US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
SpaceX Launches High-Power ViaSat Internet Satellite in Rare Flight of Falcon Heavy Rocket
The mission will carry the third and final ViaSat-3 satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit after a Monday weather scrub, officials said.
- On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center, carrying the ViaSat-3 F3 communications satellite into orbit after a weather-related delay on Monday.
- The mission deploys the third and final ViaSat-3 F3 satellite to provide broadband capacity across the Asia-Pacific region, which Dave Abrahamian, ViaSat's vice president of Satellite Systems, called a "pivotal moment" for the company.
- Two of the rocket's side boosters returned to land at Landing Zone 2 and Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, generating double sonic booms audible across Central Florida about eight minutes after liftoff.
- As the 12th mission for Falcon Heavy, the launch maintains a 100% success rate and marks the rocket's first Space Coast flight since the October 2024 Europa Clipper mission.
- SpaceX recently retired one of its Atlantic-based droneships to optimize operations for Starship, as Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX vice president for launch, noted the company prioritizes landing infrastructure for its active manifest.
Insights by Ground AI
17 Articles
17 Articles
Viasat Confirms Successful Launch and Initial Signal Acquisition of ViaSat-3 F3
Successful ViaSat - 3 F3 launch advances Viasat’s global, multi-orbit network strategyDesigned to Deliver 1 Tbps of Capacity, ViaSat - 3 F3 to Significantly Expand Flexible, Resilient, High-Speed Connectivity Across the Asia-Pacific Region Later this Year
Coverage Details
Total News Sources17
Leaning Left3Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
L 25%
C 75%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
