Valentine’s Day Doubleheader: Two SpaceX Rockets Set to Launch from Florida Space Coast
Love is in the air, and so are rockets! Get ready for an exciting Valentine’s Day doubleheader on the Space Coast, as two SpaceX rockets are scheduled to take off within a span of 16½ hours. It’s a treat for all space enthusiasts out there.
The first launch on the agenda is a Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander, Odysseus, on a thrilling journey to the moon’s surface. This late-night liftoff is set for no earlier than 12:57 a.m. EST on Wednesday from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and Artemis campaign, with the aim of becoming the first American vehicle to softly land on the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972.
But that’s not all! Brace yourselves for a second launch, which is shrouded in secrecy. Although SpaceX has yet to publicly announce details about this mission, a launch window for the Space Force’s classified USSF-124 mission opens at 5:30 p.m. and lasts until 10 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cape, according to a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory.
The weather forecast looks promising, with mostly clear skies and favorable conditions at Cape Canaveral. Overnight Tuesday, the temperature is expected to be around 53 degrees Fahrenheit with a northwest wind of 5 to 10 mph. On Wednesday, sunny skies are predicted, with a high near 69 degrees Fahrenheit and a north wind around 10 mph.
Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lunar lander is carrying an impressive suite of six NASA payloads. Once in orbit around the moon, it will make approximately 12 orbits from an altitude of about 100 kilometers above the surface before descending. The target landing site is located about 300 kilometers from the moon’s south pole, in a relatively safe and flat area. This mission aims to investigate the moon in preparation for the Artemis program and the development of a lunar economy.
Susan Lederer, CLPS project scientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, expressed excitement about the mission during a recent teleconference. “The goal here is for us to investigate the moon in preparation for Artemis, and really to do business differently for NASA. One of our main goals is to make sure that we develop a lunar economy,” she said. Lederer emphasized that these are commercial missions, with NASA hitching a ride on a lunar lander developed by the commercial industry. The commercial companies involved will provide power, data, and communication capabilities for NASA’s investigations.
Once Odysseus touches down on the moon’s surface, it is expected to operate for approximately seven days before lunar nightfall sets in. This will give scientists and researchers a valuable window of time to gather data and conduct experiments.
It’s worth noting that last month, Astrobotic’s NASA CLPS moon lander mission encountered some unexpected challenges. Shortly after hitching a ride to space aboard United Launch Alliance’s next-generation Vulcan rocket on its inaugural flight, the lander, named Peregrine, developed a propellant leak. Sadly, Peregrine re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up over the remote South Pacific Ocean. However, the team at Intuitive Machines remains confident in the success of their mission.
As we eagerly await these Valentine’s Day launches, be sure to visit floridatoday.com/space for FLORIDA TODAY Space team live coverage of each launch. The coverage will begin approximately 90 minutes before liftoff. Stay updated with the latest launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center by clicking here.
SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, and their upcoming doubleheader is a testament to their dedication and innovation. Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day with a bang, as we witness these rockets soar into the sky, carrying humanity’s dreams and aspirations to new heights.
Rick Neale, a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, contributed to this article. For more information, you can reach out to Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Remember, supporting quality journalism like this requires time and resources. Please consider subscribing to show your support for comprehensive space coverage.
