Yesterday evening SpaceX launched Inmarsat-5 F4, the heaviest payload yet flown on a Falcon 9. Inmarsat-5 is yet another communications satellite, this one intended to provide increased network connectivity over Europe (to put it extremely simply).
The vehicle was a Falcon 9 full thrust, and due to the record weight of the payload (for Falcon 9 payload standards) this booster was not to be recovered like many recent Falcon9 launches. Of course, the booster performed without an issue, and inserted its payload into the proper orbit as one would expect.
It’s yet another pretty launch, with some damn fine camera views, as always. Below is the webcast of the launch, and much like the last launch, it’s just the one webcast – there are no longer 2 separate videos, one hosted and one “technical”, instead SpaceX has seemed to go to a more “conventional” launch stream – I dare say they have abandoned the “trendy science” styling of the hosted webcast for a more low-key affair, which I rather like. I still don’t like hearing the crowd audio in the background, but you know, baby steps to them having a “proper” broadcast.
Anyway, as always, enjoy!