SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launches Optus-X Telecom satellite

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Optus-X telecommunications satellite launched into orbit on Sunday, November 17, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch took place at 5:28 PM EST and coincided with a sunset that made the event more visually appealing. The satellite, built for Australian telecom company Optus, will meet communications needs once operational in geostationary orbit.

First stage recovered during ocean landing

After launch, the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage made a controlled descent and landed on SpaceX’s drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, A Shortfall of Gravitas. The landing occurred approximately nine minutes after takeoff and marked the 16th flight for this booster. SpaceX has indicated that nine of these flights were part of missions to place Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit.

Optus-X’s journey to geostationary orbit

The satellite’s intended destination is geostationary orbit, located 35,786 kilometers above Earth. The Falcon 9’s upper stage carried Optus-X into geosynchronous orbit, from where the satellite will cover the remaining distance using its onboard propulsion systems.

Busy schedule for SpaceX

The launch marks the start of an intense three-day period for SpaceX. Two additional missions are planned for Monday, November 18, including the deployment of Starlink satellites and an Indian telecom satellite. On Tuesday, November 19, SpaceX will conduct the sixth test flight of its Starship rocket, an event expected to attract a lot of attention.

This latest mission highlights SpaceX’s continued commitment to frequent and reusable launches, which have become a central part of its operational strategy.