[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]SpaceX had a successful launch and landing Wednesday of a Falcon 9 carrying 10 Iridium satellites to be part of the communications company’s new constellation.
The Falcon 9 took off at 7:39 a.m. ET from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The first stage booster successfully landed on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions,” but the company called off an attempt to catch the rocket’s fairing with it’s net-equipped boat “Mr. Steven.”
The mission was the seventh of eight launches planned for the Iridium NEXT constellation, replacing the company’s existing 66 satellite network. Only one more launch of 10 satellites remains until the Iridium NEXT network is completed.
It’s a busy few weeks for SpaceX, as today’s launch follows a launch on Sunday, with a third launch slated for Aug. 2.
Watch today’s launch webcast below.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsDknmK30C0″ video_title=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]