Washington: American aerospace company SpaceX on Friday successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 10 telecommunications satellites from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California.
The Iridium-NEXT satellites were launched Friday morning for McLean, Virginia-based satellite operator Iridium Communications, Efe reported.
The Iridium-5 NEXT Mission marked the fifth set of 10 satellites that Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched for its customer’s Iridium NEXT global satellite constellation.
The contract calls for SpaceX to launch a total of 75 satellites for Iridium.
The launch took place on schedule at 7.13 a.m.
“Successful deployment of all 10 @IridiumComm NEXT satellites to low-Earth orbit confirmed,” Musk’s company said on Twitter.
SpaceX’s next launch is scheduled for April 2, when another Falcon 9 rocket will be used in a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.
That rocket is scheduled to lift off Monday afternoon from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
IANS