spacetoday.net: Falcon Heavy launches first ViaSat-3 satellite

Posted: Sat, May 6, 2023, 9:39 AM ET (1339 GMT)
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy finally launched the first ViaSat-3 satellite and two other spacecraft Sunday night. The rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 8:26 pm EDT (0026 GMT Monday) after nearly two weeks of delays caused by technical issues and poor weather, as well as a last-minute abort during a launch attempt Friday night. The primary payload, the 6,400-kilogram ViaSat-3 Americas satellite, was deployed around 4 hours and 32 minutes after launch. The Boeing-built spacecraft will be used by Viasat to provide broadband services over the Americas, and is the first of three such spacecraft that will offer global coverage. The third ViaSat-3 spacecraft was to launch on an Ariane 6 but the company says it is looking for a new ride because of delays with that rocket. Also on the Falcon Heavy launch was Arcturus, the first broadband "micro-GEO" satellite from Astranis, and a cubesat from Washington-based Gravity Space with a communications payload.