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SpaceX launches Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX lit up the night sky over the Space Coast this weekend with the launch of the Telstar 19 Vantage satellite around 1:50 a.m. Sunday.

The space launch company said Saturday that their Falcon 9 rocket is vertical on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

SpaceX also confirmed the weather remained 60 percent favorable for launch.

Telstar 19 Vantage is described as a “state-of-the-art, high throughput satellite optimized to serve growing markets in the Americas,” said Dan Goldberg, Telesat's president and CEO.

After launching into orbit, Telstar 19 Vantage will help improve mobile communication signals from Latin America to Northern Canada.

Following the launch, SpaceX will also attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage on its droneship, “Of Course I Still Love You,” in the Atlantic Ocean.