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A Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket launched NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite at 9:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 10 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) to study the dynamic zone in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above. The satellite was attached to the Pegasus XL rocket, …

The Pegasus XL rocket has gone through each of its three stage motors, reaching a top speed of nearly 17,000 mph. ICON has now separated from the rocket to begin its mission, orbiting 360 miles above the Earth. Learn more about NASA’s ICON mission at: https://www.nasa.gov/icon

Following first stage separation, the second stage motor ignited 1 minute and 34 seconds after launch, burning for 1 minute, 14 seconds before shutting down and separating. At 7 minutes, 18 seconds after launch, the third stage engine ignited and will burn for 1 minute and 9 seconds.

We have ignition! Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket is delivering ICON, NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite, on its journey to the boundary between Earth and space where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above. After reaching 39,000 feet, the rocket was dropped from the underside of the Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer aircraft about …

Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 aircraft, Stargazer, is making its way back to the drop box – a 40-mile long area that the company’s Pegasus XL rocket can be dropped in. Secured in the rocket’s payload fairing in NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) – a satellite developed to study the Earth’s ionosphere, where terrestrial weather from below meets …

The first launch opportunity of a Pegasus XL rocket, carrying NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), was skipped due to communication issues between the ground team at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 aircraft, Stargazer. The launch team is re-evaluating; the launch window remains open until 10:55 p.m. EDT.

Northrop Grumman’s Stargazer aircraft, carrying the company’s Pegasus XL rocket with NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), has entered the drop box – a 40-mile long area that the rocket can be dropped in. At this point, Stargazer has reached the required altitude of 39,000 feet. In just a few moments, the rocket will drop from …

Follow along on NASA TV and the agency’s website for the live launch broadcast, happening now. Before NASA’s Pegasus XL rocket can carry the agency’s ICON satellite to low-Earth orbit, Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft has to reach an altitude of 39,000 feet, which requires about an hour of flight time. Once there, Pegasus will …

Northrop Grumman’s Stargazer aircraft is airborne after taking off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Stargazer is carrying the company’s Pegasus XL rocket – a small expendable rocket that is the only operational air-launched rocket in the world. Pegasus is attached beneath the aircraft and will be carried to an …

Stargazer’s engines have powered up on the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Takeoff is scheduled for 8:33 p.m. EDT. Stick with us here on the blog for live updates.