The launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission (OCO-2) at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 1. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 2 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket at VAFB is targeted for 2:56 a.m. PDT (5:56 a.m. EDT, 0956 UTC).
OCO-2 is NASA's first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth's climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup.
OCO-2 Prelaunch News Conferences
June 29 4 p.m. PDT (7 p.m. EDT, 2300 UTC)
Participants in the prelaunch news conference will be:
• Betsy Edwards, OCO-2 Program Executive - NASA Headquarters
• Tim Dunn, NASA Launch Manager - Kennedy Space Center
• Vernon Thorp, Program Manager, NASA Missions - United Launch Alliance
• Ralph Basilio, OCO-2 Project Manager - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Lt. Joseph Round, Launch Weather Officer, 30th Operations Support Squadron VAFB
An OCO-2 mission science briefing will be held immediately following the prelaunch news conference. Presenting the mission science objectives will be:
• Ken Jucks, OCO-2 Program Scientist - NASA Headquarters
• David Crisp, OCO-2 Science Team Leader - JPL
• Annmarie Eldering, OCO-2 Deputy Project Scientist - JPL
OCO-2 #NASASocial
June 30 9:30 a.m. PDT (12:30 p.m. PDT, 1630 UTC)
NASA will host a live broadcast featuring interactive discussions, including an OCO-2 mission overview, launch details and an engineering and science panel.
OCO-2 Launch
July 1 12:45 a.m. PDT (3:45 a.m. PDT, 0745 UTC)
On launch day, July 1, NASA TV launch commentary coverage of the countdown will begin at 12:45 a.m. PDT (3:45 a.m. EDT). Launch is targeted for 2:56 a.m. PDT (5:56 a.m. EDT). The flight azimuth of the Delta II after liftoff will be 196 degrees. Spacecraft separation from the rocket occurs 56 minutes, 15 seconds after launch.
OCO-2 Post-Launch News Conference
July 1 5:30 a.m. PDT (8:30 a.m. EDT, 1230 UTC)
After launch, an OCO-2 post-launch news conference will be held at Vandenberg. Observatory and mission officials will provide the spacecraft status and discuss its state of health.
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