Expendable Falcon 9 launches EchoStar-23 Communications Satellite

Video Credit: SpaceX Launch Updates: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lit up the night skies over Florida’s Space Coast on Thursday, embarking on a rare expendable mission with the heavy EchoStar 23 communications satellite. Checking off its third success of the year, Falcon 9 delivered its heaviest payload to date to Geostationary Transfer Orbit – leaving no propellant reserve for the powered return of the rocket’s booster.