SpaceX to launch Spanish communications satellite

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — SpaceX is organizing a Thursday night launch of a Spanish communications satellite.

SpaceX stated it is ready to send up its Falcon 9 rocket to launch the SpainSat NG II mission.

The takeoff will take place at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The four-hour launch window opens at 9:30 p.m. ET.

If the launch is scrubbed, the next attempt will be Friday at the same time.

Final launch

This will be the final launch of this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1076.

“Due to the additional performance required to deliver this payload to orbit, this will be the 22nd and final flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission …,” SpaceX stated.

That means it will not be landing on a droneship or landing zone.

Old B1076 had an impressive career.

1. CRS-26
2. OneWeb Flight 16
3. Intelsat IS-40e
4. Starlink Group 6-1 mission
5. Starlink Group 6-3 mission
6. Starlink Group 6-6 mission
7. Starlink Group 6-14 mission
8. Starlink Group 6-21 mission
9. SES O3B-mPOWER
10. Ovzon-3
11. Starlink Group 6-40 mission
12. Eutelsat 36D
13. Starlink 6-54
14. Starlink Group 6-64 mission
15. Turksat 6A
16. Maxar 2 mission
17. Starlink 8-19 mission
18. Starlink 6-68 mission
19. Sirius SXM-9 mission
20. Starlink 12-7 mission
21. Starlink 12-14 mission

Interestingly enough, when SpaceX launched the SpainSat NG I mission earlier this year in January, the California-based company had to retire that first-stage booster, B1073, for the same reason.

About the mission

The SpainSat NG II is a satellite that was built and will be operated by Hisdesat.

It will provide secure communications to the governments and emergency responders in Europe, North and South America and other parts of the world, according to the European Space Agency.

The SpainSat NG II satellite will be in a geosynchronous transfer orbit.