NASA reports that second-stage fueling is underway for the SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the agency’s IMAP observatory with two rideshare payloads: the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and NOAA’s SWFO-L1 spacecraft. The update marks a key milestone in the countdown for the multi-satellite mission.
Vehicle and Configuration
The two-stage Falcon 9 stands 229 feet tall and produces more than 1.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Following stage separation, the upper stage is powered by a single Merlin Vacuum engine. The payloads are encapsulated within a 17-foot-wide carbon composite payload fairing. About three minutes into ascent, the fairing is expected to separate and return to Earth for ship-assisted recovery.
Mission Stack
- IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe)
- Carruthers Geocorona Observatory
- NOAA Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1)
IMAP is the primary payload, flying with two secondary spacecraft as part of a rideshare manifest designed to maximize launch efficiency and orbit insertion opportunities.
Prelaunch Operations
With second-stage tanking in progress, the countdown is moving through standard late-stage procedures. Upcoming steps include engine conditioning, systems checks, and final readiness polls by NASA and SpaceX.
- Engine chill for Falcon 9’s first-stage engines
- Final prelaunch checks by the flight computer
- Propellant tank pressurization
- Joint go/no-go poll for launch
Ascent and Recovery Highlights
- Stage separation and ignition of the upper stage’s Merlin Vacuum engine
- Fairing separation approximately three minutes after liftoff
- Fairing splashdown and planned recovery by ship
Why It Matters
This rideshare mission advances heliophysics and space-weather monitoring capabilities while demonstrating efficient deployment of multiple spacecraft on a single launch. The combination of a high-flight-rate launch vehicle and coordinated rideshare integration supports cost-effective access to space for diverse science objectives.
For NASA’s latest status update, see the official post: Second Stage Fueling Underway.
