Falcon 9

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has announced the successful completion of its first geostationary transfer mission of delivering the SES-8 satellite, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, after two delays.

The upgraded Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida during 5:41pm Eastern Time.

Around 31 minutes after launch, Falcon 9 successfully placed the SES-8 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.

SpaceX CEO and chief designer Elon Musk said the successful insertion of the SES-8 satellite confirms the upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers to the industry’s highest performance standards.

"We appreciate SES’s early confidence in SpaceX and look forward to launching additional SES satellites in the years to come," Musk said.

"We appreciate SES’s early confidence in SpaceX and look forward to launching additional SES satellites in the years to come."

Featuring up to 33 Ku-band transponders, SES-8 is authorised by the Netherlands and will be co-located with NSS-6 at the orbital location of 95° east to provide growth capacity over Asia-Pacific.

SES president and CEO Romain Bausch said: "Through the co-location with NSS-6 at 95° east, SES-8 will not only provide incremental high-performance capacity, notably for DTH services, it will also create greater reliability and additional security for customers."

The latest mission marks 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 a four-year period.

This launch is the second of three certification flights needed to certify the Falcon 9 to fly missions for the US Air Force under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) programme.

Image: Falcon 9 And SES-8 lift off from SpaceX launch pad at Cape Canaveral. Photo: courtesy of Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

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