The Falcon 9’s much-awaited Launch was successful. It was also a morale booster for Spacex since their last launch in September 2016 ended up with the rocket exploding. This time round, SpaceX launched 10 Satellites into orbit for its customer, Iridium, which is a communications company.
At the same time launching and landing Falcon 9’s stage booster onto its west coast drones. The return to flight (RTF), is also to be used to supply NASA space stations in a contract the two parties signed, SpaceX will conduct about 20 flights to be able to fulfill the Mission.
In the cards: SpaceX launch schedule
With this successful launch, SpaceX will have a full plate this year with lots of other launches awaiting them. In their January 14th launch, they were to lift ten satellites for their first customer Iridium and deploy them into orbit. Iridium says the satellites will help improve their communications business.
Later on this month on January 26th, SpaceX will have another scheduled launch. This time for a Brazilian company, EchoStar Corporation, which aims to provide direct TV services through Ku, Ka, and S-band communications capacity for direct television broadcast services in Brazil.
The corporation has a Brazilian government deadline to start transmissions by mid this year and has welcomed SpaceX’s ability to return to launches. The Satellite has been named Echostar23.
The Apollo resurrection
The Echostar23 mission will take off from Launchpad Complex 39A, which is historic as it facilitated the launch of the Apollo. NASA then leased it to SpaceX to be used for its Falcon Heavy launches and has been under construction for some time now.
On February 8th, SpaceX will be at it again with an International Space Station cargo mission for NASA. Out of the 20 or so flights, SpaceX was contracted for; this will be the 10th Dragon cargo mission.
NASA and SpaceX collaborate
NASA has plans to contract SpaceX to lift their astronauts to space most probably after the load missions are complete. This shows how dangerous of a space mission transporter SpaceX has turned out to be.
This launch will then be followed by mission 10,11,12 13,14 and 15 of the NASA cargo missions. Although the dates have not been officially announced, they will most probably take place later this year. This is according to SpaceX’s launch manifesto log on future missions, which appear on their website.
Private company missions
Enterprises that deal with broadcasts and satellite communications such as Arabsat, which is a Middle Eastern company, will then see the launch of its Arabsat 6A satellite launch.
Other companies include Bangabandhu, which is a Bangladesh communications company, and it will be the first satellite ever belonging to a company from Bangladesh to launch a satellite into orbit, Bigelow Aerospace, Bulgaria Sat, Conae an Argentinian company, Es’Hailsat, Hipasat among a host of others.
2017 will be an extremely busy year for SpaceX which has come a long way to re-define space travel and be the first choice globally in that field. Working with multiple companies from all over the world shows that many more nations are buying into the idea on space explorations.
