SpaceX is set to kick off 2025 with a significant launch as it prepares to send the Thuraya 4 communications satellite into space. Slated for Friday, January 3rd, at 8:27 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, this mission marks the first Falcon 9 rocket launch of the year.
The Falcon 9 rocket, scheduled for launch, is tasked with delivering the Thuraya 4 spacecraft into geosynchronous orbit. This satellite, developed by Airbus for the satellite services company Space42 in the United Arab Emirates, is designed to enhance mobile communications across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
SpaceX has planned to broadcast the launch on its official website and on its X account. The broadcast will begin at approximately 8:20 p.m. ET. This mission will utilize the same Falcon 9 first stage booster that has been employed in previous missions, including a lunar lander venture and several Starlink satellite deployments.
The booster used in this operation has a storied history, having conducted 19 previous flights, including an ISS resupply mission. Following the deployment of the Thuraya 4 satellite, the booster aims to return and land on SpaceX’s droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
This launch adds to SpaceX’s impressive trajectory, as the company completed over 130 orbital missions in 2024 and plans to surpass this figure in 2025. Today’s mission represents the 418th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket and the company’s 435th mission in total, underscoring SpaceX’s expanding influence in the aerospace sector.
Space42, which comprises Yahsat Space Services, anticipates that the Thuraya 4-NGS (Next Generation System) satellite will introduce advanced AI-powered services. Ali Al Hashemi, CEO of Yahsat Space Services, emphasized the satellite’s potential to revolutionize communication technologies.
The upcoming launch of the Thuraya 4 satellite is a promising start to SpaceX’s ambitious schedule for 2025. This mission not only showcases the Falcon 9’s reliability but also highlights SpaceX’s commitment to enhancing global communication capabilities through cutting-edge technology.
Source: Space
