CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE — SpaceX launched a pair of satellites for a European telecommunications company on Sunday afternoon. 

What You Need To Know

  • SpaceX sent up the SES O3b mPOWER mission

  • Scroll down to learn more abotu the mission

  • It took off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

The 89-minute launch window opened at 4:08 p.m. ET, Sunday, and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket took off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated the company.

The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 70% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only concern being the cumulus cloud rule.

“Low-topped cumulus ahead of (a weak) front will be the main concern for (Sunday) afternoon’s launch attempt, as any that move over the launch pad may pose a threat for violating flight-through constraints of the Cumulus Cloud Rule,” the squadron stated.

If the launch had been delayed, SpaceX stated the next attempt would be Monday with the same launch window. However, the squadron predicted that the percentage of good launch weather would have dropped down to 40%.

First-stage booster’s history

Before this mission, this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, named B1076, has eight flights on its resume.

  1. CRS-26
  2. OneWeb Flight 16
  3. Intelsat IS-40e
  4. Starlink Group 6-1 mission
  5. Starlink Group 6-3 mission
  6. Starlink Group 6-6 mission
  7. Starlink Group 6-14 mission
  8. Starlink Group 6-21 mission

Once the stage separation happened, the first-stage booster landed in the Atlantic Ocean on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

About the mission

SES, a Luxembourg-based telecommunications company, will have two of its satellites sent up to medium-Earth orbit, which is between 1,243 miles and 22,236 miles (2,000 kilometers and 35,786 kilometers) above sea level.

The O3b mPOWER broadband internet satellites, built by Boeing, will provide internet services over most of the round world, stated the Kennedy Space Center.

With this launch, there are currently six O3b mPOWER satellites in orbit, stated Suzanne Ong, vice president of External Communications for SES.

"We have already (four) O3b mPOWER satellites in orbits, and with this launch, we will have six O3b mPOWER satellites that can start providing global services. We are aiming to launch two more O3b mPOWER satellites in 2024," she explained to Spectrum News after the launch. 

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