
Last week the NOAAs Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) satellite, with NASAs LOFTID innovation demonstration along for the ride, raised off from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Powered by 860,000 pounds of thrust from the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rockets RD-180 engine, the launch that occurred at 1:49 a.m. PST on November 10. It led to some stunning pictures captured by NASA, United Launch Alliance, and the United States Space Force, as can be seen below.
JPSS-2 will circle the world 14 times a day 512 miles above Earth, supplying forecasters the benefit of three polar-orbiting satellites operating at the same time, joining its predecessors Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) and NOAA-20.
Following JPSS-2s release, the LOFTID heat shield autonomously inflated and re-entered Earths atmosphere, splashing down about 500 miles off the coast of Hawaii simply over 2 hours and ten minutes after launch.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) satellite with NASAs Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) as a secondary payload, stand prepared to take off atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on November 10. Credit: NASA/Liz Wilk
The Mobile Service Tower rolls back from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) -2 civilian polar-orbiting weather satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASAs Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: United Launch Alliance
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket bring the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) -2 civilian polar-orbiting weather satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASAs Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) raises off from Space Launch Complex-3 on November 10 at 1:49 a.m. PST. Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Joe Davila
Credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Joe Davila
Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: United Launch Alliance
Credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin
JPSS-2/ LOFTID isolated views featuring launch, JPSS-2 spacecraft separation, LOFTID inflation, LOFTID spin up and spacecraft separation, and LOFTID splashdown. Credit: NASA