SpaceX Launches South Korea’s First Military Satellite | HotCars

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster successfully launched South Korea’s first military communications satellite towards a low earth orbit Monday after a successful launch from Cape Canaveral. Lift-off took place at 5:30 p.m. ET after a half-hour delay brought on by rainy conditions. Let’s check out this new launch by SpaceX and see what it means for America’s upstart rocket company and South Korea’s military ambitions.

Sace.com

The payload, a French-built Anasis 2 satellite, is reportedly in good shape after launch. The rocket’s reusable first stage, the same one used by the manned Crew Dragon capsule that launched May 30, successfully separated from the spacecraft after two and a half minutes and was guided safely to a soft landing on a drone ship.

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Minutes later, the second stage vaulted Anasis 2 into a transfer orbit that will take the craft to a geosynchronous orbit 22,000 miles above the equator in less than two weeks. Following an extensive testing regimen, South Korean personnel will take control of the bird by October.

NASA Space Flight

American involvement, however, extends beyond the launch location and the Space X rocket. In 2014, South Korea contracted Lockheed-Martin to create the satellite, which led to Lockheed-Martin to subcontract part of its construction to Airbus Defence and Space to build the bird in France.

South Korea got possession of Anasis 2 as part of an offset deal worth roughly $6 billion with Lockheed Martin. As part of a purchase of 40 F-35 fighter jets, the country would also get the satellite.

Space Up Close

The launch may have been a classic example of South Korea and U.S. relations at work. The reality, however, is that tensions have risen between the two countries about how to approach the threat of North Korea and how defense costs should be shared.

Currently, South Korea and the U.S. are trying to agree on future military exercises in the South Pacific, which were slated to begin in August, until COVID-19 played havoc with the itinerary. At least, though, they can both join forces to get a bird off the ground.

Sources: Al JazeeraSpaceflight NowSpace Page

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By: Gene Kosowan
Title: SpaceX Launches South Korea’s First Military Satellite | HotCars
Sourced From: www.hotcars.com/spacex-launches-south-koreas-first-military-satellite/
Published Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:00:55 GMT

The post SpaceX Launches South Korea’s First Military Satellite | HotCars appeared first on MansBrand.

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