SES Decides To Be First To Fly On Enhanced Falcon 9 Rocket |

摘要

Satellite fleet operator SES on Feb. 20 said it had agreed to be the inaugural customer aboard an enhanced version of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, a decision that SES said followed a careful review of Falcon 9's more-powerful first-stage engine block. SES officials had said in late January that they had yet to determine whether the risk trade-offs favored being the first to fly with the more-powerful engine or letting someone else go first and taking a several-month-long delay in having SES-9 in service. SES Chief Executive Karim Michel Sabbagh said the company only recently finished its Falcon 9 review and recommended to the SES board of directors that they take the earlier slot. The launch is scheduled to occur by June.