December 29, 2024 – Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched AGILA, the Philippines’ pioneering dedicated internet satellite, alongside three additional Astranis Block 2 micro-satellites. This milestone marks a significant leap in bridging the digital divide in rural Philippines.

Empowering Rural Communities

Orbits Satellite Corporation President Atty. Augusto Baculio hailed the launch: “AGILA bridges the digital divide, empowering two million people across 5,000 remote communities with reliable internet access.”

Key Mission Details

1. Launch Date: December 29, 2024
2. Launch Time: 12:00 a.m. ET (0500 UTC, 06:00 CET)
3. Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
4. Target Orbit: Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)

Additional Payloads

1. Anuvu: Enhancing in-flight and maritime connectivity
2. Arcturus Replacement: Temporary satellite services

Falcon 9 Specifications

1. Booster: B1083 (7th flight)
2. Previous Flights: Crew-8, Polaris Dawn, CRS-31, three Starlink missions
3. Landing Site: A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship

Launch Timeline

1. Liftoff: 12:00 a.m. ET
2. Max Q: 1 minute 14 seconds
3. Stage separation: 2 minutes 31 seconds
4. Fairing separation: 3 minutes 21 seconds
5. AGILA deployment: 33 minutes 45 seconds