Jul 30, 2023
Falcon Heavy was able to launch the world’s largest commercial communications satellite, Jupiter 3, which weighs more than 9,000kg and is the size of a minibus, into orbit on the second attempt
Posted by Genevieve Klien in category: satellites
The day before, SpaceX was still able to send the Jupiter-3 satellite into space using a Falcon Heavy rocket. A few days earlier, the launch was cancelled for unknown reasons when the countdown stopped at the 65-second mark.
Here’s What We Know
Falcon Heavy failed to set a world record for payload mass. The minibus-sized Jupiter 3 weighs more than 9,000kg, and Hughes Network Systems calls it the world’s largest commercial communications satellite. But the record belongs to Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket, which sent two satellites into orbit weighing a combined 10.2 tonnes. This happened two years ago.