SpaceX launched an Intelsat communications satellite early Thursday, part of a fleet-wide refresh under a Federal Communications Commission push to free up transmission space for 5G cellular networks.
The Falcon 9 blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 1 a.m. EDT, lighting up the overnight sky as it arced away to the east atop 1.7 million pounds of thrust.
A time exposure captures a backyard view of the Falcon 9 launch as seen from nearby Merritt Island, Florida. William Harwood/CBS News
The first stage, making its sixth flight, boosted the vehicle out of the dense lower atmosphere and then peeled away for landing on a downrange droneship. The second stage, meanwhile, continued the push to space, firing its single engine twice to reach the planned elliptical deploy orbit.
Thirty-two minutes after liftoff, Intelsat’s Galaxy 37 spacecraft was released to fly on its own.
If all goes well, on-board thrusters will put the 5-ton relay station in a circular orbit 22,300 miles above the equator at 127 degrees west longitude, where it will provide C-band broadcast service across North America. The satellite also hosts a Ku-band payload jointly owned by Intelsat and JSAT International, a subsidiary of SKY Perfect JSAT Corp.
An artist’s impression of the Galaxy 37 satellite in orbit. Intelsat
Intelsat is refreshing its Galaxy satellite fleet, which provides C-band television relay services across North America and the eastern Pacific, as part of an FCC-mandated push to clear out frequencies for use by emerging 5G cellular networks.