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Aug. 3 (UPI) —
SpaceX achieved a successful launch in the early hours of Thursday, sending a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a single Intelsat satellite into space from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The 229-foot rocket took off at 1 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40, aiming to place its satellite payload into geostationary orbit.
The Galaxy 37 communications satellite separated from the launch vehicle approximately 30 minutes after liftoff, with Intelsat confirming signal acquisition at 1:37 a.m. EDT.
“This launch marks the completion of our comprehensive Galaxy fleet refresh plan initiated around 10 months ago,” stated Intelsat CEO Dave Wajsgras in
a statement after the launch.
“This milestone is now part of the 40-year Galaxy legacy – satellites that our North American customers have relied on for decades.”
The launch had an 80% probability of proceeding based on weather conditions minutes before liftoff.
The booster, which was on its sixth flight, successfully returned to Earth and was recovered by SpaceX’s Just Read The Instructions drone barge.
Both fairing halves, one of which was on its eighth flight and the other on its 10th, were expected to be retrieved using the drone ship named Bob.
According to Intelsat, the Maxar-built Galaxy 37 satellite will become operational later this year and will be positioned at 127 degrees west. Its G-37 C-band is expected to provide North American capacity for television media and telecommunication network customers, while its Horizon 4 Ku-band will ensure continuity for mobility, network, and U.S. government customers.
This mission follows the launches of Galaxy 36 and 35, which took place aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana in December, and Galaxy 33 and 34, launched by SpaceX in October.
Intelsat announced that Thursday’s launch set a new commercial satellite record by deploying the eighth geostationary satellite within a 10-month period.
Intelsat, headquartered in Luxembourg, is a multinational satellite services company.
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