Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off carrying three payloads
Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. launched its second rocket of the yearThe rocket hauled three payloads including an Indonesian satellite and an Israeli lunar lander
SAN FRANCISCO : Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. launched its second rocket of the year, hauling three payloads including an Indonesian satellite and an Israeli lunar lander.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Thursday at 8:45 p.m. local time from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX will attempt to land the rocket’s first stage on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
While most rocket launches carry one payload, “ridesharing" and secondary loads are becoming far more common in the industry. Nusantara Satu is Indonesia’s first high-throughput satellite that will improve Internet connectivity in the region, according to a SpaceX press kit. The Israeli craft Beresheet, which competed in the Google Lunar XPrize, will travel to the moon after deployment using its own power.
The third payload is an experimental small spacecraft from Air Force Research Laboratory for a one-year mission.
SpaceX set a company record last year with 21 launches for customers including commercial satellite operators and the U.S. military. Thursday’s launch is its 70th, but much of the focus this year will be on its first flight with humans on board.
SpaceX and Boeing Co. have contracts with NASA to ferry American astronauts to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew program. SpaceX’s first uncrewed demonstration flight, known as Demo-1, is slated to take place at 2:48 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 2. NASA will have a mission overview and flight readiness review briefing on Friday, Feb. 22, at about 6 p.m. ET.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.