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NASA Launches Satellite Constellation for Hurricane Tracking Mission

NASA successfully launched eight small satellites that will provide scientists with advanced technology to see inside tropical storms and hurricanes like nev...

8 x CYGNSS

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Low Earth Orbit Cape Canaveral Air launch to orbit

CYGNSS or Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System is a NASA developed system to improve hurricane forecasting. It is a constellation of 8 small observation satellites, 27.5 kg each, that will make accurate measurements of ocean surface winds in and near the eye of the storm throughout the lifecycle of tropical cyclones, typhoons & hurricanes.

Pegasus XL

Family:
Configuration:

The Pegasus is an air-launched rocket developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (now part of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems). Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kilograms (977 lb) into low Earth orbit, the vehicle consists of three solid propellant stages and an optional monopropellant fourth stage. Pegasus is released from its carrier aircraft at approximately 40,000 ft (12,000 m), and its first stage has a wing and a tail to provide lift and attitude control while in the atmosphere.

Specifications
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    17.6 m
  • Diameter
    1.27 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    23.0 T
  • Thrust
    580.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Pegasus XL
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Pegasus XL
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $40000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    443.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Orbital Sciences Corporation

(OSC)

Successes: 65 Failures: 7 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

INFO WIKI

Air launch to orbit

Cape Canaveral


Falcon 9
Success
10 hours, 3 minutes ago
Starlink Group 17-3
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 7 hours ago
Project Kuiper (KF-01)
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

First of a three launches contract for Amazon's Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation, with 24 satellites on board.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 15-2
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 26 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 7
Success
4 days, 16 hours ago
Tianzhou-9
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Eighth cargo delivery mission to the Chinese space station.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 8 hours ago
Dror-1
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Note: SpaceX identifies the mission as "Commercial GTO 1". Dror-1 is a geostationary communication satellite built and developed by Israel Aerospa…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Starlink Group 10-28
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
2 weeks, 1 day ago
Progress MS-31 (92P)
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.


Long March 4C
Success
2 weeks, 2 days ago
Shiyan 28 B-01
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Satellite officially named for "space environment detection" purposes, exact details unknown.


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 10-25
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks, 3 days ago
MTG-S1
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Second of EUMETSAT's third generation of weather satellite.