SpaceX launches Swedish orbital in second mission of 2024
Jan. 3 (UPI) -- SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on Wednesday evening, putting a Swedish communications satellite into space.
The two-stage rocket launched at 6:04 p.m. EST from the Sunshine State's Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/2j6x0NkQuM— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 3, 2024
The launch marks the second of the year for SpaceX, following its Starlink mission that lifted off Tuesday night from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. Wednesday's launch was also SpaceX's 297th to date.
The Ovzon 3 mission was to put the first privately funded and developed Swedish satellite into geostationary orbit.
According to the website of broadband telecommunications provider Ovzon, it is also the most powerful GEO satellite ever put into orbit, and covers one-third of the Earth with its steerable spot beams
The orbital was successfully deployed from the Falcon 9 rocket and sent on its way to reach its designated geostationary orbit position, which will take between three and four months.
The rocket's first-stage booster was on its 10th flight, five of which were Starlink missions, while the fairing halves were on its ninth and 14th launches.
The booster and the fairing halves returned to Earth for their reuse in future missions.
