JPSS 2 (Joint Polar Satellite System spacecraft No. 2) & LOFTID
Atlas V 401
United Launch Alliance
Rocket Launch Video
Weather Forecast During Launch
According to weather officials, there's a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch.
Mission
JPSS 2 (Joint Polar Satellite System spacecraft No. 2) & LOFTID
- Type: Earth Science
- Orbit: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
- Launch Cost: $115,000,000
JPSS is a collaborative program between NOAA and NASA. JPSS-2 is one of five satellites that will comprise the JPSS constellation. These spacecraft gather global measurements of atmospheric, terrestrial and oceanic conditions, including sea and land surface temperatures, vegetation, clouds, rainfall, snow and ice cover, fire locations and smoke plumes, atmospheric temperature, water vapor and ozone.
LOFTID is a tech demo for the inflatable heatshield technology. It will attempt to survive a reentry from orbit after JPSS 2 is separated. This test will validate the technology for various applications, such as landing large payloads on Mars and engine reuse on ULA’s Vulcan rocket.
Location
Space Launch Complex 3E
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Find the best place to watch the launch from Vandenberg
Space Launch Complex 3E has witnessed the launch of 48 rockets, including 45 orbital launch attempts. While Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA, has been the site for 810 rocket launches.
Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. The United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host delta for the base, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing. In addition to its military space launch mission, Vandenberg Space Force Base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX.
Rocket
United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401
An Atlas V with a 4 meter diameter fairing, no boosters and a single centaur upper stage engine.
Agency
United Launch Alliance
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.
