SpaceX launches Emirati Thuraya 4 satellite

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Thuraya 4 satellite from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Friday.

The Thuraya 4 mission is the first mission of 2025 for the Cape and follows a record number of 93 launches in 2024, and 72 in 2023.

Space 42's Thuraya 4 mission is operated in conjunction with Yahsat, a global satellite company based in the United Arab Emirates.

Thuraya 4’s launch celebrates years of dedication, technological ingenuity, and collaboration. This achievement sets a new benchmark for innovation and solidifies #Space42’s role in driving transformative solutions across the globe.

The future is here!

يمثّل إطلاق “الثريا 4”… pic.twitter.com/XblMZHoJhA

— Space42 (@space42ai) January 4, 2025

The Thuraya 4 is a communications satellite that will operate in geosynchronous orbit, about 23,000 miles above the Earth's surface.

"The new satellite will play a pivotal role in providing customers with cutting-edge and cost-effective satellite communications solutions, offering exceptional performance, reliability, and security," Yahsat said on its website. 

Deployment of Thuraya 4 confirmed pic.twitter.com/u8Svi3B9yt

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 4, 2025