In Photos: SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Huge EchoStar 23 Satellite

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches EchoStar 23

SpaceX

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the EchoStar 23 communications satellite launches from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida early on March 16, 2017.

Falcon 9 Streak with EchoStar 23

SpaceX

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the EchoStar 23 satellite streaks into space in this long-exposure view of its nighttime launch from Par 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the wee hours of March 16, 2017.

Blast Off!

SpaceX

This still from a SpaceX webcast shows the Falcon 9 rocket lighting up the night sky as it launches EchoStar 23 into orbit.

Ignition for Falcon 9

SpaceX

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to send the EchoStar 23 satellite into orbit. The was expected to be SpaceX's last flight that would throw away the Falcon 9 first stage.

Falcon 9 and EchoStar 23 Lift Off

SpaceX

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the EchoStar 23 communications satellite lifts off on March 16, 2017.

Falcon 9 Burning Bright

SpaceX

The Merlin engines powering SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket burn bright shortly after the launch of the EchoStar 23 satellite on March 16, 2017.

Falcon 9 Second Stage Lights Up

SpaceX

The second stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket fires up to carry the EchoStar 23 satellite to the desired orbit on March 16, 2017.

EchoStar 23 Flying Solo

SpaceX

The EchoStar 23 communications satellite separates from the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on March 16, 2017.

Falcon 9 and EchoStar 23 Before Liftoff

SpaceX

The EchoStar 23 satellite and its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sit poised to lift off on March 16, 2017.

EchoStar 23 Falcon 9 Launch Pad

SpaceX

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the EchoStar 23 communications satellite is seen atop Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of its planned predawn launch on March 14, 2017.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Static Fire for EchoStar 23

SpaceX

SpaceX test fires the first stage engines of a Falcon 9 rocket on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 9, 2017. The Falcon 9 rocket will launch the EchoStar 23 communications satellite into orbit on March 14, according to SpaceX.

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Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.