NPP LAUNCH
The NPP satellite will be launched from the Western Range at Vandenberg Air Force Base from SLC-2, California, by a Boeing Delta II-7920-10 launch vehicle. Delta II comprises a group of expendable rockets that can be configured as two- or three-stage vehicles and with three, four or nine strap-on Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEMs) depending on mission needs. Delta II payload delivery options range from about 891 to 2,142 kg (1,965 to 4,723 lb) to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and 2.7 to 6.0 metric tons (5,934 to 13,281 lb) to low-Earth orbit (LEO). Two-stage Delta II rockets typically fly LEO missions, while three-stage Delta II vehicles generally deliver payloads to GTO or are used for deep-space explorations such as NASA's missions to Mars, a comet or near-Earth asteroids.
The NPP mission will be launched into a 824 km circular, sun-synchronous orbit with a 10:30 a.m. local-time descending node crossing.
KSC Range Services at Vandenberg AFB provides the integration facilities, launch pad services, electrical power, communication links, and range commanding required to process, erect, fuel, and launch the NPP spacecraft and its associated launch vehicle.
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