A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Ovzon 3 satellite on Jan. 3, 2024. (Image credit: SpaceX) The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying Ovzon 3 skyward. It deployed the spacecraft in geosynchronous transfer orbit about 38.5 minutes after launch as planned, SpaceX announced in a post on X. "Ovzon 3 is the first privately funded and developed Swedish geostationary satellite ever to be launched," Ovzon wrote in a statement. "It's also the most powerful GEO satellite ever to be put into orbit, covering 1/3rd of the Earth via its steerable spot beams." Geostationary orbit lies about 22,200 miles (35,700 kilometers) above Earth. At this altitude, orbital speed matches our planet's rotational speed, allowing satellites to "hover" over the same patch of ground continuously. Get the Space.com Newsletter