Indeed, the 16th re-flight of the Falcon 9 first stage is just one mission away from tying SpaceX’s record for reuse of a single rocket stage. This remarkable achievement underscores SpaceX’s dedication to making space travel more cost-effective and sustainable through the reuse of their rocket hardware.
On October 17, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully carried 22 Starlink internet satellites into orbit. The launch took place from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 8:39 p.m. EDT (0039 GMT on October 18). This mission adds to the ever-expanding Starlink constellation, which aims to provide global internet coverage.
Following the launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage completed a successful return to Earth, landing on the drone ship named “Just Read the Instructions” approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff. Notably, this marked the 16th flight for this specific rocket’s first stage, leaving it just one mission away from tying SpaceX’s record for reuse. Falcon 9 first stage
The 22 Starlink satellites, on the other hand, were scheduled to be deployed from the Falcon 9’s upper stage approximately 65 minutes after the launch. This deployment is a crucial step in expanding the Starlink constellation, which aims to provide global internet coverage and connectivity.
SpaceX has launched more than 70 orbital missions in 2023, most of which have been dedicated to building out the company’s Starlink megaconstellation.
Starlink, which beams internet service down to customers around the world, currently consists of nearly 4,900 operational satellites, and the number keeps growing, as tonight’s launch showed.
Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, “Out There,” was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.