DSCOVR space weather sentinel reaches finish line [View all]

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http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/06/08/dscovr-space-weather-sentinel-reaches-finish-line/

DSCOVR space weather sentinel reaches finish line
Posted on June 8, 2015 by Stephen Clark

A new space weather observatory launched in February has completed a four-month journey to an operating post a million miles from Earth, NOAA announced Monday.

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DSCOVR arrived Sunday and entered a looping halo orbit around L1, where it will complete final instrument checks before entering service as soon as July. Once operational, DSCOVR will be the first U.S. weather satellite in deep space.

NOAA expects the mission to last at least two years, and DSCOVR carries enough fuel to function for five years.

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The door to DSCOVR’s Earth-viewing camera was expected to open some time after the satellite’s arrival at L1. Its first views of Earth should be released in the coming weeks.

The imager will take a full-color picture of the sunlit side of Earth every four-to-six hours, and NASA plans to post the imagery on a public website.