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

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