It is a question that has been asked over and again since March 2011, when satellite fleet operator SES of Luxembourg, historically managed with the conservatism of a Luxembourg bank, contracted for a launch with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX). How could SES agree to launch a satellite on a rocket that had never flown to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and never demonstrated its ability to do so? The Falcon 9, after a scrubbed launch attempt Nov. 25, was slated to make another attempt Nov. 28. SpaceX Chairman Elon Musk, while addressing another question during a Nov. 24 press briefing, made the case for why a rocket that has flown only once should be trusted to launch a commercial satellite insured for $200 million.
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