CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX's launch of the Falcon 9 rocket with the Amos 17 satellite Tuesday evening will provide increased connectivity to Africa.
Liftoff took place at 6:23 p.m.
The Amos 17 satellite will be located at 17 degrees east where it will reach across Africa and the Middle East.
Once operational, SpaceX said the satellite will be the "most advanced high-throughput satellite to provide satellite communication services to Africa."
The satellite's life expectancy is believed to be longer than 15 years.
"It will have a combination of broad regional beams and high-throughput spot beams to maximize throughput and spectral efficiency," SpaceX said.
Another mission, Atlas 5, is scheduled to take off Thursday.