Launches / Falcon 9 Block 5

Past launch Launched successfully

GPS III SV07 (RRT-1)

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX

Falcon 9 Block 5 lifting off with the GPS III SV07 (RRT-1) mission
Image via The Space Devs.

This was SpaceX's 131st launch of 2024, and its 442nd in all.

Counting every operator, it was the 246th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2024, and the 61st from Space Launch Complex 40.

Launched
Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, 12:52 a.m. UTC
Launch site
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket
Falcon 9 Block 5
Operator
SpaceX
Weather
75% favorableCumulus cloud rule

Watch the webcast →

The mission

GPS-III (Global Positioning System) is the first evolution stage of the third generation of the GPS satellites. It consists of the first ten (known as "tranche") of GPS III satellites. This spacecraft was original contracted to launch on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket, and was reassigned to Falcon 9 following uncertainties in Vulcan's readiness to launch. As a result it was re-manifested within 6 months of launch under the name Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 (RRT-1). GPS III SV10, originally planned to launch on Falcon 9, will now launch on Vulcan instead.

Type
Navigation
Destination
Medium Earth orbit
Program
Global Positioning System

The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites.

gps.gov →

The rocket

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.

Height
70 m
Built by
SpaceX
First flew
May 11, 2018
Lifts to low Earth orbit
22,800 kg
View 5 specifications Show less
Lifts to geostationary transfer
8,300 kg
Diameter
3.7 m
Mass at liftoff
549 t
Thrust at liftoff
7,607 kN
Stages
2

627 flights, 626 of them successful. 612 boosters brought back from 617 attempts.

spacex.com → Wikipedia →

The operator

SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

Sector
Commercial
Based in
USA
Founded
2002
Run by
Elon Musk, CEO

724 launches so far, 709 of them successful. The last 209 in a row went to plan.

spacex.com → Wikipedia →

The launch site

It went up from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

See the pad on a map →

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