SpaceX is gearing up to launch the Nusantara Lima telecommunications satellite aboard its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. The launch window opens Monday evening, Sept. 8, at 7:52 p.m. ET and extends until 10:08 p.m. ET, with liftoff currently scheduled for 8:02 p.m. ET.
Left: Boeing team members move the completed SNL satellite through the El Segundo, California, factory in preparation for containerization and shipment. (Diane Prendergast photo © Boeing) Right top and bottom: Boeing team members complete containerization of the SNL satellite in prepration for delivery. (Jesus Carreno photos © Boeing)
The forecast, however, is not on SpaceX’s side. The U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron projects only a 30% chance of favorable conditions at the start of the window, improving slightly to 45% by its close. Meteorologists cite cumulonimbus clouds, lingering anvils from nearby thunderstorms, and risks of lightning-induced electric fields as the primary concerns. If Monday’s launch is scrubbed, a backup opportunity is available Tuesday evening, beginning at 8:01 p.m. ET with a 116-minute window.
A Veteran Booster at Work
The mission will be carried aloft by Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1078, a proven workhorse now embarking on its 23rd flight. B1078 has already delivered a wide range of payloads, from SpaceX’s own Starlink satellites to high-profile missions including NASA’s Crew-6 astronaut flight, the SES O3b mPOWER satellites, and the U.S. Space Force’s USSF-124 mission.
After stage separation, B1078 is expected to execute a controlled descent and land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. If successful, the landing will add to the booster’s record as one of SpaceX’s most frequently flown rockets.
Bringing Indonesia Online
The star of the mission is Nusantara Lima (N5), a powerful next-generation satellite owned by Indonesia’s Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN). Once deployed into geosynchronous transfer orbit at 113° East longitude, N5 will provide a massive 160 Gbps of data capacity using 101 Ka-band spot beams.
While the numbers are highly technical, the impact is straightforward: faster, more reliable internet access across Indonesia, including some of its most remote regions. “From Banda Aceh to Papua, from major cities to small islands, this signal will strive to be present,” PSN said in a press release.
The company has built a network of eight ground stations across the country to ensure that the satellite’s reach extends to even the outermost islands. By expanding broadband availability, PSN hopes to narrow Indonesia’s digital divide and bring modern connectivity to millions of underserved residents.
If successful, Nusantara Lima will mark another milestone in Indonesia’s push to strengthen its space and digital infrastructure while giving SpaceX another demonstration of the Falcon 9’s reliability and reusability.
With weather conditions posing the biggest hurdle, all eyes will be on Florida’s skies Monday night as the countdown to launch begins.
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