Question 1

What rocket is launching BulgariaSat-1?

Accepted Answer

BulgariaSat-1 is launching on the Falcon 9 Block 5.

Question 2

Who is launching BulgariaSat-1?

Accepted Answer

BulgariaSat-1 is being launched by SpaceX, a commercial launch provider founded in 2002.

Question 3

Where is BulgariaSat-1 launching from?

Accepted Answer

BulgariaSat-1 is launching from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is BulgariaSat-1 heading to?

Accepted Answer

BulgariaSat-1 is heading to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Question 5

Is the Falcon 9 Block 5 reusable?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Falcon 9 Block 5 is designed to be reused, with boosters that can fly multiple missions.

Question 6

How many times has the Falcon 9 Block 5 flown?

Accepted Answer

The Falcon 9 Block 5 has launched 612 times to date, with 610 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the BulgariaSat-1 mission?

Accepted Answer

BulgariaSat-1 is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Bulgaria Sat and manufactured by SSL. Its payload is composed of 30 Ku band BSS transponders and 2 Ku-band FSS transponders for fixed satellite services and high-definition television broadcasts. It is designed to deliver service for 15 years with a projected fuel life of over 20 years. BulgariaSat-1 is designed to provide direct-to-home television service and data communications services to the Balkans and other European regions.

Question 8

Where is the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is on Merritt Island, Florida, immediately north of Cape Canaveral. Named for President Kennedy in 1963, it has been the United States' primary human-spaceflight launch site since the 1960s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX leases Launch Complex 39A for Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and crewed Dragon missions, while NASA launches the Space Launch System for the Artemis Moon programme from Launch Complex 39B.

Question 10

Did Apollo and the Space Shuttle launch from Kennedy?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Launch Complex 39 pads sent every Apollo Moon mission and every Space Shuttle crew on their way, including Apollo 11 in 1969 and the first shuttle flight, STS-1, in 1981.

Question 11

What's the difference between the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

They are separate, neighbouring sites. Kennedy is NASA's centre on Merritt Island; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, just to the south, is run by the U.S. Space Force. Together they make up Florida's Space Coast.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

The closest public viewing is from the ticketed Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which runs launch-day bus packages. Free off-site views are best from Playalinda Beach and the Titusville riverfront.

BulgariaSat-1

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions