Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : Summer 2026  (Read 5995 times)

Online GewoonLukas_

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Discussion Thread for launch of five Astranis satellites, known as Block 3.

Launch in Summer 2026 from Florida, on Falcon 9 B10xx-x to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). First stage expected to land aboard droneship.

Five Satellites. Possible customers:
Apco 1 & Apco 2 (Mexico)
Thaicom-9 (Thailand)
Orbith (Argentina)
Orbits Corp (Philippines)
Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan)
MBsat (Oman)

Other NSF Threads for Astranis:
- General Astranis Thread
- Block 2 Launch Thread



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Astranis secures another Falcon 9 launch
Set to launch more GEO satellites than rest of industry combined

Today Astranis is excited to announce that Astranis has signed a contract with SpaceX for another Falcon 9 launch, to launch five more MicroGEO satellites later this year.

These satellites are headed to Geostationary Orbit (GEO) to provide broadband data services for customers all around the world — customers like Thaicom, a major satellite operator in Thailand, and APCO, an internet service provider in Mexico — where they will connect millions of people to affordable broadband internet.

Once on orbit, these five satellites will join the growing Astranis fleet.

On December 30, 2024 Astranis successfully launched four MicroGEO satellites on a dedicated Falcon 9, for customers in the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States. The satellites completed Initial Commissioning and on January 10 began their orbit raise to GEO where they will enter into service this summer. This followed the launch of our first first satellite, Arcturus, in 2023, which is operating in orbit today, completing short-term demonstration missions for both commercial and US government customers.

That’s an increase from one to ten satellites in GEO in just a couple of years.If it sounds like that must be some kind of record, that’s because it is. Astranis is scaling faster than any other GEO operator in history, and we are now launching more satellites than the three biggest GEO incumbent satellite operators combined.

Astranis is firing on all cylinders— flying 5 MicroGEO satellites simultaneously in orbit today, with more than 400 employees, and numerous upgrades to our in-house manufacturing and testing capacity. And we continue to push the boundaries on new technology for high orbits, both for our upcoming Omega satellites and for new defense programs with the U.S. Government including Resilient GPS.

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Astranis has just signed a contract with SpaceX for another Falcon 9 — this time for five satellites, launching later this year.

This will be our third launch with SpaceX in three years.

Accelerate. 🚀🚀🚀

https://twitter.com/Gedmark/status/1883964456050536660
« Last Edit: 01/26/2026 04:06 pm by GewoonLukas_ »
Lukas C. H. • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Online StraumliBlight

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : 2025
« Reply #1 on: 01/27/2025 07:32 pm »
Astranis secures another Falcon 9 launch

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Today Astranis is excited to announce that Astranis has signed a contract with SpaceX for another Falcon 9 launch, to launch five more MicroGEO satellites later this year.

These satellites are headed to Geostationary Orbit (GEO) to provide broadband data services for customers all around the world — customers like Thaicom, a major satellite operator in Thailand, and APCO, an internet service provider in Mexico — where they will connect millions of people to affordable broadband internet.

Thaicom orders small GEO satellite from Astranis for a launch in 2025 [Mar 6]

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Thaicom has ordered a small geostationary satellite from Astranis for a launch in 2025 to provide broadband to some of the most remote and unconnected areas in Asia.

Thaicom-9 would provide Ka-band broadband at 119.5 degrees East in geostationary orbit (GEO), the Thailand-based operator announced March 6.

It is based on the same design as the other four 400-kilogram, washing machine-sized satellites the Californian manufacturer plans to deploy as part of Block-3.

Joining Thaicom-9 on a rocket Astranis has yet to announce are two satellites for Mexican telco Apco Networks and one for Orbits Corp of the Philippines. A customer has not been disclosed for the fifth satellite.

Thaicom Q3 Results [Sep 30]

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Satellites construction

As at 30 September 2025, the Company’s subsidiary has constructed the THAICOM 9 and THAICOM 10 satellites, which have been recorded as asset under construction totaling Baht 3,804.68 million.
« Last Edit: 11/20/2025 01:18 pm by StraumliBlight »

Online GewoonLukas_

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : 2025
« Reply #2 on: 04/15/2025 06:58 am »
Seems like one of the satellites will be replaced by a new one for Chunghwa Telecom from Taiwan:

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Chunghwa Telecom and Astranis Sign Strategic Agreement to Launch Taiwan’s First Dedicated Satellite
April 14, 2025

Chunghwa Telecom today announced a strategic partnership with U.S. satellite innovator Astranis to bring a dedicated  microGEO satellite to Taiwan. With features such as rapid deployment, high performance, and exceptional reliability, this satellite will significantly expand satellite capacity over Taiwan. The satellite is scheduled for launch by the end of this year, with full bandwidth availability as early as next year. It will be the first communications satellite ever exclusively dedicated to Taiwan.

[...]
Lukas C. H. • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Online GewoonLukas_

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : 2025
« Reply #3 on: 04/15/2025 08:13 pm »
Looks like the satellite for Orbith has been removed from the Block 3 manifest:

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Astranis clinches $115 million Taiwan deal despite satellite setback
April 15, 2025

[...]

Joining Chunghwa in Block 3 are two satellites for Mexican telco Apco Networks, one for Thailand’s Thaicom and another for Orbits Corp of the Philippines, which also has a Block 2 satellite slated to come online later this year.

[...]
Lukas C. H. • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline AndrewM

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : 2025
« Reply #4 on: 06/06/2025 02:43 am »
This website claims launch is in late (Q4) 2025.

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Investing over $115 million in a brand-new high-capacity GEO satellite from Astranis (set to launch late 2025; full power in 2026)

https://lisboatv.pt/news_en/taiwan-makes-satellite-history-chunghwa-telecom-unlocks-new-era-with-exclusive-oneweb-deal/57421/ [June 5]

Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : late 2025
« Reply #5 on: 11/24/2025 04:46 pm »
Guessing this won't be launching in 2025? Haven't seen any status from Astranis.

Offline AndrewM

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : 2026
« Reply #6 on: 12/12/2025 01:29 am »
It sounds like these satellites are still a bit away from launching so updated to 2026.

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And then there’s Astranis. The company is returning Pier 70 to its roots by applying human labor to turn raw materials into finished products. The products in question happen to be high-orbit satellites. Astranis has sent five of them into space, is currently building five more, and intends to scale up its capacity to manufacture 24 at a time.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91456505/astranis-microgeo-satellites-john-gedmark [Dec. 10]

Online GewoonLukas_

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Astranis Block 3 : Florida : 2026
« Reply #7 on: 01/26/2026 12:09 pm »
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Very excited to announce that Astranis is building a new satellite for Oman.

We've signed a 9-figure contract with MB Group —the largest oil and gas conglomerate in Oman— to bring Oman its first dedicated communications satellite.

This partnership was announced today in Oman with the leadership of MB Group and senior government officials from the Oman Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

The deal is part of an overall $200 million investment by MB Group in sovereign connectivity, advancing the Vision 2040 program by the Oman government.  This satellite will go up on our Block 3 launch later this year, going from contract to operations in months, not years.

[...]

https://twitter.com/Gedmark/status/2015773471226446294

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Astranis adds Oman customer to summer GEO launch lineup
January 26, 2026

Oman-based industrial conglomerate MB Group has ordered a small geostationary broadband satellite from Astranis that is slated to launch this summer.

[...]

It will join four other Block 3 satellites due to launch together on a dedicated SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket: two for Mexico’s Apco Networks and one each for Thailand’s Thaicom and Chunghwa Telecom of Taiwan.

[...]
« Last Edit: 01/26/2026 04:07 pm by GewoonLukas_ »
Lukas C. H. • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

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