SpaceX has wasted no time in making headlines this year, launching its first mission of 2025 with the successful deployment of the Thuraya 4 satellite. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 40 at 8:27 p.m. EST on Friday, marking the start of another ambitious year for the space exploration giant.
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SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4 Satellite, Kicking Off 2025 with a Successful Mission
A Perfect Launch and Landing
In true SpaceX fashion, the mission showcased the company’s mastery of reusable rocket technology. Just 8 minutes and 40 seconds after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster made a flawless landing on the droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas”, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This marks the 20th flight and recovery for this particular booster and SpaceX’s 341st successful recovery of an orbital-class rocket, including both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions.
Thuraya 4: A New Era for Space42
The mission’s payload, the Thuraya 4 satellite, separated from the rocket’s second stage 35 minutes and 30 seconds into the flight. It was deployed into a geostationary transfer orbit, where it will eventually settle into a geosynchronous orbit, hovering above a fixed point on Earth.
The satellite, built by Airbus for Space42, represents a significant step forward for the company. Space42 is a joint venture formed by the merger of Yahsat, the UAE’s leading satellite provider, and Bayanat, an AI-powered geospatial solutions company. Thuraya 4 will join Space42’s existing fleet, which includes Thuraya 1 (launched in 2001) and Thuraya 2 (launched in 2003).
While Thuraya 3, launched in 2008, suffered a payload anomaly that caused a service outage, Thuraya 4 is expected to provide robust coverage for land, marine, and aviation customers across Africa, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
SpaceX’s Record-Breaking Momentum
This launch adds to the Space giant’s impressive track record. The Falcon 9 rocket has now flown 418 times, and this mission marks the company’s 435th overall. In 2024 alone, SpaceX completed over 130 orbital missions, closing out the year with a spectacular New Year’s Eve launch from Florida.
What’s Next?
The company isn’t slowing down. Elon Musk’s company is already preparing for two more Falcon 9 launches of Starlink satellites this weekend. The first is scheduled for Sunday with a launch window from 12:10 p.m. to 4:41 p.m. EST at Cape Canaveral, while the second is set for Monday from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A between 11:19 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. EST.
Competition on the Horizon
SpaceX isn’t the only player in the game. Blue Origin, another major space company, is planning to launch its New Glenn rocket on Monday at 1 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 36. The mission will include an attempt to land the first-stage booster on a sea-based platform, a move reminiscent of SpaceX’s reusable rocket strategy.
