An Earth-observation satellite built for Spain and two experimental satellites for internet service were successfully launched into orbit from California at dawn Thursday, creating a brief light show as it arced over the Pacific Ocean west of Los Angeles.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, reusing a first stage that had flown on a previous launch, lifted off at 6:17 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
A SpaceX rocket carrying a Spanish satellite is seen over the sky in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. The rocket created a brief light show over Southern California after blasting off from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Falcon 9 rose above coastal clouds into the dawn sky Thursday and arced southward over the Pacific Ocean west of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Californians were hoping for a repeat of the spectacle that occurred during a Dec. 22 Falcon 9 launch during exceptionally clear twilight conditions, but this time the sky was much brighter, making the plume less brilliant.
The Falcon's first stage was used to launch a satellite for Taiwan last August and was recovered by landing it on a drone ship in the Pacific. This time there was no effort to recover the first stage and it fell into the sea.
The first stage was an early version of the Falcon 9 and SpaceX is "making room" for a new version that will be qualified for rapid reuse many times, said Tom Praderio, an avionics firmware engineer serving as launch spokesman.
SpaceX, however, was attempting to recover the fairing — the aerodynamic covering that protects the satellite during the early phase of launch and is usually discarded after reaching altitudes where the atmosphere's density is low.
A SpaceX rocket carrying a Spanish satellite lifts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. The rocket created a brief light show over Southern California after blasting off from Vandenberg Air Force Base. (Michael Peterson/Vandenberg Air Force Base via AP)
SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted that the fairing system deployed a parafoil and there was an attempt to catch it during descent but that failed. He posted a photo of a ship with a net structure on the stern that he referred to as "a giant catcher's mitt."
"Missed by a few hundred meters, but fairing landed intact in water. Should be able catch it with slightly bigger chutes to slow down descent," Musk tweeted. Recovering and reusing major pieces of rockets is one of Musk's key strategies.
The rocket's primary payload was a satellite named PAZ for Spanish satellite operator Hisdesat. It carries an advanced instrument for making radar images of Earth for government and commercial purposes, as well as sensors for tracking ships and weather.
The satellite was designed for a 5½-year mission, orbiting Earth 15 times each day at an altitude of 514 kilometers (319 miles), covering the entire planet every 24 hours. It joins two other radar satellites in the same orbit covering the same ground, increasing acquisition of data.
The rocket also deployed two small test satellites for a proposed system that would bring internet access to remote areas. The "Starlink" system would require thousands of satellites operating in low Earth orbit.
Musk tweeted that the satellites were named Tintin A and B and were communicating with Earth stations.
"Tintin A & B will attempt to beam 'hello world' in about 22 hours when they pass near LA," Musk added.
Praderio, the launch spokesman, said that even if the two satellites work as planned, "we still have considerable technical work ahead of us to design and deploy" the constellation.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Luka Doncic limped around the court, often grimacing as he played through a sprained right knee and a bloodied left knee.
His shooting stroke was unaffected. He had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-110 on Thursday night and even the Western Conference semifinals at one win apiece.
“I think that was one of the hardest games I’ve had to play,” Doncic said. “I’m battling out there trying to do my best to help the team win.”
The Thunder held Doncic to 19 points on 6-for-19 shooting in Game 1. He made 11 of 21 field goals in Game 2. Throughout, he had frequent conversations with the officials — enough to draw the ire of Thunder fans, who booed him and directed chants his way.
“That’s great for me," he said. “I love it.”
P.J. Washington added 29 points and 11 rebounds and made 7 of 11 3-pointers for the Mavericks. He averaged 12.9 points in the regular season.
“I thought P.J. set the tone," Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. "We played through him a little bit in the post and I think that sparked him. He was big for us tonight.”
Kyrie Irving added nine points and 11 assists for the No. 5-seeded Mavericks, who host Game 3 on Saturday after taking home-court advantage from the top-seeded Thunder.
Doncic expects the Thunder to be prepared.
“They have great players," Doncic said. "They have great chemistry, great team. And it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a fight till the end. So, just much respect to Oklahoma (City), but it’s big time we won this game.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and Jalen Williams added 20 points for the Thunder, who lost for the first time in the postseason and allowed more than 100 points for the first time in their six playoff games.
The Mavericks played with desperation, just like they did in the first round when they beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 and took home court from them.
“I feel like it was a must-win game for us,” Washington said. “And those games, I feel like are where we play our best.”
Doncic made his first three shots and scored eight points in the first three minutes to help Dallas take a 13-2 lead. He scored 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the first quarter, but the Thunder had the play of the quarter. Oklahoma City inbounded from under the Dallas goal with 1.4 seconds left. Jaylin Williams threw it long for Chet Holmgren, who caught the ball while defended by two Mavericks in traffic, turned around and hit a long 2-point jumper to cut Dallas' lead to 36-32.
Dallas led 68-62 at halftime. Both teams made 25 of 47 shots before the break, but Dallas made 12 3s to Oklahoma City's six.
Oklahoma City tied it at 70 on a baseline jumper by Gilgeous-Alexander two minutes into the second half. Aaron Wiggins, who started the second half in place of Josh Giddey, scored from in close to give the Thunder a 72-71 lead, their first advantage of the game.
Dallas rallied, largely with Doncic resting. After he returned, his lob for a dunk by Derrick Jones Jr. put the Mavericks up 99-85 late in the third quarter, and they took a 99-89 lead into the fourth.
A powerful two-handed putback dunk by Williams cut Dallas' lead to 99-95, but the Mavericks responded. Doncic took advantage of a screen by Dereck Lively II and hit a 3-pointer to put Dallas up 104-95 with nine minutes remaining. The Thunder never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
“We’ve got a really good opponent that played really well tonight," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "We tried to scrap back into it. I thought our effort was really good tonight. I thought we tried to gear it up a couple different times. I thought where we left something to be desired was execution.”
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, shoots against Dallas Mavericks forward Tim Hardaway Jr. during the first half in Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey during the first half in Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Thursday May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, works the floor against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace during the first half in Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) goes up for a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) during the first half in Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) works the floor against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) during the first half in Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) works the floor against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half in Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
