SpaceX has secured a $112.7 million contract to launch NOAA’s JPSS-4 satellite, scheduled for 2027. This mission will use a Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The JPSS program, a joint effort between NOAA and NASA, aims to monitor Earth’s environment, aiding in weather and climate predictions.

To date, three JPSS satellites have launched successfully, with JPSS-4 joining the constellation as the fourth. A fifth satellite, JPSS-3, is set for launch in 2032, Space.com has reported.

Despite its recent successes, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is currently grounded following a failure on its July 11 flight, which resulted in the loss of 20 Starlink satellites due to a liquid oxygen leak.

Written by B.C. Begley