WATCH: SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch with Echostar 23 Satellite
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket delivered EchoStar XXIII, a commercial communications satellite for EchoStar Corporation, to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) on Thursday. SpaceX launched the EchoStar XXIII from historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
SpaceX had hoped to launch early Tuesday morning but due to high winds, had to reschedule to Thursday morning.
SpaceX did not attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage after launch as the weight of the payload and the high-altitude of the orbital insertion will not leave enough fuel in the first stage to make the return trip.
The second stage will be placed in a decaying orbit and will burn up in the atmosphere within days.
The two videos provided feature video from the launch to the orbital delivery of the satellite. One includes the SpaceX webcast team providing commentary and the second just the raw footage.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Echostar XXIII Webcast with Commentary
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Video (raw footage – no commentary)
