Page 2 - Spec Tech Vol 1 Issue 10
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SpaceX launches 40 OneWeb satellites
into orbit, aces rocket landing
Image Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX launched a big batch of OneWeb "We have liftoff! Our 40 satellites have left the
internet satellites into orbit Thursday evening ground in Florida," OneWeb announced via
(Dec. 8) on a mission that supports a Twitter after launch. "Thanks to our colleagues
megaconstellation competitor after OneWeb's at @SpaceX for a successful lift off." The
own launch plans were derailed by Russia's Falcon 9 deployed the spacecraft as planned
invasion of Ukraine. A Falcon 9 rocket (opens in new tab) in three roughly equal sets,
carrying 40 OneWeb satellites launched from beginning at 58 minutes post-OneWeb is
NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in building a 648-satellite broadband
Florida Dec 8 at 5:27 p.m. EST (2227 GMT), constellation in low Earth orbit, which will
soaring into orbit in a dazzling sunset compete to some degree with SpaceX's
liftoff. Cameras on the ground captured Starlink. More than 460 OneWeb spacecraft
stunning views of the Falcon 9 as its first had reached orbit before today's flight, the
stage separated, then returned to Earth to vast majority of them atop Russian-built Soyuz
make a pinpoint landing on a SpaceX pad at rockets operated by French
the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force company Arianespace.
Station. "We did just get back confirmation of That arrangement fell apart after Russia
a nominal orbital insertion," SpaceX invaded Ukraine in February, leaving a launch
propulsion engineer Youmei Zhou said shortly gap for OneWeb. The company soon filled it,
after the landing during live launch inking deals with SpaceX and New Space
commentary. The Falcon 9 first stage landing India Limited (NSIL). (Terms of those
was SpaceX's 145th successful rocket contracts have not been disclosed.)
recovery and the fourth launch and landing for
this particular booster, according to a SpaceX The first liftoff under the NSIL deal occurred
mission description(opens in new tab). It on Oct. 21, when an Indian GSLV Mark III
previously launched a SpaceX Dragon cargo rocket successfully lofted 36 OneWeb
mission to the International Space Station for spacecraft. Thursday's launch marked
NASA in December 2021, Eutelsat's Hotbird SpaceX's first OneWeb mission. It was also
13F spacecraft this past October, and one OneWeb's first launch from Florida and meant
batch of SpaceX's Starlink internet statellites. OneWeb now has more than 500 satellites in
The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, orbit launch and ending 30 minutes after that.
continued carrying the OneWeb satellites to
orbit.
Space Explorer 2022 2
