{"id":11825,"date":"2021-03-04T23:55:05","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T15:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacex-sticks-75th-falcon-rocket-landing-after-launching-60-more-starlink-satellites\/"},"modified":"2021-03-04T23:55:05","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T15:55:05","slug":"spacex-sticks-75th-falcon-rocket-landing-after-launching-60-more-starlink-satellites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacex-sticks-75th-falcon-rocket-landing-after-launching-60-more-starlink-satellites\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX sticks 75th Falcon rocket landing after launching 60 more Starlink satellites"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Falcon 9 rocket disappears in a blanket of clouds shortly after launching from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center early Thursday. Credit: SpaceX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Launching through a blanket of low-hanging clouds and light mist, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered into the sky over Florida\u2019s Space Coast early Thursday and delivered 60 more Starlink internet satellites to orbit. The rocket\u2019s first stage touched down on SpaceX\u2019s floating landing platform in the Atlantic Ocean to complete its eighth trip to space and back.<\/p>\n

The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 rocket flashed to life and lifted off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 3:24:54 a.m. EST (0824:54 GMT). Fifteen seconds later, the liquid-fueled launcher disappeared into a cloud deck over the seaside spaceport, leaving behind an orange flow that slowly faded with the roar of the Falcon 9\u2019s powerful main engines.<\/p>\n

Arcing toward the northeast, the Falcon 9 exceeded the speed of sound and dropped its first stage booster about two-and-a-half minutes after liftoff. A single Merlin engine on the upper stage ignited to continue the flight into space, while the first stage descended to a propulsive landing on the drone ship \u201cOf Course I Still Love You\u201d positioned about 400 miles (630 kilometers) downrange from Cape Canaveral.<\/p>\n

The successful landing marked the 75th intact recovery of a Falcon rocket booster since December 2015. The booster on Thursday mission \u2014 designated B1049 \u2014 made its eighth launch and landing after debuting in September 2018, tying another first stage for the most number of flights in SpaceX\u2019s fleet.<\/p>\n

A Falcon 9 booster on SpaceX\u2019s previous launch Feb. 15 failed to land on the drone ship after one of its nine main engines shut down prematurely during ascent.<\/p>\n

After reaching a preliminary parking orbit, the upper stage coasted halfway around the world before firing its engine again for a one-second orbit adjustment burn over the Indian Ocean. The 60 Starlink satellites deployed from the Falcon 9\u2019s upper stage at 4:29 a.m. EST (0929 GMT) while flying 172 miles (278 kilometers) above Earth just south of New Zealand.<\/p>\n

The on-target launch came after a series of delays kept the mission grounded since late January. The delays were caused by weather and unspecified technical issues, and two other Falcon 9 missions with Starlink satellites took off from nearby pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station while the flight from pad 39A stayed earthbound.<\/p>\n

The change in the order of missions meant the batch launched Thursday was on the 20th Falcon 9 flight dedicated to carrying Starlink satellites, despite its designation on the military-run Eastern Range as Starlink V1.0-L17. Launches No. 18 and 19 ended up flying before No. 17.<\/p>\n