PADSIDE
Launch SuccessfulLaunched

NROL-97

SpaceX · Falcon Heavy · Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Loading countdown…

Open in mission controlTheater mode

Where it was visible

Night launch: visible as a bright moving light from far away if it's clear.

  • Melbourne, FL59 kmNE, up to 36° from T+0:30Bright moving light
  • Orlando, FL76 kmE, up to 24° from T+1:00Bright moving light
  • Daytona Beach, FL78 kmESE, up to 27° from T+1:00Bright moving light
  • Tampa, FL196 kmE, up to 16° from T+1:00Bright moving light
  • Jacksonville, FL217 kmESE, up to 17° from T+1:00Bright moving light
  • West Palm Beach, FL218 kmNE, up to 25° from T+1:00Bright moving light
  • Fort Myers, FL252 kmENE, up to 16° from T+1:30Bright moving light
  • Miami, FL319 kmNNE, up to 19° from T+1:30Bright moving light
  • Savannah, GA389 kmSE, up to 14° from T+2:00Bright moving light
  • Tallahassee, FL410 kmESE, up to 9° from T+2:00Bright moving light

Estimates from a typical ascent toward the likely orbit. Real trajectories, cloud and haze vary; the farther away, the lower and shorter the view.

Mission

Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.

Launch time (UTC)
Oct 2, 03:54 UTC
Precision
Minute
Window
Oct 2, 03:53 UTC – Oct 2, 04:42 UTC
Orbit
N/A
Mission type
Government/Top Secret
Weather GO
90%
Weather concerns
Cumulus Cloud Rule, Thick Cloud Layers Rule
Pad
Launch Complex 39A

Rocket · Falcon Heavy

The Falcon Heavy is a variant of the Falcon 9 full thrust launch vehicle and consists of a standard Falcon 9 rocket core, with two additional boosters derived from the Falcon 9 first stage.

Height
70 m
Diameter
12.2 m
Liftoff mass
1,400 t
Liftoff thrust
22,819 kN
To LEO
63,800 kg
To GTO
26,700 kg
Track record
14 / 14 successful
Success streak
14
First flight
2018-02-06
Reusable
Yes

Boosters

  • B1106 — first flight. Expendable — no landing attempt.
  • B1104 — 2nd flight. Landing (RTLS) on Landing Zone 1: landed.
  • B1072 — 4th flight. Landing (RTLS) on Landing Zone 2: landed.

Mission timeline

  1. T−53:00GO for Prop Load
  2. T−50:00Stage 1 Propellant Load
  3. T−45:00Stage 1 LOX Load
  4. T−35:00Stage 2 Propellant Load
  5. T−18:30Stage 2 LOX Load
  6. T−07:00Engine Chill
  7. T−00:59Startup
  8. T−00:45GO for Launch
  9. T−00:20Tank Press
  10. T−00:06Ignition
  11. T−0Liftoff
  12. T+01:09Max-Q
  13. T+02:24SBECO
  14. T+02:27Boosters Separation
  15. T+02:31Boosters Flip
  16. T+02:42Boosters Boostback Burn Startup
  17. T+03:47Boosters Boostback Burn Shutdown
  18. T+03:51MECO
  19. T+03:54Stage 2 Separation
  20. T+04:00SES-1
  21. T+04:17Fairing Separation
  22. T+06:29Boosters Entry Burn Startup
  23. T+06:37Boosters Entry Burn Shutdown
  24. T+07:30Boosters Landing Burn
  25. T+07:47Boosters Landing

This is the 236th orbital launch attempt worldwide this year, SpaceX's 116th launch this year, the 224th launch from Launch Complex 39A.

Next from Florida

Full Florida schedule →