SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Launches WorldView Legion Satellites

2025-02-28

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday evening, February 4, 2025, carrying two WorldView Legion satellites for Maxar Intelligence. The launch, part of the Maxar 3 mission, was initially scheduled for Monday but was postponed due to unspecified reasons. The rocket lifted off at 6:13 p.m. EST, with the launch window open until 7:07 p.m. A backup opportunity was available for Wednesday if needed.

The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, making its fourth flight, previously supported the GOES-U mission and two Starlink missions. After stage separation, the booster successfully landed at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, potentially causing a sonic boom across Central Florida. The mission aimed to deploy high-resolution commercial satellites into orbit, enhancing Earth observation capabilities.

SpaceX provided live coverage of the launch, with updates on key milestones such as engine cutoff, stage separation, and fairing deployment. The fairings, which protect the payload during ascent, were recovered by SpaceX’s ocean recovery ship, Bob. The successful launch marks another step in SpaceX’s efforts to expand satellite-based Earth observation and data collection services.