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| SpaceX follow up Facebook mission failure with triumphant 10 satellite payload launch (VIDEO) | SpaceX follow up Facebook mission failure with triumphant 10 satellite payload launch (VIDEO) |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SpaceX has successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket after delivering a payload of millions of dollars worth of satellites into orbit, less than four months after a similar mission was scuppered by a fiery explosion. | |
| Consistently sending hardware into orbit is one of the chief goals of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, but Saturday’s launch was the first delivery mission since August 30 when things went pear-shaped. | Consistently sending hardware into orbit is one of the chief goals of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, but Saturday’s launch was the first delivery mission since August 30 when things went pear-shaped. |
| In the first stage of Saturday’s mission to and from low orbit, the Falcon 9 successfully carried a payload of 10 Iridium satellites into space from Vandenberg Air Base, California. | In the first stage of Saturday’s mission to and from low orbit, the Falcon 9 successfully carried a payload of 10 Iridium satellites into space from Vandenberg Air Base, California. |
| The reusable rocket then made a safe landing to the Pacific Ocean droneship, ‘Just Read the Instructions.’ | The reusable rocket then made a safe landing to the Pacific Ocean droneship, ‘Just Read the Instructions.’ |
| The ill-fated launch in August of last year never got off the ground in Cape Canaveral, Florida, thanks to an explosion during fueling. | The ill-fated launch in August of last year never got off the ground in Cape Canaveral, Florida, thanks to an explosion during fueling. |
| The inferno resulted in the loss of a SpaceX rocket and a multimillion dollar Facebook satellite which was due to bring internet connectivity to parts of rural Europe, the Middle East and Africa. | The inferno resulted in the loss of a SpaceX rocket and a multimillion dollar Facebook satellite which was due to bring internet connectivity to parts of rural Europe, the Middle East and Africa. |
| READ MORE: Facebook satellite lost in SpaceX explosion at Cape Canaveral (VIDEO) | READ MORE: Facebook satellite lost in SpaceX explosion at Cape Canaveral (VIDEO) |
| US company Iridium provide global voice and data communications via a network of 66 active satellites and are currently building a new satellite network dubbed Iridium NEXT. | US company Iridium provide global voice and data communications via a network of 66 active satellites and are currently building a new satellite network dubbed Iridium NEXT. |
| “The 10 satellites are the first of at least 70 satellites that SpaceX will be launching for Iridium’s next generation global satellite constellation,” a SpaceX statement said. | “The 10 satellites are the first of at least 70 satellites that SpaceX will be launching for Iridium’s next generation global satellite constellation,” a SpaceX statement said. |
| After a Friday dress rehearsal before the launch, Iridium Chief Operating Officer Scott Smith alluded to the challenges facing both companies. | After a Friday dress rehearsal before the launch, Iridium Chief Operating Officer Scott Smith alluded to the challenges facing both companies. |
| “There are so many variables that need to be considered when finalizing launch preparations, and a slight deviation or unexpected behavior by any of them can jeopardize the launch integrity,” Smith said. | “There are so many variables that need to be considered when finalizing launch preparations, and a slight deviation or unexpected behavior by any of them can jeopardize the launch integrity,” Smith said. |