Spacex Successfully launches Thaicom-6 Satellite
​Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., January 6, 2014 –Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully launched the THAICOM 6 satellite for Asian satellite operator THAICOM. The Falcon 9 rocketdelivered THAICOM 6 to its targeted 295 x 90,000 km geosynchronous transfer orbit at 22.5 degrees inclination. It was the second successful launch for a commercial operator by Spacex into geostationary transfer orbit in a little over a month. The Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the SES-8 satellite last month.
Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:06 PM Eastern Time. Approximately 184 seconds into flight, Falcon 9’s second-stage Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a five minute, 35 second burn that delivered the THAICOM 6 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 THAICOM 6 satellite to its final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions.
“Today’s successful launch of the THAICOM 6 satellite marks the eighth successful flight in a row for Falcon 9,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President of SpaceX. “SpaceX greatly appreciates THAICOM’s support throughout this campaign and we look forward to a busy launch schedule in 2014.”
The launch of the THAICOM 6 satellite is the second commercial launch by SpaceX. The satellite will provide C-band and Ku-band communications services across Southeast Asia and Africa.
The Falcon 9 launch vehicle flew in the v1.1 configuration with upgraded Merlin 1D engines, stretched fuel tanks, and a payload fairing. The Thaicom 6 mission was the second launch of the Falcon 9 v.1.1 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The mission was also SpaceX's second launch of a payload to geostationary orbit.
The THAICOM 6 mission marks Falcon 9’s second flight to a geosynchronous transfer orbit and begins a regular cadence of launches planned for SpaceX in 2014. SpaceX has nearly 50 launches on manifest, of which over 60% are for commercial customers. This launch also marks the third of three qualification flights needed to certify the Falcon 9 to fly missions under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.
Once Falcon 9 is certified, SpaceX will be eligible to compete to launch national security satellites for the U.S. Air Force.
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