SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
EarthCARE
Launched
May 28, 2024 · 22:20 UTC
Image: ESA
Summary
EarthCARE launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on May 28, 2024 at 22:20 UTC. It was SpaceX's 368th launch, 57th this year and humanity's 6,692nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 285th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 56th this year. Booster B1081 flew for the 7th time and landed at Landing Zone 4. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). It reached a 406 × 411 km orbit inclined 97.0°. One object from this launch is catalogued.
- Watch
- SpaceX EarthCAREThe Space Devs
- ESA’s EarthCARE launch (Official broadcast)European Space Agency, ESA
- ESA EarthCARE MissionSpaceX
- Vehicle
- Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
- Booster
- B1081 · flight 7 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 4 · landed35/35 landed here · 51 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 8-1
- Mission
- Earth Science · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)for ESA, JAXA
- Milestone
- 285th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 56th this yearSpaceX's 368th launch57th this yearhumanity's 6,692nd orbital launch attempt103rd orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Simulate in Flight ClubOrbit: as tracked
EarthCARE · NORAD 59908 · 2024-101 · Space-Track
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2024-101A
- Epoch
- 2024-05-29 01:24:48 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.55284978 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0004125
- Inclination
- 96.978°
- Ascending node
- 278.3287°
- Arg. of perigee
- 130.4085°
- Mean anomaly
- 348.4676°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile. Booster return drawn from padside's representative arc.
Flight timeline
- T−38MGO for Prop Load
- T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
- T−35MProp Load
- T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
- T−7MEngine Chill
- T−1MTank Press
- T−1MStartup
- T−45SGO for Launch
- T−3SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+1M7SMax-Q
- T+2M19SMECO
- T+2M23SStage 2 Separation
- T+2M24SStage 1 Flip
- T+2M24SSES-1
- T+2M36SBooster Boostback Burn Startup
- T+2M46SFairing Separation
- T+3M19SBooster Boostback Burn Shutdown
- T+6M19SEntry Burn Startup
- T+6M38SEntry Burn Shutdown
- T+7M30SStage 1 Landing Burn
- T+7M46SStage 1 Landing
- T+8M41SSECO-1
- T+10M42SPayload Separation
Catalogued objects
1 catalogued: 1 payload; 1 still in orbit
- EarthCARE · NORAD 59908 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
EarthCARE (Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer) is a joint mission of ESA and JAXA. The main goal of the mission is the observation and characterization of clouds and aerosols as well as measuring the reflected solar radiation and the infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface and atmosphere.
News
EarthCARE’s view of volcanic plume boosts air safetyWhen Anak Krakatau erupted a few weeks ago, the European Space Agency’s EarthCARE satellite, orbiting above, captured vertical profiles of different constituents within the volcanic plume. Designed primarily to advance our understanding of how clouds and aerosols influence Earth’s climate, here EarthCARE also provided valuable information to support safe air travel.
A first: EarthCARE cloud data sharpen weather forecastsThe European Space Agency’s EarthCARE satellite was developed to make a unique set of simultaneous measurements that shed new light on the role that clouds and aerosols play in regulating Earth’s climate.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
146th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 18th this year · 757th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Local pad time at liftoff: May 28, 3:20 PM PDT, in daylight
303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
6 days 14 hours after the previous launch from this pad
Updates
Satellite signal acquisition confirmed.
Show 7 earlier updates
Spacecraft separation.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/28/2024 · source
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/28/2024 · source
Added launch date and time.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/17/2024 · source
NET May 2024.
Cosmic_Penguin · 10/28/2023 · source
NET 2Q 2024.
Cosmic_Penguin · 7/2/2023 · source
Moved to Falcon 9 from Vega-C due to a delayed return to flight after a launch failure and the larger than expected spacecraft size requiring cutouts in the Vega-C fairing.
Nosu · 6/29/2023 · source
Updating launch vehicle to Vega-C
Nosu · 10/20/2022 · source
Questions
When did EarthCARE launch?
EarthCARE launched on May 28, 2024 at 22:20 UTC.
Where can I watch EarthCARE?
Coverage: SpaceX EarthCARE; ESA’s EarthCARE launch (Official broadcast); ESA EarthCARE Mission. Watch the replay
What rocket launched EarthCARE?
Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet
Where did EarthCARE launch from?
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was May 28, 3:20 PM PDT local time at the pad.
Did the booster land?
Booster B1081 flew for the 7th time and landed at Landing Zone 4.
What orbit did EarthCARE reach?
It reached a 406 × 411 km orbit inclined 97.0°.
How many satellites did EarthCARE launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).