Natalia Chi
SpaceX launched a high-power Spanish communications satellite on Monday to serve government and corporate users along air and sea routes in the Americas, Greenland, and the Atlantic Ocean.
“One of the main target markets for this satellite is mobility, especially in-flight connectivity and maritime (services),” said Ignacio Sanchis, Chief Commercial Officer of satellite owner Hispasat. spaceflight now.
“We also provide connectivity services to governments and businesses in sectors such as energy, oil and gas, as well as telecommunications companies and mobile network operators expanding their cellular networks,” Sanchis said. Added.
William Harwood/CBS News
The 229-foot-tall Falcon 9 made its sixth flight using the first stage, coming to life at 8:32 PM EST, flying quickly away from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and arcing above the full moon. and disappeared from the sky. Atlantic Ocean.
Thirty-six minutes later, after lowering the first stage and igniting the upper stage’s two engines, the rocket ejected Hispassat’s Amazonas Nexus relay station into an elliptical orbit. Along the way, the first stage flew until it landed on an offshore landing barge.
Electric thrusters aboard the Amazonas Nexus satellite will be used over the next few weeks to circularize its orbit at an altitude of 22,300 miles above the equator. In such a geostationary orbit, the spacecraft would take 24 hours to complete one orbit around her, so it would appear stationary in the sky. This allows the use of fixed antennas on the ground.
Hispassat
Built by Thales Alenia Space, the 4.5-ton Amazonas Nexus is a “high-throughput satellite” or HTS, with next-generation digital transparent processors, a “technical breakthrough,” the company said. Upgraded in orbit for various applications.
“Amazonas Nexus is the most advanced satellite in Hispassat’s fleet,” Sanchis said. “This is a very powerful her HTS satellite that (a) incorporates state-of-the-art digital processors, thus offering great flexibility in reconfiguring the payload.”
Once checked out and positioned at 61 degrees west longitude, the satellite will serve the Americas, Greenland, and all of the air and sea corridors, with a focus on mobile users and connectivity on ships, aircraft, and rural areas. provide.
William Harwood
