[amsat-bb] NROL-39 launch seen in San Diego

Kimberly and I picked it up visually here in San Diego about a minute before staging. Because of the high inclination (reportedly 123 degrees) it was faint and far away, but it was unmistakable in binoculars despite local light pollution. The plume was gradually broadening as it rose into thinner air.

It disappeared at staging. I didn't expect to see the Centaur upper stage at night since it burns H2/O2.

The primary payload is a NRO spooksat (reportedly radar imaging) so coverage stopped at fairing jettison. No word on the cubesat deployments, but they probably won't be for a while. Several are supposed to transmit on 70cm.