SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 10 new satellites to replace aging fleet.
ADVERTISEMENTAmerican company Space X have launched a Falcon 9 rocket from their base in California.
The rocket, which is the 18th launched by Space X this year carried 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into space. The satellites are replacing a number of aging low-Earth-orbit mobile voice and data relay stations.
The network mean that Iridium's users can make satellite phone calls from anywhere on earth.
It was the fourth batch in a $3 billion 81-satellite constellation. Iridium have been using Space X to put 75 of the 81 planned satellites into orbit.
The launch meant a dazzling night-time display for residents in Southern-California. Local news stations were inundated with phone calls as residents rang in to ask what had caused the bright lights which briefly lit-up the skies.
Space X founder Elon Musk had some fun with the launch, retweeting one California resident who worried she was witnessing a nuclear explosion.
In spite of Space X and the Los Angeles Fire Department advising locals of the satellite launch there were still those who were convinced what they were seeing was extra terrestrial.
The company later tweeted that all 10 of the satellites were sending signals back to earth.
The launch is the company's final venture of 2017. They expect to finish replacing all the satellites within the new year.