A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the world ’ s first all-electric communications satellites successfully launched this morning . The huge 22-story tall booster took off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 3.50am GMT this morning ( 10.50pm EST yesterday ) , the third flight in less than two months for SpaceX . On this occasion , though , SpaceX made no attempt to land the rocket again on a floating barge , as they had done previously . Scroll down for video . A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying two commercial communications satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 41 this morning . It is seen here over the skyline of downtown Cocoa Beach in a two minute time exposure of the launch . On top of the rocket were a pair of satellites built by Boeing and owned by Paris-based Eutelsat communications and Bermuda-based Asia Broadcast Satellite ( ABS ) . The satellites are unique in that they are powered solely by ion propulsion , as opposed to chemical propellant that is usually favoured . This has the benefit of making the much lighter , as they don ’ t need to carry fuel with them . ‘ The value of electrical propulsion is that it allows the satellite operator to need much less fuel than when the satellite has chemical propulsion , ’ Eutelsat chief executive Michel de Rosen said in an interview before launch . Without the fuel they would normally need - hydrazine - the satellites each weighed less than 5,000lbs ( 2,270kg ) , whereas normally they would have weighed more than 8,000lbs ( 3,630kg ) without an ion propulsion system . This also meant both satellites could be carried by SpaceX ’ s medium-sized Falcon 9 rocket – had they been laden with fuel , only one could have been taken to orbit on this launch . This also brought the cost of the launch down - Eutelsat and ABS paid around £20 million ( $ 30 million ) each to place their satellites on the rocket , as a single launch costs about £40 million ( $ 60 million ) . However , as ion propulsion - also known as Solar Electric Propulsion - is much weaker than chemical propulsion , it will take them months rather than weeks to reach their desired geostationary orbit . ‘ You can have a much lighter satellite , so that , in theory , the cost of your launch is much reduced. ’ The lighter of the two satellites , ABS 3A , will reach its destination by the end of August , while the Eutelsat 115 West B spacecraft will take a few weeks longer . In space , the two satellites were released one by one in opposite directions , so as to avoid a collision . Once in their desired orbits , about 22,300 miles ( 35,800km ) above Earth , they will be able to remain operational for at least two decades . To get there , they will use what is called a ‘ supersynchronous transfer orbit ’ , which involves performing a large elliptical ‘ loop ’ around Earth to reach this relatively distant location . Once they reach their orbits , they will remain in one position over a particular part of the world , providing coverage to certain areas . Specifically , the ABS 3A satellite will connect the Americas , Europe , Africa and the Middle East . The Eutelsat 115 West B satellite , meanwhile , will provide coverage from Alaska and Canada to South America . Eutelsat 's spacecraft will become part of a 35-member network providing a range of mobile , internet , video and other communications services . The new satellite expands the company 's reach into the Americas . ABS , which currently has six satellites , will position its new spacecraft to also serve customers in Europe , Africa and the Middle East . The companies are partnering for a second pair of satellites that are due to launch aboard another Falcon 9 rocket later this year . SpaceX also flies cargo missions to the International Space Station for Nasa and is working on an upgraded spaceship to fly astronauts as well . The next SpaceX launch , which will take a communications satellite for Tukemenistan into orbit , is currently scheduled for 21 March 2015 . On top of the rocket ( shown ) were a pair of satellites built by Boeing and owned by Paris-based Eutelsat communications and Bermuda-based Asia Broadcast Satellite ( ABS ) . The satellites are unique in that they are powered solely by ion propulsion , as opposed to chemical propellant that is usually favoured . The rocket flies through Brevard County skies in this view from Melbourne after its liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station . Without chemical fuel the weight of the satellites was drastically reduced , allowing both to be launched on the same rocket rather than costly separate launches . In space , the two satellites were released one by one in opposite directions , so as to avoid a collision . The Vine above shows the moment the first of the two satellites - ABS 3A - was released into orbit . The two satellites are seen here before launch . ABS 3A is on the top , and the Eutelsat 115 West B is on the bottom of the payload . The latter was slightly heavier to support the weight of the former .
A SpaceX rocket has lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida carrying the world 's first all-electric satellites . The two spacecraft will reach their desired orbit in August of this year and will maintain itusing ion propulsion . Without chemical fuel their weight was drastically reduced , allowing both to be launched on the same rocket rather than costly separate launches .