Falcon 9’s First Mission of 2023 Delivers Optus Satellite to Orbit

SpaceX’s Workhorse Rocket Begins the Year with Another Successful Launch

The mission also marked the 150th successful landing of a SpaceX Falcon booster.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from the historic Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday, January 8, 2023. The rocket carried the Optus 11 telecommunications satellite, built by Airbus, on its 16th mission overall.

The launch was initially scheduled for Saturday, January 7, but was delayed by 24 hours due to strong winds at the launch site. However, the launch went smoothly on Sunday, and the Falcon 9 rocket delivered the Optus 11 satellite to its intended orbit about 35 minutes after liftoff.

The Optus 11 satellite is a high-throughput satellite that will provide communications services to Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia-Pacific region. It is designed to provide higher bandwidth and coverage than previous Optus satellites, and will also be used for 5G mobile services.

The launch of the Optus 11 satellite marks the first mission for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in 2023. The Falcon 9 is a reliable and versatile rocket that has been used to launch a wide range of payloads into orbit, including satellites, cargo for the International Space Station, and even astronauts.

The successful launch of the Falcon 9 rocket is another significant milestone for SpaceX. The company is now the leading provider of commercial launch services, and its rockets have a proven track record of success. The Falcon 9 has now launched over 150 times, and has successfully delivered its payload to orbit on every mission.

The launch of the Optus 11 satellite is also a major step forward for Optus. The satellite will provide much-needed additional capacity and coverage to the Asia-Pacific region, and will help to meet the growing demand for communications services in the region.