A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 10 satellites for Iridium Communications has blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. About an hour later, the rocket's second stage released the satellites into low Earth orbit, circling from pole to pole. "All 10 new satellites have successfully communicated with the Iridium Satellite Network Operations Center and are preparing to begin testing," the McLean, Virginia, company said in a statement. The $3-billion US project is scheduled for completion this year, with a total of 75 new satellites in orbit. SpaceX wanted to create a "global communications system" that Musk compared to "rebuilding the internet in space."

Source: CBC News March 30, 2018 15:47 UTC