EchoStar 23 launches to orbit.

Following a flawless early morning countdown at Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A, SpaceX launched the EchoStar 23 communications satellite into Geostationary Transfer Orbit. Liftoff occurred at 2am EDT.

Stage separation occurred at two minutes and 55 seconds into the flight, with payload fairing jettison 50 seconds later. Visible in launch footage for the first time, the fairing’s Reaction Control Trusters could be seen firing. Each half of the fairing have a spring-loaded push mechanism to separate the stages and RCS thrusters to clear the top from the rocket.

In order to successfully deliver the satellite to GTO, Falcon 9 had to use all of its first stage propellant, not leaving enough to complete the three burns necessary for a safe recovery. This will be Falcon 9′s final mission in ‘expendable’ configuration.

The 12,100 pound satellite was deployed from the rocket’s second stage at T+34 minutes completing today’s launch.

EchoStar 23 will be positioned over Brazil to provide Ku-band communications services to all South America.

P/C: SpaceX.