#aaircraft

Stargazer aircraft with CYGNSS Pegasus arrives at Cape Canaveral 

Orbital ATK’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station December 2 in preparation for the CYGNSS launch. Attached to the belly of the aircraft is the Pegasus rocket with the satellites within. Pegasus is unique as the world’s only air-launched rocket capable of delivering small payloads into Earth orbit.  Launching December 12, CYGNSS - short for CYclone Global Navigation Satellite System - is a NASA mission that will provide more efficient forecasting of hurricanes and other tropical storms. Eight satellites make up the CYGNSS constellation, and will all be launched simultaneously via Pegasus. Stargazer will take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s skid strip early on December 12 and fly to an altitude of 39,000 feet. There, it will release the Pegasus rocket, which will ignite its first of three solid-propellant rocket stages. Below, the eight satellites of NASA’s CYGNSS mission are seen before their encapsulation in Pegasus’ payload fairing. Assembly of the rocket and integration to the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft occurred at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

French Air Force Dassault Rafale C

Recce Meet 2014