After a few days of weather related delays, a SpaceX Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, on the coast of Florida, USA at 0132 GMT on 7 February 2022. Aboard was the communications satellite Amazonas Nexus which was being injected into a super-synchronous transfer orbit – one which has an apogee higher than geostationary to allow easier inclination removal. The reusable first stage B1073 on its sixth flight, landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone barge down range in the Atlantic.
Artist’s impression of Amazonas Nexus in its operational orbit. Courtesy: Thales Alenia Space
Built by Thales Alenia Space, the 4,500 kg High Throughput Services satellite owned and operated by Hispasat will provide Ka-and Ku-band communications services to North and South America and Ku-band services to air routes across the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean as well as to remote settlements on Greenland. The Ku- and Ka-band Spacebus-NEO 200 spacecraft is “all electric” in that it uses electric thrusters to both raise the satellite into its operational position and also to control it in orbit. The satellite also carries a US military Ku-band communications payload Pathfinder 2 for the US Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).
