ICON (MIDEX 8, Explorer 96)

Launch data:

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• NASA′s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, ICON, was launched on Oct 11, 2019. The Northrop Grummann L-1011 Stargazer carrier aircraft took off from Cape Canaveral′s runway 31/13 (the Skid Strip) at 0031 UTC. After an aborted drop run at 0130 UTC, the L-1011 dropped Pegasus at 29.0N 78.5W at 0200 UTC. The three-stage solid rocket ignited after a 5 second free fall, and reached orbit 11 minutes later.
• ICON has an optical interferometer, ultraviolet imagers and an ion velocity meter to study the thermosphere and ionosphere.

External links:

• Satellite tracking (n2ya.com): Real time satellite tracking

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel CC. Credit: #421