SpaceX F9 - SES 18 & SES 19 - SLC-40

[Grendal]

Launch Date: March 17
Launch Window: 7:34pm EDT (4:34pm PDT, 23:34 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), Florida
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - JRTI
Booster: B1069.6
Fairings: Reused - 7th and 3rd
Mass: 1280 kg each
Orbit: GTO
Yearly Launch Number: 19

The SES-18 and SES-19 satellites are part of SES's plan to comply with the C-band frequency replacement plan set by the Federal Communications Comission (FCC) as rollout of 5G continues. The satellites will be launched stacked on top of each other in dual configuration and then will separate from Falcon 9 one after the other. The satellites were built by Boeing and their combined mass is of about 5 tonnes.

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SES 18, 19

SES 18 and SES 19 are two C-band only communications satellites owned by SES.

space.skyrocket.de

 

[Grendal]

 

[808?]

 

[Grendal]

Cool shot, mentioned in the webcast by Kate Tice, of the first stage entry into the atmosphere from the camera of the second stage.

Everything else was nominal so far.

Edit: Deployment successful. 100% success.

During the webcast, it was mentioned that SpaceX has a special fondness for SES since they were the first GTO launch and first company to launch on a reused booster.

 

[ecarfan]

Wow, so many cool images from that mission (and nice to see Kate hosting!).

Beautiful juxtaposition of the vehicles and the horizon.

 

[ecarfan]

Unusual to be able to clearly see both stages and both fairing haves in the frame.

 

[ecarfan]

I call that a bullseye landing!

 

[ecarfan]

Also unusual to see the ascent contrail from the second stage camera!