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SpaceX launches deep space weather satellite DSCOVR in its third attempt
In its third attempt, Deep Space Climate Observatory was finally blasted off on Thursday atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: In its third attempt, Deep Space Climate Observatory was finally blasted off on Thursday atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The liftoff took place at 6:03 pm ET (2303 GMT) Wednesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at the time of sunset, under perfect weather conditions.
The Deep Space Climate Observatory, nicknamed DSCOVR will watch the sun and serve as a weather buoy to provide about an hour`s notice of potentially dangerous solar storms, which can disrupt radio communications, satellite signals and power grids on Earth.
Once in orbit around the sun, the Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR, also will monitor the sun-lit side of Earth, tracking volcanic plumes, measuring ozone and monitoring droughts, flooding and fires.
A camera aboard DSCOVR will take pictures of Earth every two hours. The photos will be posted on the Internet the next day.
Previously, launches of DSCOVR were called off due to a radar glitch once and the other time due to high winds over Florida.
(With Agency inputs)
Photo Credit: NASA