LAUNCH CENTER

Success

Fri Apr 28 2006

United States Air Force

Cloudsat

Launch Successful

LAUNCH PREVIEW

Launch Time

(10:02 AM UTC)

Launch Window Start

(10:02 AM UTC)

Launch Window End

(10:02 AM UTC)

RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Delta 7420-10C

Description:

Delta II was an expendable launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000, and the two later Delta 7000 variants ("Light" and "Heavy"). The rocket flew its final mission ICESat-2 on 15 September 2018, earning the launch vehicle a streak of 100 successful missions in a row, with the last failure being GPS IIR-1 in 1997.

MISSION OVERVIEW

Type: Earth Science
CloudSat is a satellite which uses millimeter-wavelength radar to measure the altitude and properties of clouds. Advanced cloud-profiling radar gathers information on the vertical structure of highly dynamic cloud systems. This new information provides the first global measurements of cloud properties that will help scientists compile a database of cloud measurements to improve how clouds are represented in global climate and numerical weather prediction models.

COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Pad

Space Launch Complex 2W