Another spectacular launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Blasting off from historic launch Complex 39A the Falcon 9 delivered the Inmarsat-5 F4 commercial communications satellite to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
This time SpaceX decided not to bring the Falcon 9’s first stage booster back to a landing after launch as it has done on previous missions.
SpaceX conducted its sixth launch of the year Monday, with a Falcon 9 rocket deploying the Inmarsat-5 F4 communications satellite. Liftoff, from the Kennedy Space Center, was on schedule at the opening of a 51-minute launch window at 19:20 local time (23:20 UTC). The booster – as planned – did not return for a landing due to the performance requirements of the heavy satellite.
Inmarsat-5 F4 is the last in a series of four high-power communications spacecraft which Inmarsat will use to support its Global Xpress mobile satellite broadband product. – NASA Spaceflight
It looks like commercial space flight is actually becoming routine! Exciting times.
Featured image by SpaceX
