For those interested, this image was sent about 8.000km above Earth from Falcon 9 stage 2.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/408030622708678657/photo/1 On Wed, Dec 4, 2013 at 10:36 AM, Eric Rosenberg <ericrosenberg...@gmail.com>wrote: > FYI -- > > 73, Eric W3DQ > Washington, DC > > ----------------------- > > December 3, 2013* > * > > *SPACEX SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES FIRST MISSION TO GEOSTATIONARY TRANSFER > ORBIT* > > /Upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers SES-8 satellite to targeted > orbit/ > > Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida -- Today, Space Exploration > Technologies (SpaceX) successfully completed its first geostationary > transfer mission, delivering the SES-8 satellite to its targeted 295 x > 80,000 km orbit. Falcon 9 executed a picture-perfect flight, meeting 100% > of mission objectives. > > Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:41 PM > Eastern Time. Approximately 185 seconds into flight, Falcon 9's second > stage's single Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a five minute, 20 > second burn that delivered the SES-8 satellite into its parking orbit. > Eighteen minutes after injection into the parking orbit, the second stage > engine relit for just over one minute to carry the SES-8 satellite to its > final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second > stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions. > > "The successful insertion of the SES-8 satellite confirms the upgraded > Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers to the industry's highest performance > standards," said Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX. "As always, > SpaceX remains committed to delivering the safest, most reliable launch > vehicles on the market today. We appreciate SES's early confidence in > SpaceX and look forward to launching additional SES satellites in the years > to come." > > Today's mission marked SpaceX's first commercial launch from its central > Florida launch pad and the first commercial flight from the Cape Canaveral > Air Force Station in over five years. SpaceX has nearly 50 launches on > manifest, of which over 60% are for commercial customers. > > This launch also marks the second of three certification flights needed to > certify the Falcon 9 to fly missions for the U.S. Air Force under the > Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. When Falcon 9 is > certified, SpaceX will be eligible to compete for all National Security > Space (NSS) missions. > > High-resolution photos are available for download at www.spacex.com/media< > http://www.spacex.com/media>. > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
