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Tesla launched a GPS III satellite on behalf of the US Space Force customer, the second generation GPS III satellite it launched this year for the US military. The first took off in June and was the third GPS III put into orbit by SpaceX. This is the fourth and will provide improved GPS navigation capabilities to the United States, including improved jamming technology to protect against interference.
SpaceX used a brand new Falcon 9 first stage in this launch and successfully recovered that rocket using a controlled landing on its drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The company also confirmed that its payload has reached a good orbit, and is now in the process of reaching the deployment point where it can release the GPS spacecraft for its final orbital insertion.
This mission flew from Cape Canaveral to Florida, and was the second attempt to deliver this payload, after an attempt in early September was canceled due to an early start of two engines which caused an automatic shutdown of the launch sequence two seconds before take off. SpaceX investigated the problem and found that it was due to some traces of a masking material used to protect the engine components making their way into the fuel lines. This triggered a possibility in the engine manufacturing and inspection process.
SpaceX has also delayed its upcoming crew 1 launch for NASA to fix the problem, so today’s launch should be another reassurance that that landmark and historic flight by an ISS operational crew of three NASAs and a JAXA astronaut will proceed as scheduled on November 14, barring other delays.
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