Another Successful Launch
The remarkable event unfolded early one Thursday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40. At 5:27 a.m. Eastern Time,
the Falcon 9 rocket ascended, carrying an additional 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. This mission was a testament to SpaceX's routine operations, with the rocket booster making its third flight. After the successful launch, the first-stage booster was recovered, landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This launch was also the 130th Falcon 9 launch of that year, underscoring the company’s high operational tempo and its dedication to frequent space access.
A History of Landings
SpaceX achieved its first successful Falcon 9 landing in 2015, which was five years after the initial launch of the rocket. This achievement was a turning point, demonstrating the feasibility of reusable rockets. Furthermore, the company successfully managed 19 other booster landings utilizing its Falcon Heavy rockets, which comprise three Falcon 9 rockets linked together. The majority of these landings occur on droneships, which are located roughly 400 miles off the coast. Two of these droneships, A Shortfall of Gravitas and Just Read the Instructions, operate from Florida, while a third, Of Course I Still Love You, is stationed in California. The company has also recovered boosters on land at Canaveral’s Landing Zones 1 and 2.
Future Recovery Plans
SpaceX is not resting on its laurels. The company is actively building new rocket recovery pads with the aim of bringing the rocket boosters back to the same launch complex from which they were launched. The Federal Aviation Administration has already given the green light for this at Canaveral’s SLC 40 and has approved an increase in launches. In addition to this, a similar request is in the works at KSC, where SpaceX seeks to increase Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches to 36 per year. SpaceX is also involved in the development of sites at both KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A and Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 37, which formerly housed United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy. However, these two sites still await the completion of environmental impact statements.
