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SpaceX Successfully Launches Four Astranis Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket from Cape Canaveral

Updated at 12:45 p.m. (0545 UTC): SpaceX has successfully deployed four satellites.

After a rare launch pad abort on December 21, SpaceX successfully launched four satellites into a geosynchronous transfer orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch took place early in the morning on Sunday, December 29, at midnight, following a brief delay to replace the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster.

The mission patch for the Astranis: From One to Many mission. Image credit: SpaceX.

The Falcon 9 rocket took off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 12 a.m. EST (0500 UTC). Leading up to the launch, the 45th Weather Squadron predicted an 85% chance of favorable weather conditions. The main weather concern was the presence of cumulus clouds that could have impacted the launch.

Weather officials reported that although isolated showers were possible near the spaceport, conditions were expected to improve overnight during the designated launch window. A cold front approaching from the northwest was predicted to increase regional moisture, and though the line of thunderstorms was expected to clear the area before the backup window, scattered showers were anticipated before the front passed.

Following the earlier scrubbed launch attempt, SpaceX replaced Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1077 with B1083. The new booster had already been used for several significant missions, including Crew-8 for NASA, the Polaris Dawn commercial astronaut mission, CRS-31 to the ISS, and three Starlink launches.

Four Astranis MicroGEO satellites are mounted on a Falcon 9 payload adapter before being enclosed in the payload fairings. Image: SpaceX (Credit to this photo to Spaceflight Now)

Approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the booster successfully landed on SpaceX’s droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, marking the 91st landing on this platform and the 389th successful booster landing overall.

Small but Impactful Satellites

The four satellites onboard the mission are known as MicroGEO satellites due to their size, comparable to that of a washing machine. Manufactured by Astranis in San Francisco, California, these satellites are built for a mission lifespan of 8 to 10 years.

Two of the satellites, NuView Alpha and NuView Bravo, are designed to provide aviation and marine connectivity services in North America and the Caribbean for Anuvu, with the agreement first announced in July 2021. These satellites aim to offer mobility customers a flexible, scalable connectivity solution without being tied to long-term contracts or outdated systems. Anuvu plans to add additional satellites in the future.

Also onboard is AGILA, named after the Philippine national bird, which will serve the country through a partnership with Orbits Corp. This satellite is part of a broader initiative to enhance connectivity in the Philippines, particularly in remote regions. The first satellite for this program is expected to launch in early 2024, with a second satellite to follow.

John Gedmark, Astranis’ Founder and CEO, emphasized the impact this project will have on millions of Filipinos who live in remote areas, noting that it could create up to 10,000 jobs and help stimulate economic development in underserved communities.

The four MicroGEO satellites shown in an Astranis cleanroom prior to shipping to Cape Canaveral for the ‘Astranis: From One to Many’ mission launch. Image: Astranis

Bringing Connectivity to Mexico

The final satellite in this mission is UtilitySat, which will initially serve Apco Networks in Mexico. This marks the first of two MicroGEO satellites for Apco, which will help connect up to five million people in the country. Over 30% of Mexico’s population currently lacks internet access, and satellite technology is often the only solution for rural areas.

Astranis highlights the unique nature of UtilitySat as the world’s first multi-mission commercial GEO satellite. Equipped with onboard propulsion, it can adjust its position in orbit to support different missions, providing broadband connectivity across multiple frequency bands, including Ka, Ku, and Q/V bands. UtilitySat will be repositioned as needed to address urgent customer needs throughout its operational lifetime.

Mindanao Daily News
Mindanao Daily Newshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK_sKdGFs0ewIh9R-iAskDg
Joel Calamba Escol is a journalist in the Philippines for more than 20 years. Currently, he is the Managing Editor of Mindanao Daily News, the biggest and most-widely read newspaper in Southern Philippines. He is also known as Noypi Vlogger in Youtube. You can follow him on the following social networking sites below.
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