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SpaceX is redefining what is routine in the space industry with its rapid-fire launch rate. The company has been launching rockets almost every day, and this pace means that SpaceX is continually breaking records, mostly its own. On Friday night, the company will break another one of those records when it launches a Falcon 9 rocket for the 20th time. This particular rocket, designated B1062, has flown 19 times since its first flight in November 2020, making it the first in SpaceX’s inventory to go for a 20th flight.
The Falcon 9 rocket will carry 23 more Starlink Internet satellites into orbit, bringing the total number of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit to over 5,800. The launch is scheduled to take place at 9:22 pm EDT on Friday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Forecasters from the US Space Force predict excellent weather for the primetime launch.
This milestone mission will see the Falcon 9 rocket blaze a familiar trail into space, following the same profile as dozens of past Starlink missions. The first-stage booster will shut off its nine kerosene-fueled Merlin engines about two-and-a-half minutes into the flight, reaching a top speed of over 5,000 mph. The first stage will detach from the Falcon 9’s upper stage, which will continue firing into orbit. The rocket’s first stage will then follow an arcing trajectory before braking for a vertical landing on a drone ship floating in the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas.
This launch will be the sixth Falcon 9 launch in less than eight days, more flights than SpaceX’s main US rival, United Launch Alliance, has launched in 17 months. It will also be the 38th Falcon 9 launch of the year and the 111th flight of a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy rocket—the 114th launch by SpaceX overall—in the last 365 days. More than a third of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy missions, a number that will stand at 332 after Friday night’s flight, have launched in the past year.
SpaceX has been able to achieve such a rapid launch rate due to its ability to quickly refurbish and reuse its rockets. This particular rocket, B1062, has not undergone any extended maintenance or long-term grounding. It has flown an average of once every two months since debuting three-and-a-half years ago. So the 20-flight milestone SpaceX will achieve Friday night means this rocket has doubled its original design life and continues to prove that reusable rockets are a viable option for space exploration.
In addition to breaking records, SpaceX is also pushing the boundaries of technology with its drone ships. The company uses two drone ships based in Florida and one in California to catch its Falcon 9 rockets after launch. In order to meet the appetite for Falcon 9 flights, SpaceX is getting rockets back to port and re-deploying drone ships back to sea at a faster rate.
Overall, SpaceX’s rapid launch rate and ability to reuse its rockets are changing the game when it comes to space exploration. The company’s commitment to innovation and pushing the boundaries of technology is making strides in the industry and setting new standards for what is possible.