SpaceX conducted a Static Fire test on its Falcon 9 rocket for its second launch in May at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This specific Falcon 9 rocket includes the flight-proven core 1043, which launched the classified \u201cZuma\u201d mission in January 2018. The rocket will launch 5 Iridium NEXT satellites for Iridium Communications and the two Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on (GRACE-FO) for NASA and the German Aerospace Center. Launch is scheduled for Tuesday.\n<\/p>\n
This launch will be the tenth overall by SpaceX in 2018, and the ninth this year for Falcon 9.<\/p>\n
The static fire test performed on this rocket is an important milestone for every SpaceX launch. Every mission flown by the whole Falcon rocket family has undergone one or more static fire tests \u2013 plus one or more Wet Dress Rehearsals for more important missions \u2013 prior to launching.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The test is a simulation of the entire launch countdown \u2013 from rollout of the vehicle to the launch pad to a brief firing of the 9 Merlin 1D engines on the first stage.<\/p>\n
Due to this booster being a flight proven core \u2013 meaning that it has launched a mission previously, it is expected to perform a seven-second firing of the 9 first stage engines. All flight-proven boosters so far have performed seven-second test firings, while brand new, unflown boosters usually perform a three-second test firing.<\/p>\n
The test is meant to be a simulation and practice session for ground crews, engineers and flight controllers, and to ensure that the rocket, ground support and the Range\u2019s systems are all working properly.<\/p>\n