A Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 successully launched the Intelsat IS-40e/TEMPO satellite into its planned geosynchronous transfer orbit via parking orbit at 0430 GMT on 7 April from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. The spacecraft will later stabilise itself into a circular geosynchronous Earth orbit. The reusable first stage B1076, on its fourth flight, landed successfully down range on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas .
Built by Maxar, the six metric ton Intelsat-40e (IS-40e) is a high-throughput communications satellite designed to operate in the geostationary arc to provide maritime and aviation communications over North America from its operating position over 91 degrees West. In addition to its communications role, the spacecraft is also carrying a hosted pollution monitoring spectrometer for NASA called theTropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO). It has been built by.Harvard University’s Centre for Astrophysics to detect is nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde and aerosols and to detect their main emission sources on Earth.
Intelsat-40e/TEMPO separates from the upper stage of the Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5. Courtesy: SpaceX
