SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch German military satellites on Saturday
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch two radar reconnaissance satellites for the German military early Saturday morning (Dec. 23). The mission, known as SARah-2, will send two synthetic aperture radar satellites aloft for the German military’s SAR-Lupe constellation replacement process. The launch is expected to take place at 8:11 a.m. EST (1311 GMT) from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The two satellites, SARah 2 and SARah 3, are “reflector antenna” satellites that will enhance the resolution of the constellation by flying in formation with SARah 1. The aim is to improve the surveillance capabilities of the German military.
The SpaceX Falcon 9’s first stage, which has been previously launched seven times, will attempt its eighth landing back at Vandenberg Space Force Base about eight minutes after liftoff. Additionally, SARah 2 and SARah 3 will deploy into low Earth orbit from the Falcon 9’s upper stage about 20 and 25 minutes after liftoff, respectively.
The launch, which will be streamed live via SpaceX’s account on X (formerly Twitter), is part of a very busy year for the space company. SpaceX has launched more than 90 orbital missions so far in 2023, including two test flights of its Starship rocket.
Looking ahead, SpaceX’s powerful Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to launch the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B space plane to orbit on Dec. 28, showcasing the company’s continued push for space exploration and satellite deployment.