Newest SiriusXM Satellite Scheduled To Launch Sunday Morning

SpaceX is set for yet another Falcon 9 rocket launch over the weekend, this time targeting early Sunday for its mission to boost a SiriusXM satellite to orbit, reports Florida Today.

If weather cooperates, the 230-foot rocket will launch during a two-hour window that opens at 12:25 a.m. Sunday. Conditions around Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 40 are expected to be 60% "go," according to a Friday forecast released by the military branch, with potential for showers and storms.

"Showers and storms are expected inland of the spaceport before sunset, with lingering mid- and upper-level convective debris clouds around for the primary launch late-night window," Space Launch Delta 45 forecasters said. "A few Atlantic showers and cumulus clouds in the vicinity cannot be ruled out."

In the event of a 24-hour delay (to early Monday), weather improves to 80% "go."

Packed into the payload fairing is SXM-8, the latest satellite joining SiriusXM's fleet of radio broadcasters. It follows SXM-7, which also flew on a Falcon 9 from the Cape in December but suffered several payload failures after achieving orbit. SiriusXM later said it would file insurance claims on the spacecraft valued at roughly $225 million.

The music-beaming satellite will replace the company’s old XM-4 satellite in geostationary orbit. SXM-8 is the second of two next-generation high power S-band broadcast satellites manufactured by Maxar Technologies for SiriusXM.

The SXM-8 satellite arrived at the SpaceX facility in Cape Canaveral early May. “The satellite, which weighs almost 7,000 kg during launch, is built on Maxar’s 1300-CLASS PLATFORM. SXM-8 is designed to provide service for 15 years or longer,” Maxar shared in a press release. “Once on orbit, SXM-8 will unfurl its large antenna reflector, visualized in yellow in the rendering below. This reflector will allow SiriusXM programming to reach mobile radios, such as those in moving vehicles.”

Last year, on December 13, SpaceX launched SiriusXM’s SXM-7 satellite atop a Falcon 9. The launch was a success, however, SiriusXM and Maxar Technologies revealed problems with SXM-7 in January 27 filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

“During in-orbit testing of SXM-7, events occurred which have caused failures of certain SXM-7 payload units,” SiriusXM said in the report. 

“An evaluation of SXM-7 is underway. The full extent of the damage to SXM-7 is not yet known.”