SpaceX launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of 2025 on January 3, sending the Thuraya 4 satellite into geosynchronous orbit.

The mission, launched from Cape Canaveral, marks the 20th flight and recovery of the Falcon 9 booster, which successfully landed on SpaceX’s droneship.

The Thuraya 4 satellite, operated by Space42 and built by Airbus, will provide mobile communications across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Space.com has reported.

This mission is SpaceX’s 418th Falcon 9 flight and part of a busy year ahead, following a record 130 orbital missions in 2024.

Written by B.C. Begley