United Launch Alliance recently rolled their Atlas V rocket out to the launchpad ahead of tomorrow morning's launch of Boeing's secretive X-37B Spaceplane.
At 8:24am EDT, the Atlas V rocket will launch from Space Launch Complex 41 in the 501 configuration, which has been exclusively used for national security missions. This is the sixth launch of the X-37B and is being dedicated to honor front-line responders and those who have been affected by COVID-19.
Alongside the primary mission, they will also deploy a secondary payload. A small satellite developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy named FalconSat-8 will conduct experiments in orbit for the Air Force Research Laboratory. This satellite also carries two NASA experiments; A material sample plate studying how radiation affects various materials, as well as studying the affects space has on seeds used to grow food. A third experiment sponsored by the Naval Research Laboratory will study how to convert solar power into "radio frequency microwave energy", to be transmitted to the ground.
For more information on the spaceplane itself, click here to read our previous article!
Live webcast can be found here. Weather is currently 40% go.
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