The second time was the charm for SpaceX, which launched the AsiaSat 8 communication satellite into orbit early Tuesday — two and a half hours after an initial attempt was aborted due to a last-minute anomaly involving the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage. Liftoff had been scheduled at 1:25 a.m. ET, but it took until 4 a.m. to resolve the anomaly and try again at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX said the satellite was successfully delivered to a geosynchronous transit orbit. Additional maneuvers will eventually send AsiaSat 8 to a height of 22,300 miles (35,900 kilometers). From that altitude, the spacecraft will provide satellite TV and other telecom services to Hong Kong-based AsiaSat's customers in China, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East for at least 15 years. Another AsiaSat satellite is being readied for launch later this month.
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— Alan Boyle, NBC News
