Falcon 9 launches SES-8 on third attempt
Posted: Wed, Dec 4, 2013, 7:00 AM ET (1200 GMT)
After two attempts last week were scrubbed by technical glitches, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched its first commercial geosynchronous orbit satellite on Tuesday evening. The Falcon 9 v1.1 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 5:41 pm EST (2241 GMT) carrying the SES-8 satellite. The Falcon 9's upper stage released the satellite into a supersynchronous transfer orbit, with an apogee of about 80,000 kilometers, 33 minutes after launch. The launch took place after SpaceX scrubbed two previous attempts, on Monday and Thursday of last week, because of technical issues with the launch vehicle. The launch was also the first SpaceX to carry a satellite to geosychronous transfer orbit; previous Falcon 9 launches carried Dragon spacecraft and other satellites to low Earth orbit. SES-8, built by Orbital Sciences Corporation for European satellite operator SES, weighed 3,138 kilograms at launch and carries 33 Ku-band transponders. SES will operate the spacecraft from 95 degrees east in GEO.
After two attempts last week were scrubbed by technical glitches, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched its first commercial geosynchronous orbit satellite on Tuesday evening. The Falcon 9 v1.1 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 5:41 pm EST (2241 GMT) carrying the SES-8 satellite. The Falcon 9's upper stage released the satellite into a supersynchronous transfer orbit, with an apogee of about 80,000 kilometers, 33 minutes after launch. The launch took place after SpaceX scrubbed two previous attempts, on Monday and Thursday of last week, because of technical issues with the launch vehicle. The launch was also the first SpaceX to carry a satellite to geosychronous transfer orbit; previous Falcon 9 launches carried Dragon spacecraft and other satellites to low Earth orbit. SES-8, built by Orbital Sciences Corporation for European satellite operator SES, weighed 3,138 kilograms at launch and carries 33 Ku-band transponders. SES will operate the spacecraft from 95 degrees east in GEO.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, April 2
Europe to negotiate with NASA on lunar missions: ESA
AFP — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) Starlink gains just 3,500 users after 8 months in Bangladesh
The Daily Star (Bangladesh) — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) U.S. Space Force chief: Fiscal 2027 budget will reflect ‘aspirations’ for rapidly growing the service
Aerospace America — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) On Victory Lap, USSF Chief Charts Service’s Course
Aviation Week — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) One Year In, Work on Space Force Partners Strategy Just Beginning
National Defense Magazine — 5:37 am ET (0937 GMT) |
