TECH

SpaceX Falcon 9 blasts off from Cape

James Dean
FLORIDA TODAY

Update, 11:00 p.m. March 1:

SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 10:50 p.m. ET.

Original story:

SpaceX is counting down to a planned blastoff at 10:50 p.m. today of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two commercial communications satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The weather forecast is unchanged from the past several days, with a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions during a window extending to 11:33 p.m. at Launch Complex 40.

Fueling of the 224-foot rocket is due to begin a few hours before launch. Both Falcon 9 stages burn Rocket Propellant-1, a highly refined kerosene, and liquid oxygen.

Atop the rocket are satellites upgrading the fleets of Bermuda-headquartered Asia Broadcast Satellite and Paris-based Eutelsat.

The Boeing-built ABS-3A and Eutelsat 115 West B satellites will be the first to use all-electric propulsion to reach their final orbits high over the equator after separating from the rocket about 30 minutes after liftoff.

The launch is the 16th by SpaceX's Falcon 9 since its debut in June 2010.

Visit floridatoday.com at 10 p.m. for live countdown updates and live streaming of a SpaceX Webcast expected to begin at 10:30 p.m.

Please be aware that the Webcast will likely run at least a 30 seconds behind real time. So don't wait until T-0 to go outside and look for the liftoff, or you might miss it.

Contact Dean at 321-242-3668 or jdean@floridatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter at @flatoday_jdean.