SpaceX has broken its rocket-reuse record yet again.
A Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday (April 12) at 9:40 p.m. EDT (0140 GMT on April 13).
It was the 20th liftoff for this particular Falcon 9 first stage, according to a SpaceX mission description, setting a new reusability mark for the company.
The mission lifted off on the 43rd anniversary of NASA’s first launch of its reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle, which first flew this day in 1981.
The Falcon 9’s upper stage, meanwhile, continued hauling the 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO).
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk wants to help humanity colonize Mars and achieve a variety of other ambitious exploration feats.
Rocket reusability is a key part of this vision, helping to cut the cost of spaceflight and increase its cadence.
The previous mark — 19 flights for a Falcon 9 booster — was first set in December 2023 and then repeated in February and March 2024.
Rocket reuse record set by SpaceX has once again been surpassed.
23 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites were launched into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket on Friday, April 12, at 9:40 p.m. from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station1. me. on April 13, 04:40 GMT, EDT.
A SpaceX mission description states that it was the 20th launch of this specific Falcon 9 first stage, which established a new record for the company’s reusability. The mission began on this day in 1981, 43 years after NASA launched the space shuttle, a reusable spacecraft, for the first time.
See also: How to spot and follow the Starlink satellite train in the night sky.
In accordance with schedule, the first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth for the twentieth time, touching down on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, positioned in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, approximately 8:05 minutes after launch.
At the same time, the upper stage of the Falcon 9 kept the 23 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Approximately 65:05 minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft was scheduled to be deployed there.
In addition to helping humanity colonize Mars, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has many other audacious exploration goals in mind. A crucial component of this plan is rocket reusability, which will lower costs and increase the frequency of spaceflight.
Therefore, SpaceX’s reuse track record is not very long. First established in December 2023 and then again in February and March 2024, the previous record consisted of 19 flights for a Falcon 9 booster.
