SpaceX launches Falcon 9 from Florida carrying HOTBIRD 13F satellites

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX kicked off the weekend with the launch of the Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F mission from Florida's Space Coast early Saturday morning.

According to Eutelsat's website, two new large satellites being launched will replace three existing satellites. The HOTBIRD satellites provide video broadcasting systems in Europe, delivering 1000 television channels to more than 160 million TV homes in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

The 116-minute launch window opened at 1:22 a.m. ET on Saturday morning from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket was originally scheduled to liftoff at 11:26 p.m. on Friday but was pushed to 12:22 a.m. and then to 1:22 a.m.

About 9 minutes after liftoff the first stage landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched CRS-24 and one Starlink mission.