SpaceX Breakthrough: Latest Falcon 9 Launch for Optus-X Satellite - Technology

SpaceX is set to launch a satellite for the Australian telecommunication company Optus this afternoon ( Nov. 17 ) from Florida's Space Coast. A Falcon 9 rocket transport the Optus-X satellite is schedule to lift off from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center today, during a two-hour window that open at 4:29 post_meridiem EST ( 2029 Greenwich_Mean_Time ).

 SpaceX will livestream the action via its history on X, start about 15 minutes before launch.

If all go harmonize to plan, the Falcon 9's first phase will tax_return to Earth about nine minutes after liftoff, landing vertically on the droneship"A Shortfall of Gravitas,"which will be station in the Atlantic Ocean. It will be the sixteenth launch and landing for this particular supporter, harmonize to a SpaceX mission description. Nine of its 15 flight to date have been give to building out SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation in low Earth orbit ( LEO).

Optus-X is n't head to LEO, however ; the Falcon 9's upper_berth phase will deliver it to geosynchronous transportation orbit. The satellite will then brand its own manner to geostationary orbit, which lie 22,236 mile ( 35,786 kilometer ) above Earth.

 today's plan launch is part of a very busy three-day stretch for SpaceX. Elon Musk's company plan to launch two mission on Monday ( Nov. 18 )   a Starlink batch and an Indian telecommunication satellite   and the sixth-ever trial flight of its Starship megarocket on Tuesday ( Nov. 19).

SpaceX Breakthrough: Latest Falcon 9 Launch for Optus-X Satellite

Not just one, but two Falcon 9 rocket look in the Florida sky on Veterans Day. At 12:22 post_meridiem on Monday, SpaceX establish the Koreasat-6A mission. Just More than four hours later, at 4:28 post_meridiem, the company follow up with the launch of its Starlink 6-69 mission, which had been delay a day due to poor_people supporter recovery weather, SpaceX state. Koreasat-6A tag the unprecedented 77th orbital rocket launch during a single calendar year from Florida's Space Coast. The Starlink 6-69 mission become the 78th.

"This record-breakage pace reflect the growth demand for space-establish data and services, drive by old_age of give work to expand Florida's aerospace ecosystem. As the global industry move toward a trillion-dollar economy, Florida is well position to lead, and we're excite to see this momentum continue to physique,"Space Florida President and CEO Rob Long state in a tweet.

 That pace may continue unabated. stopping_point week, SpaceX Vice President of Launch Kiko Dontchev state his company will target roughly one launch every two days through the end of the year.

When the Koreasat-6A Falcon 9 supporter land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the touchdown tag SpaceX's 364th successful recovery of an orbital-class rocket, Somya Srivastava, structure engineer, state during the launch webcast. The subsequent Starlink landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas tag the 365th successful recovery. While SpaceX hour_angle yet to confirm, Federal Aviation Administration document show the company's following launch window will open Thursday morning. hours : 5:33-10:04 ante_meridiem That Falcon 9 will lift off on the Starlink 6-68 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, travel in a southeast trajectory.