Fifth Try Fabulous as SpaceX Falcon 9 Finally Flies to Orbit With Maiden Advanced Air Force GPS III Satellite: Photos

A Falcon 9 carrying GPS III SV01 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Dec. 23, 2018 at 8:51 a.m. EST. The first GPS III to be launched will join the current GPS constellation comprised of 31 operational spacecraft. GPS satellites operate in medium earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 20,200 km (12,550 miles) in six planes. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Ken Kremer  --SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM –23 December 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL - After almost a week of delays due to technical and weather reasons Christmas finally came as the fifth launch attempt proved to be fabulous as a SpaceX Falcon 9 finally flew to orbit carrying the first in the advanced new GPS III series of satellites Sunday morning, Dec 23 from the Florida Space Coast for the U.S. Air Force.

Picture perfect skies greeted the Falcon 9 and spectators who waited out four prior scrubs and witnessed a spectacular launch – the last of the year for both SpaceX and America’s premier spaceport.

The expendable 23 story tall Falcon 9 rocket was successfully launched by SpaceX, the U.S. Air Force and its mission partners carrying the first Global Positioning Systems (GPS) III satellite Dec. 23 at 8:51 a.m. EST (14:51 UTC), 5:51 a.m. Pacific, from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

The rocket rumbled to life on the ignition of all nine first stage Merlin 1D engines fueled by liquid oxygen (LOX) and highly refined RP-1 kerosene. 

UpClose photo showing ignition of all 9 Merlin 1D first stage engines from Falcon 9 lift off carrying GPS III SV01 to MEO from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Dec. 23, 2018 at 8:51 a.m. EST. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Clear blue skies offered a stunning view of the rocket soaring skywards for several minutes as it arced over eastwards towards the African continent as it performed flawlessly on SpaceX’s 21^st launch of 2018.

Check out our Space UpClose eyewitness gallery of imagery of the launch as well as prelaunch imagery taken of the Falcon 9 standing tall at pad 40 during our media remote camera setups.

Click back here as the gallery grows! 

A Falcon 9 carrying GPS III SV01 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Dec. 23, 2018 at 8:51 a.m. EST. The first GPS III to be launched will join the current GPS constellation comprised of 31 operational spacecraft. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The launch marked SpaceX’s 21st mission of 2018.

From the Air Force:

The Lockheed Martin-built satellite, known as “Vespucci,” in honor of Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer for whom the Americas were named, was carried to orbit aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) Falcon 9 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. 

“Launch is always a monumental event, and especially so since this is the first GPS satellite of its generation launched on SpaceX’s first National Security Space mission. As more GPS III satellites join the constellation, it will bring better service at a lower cost to a technology that is now fully woven into the fabric of any modern civilization,” said Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center and Air Force program executive officer for Space. 

“It keeps GPS the gold standard for positioning, navigation, and timing information, giving assured access when and where it matters. This event was a capstone, but it doesn’t mean we’re done. We’re going to run a series of procedures for checkout and test to ensure everything on Vespucci functions as it was designed.” 

GPS III’s “Vespucci” separated from its upper stage approximately 2 hours after launch. Engineers and operators at Lockheed Martin’s Waterton facility will now begin on-orbit checkout and tests which are estimated to complete in six months. Operational use is expected to begin in about a year.

A Falcon 9 carrying GPS III SV01 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Dec. 23, 2018 at 8:51 a.m. EST. The first GPS III to be launched will join the current GPS constellation comprised of 31 operational spacecraft. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

“Today’s launch could not have succeeded without the teamwork of dedicated professionals. I’m extremely proud of their accomplishment.” stated Col. Steve Whitney, director of the GPS Directorate. “Today’s launch is the beginning of the GPS III era, bringing greater capabilities for our military and civilian users worldwide.”  

Technicians prepare to encapsulate Lockheed Martin’s GPS III Space Vehicle 01 within a SpaceX payload fairing at Astrotech Space Operations’ Florida facility on Dec. 7.  2018. Scheduled for SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Dec. 23, 2018.  Credit: Lockheed Martin

Vespucci will be vectored to augment the current GPS constellation comprised of 31 operational spacecraft. GPS satellites operate in medium earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 20,200 km (12,550 miles) in six planes. Each satellite circles the earth twice per day. GPS provides the “Gold Standard” of position, navigation, and timing services for billions of users worldwide. GPS III, the newest generation of GPS satellites. It brings new capabilities to users, including three times greater accuracy, and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities.

“The first GPS III launch marks a significant milestone for the GPS constellation as well as our partnership with SpaceX,” said Col. Robert Bongiovi, SMC Launch Enterprise director. “This launch demonstrated the successful teamwork and cooperation amongst all mission partners to deliver the capabilities our warfighter demands. I’m proud of my team and look forward to our additional National Security Space missions with SpaceX.”   

The GPS III Vespucci team is led by the SMC’s Global Positioning Systems Directorate, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corporation is the prime satellite vehicle contractor. The launch was led by Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise Directorate, and was on the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Cape Canaveral AFS. Air Force Space Command’s 50th Space Wing and 2nd Space Operations Squadron operates the GPS constellation from Schriever AFB, Colorado.

SMC is the U.S. Air Force's center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the GPS, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems and space situational awareness capabilities.

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com

Dr. Kremer is a research scientist, journalist and photographer based in the KSC area.

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Up Close view of nose cone atop SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket poised for launch now reset for Dec. 17 for liftoff on GPS III SV01 mission for the US Air Force from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on Dec. 19, 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Sunset at pad 40 awaiting sunrise and SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of GPS III SV01 mission for the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on Dec. 23, 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com