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SpaceXFalcon 9 Full ThrustSpace Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b
Launched
February 22, 2018
Summary
PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Full Thrust from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on February 22, 2018. It was SpaceX's 56th launch, 4th this year and humanity's 5,726th orbital launch attempt. It was the 25th Falcon 9 Full Thrust flight and the 2nd this year. Booster B1038 flew for the 2nd time and was expended. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Paz, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 506 × 525 km orbit inclined 97.5°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.
- Watch
- SpaceX Falcon 9 PAZ launch from Vandenberg AFBVandenberg Space Force Base
- PAZ MissionSpaceX
- Vehicle
- Falcon 9 Full Thrust · SpaceXStarlink
- Booster
- B1038 · flight 2 · expendable53/55 landed here · 181 days after its previous flight, Formosat 5
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
- Milestone
- 25th Falcon 9 Full Thrust flight · 2nd this yearSpaceX's 56th launch4th this yearhumanity's 5,726th orbital launch attempt20th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Paz · NORAD 43215 · 2018-020 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2018-020A
- Epoch
- 2018-02-22 15:45:36 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.19257532 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0013705
- Inclination
- 97.4622°
- Ascending node
- 62.5094°
- Arg. of perigee
- 270.0942°
- Mean anomaly
- 187.0226°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- 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.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 3 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 1 still in orbit
- Paz · NORAD 43215 · in orbit
- Tintin A · NORAD 43216 · re-entered August 29, 2020
- Tintin B · NORAD 43217 · re-entered August 8, 2020
Falcon 9-049 Stage 2 · deorbited February 22, 2018
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
PAZ is a military Earth radar observation satellite, designed and built by Airbus Defence and Space for Spain. The satellite is owned and operated by Hisdesat. The PAZ satellite is equipped with an advanced radar instrument designed for high flexibility, and the capability to operate in numerous modes allowing for the choice of several different image configurations. It will be able to generate images with up to 25 cm resolution. Designed for a mission of five and a half years, PAZ will orbit Earth 15 times per day, covering an area of over 300,000 square kilometres. On its slightly inclined quasi-polar orbit, PAZ will cover the entire globe in 24 hours, serving both government and commercial needs. Satellite is sharing the ride with two small SpaceX satellites. These will test the technologies for the planned satellite network called Starlink, which will consist of roughly 4000 satellites providing space-based Internet around the globe.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
76th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 1st this year · 676th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
61 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b launch?
PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b launched on February 22, 2018. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b?
Coverage: SpaceX Falcon 9 PAZ launch from Vandenberg AFB; PAZ Mission. Watch the replay
What rocket launched PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b?
Falcon 9 Full Thrust, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Full Thrust spec sheet
Where did PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b launch from?
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
Did the booster land?
Booster B1038 flew for the 2nd time and was expended.
What orbit did PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b reach?
Paz, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 506 × 525 km orbit inclined 97.5°.
How many satellites did PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b launch?
3 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is PAZ & Microsat-2a, Microsat-2b part of?
Starlink. About Starlink