SpaceX launches Swedish internet satellite to orbit

SpaceX launched a Swedish broadband satellite tonight (Jan. 3) on the company's second mission of 2024.

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A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Ovzon 3 satellite lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station tonight at 6:04 p.m. EST (2304 GMT).

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The Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth tonight as planned, touching down back at Cape Canaveral about eight minutes after liftoff.

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It was the 10th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description.

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The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying Ovzon 3 skyward

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It deployed the spacecraft in geosynchronous transfer orbit about 38.5 minutes after launch as planned, SpaceX announced in a post on X.

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Tonight's launch was the second of 2024 for SpaceX.

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There will be many more liftoffs to come: SpaceX representatives have said the company aims to launch 144 orbital missions this year.

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That would smash the SpaceX record of 96, which was set in 2023.

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