HAWTHORNE, Calif. - SpaceX has conducted two successful launches and two successful landings and deployed 11 satellites into their intended orbits in two days. The quick turnaround occurred because the BulgariaSat 1 launch was delayed and the Iridium-2 launch was moved earlier. SpaceX used two separate teams to manage each mission, reducing the workload on any single launch team.
The feat is a major accomplishment for the Elon Musk-founded launch company. Although the company's technology and low cost attracted customers from around the world, SpaceX has struggled to maintain a high enough launch rate to keep up with the demand. A failed launch in 2015 and an explosion of a Falcon 9 on the launch pad in 2016 further slowed SpaceX's launch rates.
However, the two launches between June 23 and June 25 represent a possible turning point for SpaceX. The launches represent the eighth and ninth launches, respectively, of a Falcon 9 in 2017. Furthermore, they represent the second and third launches in June. If SpaceX could sustain two to three launches of its Falcon 9 per month it would help the company clear its launch manifest and make room for additional customers.
The first launch, on June 23, carried the BulgariaSat 1 into orbit. The 3,669 kilogram satellite was built by Space Systems Loral (SSL) based on its 1300 platform for Bulgaria's first private satellite operator. The launch lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 3:10 p.m. EDT (7:10 p.m. UTC) using a refurbished Falcon 9 first stage that originally carried the first 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into orbit in January. Once it arrives in its intended geosynchronous orbit, BulgariaSat 1 will provide satellite communications, broadcast, telecommunications, and corporate services over Eastern Europe.
The June 25 launch carried 10 Iridium NEXT satellites for Iridium Communications Inc. into orbit. Liftoff occurred from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 1:25 p.m. PDT (4:25 p.m. EDT; 8:25 p.m. UTC). The satellites are part of a new network that Iridium is building to replace its current constellation of satellites operating in low Earth orbit (LEO).
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