Following a multi-day delay caused by high winds, the SpaceX Falcon 9 launched successfully early Thursday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying the EchoStar XXIII satellite into orbit.
RELATED: High Winds Ground EchoStar XXIII Satellite
SpaceX delayed Tuesday’s original launch date of Falcon 9, which was carrying EchoStar’s new Ku-band broadcast satellite services satellite, which was constructed by Space Systems Loral.
SpaceX announced on Twitter that the deployment of XXIII to a geosynchronous transfer orbit was a success:
Successful deployment of @EchoStar XXIII to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit confirmed. pic.twitter.com/LpPWLo8YMN
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 16, 2017
A replay of the launch can be viewed here.
The initial commercial deployment of EchoStar XXIII, which reportedly has a design life of 15 years, is slated to be at 45° West.
Space.com notes that the satellite, to be positioned above the equator at 45 degrees west longitude, will initially provide broadcast, internet and other communications services to Brazil.
