CAPE CANAVERAL — SpaceX successfully launched a European telecommunications satellite early Wednesday evening.

What You Need To Know

  • SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off carrying the SES-22 satellite

  • The European satellite will provide TV and radio coverage to millions of American homes

  • Scroll down to watch the launch

SpaceX’s nearly 230-foot tall Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the SES-22 satellite. The rocket blasted off at 5:04 p.m. EDT. 

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster being used for Wednesday’s mission still seems to be relatively brand new and was used for one Starlink mission, SpaceX said.

After the first-stage separation, the booster landed on the droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” that is in the Atlantic Ocean.

About the satellite

Based in Luxembourg, SES is a telecommunications company that provides satellite and various forms of broadcasting around the world.

The company stated that the SES-22 satellite will bring TV and radio coverage to millions of American homes as well as data transmission services.

SES continued and stated the SES-22 is part of an “FCC program to clear a portion of C-band spectrum to enable wireless operators to deploy 5G services across the contiguous US. …”

It is expected that the SES-22 satellite will begin its operations in early August 2022.

Watch the launch

Anthony Leone - Digital Media Producer

Anthony has a long career as an editor and reporter for newspapers and news websites. He has covered general and breaking news, crime, and politics. In addition, he also covers space and rocket launches, where he has won awards for this coverage.

Twitter