Another First For SpaceX: Satellite Boosted To Geostationary Transfer Orbit | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.20.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.28.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.22.24 Airborne-FlightTraining-05.23.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.24.24

Thu, Dec 05, 2013

Another First For SpaceX: Satellite Boosted To Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Falcon 9 Rocket Meets 100 Percent Of Mission Objectives

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully completed its first geostationary transfer mission, delivering the SES-8 satellite to its targeted 295 x 80,000 km orbit. Falcon 9 executed a picture-perfect flight, meeting 100% of mission objectives.

Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:41 PM Eastern Time. Approximately 185 seconds into flight, Falcon 9’s second stage’s single Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a five minute, 20 second burn that delivered the SES-8 satellite into its parking orbit. Eighteen minutes after injection into the parking orbit, the second stage engine relit for just over one minute to carry the SES-8 satellite to its final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions.
 
“The successful insertion of the SES-8 satellite confirms the upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers to the industry’s highest performance standards,” said Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX.  “As always, SpaceX remains committed to delivering the safest, most reliable launch vehicles on the market today. We appreciate SES’s early confidence in SpaceX and look forward to launching additional SES satellites in the years to come.”
 

The mission marked SpaceX’s first commercial launch from its central Florida launch pad and the first commercial flight from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in over four years. SpaceX has nearly 50 launches on manifest, of which over 60% are for commercial customers.
 
This launch also marks the second of three certification flights needed to certify the Falcon 9 to fly missions for the U.S. Air Force under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. When Falcon 9 is certified, SpaceX will be eligible to compete for all National Security Space (NSS) missions.

(Image provided by SpaceX)

FMi: www.spacex.com

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.26.24)

Aero Linx: National Aeronca Association We are dedicated to supporting the design and preserving the history of Aeronca aircraft. Founded by Jim Thompson and fostered by his leader>[...]

Klyde Morris (05.24.24)

Klyde Sounds Like He's Defining An 'Influencer' FMI: www.klydemorris.com>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.26.24): Parallel ILS Approaches

Parallel ILS Approaches Approaches to parallel runways by IFR aircraft which, when established inbound toward the airport on the adjacent final approach courses, are radar-separate>[...]

Airborne 05.20.24: Van's BK Exit, Bud Anderson, Air Race Classic

Also: ALPA Warns, Aviation Meteorology Reference, Jennifer Homendy Re-Ups, CAF Tampa Bay The court has approved Van's Aircraft's bankruptcy reorganization plans, settling a stressf>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 05.21.24: ‘Liberty Lifter’, Cavorite Flies!, Eurodrone

Also: AMA National Fun Fly, Skyfire SF2, Echodyne Gets BVLOS, Av Meteorology Reference General Atomics' run at developing the Liberty Lifter ground effect aircraft has been put to >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC