Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX has successfully launched the private communication satellite ‘Jupiter-3’. The launch was carried out using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, which will also bring back the booster after approximately eight minutes. The rocket and the satellite are reported to be in good condition after the launch.
Jupiter-3, the largest-ever satellite developed by Maxar technology, has a size comparable to the wingspan of a large airplane. Its primary purpose is to connect with other satellites from the Hughes Jupiter fleet to provide services such as in-flight WiFi and improving private WiFi using other technologies.
In a tweet, SpaceX announced, “Falcon Heavy is vertical at Launch Complex 39A ahead of tonight’s launch. The 99-minute window opens at 11:04 pm ET, and the weather is 85% favorable for liftoff.”
Falcon Heavy is vertical at Launch Complex 39A ahead of tonight’s launch. The 99-minute window opens at 11:04 p.m. ET, and weather is 85% favorable for liftoff → https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK pic.twitter.com/la5BRoxPOu
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 26, 2023
About SpaceX Falcon Heavy
The Falcon Heavy spacecraft is responsible for carrying Jupiter-3 into orbit. The liftoff took place at launch complex 39A in NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. This marks the seventh launch of the triple booster rocket by SpaceX.
Jupiter-3 will work in collaboration with other satellites in the existing Hughes Jupiter fleet that are already in orbit.
With a size comparable to an airline’s wingspan, Jupiter-3 measures between 130 and 160 feet.
The satellite will support various services including in-flight WiFi and the enhancement of private WiFi usage through other wireless technologies.
Recently, SpaceX and Indonesia introduced a satellite aimed at providing high-speed internet to remote areas across the country. The Satria-1 satellite, built in Europe, was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Indonesian President Joko Widodo referred to it as the country’s “first government-owned multi-function satellite with the biggest capacity in Asia”.
Designed to augment Maxar’s satellite fleet, Jupiter-3 will offer an additional 500 Gbps of capacity. It aims to serve a larger number of clients, particularly in areas where fiber and cable availability is unreliable or inaccessible.
Maxar highlighted that the satellite features advanced technological architecture with miniaturized electronics, solid-state amplifiers, and upgraded antenna efficiency, all of which contribute to its overall performance.
Prior to the launch, the satellite underwent thermal vacuum testing to ensure its ability to withstand temperature fluctuations in space.
The device is scheduled to be operational in 2024 and will provide services at a speed of 150 gigabytes per second, three times faster than the current satellite internet speed in the archipelago.
SpaceX also made history by sending two Saudi Arabian astronauts, including the nation’s first woman in space, to the International Space Station using a SpaceX capsule. This mission was organized by Axiom Space, and the crew was aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the Axiom Mission 2 (AX-2).
Image Source: Elonofficiall @ Instagram
