Following a liquid nitrogen shortage, final steps are underway for NASA's Landsat 9 mission to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
This launch will take place somewhere else than Florida's Space Coast. According to United Launch Alliance, it will be at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Monday. Liftoff is scheduled at 2:12 p.m. EST.
NASA Landsat 9 to Launch on Sept. 27
NASA's launch director Tim Dunn, said at a press conference on Saturday per Space.com the spacecraft, the Atlas V rocket, all range equipment, are ready.
In addition to the Landsat 9, the ULA Atlas V Rocket will launch four CubeSats into orbit, two of which will be used by the US Space Force in a classified mission.
Meanwhile, the other two will monitor the atmospheres of exoplanets and the solar wind for NASA research.
Landsat 9, on the other hand, will study natural occurrences on Earth, such as violent storms, wildfires, and other extreme weather, as the most technically advanced satellite to study our home planet from orbit.
Not to mention that the newest satellite will monitor Earth's climate change, which previous Landsats have studied since 1972.
NASA's Landsat 9 Launch Has Been Postponed Due to a Lack of Liquid Nitrogen
The NASA Landsat 9 was supposed to launch on September 16 of last year. It was, however, postponed until a later date.
According to Gasworld, Landsat 9 had a problem with liquid nitrogen supply on September 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic's wrath.
The space agency announced on August 27 that the Landsat 9 satellite would launch on September 23 and serve as a satellite that would help observe Earth's national resources from orbit.
But, once again, the Landsat 9 was delayed due to strong winds, forcing the organizers to reschedule the launch for September 27.
Liquid Nitrogen Shortage
The liquid nitrogen supply is experiencing an unprecedented scarcity due to the rising COVID-19 cases due to the more highly infectious Delta variant, NASA said per Observer.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell also acknowledged that the scarcity of liquid oxygen would affect them this year, perhaps delaying multiple launch dates.
It's important to note that liquid nitrogen isn't just utilized to launch satellites into orbit. It is also necessary for the survival of COVID-19 patients suffering from the virus's severe consequences.
As a result, when COVID-19 patients' breathing is affected by the virus's severe symptoms, they utilize oxygen as a ventilator.
Liquid oxygen, on the other hand, is critical to the space industry since it is used as an oxidizer for rocket propellants.
It explains why rocket launches produce steam since hydrogen interacts with oxygen to form water.
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