SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket is set to launch for the first time in a year and a half, carrying the ViaSat-3 F3 communications satellite from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch is scheduled for April 27 at 10:21 a.m. EDT.
Falcon Heavy, employing three modified first stages from the Falcon 9 rocket, has a thrust of about 5.1 million pounds, making it the second most powerful rocket currently in service. Its last flight was in October 2024 when it launched NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft.
The ViaSat-3 F3 satellite, weighing 6.6 tons, will enter geostationary orbit at an altitude of 22,236 miles, providing high-capacity broadband services across the Asia-Pacific region. This launch completes the ViaSat-3 mini constellation, with previous satellites already operational.
After launching, Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will return to land at Cape Canaveral, while the central booster will be discarded into the Atlantic Ocean. The upper stage is expected to deploy the satellite approximately five hours post-launch.
Source link
