Official SpaceX launch records and announcements

SpaceX Launches Thuraya 4-NGS Satellite to Geosynchronous Orbit on 20th Flight of Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral

Jan 4, 2025, 12:57 AM

SpaceX successfully launched the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit on January 3, 2025, marking the company's first Falcon 9 launch of the year. The launch occurred at 8:27 p.m. EST from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 first stage booster, B1073, completed its 20th flight, landing on the SpaceX droneship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' in the Atlantic Ocean. The Thuraya 4-NGS satellite, built by Airbus and operated by Space42, aims to enhance telecommunications services across Africa, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.