SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch 2 German military satellites early Dec. 24

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch two radar reconnaissance satellites for the German military early Sunday morning (Dec. 23).

A Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch the SARah-2 mission to low Earth orbit (LEO) from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday, during an 83-minute window that opens at 8:11 a.m. EST (1311 GMT; 5:11 a.m. local California time). The liftoff had been slated for Saturday (Dec. 23) but was pushed back a day to allow for additional preflight checks.

You can watch it live via SpaceX‘s account on X (formerly known as Twitter). Coverage will begin about 15 minutes before the launch window opens.

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The SARah-2 mission will send two synthetic aperture radar (the “SAR” in “SARah-2”) reconnaissance satellites aloft for the German military.

“The satellites will continue the replacement process of the aging SAR-Lupe constellation,” EverydayAstronaut.com wrote in a mission description.

“SARah 2 and SARah 3 are two ‘reflector antenna’ satellites, meaning they will consequently fly in formation with SARah 1 to increase the resolution of the constellation,” the outlet added.

SARah-2 will be the eighth liftoff for this particular Falcon 9’s first stage, according to SpaceX. The booster will come down for its eighth landing as well, touching down back at Vandenberg about eight minutes after launch, if all goes according to plan.

SARah 2 and SARah 3, meanwhile, will deploy into LEO from the Falcon 9’s upper stage about 20 minutes and 25 minutes after liftoff, respectively.

Sunday’s launch continues a very busy 2023 for SpaceX. The company has launched 95 orbital missions so far this year, as well as two test flights of its giant Starship rocket that didn’t make it to orbit.

And there will be more SpaceX action before the calendar turns. For example, the company’s powerful Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to launch the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B space plane to orbit on Dec. 28.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 9:50 a.m. EST on Dec. 23 with news of the new launch date of Dec. 24.