CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX has launched an observatory inspired by former Vice-President Al Gore toward a solar-storm lookout point a million miles away.
The unmanned Falcon rocket blasted off Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the company’s third try to launch the Deep Space Climate Observatory for NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Air Force. Gore returned for the sunset liftoff.
Get daily National news
This time, the wind stayed within safety limits. But rough seas forced SpaceX to cancel its effort to land the leftover booster on an ocean platform. Last month’s demo ended in flames.
The observatory, called DSCOVR (pronounced discover), will provide advance warnings of incoming geomagnetic storms as well as continuous Earth views. It’s the reincarnated form of a satellite dreamed up by Gore 17 years ago.
- Nations have agreed to $300B for climate funding. How will they pay for it?
- Alberta government takes aim at GHG emissions cap, proposes rules on trespass and data gathering
- Time ‘rapidly running out’ on COP29 climate finance deal: Guilbeault
- UN climate talks agree on $300B global funding package for poor nations
Comments