USSF-62

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USSF-62

• Type: Earth Science
• Orbit: Polar Orbit
• Launch Cost: $52,000,000

First Weather System Follow-on (WSF) satellite.

WSF-M (Weather System Follow-on – Microwave) is the next-generation operational environmental satellite system for the Department of Defense (DoD), to replace the microwave wavelength weather forecasting capabilities of the DMSP satellites.

Ball Aerospace has been selected in late November 2017 to be the prime contractor for 2 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) weather satellites with a passive microwave imaging radiometer instrument and hosted Government furnished energetic charged particle (ECP) sensor space weather payload developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The radiometer leverages the Ball-built Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument.

This mission will improve weather forecasting over maritime regions by taking global measurements of the atmosphere and ocean surface.

Space Launch Complex 4E

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Space Launch Complex 4E has witnessed the launch of 144 rockets, including 144 orbital launch attempts, while Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA, has been the site for 755 rocket launches.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.

Core B1082

Booster B1082 last launched 05/10/2024 and has seen 4 successful launches and landings. Falcon 9 Block 5 booster.

Landing Zone 4 – LZ-4

LZ at Vandenberg

Return to Launch Site – RTLS

A return to launch site usually means that after stage separation the booster flips and does a burn back towards the launch site, landing near where it initially launched from.

SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.