SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, January 3 for a Falcon 9 launch of the Ovzon 3 mission to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 10-minute launch window opens at 6:04 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available Thursday, January 4 with an 87-minute launch window opening at 4:47 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about 15 minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the 10th flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

UPDATE 2: The Ovzon 3 launch is delayed until January next year

UPDATE 2: Due to continuous unfavorable weather conditions, Ovzon’s revolutionary geostationary communications satellite is now targeted to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida no earlier than early January 2024.

“Launch of Ovzon 3 is now targeted for early January 2024 due to continuous unfavorable weather and as a result of shifts in the launch schedule. While weather is out of our control, the spacecraft remains healthy, and we continue to work closely with SpaceX to prepare for launch in early January. This shift does not affect the roll-out of our unique next generation SATCOM-as-a-Service offerings”, says Per Norén, CEO of Ovzon.

Ovzon had previously indicated that the launch of the company’s Ovzon 3 satellite would occur as soon as December 2023; however, in coordination with launch provider SpaceX, the window has now been narrowed further with the liftoff now targeted for no earlier than December 22, 2023.

The satellite will be launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. When launched, Ovzon 3 will be the first ever, privately funded and developed, Swedish geostationary satellite.

Ovzon 3 is the first in its class that has been specifically designed and developed to provide the highest degree of mobility, performance, and resiliency – offering superior performance for all mission-critical assignments.

The launch of spacecraft is, in general, dependent on good weather conditions and other circumstances that could alter the planned launch date, sometimes by several days.

“We are pleased to share that the final preparations and testing of our satellite have progressed according to plan, bringing us closer and closer to this historical milestone. With that said, we know that satellite launches always can be subject to unforeseen events, and we continue to be focused on the remaining part of the process before Ovzon 3 is safely launched and in orbit.” Per Norén, CEO of Ovzon.

Follow the preparations for the launch and join the digital launch event at this direct link… 

An Ovzon 3 info document is available at this direct link…