A Northrop Grumman spacecraft designed to inspect, repair, and upgrade satellites while in orbit is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, known as MRV-MEP, represents a growing segment of the space industry focused on servicing existing satellites rather than replacing them.
The launch window opens at 5:15 p.m. and extends to 9:04 p.m. if needed. The rocket will head east from Launch Complex 40, though this particular flight won't end with the booster's signature ocean landing — the first-stage booster is expected to burn up during reentry rather than touch down on a drone ship.
Weather looks mostly cooperative. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron put the odds of favorable launch conditions at 75%, with cumulus and anvil clouds identified as the main concerns. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bertha's slow movement along the northern Gulf Coast is actually expected to work in the launch's favor, pulling drier air across the Florida peninsula.
This report is based on coverage by Rick Neale and the Space Team at Florida Today.
