SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying communications satellites to launch on Sunday

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket taking commercial communications satellites on board for two international customers is expected to be launched on the scheduled time on Sunday amid the favourable weather conditions.

The Falcon rocket will kick off at 10:50 pm ET on Sunday, with the opening of a window extending to 11:33 pm, from the Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The Falcon 9 rocket will be placing commercial communications satellites, one each for Eutelsat and Asia Broadcast Satellite, in the orbits that are over 22,000 miles above the equator.

According to the forecasts, there is a 70 percent chance of supportive weather conditions during the launch window.

“The primary weather concerns for launch Sunday evening are cumulus clouds associated with coastal showers and lingering thick clouds,” said the forecast released by the Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron on Saturday.

If any unfavorable condition arises, the rocket would see another launch attempt late Monday.

In another development, two astronauts of US space agency NASA will be performing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday. This would be the third spacewalk outside ISS in just over a week.

NASA astronauts Terry Virts and Barry “Butch” Wilmore will begin their space excursion at 7:10 am on Sunday which will last for 6 1/2-hour.

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