SpaceX successfully launches Thaicom 6 satellite

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has successfully launched the Thaicom 6 satellite for leading Asian satellite operator Thaicom. Falcon 9 delivered Thaicom 6 to its targeted 295km x 90,000km geosynchronous transfer orbit at 22.5° inclination. The Falcon 9 launch vehicle performed as expected, meeting 100% of mission objectives.

 

Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:06 pm Eastern Time, Jan. 6, 2014. Approximately 184 seconds into flight, Falcon 9’s second stage’s single Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a 5 minute, 35 second burn that delivered the Thaicom 6 satellite into its parking orbit.

 

Eighteen minutes after injection into the parking orbit, the second stage engine relit for just over 1 minute to carry the Thaicom 6 satellite to its final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions.

 

“Today’s successful launch of the Thaicom 6 satellite marks the eighth successful flight in a row for Falcon 9,” said Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX. “SpaceX greatly appreciates Thaicom’s support throughout this campaign and we look forward to a busy launch schedule in 2014.”

 

The Thaicom 6 mission marks Falcon 9’s second flight to a geosynchronous transfer orbit and begins a regular cadence of launches planned for SpaceX in 2014. 

 

SpaceX has nearly 50 launches on manifest, of which over 60% are for commercial customers. 

 

This launch also marks the third of three qualification flights needed to certify the Falcon 9 to fly missions under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Once Falcon 9 is certified, SpaceX will be eligible to compete to launch national security satellites for the U.S. Air Force.