<p class="title">The private space firm SpaceX today launched with a partially-reused rocket the latest group of communication satellites to upgrade mobile, voice and data networks for Virginia-based firm Iridium.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We have successful liftoff of the Falcon 9," a SpaceX commentator said after the rocket roared off with a tail of fiery exhaust above Vandenberg US Air Force base in California.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is the fifth set of 10 satellites that SpaceX has launched for Iridium, whose USD 3 billion project is expected to include a total of 81 satellites - with 75 launched by SpaceX.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The first stage of the rocket launched on Friday had been used in October for a previous launch as part of the project, known as Iridium NEXT.</p>.<p class="bodytext">SpaceX will not attempt to make another recovery of the rocket's first stage after today's launch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">SpaceX CEO Elon Musk aims to make rockets as reusable as commercial airplanes, bringing down the cost of spaceflight and boosting efficiency.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In February the company's Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket, blasted off on its maiden test flight carrying Musk's cherry red Tesla roadster car.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Iridium project, though less flamboyant, will replace the world's largest commercial satellite network of low-Earth orbit satellites in one of the largest "tech upgrades" in history, Iridium has said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Some of the satellites are designed to help track ships and aircraft in real time. </p>
<p class="title">The private space firm SpaceX today launched with a partially-reused rocket the latest group of communication satellites to upgrade mobile, voice and data networks for Virginia-based firm Iridium.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We have successful liftoff of the Falcon 9," a SpaceX commentator said after the rocket roared off with a tail of fiery exhaust above Vandenberg US Air Force base in California.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is the fifth set of 10 satellites that SpaceX has launched for Iridium, whose USD 3 billion project is expected to include a total of 81 satellites - with 75 launched by SpaceX.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The first stage of the rocket launched on Friday had been used in October for a previous launch as part of the project, known as Iridium NEXT.</p>.<p class="bodytext">SpaceX will not attempt to make another recovery of the rocket's first stage after today's launch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">SpaceX CEO Elon Musk aims to make rockets as reusable as commercial airplanes, bringing down the cost of spaceflight and boosting efficiency.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In February the company's Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket, blasted off on its maiden test flight carrying Musk's cherry red Tesla roadster car.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Iridium project, though less flamboyant, will replace the world's largest commercial satellite network of low-Earth orbit satellites in one of the largest "tech upgrades" in history, Iridium has said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Some of the satellites are designed to help track ships and aircraft in real time. </p>