SpaceX launched two communications satellites from Florida’s Space Coast today (December 17), the second leg of a spaceflight doubleheader.
one Falcon 9 Rocket lifts off from NASA Kennedy Space Center Today at 5:26 PM ET (2226 GMT), the O3b mPOWER 7 and 8 satellites will fly into medium Earth orbit (MEO), approximately 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) from Earth.
Falcon 9’s first stage returns to Earth and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation “Just read the instructions” about 8.5 minutes after the drone was launched as planned today. According to an official, this is the first lift-off and landing of this special booster. SpaceX mission statement.
Meanwhile, the rocket’s upper stage continues to deliver the two satellites into orbit. It will deploy the first approximately 113 minutes after launch and the second 7 minutes later.
Related: SpaceX launches O3b mPOWER communications satellite on mission 84 in 2023
O3b mPOWER is a MEO communications constellation operated by Luxembourg-based SES. Currently there are six satellitefrom December 2022 to November 2023.
The network is now operational, but its total number of satellites will continue to grow, to 11, all of which will depart Earth on Falcon 9 rockets. The spacecraft was built by Boeing Weighs approximately 3,750 pounds per person (1,700 kg).
The mPOWER launch was SpaceX’s second launch of the day. This morning, another Falcon 9 took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, bringing NROL-149 mission For the U.S. National Reconnaissance Agency.
So far, SpaceX has launched more than 120 Falcon 9 missions in 2024. The vast majority of them (nearly 70%) have been working on assembling the company’s products Starlink Low Earth Orbit Broadband Network.
The Starlink mega-constellation currently consists of More than 6,800 Operational satellites can eventually accommodate 40,000 spacecraft.
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 5:45 pm ET on December 17 with news of the successful launch and rocket landing.