At dusk, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared to launch its Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, on September 27, 2024. SpaceX launched new satellites into space on Wednesday morning. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
SpaceX set a record for the most launches by a first-stage booster Wednesday morning when one of its Falcon 9 rockets lifted a new round of Starlink satellites into space.
The Cape Canaveral Space Force Florida launch at 5:13 a.m., EDT, was the 24th time the first stage was used. The booster landed safely on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas roughly nine minutes after takeoff. Advertisement
It marked the 88th booster landing on the A Shortfall of Gravitas and the 378th safe booster landing for SpaceX overall.
SpaceX said the reusability of the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket for re-flight allows it to use some of the most expensive parts of the rocket over numerous flights while dramatically shortening turnaround times between flights.
The Wednesday morning launch is part of what SpaceX hopes is the first of twin launches. The commercial space company plans a West Coast launch of Starlink satellites on Wednesday night from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
A third launch, which will send a SirirusXM-9 satellite into space, is also set for Thursday morning from the Kennedy Space Center. Advertisement
