Success for SpaceX
December 17, 2019
By Chris Forrester
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket performed a textbook launch from Florida on December 16th carrying a Boeing-built ‘condominium’ satellite serving Japanese and Pacific islands clients.
In what is now very much a routine event, the rocket landed on a floating barge, Of Course I Still Love You, after the launch. Lift-off was at 7.10 pm and the cargo satellite is owned by Japan’s JCSAT-18 and Singapore-based Kacific. Kacific’s broadband craft will serve 25 nations across the Asia-Pacific region including many Pacific islands.
The actual rocket had already flown twice before (on SpaceX’s missions 17 and 18 serving the International Space Station). This particular flight was the 47th successful landing of a rocket following a flight.