SpaceX’s first-stage booster was sent skyward by the company for the eleventh time Tuesday evening. However, unlike its 10 previous flights, this time it didn’t return.
At 9:57 p.m., the mission was launched from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. ET, lighting up the night as the Falcon 9 rocket roared towards space.
Thirty-five minutes after leaving the launchpad, the Falcon 9’s second stage deployed a communications satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit for French satellite operator Eutelsat.
The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster was SpaceX’s oldest active rocket and previously supported the launch of the Telstar 18V and Iridium-8 missions, as well as nine missions deploying Starlink internet satellites.
SpaceX usually lands its first-stage Falcon 9 boosters shortly after launch, but as this mission required more power to deploy the 12,000-pound satellite into orbit, there wasn’t enough fuel to bring the booster back.
Using the same section over and over again has allowed SpaceX to offer launch services at more competitive prices as it doesn’t need to build a brand new rocket for each mission. But as Tuesday’s flight demonstrated, occasionally it’s just not possible to bring it home.
This was the 52nd Falcon 9 rocket-powered mission in 2022. Twelve more are planned for the future. It means that 2022 will be SpaceX’s busiest to date in terms of Falcon 9 missions, smashing last year’s record of 31 launches.
SpaceX also launched its first satellite in this month’s beginning. More powerful Falcon Heavy rocketThe U.S. Space Force has launched the mission for the first-time in three years.
It’s also preparing for the maiden launch of its next-generation Super Heavy rocket, which will become the most powerful rocket ever to fly when it eventually lifts off. NASA plans to use The spacecraft section of vehicleThe Artemis III mission is currently scheduled for 2025 and will land the first woman or person of color on lunar surface.
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