Friday, May 12, 2017

SpaceX's Next Payload Arrives In Florida, Second Mission To Refly Rocket

A new satellite, BulgariaSat-1, built for a Bulgarian telecommunications company, has arrived at Cape Canaveral in Florida, in preparation for what will be the second mission to refly a rocket for Hawthorne-based SpaceX. SpaceX is expected to launch that missions sometime in June. According to satellite and spacecraft developer Space Systems Loral (SSL), the BulgariaSat-1 satellite has arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which will launch on a "space-proven" Falcon 9 vehicle. The launch of the Falcon 9 will be the second to use a previously launch Falcon 9 rocket, part of SpaceX's efforts to make its rockets re-usable, and dramatically lowering the material costs for space launches. Bulgaria Sat is a part of Bulsatcom, a telecommunications provider which offers up pay-TV services in Bulgaria. The satellite will be the very first satellite launched into space for the country of Bulgaria. Space Systems Loral said the satellite will provide direct-to-home television and telecommunications in the Balkans and other parts of Europe; it has 30 Ku-band BSS transponders for high definition television.

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