spacetoday.net: SpaceX launches Es'hail-2

SpaceX launches Es'hail-2

Posted: Sun, Nov 18, 2018, 8:17 AM ET (1317 GMT)
SpaceX launched a Qatari communications satellite Thursday, tying a record for most launches by the company in a year. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:46 p.m. Eastern and deployed the Es'hail-2 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit 32 minutes later. The satellite, built by Mitsubishi for Qatari operator Es'hailSat, carries Ku-band capacity for television broadcasting and Ka-band capacity for connectivity to businesses and government users. The rocket's first stage previously launched the Telstar 19 satellite in July. The launch was the 18th this year for SpaceX, tying a record set last year, with four more launches scheduled through the end of the year.