SpaceX has launched PT Telkom Indonesia’s geostationary communications satellite Merah Putih on the first reflight of the Block 5 Falcon 9 rocket.

The satellite was deployed into its targeted Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) nearly 32 minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX successfully landed its booster 5 for the second time following the first launch three months ago, on the SpaceX’s “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk said: “Ironically, we need to take it apart to confirm that it does not need to be taken apart.

“This rocket probably won’t refly for probably a couple of months, but by late this year we should be seeing substantial reflight of Block 5 vehicles, probably with Block 5 boosters seeing their third, maybe their fourth reflight.”

“This rocket probably won’t refly for probably a couple of months, but by late this year we should be seeing substantial reflight of Block 5 vehicles.”

The Block 5 is SpaceX’s final version of the Falcon 9 and features improvements to enable first-stage reuse over 10 times.

With this launch, the state-owned operator’s fleet will be restored back to three satellites after one of its satellites, Telkom-1, exploded in orbit last August.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the satellite was 18 years old, operating three years past its design life.

Telkom Indonesia Wholesale and International Service division director Abdus Somad Arief was quoted as saying that most of the capacity on the operator’s two other satellites was for backhauling traffic for the company’s Telkomsel cellular business.

Merah Putih, which was formerly called Telkom-4, replaces Telkom-1. It is expected to bring coverage to Indonesia, India and other parts of Asia to expand broadband and telephony services.

The satellite, was built by Space Systems Loral of Palo Alto, California ahead of schedule, will be located at 108 degrees east longitude.