In a rare occurrence for the company, SpaceX launched a brand-new Falcon 9 rocket on its maiden voyage on Tuesday, August 20, carrying 22 Starlink internet satellites into orbit. The launch, dubbed Group 10-5, took place at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Image credit: SpaceX
The Falcon 9 rocket soared into the morning sky, leaving a trail of smoke and fire as it pierced the clouds. Just over eight minutes after launch, the first stage of the rocket returned to Earth, flying through thick clouds to touch down on SpaceX's drone ship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, in the Atlantic Ocean.
This precision landing marked a crucial step in SpaceX's reusability program, which aims to significantly reduce the cost of access to space. The recovery process involves a complex series of maneuvers, including a boost-back burn to reverse the rocket's trajectory, a re-entry burn to slow down the stage, and a final landing burn to touch down on the drone ship.
Once recovered, the Falcon 9 booster will undergo a thorough inspection and refurbishment process, preparing it for its next launch. This reusability capability has been a game-changer for SpaceX, enabling the company to launch numerous missions with a significantly reduced turnaround time and cost.
To date, SpaceX has successfully recovered and reused numerous Falcon 9 boosters, with some stages flying as many as 22 missions. This achievement demonstrates the robustness and reliability of the Falcon 9 design, as well as the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of space
technology.
The brand new Falcon 9 landed back to the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas after succesful launch. Credit: SpaceX
The 22 Starlink satellites launched on Tuesday join SpaceX's vast megaconstellation of high-speed internet satellites, which aims to provide broadband access worldwide. With over 6,800 Starlink satellites launched to date, SpaceX is making significant strides in its mission to bridge the global digital divide.
Looking ahead, SpaceX has an exciting launch schedule, with the Polaris Dawn mission set to take place on August 26. Backed by American billionaire Jared Isaacman, this private human spaceflight will launch Isaacman and a crew of three others on a five-day orbital mission, featuring the world's first private spacewalk.
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