Elon Musk and SpaceX set to hit rocket milestone with Starlink satellite launch

By James Rogers

Elon Musk's SpaceX has pioneered reusable rocket technology

Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing to launch 23 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida Tuesday in what will be an important milestone for the private space company.

The launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will mark the 300th time that SpaceX has landed a rocket booster after launch. Following stage separation, the first stage booster will land on a droneship floating in the Atlantic Ocean. This is the ninth flight for the booster, which was previously used on five Starlink missions and NASA's Crew-6 mission that took four astronauts to the International Space Station in March 2023, according to SpaceX.

Liftoff is targeted for 6:17 pm ET, with backup opportunities available until 9:25 pm ET. If needed, additional opportunities are available on Wednesday, starting at 5:50 pm ET, the company says.

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SpaceX has pioneered reusable rocket technology in an attempt to lower costs and revolutionize the space industry.

This is a busy time for SpaceX. The company kicked off the year by sending its first Starlink direct-to-cell satellites into orbit, and plans to make 12 launches a month in 2024.

Last month SpaceX launched the third flight test of its giant Starship and Super Heavy rocket early Thursday. Starship successfully achieved orbital insertion, coasted in space and re-entered Earth's atmosphere before SpaceX lost contact with the spacecraft as it broke apart. The company was not planning to recover either the Super Heavy Rocket or Starship.

Related: Musk's SpaceX hits rocket milestone in latest Starlink Falcon 9 launch

The test marked an important milestone for SpaceX. In April 2023, SpaceX's first test launch near Boca Chica, Texas, ended when the rocket exploded just minutes into its flight. Starship launched its second flight test in November, but it too exploded over the Gulf of Mexico.

The largest rocket ever built, Starship provides more than twice the thrust of the Saturn V rockets that took astronauts to the moon. Together, Starship and the Super Heavy Rocket are 396 feet, taller than the Statue of Liberty and the Saturn V.

SpaceX also hit a landmark for its reusable rocket technology in the early hours of Dec. 23, 2023 when the company launched 23 Starlink satellites into low earth orbit from Cape Canaveral. Shortly after launch, the rocket's first-stage booster landed on a droneship floating in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the 19th launch and landing of the booster, a first for the company.

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The first-stage booster had previously been used in 13 Starlink launches, as well as in the Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, CRS-21, Transporter-1, and Transporter-3 missions, according to SpaceX.

-James Rogers

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04-23-24 1025ET

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