23 Starlink satellites joined the constellation after efficiently being launched into orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 that was flying for a record-breaking 18th time.
Launching on Friday at 8:37 p.m. ET, about halfway by way of the launch window, Falcon 9 Booster 1058 lifted off from House Launch Complicated 40 on Cape Canaveral House Pressure Station, carrying the 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/dSMnF0tx9Y
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 4, 2023
B1058 is likely one of the extra historic Falcon 9 boosters, having launched NASA astronauts Bob and Doug to the Worldwide House Station on its inaugural flight in Could 2020, which introduced U.S. astronauts again to the house station on a U.S.-made rocket for the primary time because the House Shuttle was retired by NASA in 2011.
Since that historic launch, B1058 has gone on to launch 13 Starlink missions (with numerous rideshares), 2 Transporter missions, 1 devoted communication satellite tv for pc mission, and 1 resupply mission to the ISS and is accountable for a complete of 844 satellites being delivered to orbit.
As for its most up-to-date launch, B1058 landed on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ following its portion of the mission and returned to Port Canaveral to be readied for a possible flight 19. SpaceX solely took 45 days to show across the booster between flights 17 and 18, indicating they’ve streamlined their refurbishment course of for the extra veteran boosters within the fleet.
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, finishing the primary 18th launch and touchdown of a booster pic.twitter.com/GIjqVFR4hc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 4, 2023
Whereas SpaceX has been maintaining a excessive cadence of launches, that has not slowed their progress on the brand new Crew tower being constructed that can allow NASA and SpaceX to launch astronauts or resupply missions from both LC-39A or SLC-40. Over the previous couple of months, sections of the tower have been moved from the construct space subsequent to Hangar X to SLC-40, with work being achieved in between launches.
SpaceX hopes to have the tower prepared for launches in 2024, which can initially begin with resupply missions to the ISS, however with SpaceX and their cadence, they may presumably launch a Crew ahead of later.
Subsequent up for SpaceX this week is one other Starlink mission from Florida no sooner than 11 p.m. ET tomorrow, a Transporter mission from California no sooner than 1:47 p.m. PT on the ninth, and the CRS-29 resupply mission to the ISS from LC-39A at 8:28 pm ET.
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