TAMPA, Fla. — SpaceX launched the Thuraya-4 voice and data connectivity satellite Jan. 3 for Space42, the United Arab Emirates’ recently formed AI-powered space technology champion. The first Falcon 9 mission of 2025 placed the satellite in a geostationary transfer orbit, shortly lifting off at 8:27 p.m. Eastern from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Based on the Airbus Eurostar Neo Platform, the all-electric Thuraya-4 is equipped with a 12-meter L-band antenna to provide narrowband connectivity for mobile devices across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Yahsat, the UAE-based satellite…
