The company known to many around the world as SpaceX seems to be firing on all cylinders after completing three launches from the US in less than 48 hours.
Missions from government agencies, private companies, as well as SpaceX Internet successfully launched Friday and Saturday from campuses in California and Florida.
Elon Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) in 2002 and has successfully launched nearly 200 missions in its two decades of existence.
Musk tweeted Congratulating them on the achievement shortly after the third launch, “Congratulations to the SpaceX team on a perfect 3rd orbital launch in 36 hours!!!”
If SpaceX can keep up, the company is likely to continue breaking records in the new year, with dozens of launches already in the works, including a historic trip around the Moon by private astronauts.
The recent controversies surrounding Musk’s Twitter acquisition haven’t had any impact on SpaceX’s operations or its lucrative relationship with NASA.
Both entities played key roles in the most recent missions in mid-December.
Saturday, December 17, afternoon launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida
SpaceX wrapped up a busy 48 hours Saturday afternoon with the launch of 54 Starlink satellites from the Kennedy Space Center.
The launch appeared to go smoothly at 4:32 p.m., and the company said the event set a record for the number of times a booster rocket was reused in a launch.
The reusable part of the missile has now been used for 15 missions and has been recovered by the unmanned craft each time.
SpaceX claims that its fleet of reusable rockets has allowed the company to lower the cost of space travel and put thousands of satellites into orbit.
Loaded Saturday with 54 Starlink satellites, it will add capabilities to SpaceX’s Constellation network, providing internet access to 40 countries.
Friday, December 16, afternoon launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida
About 24 hours before Starlink’s launch, SpaceX completed a mission called the O3b powered m.
Two remote communications satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket went into orbit on Friday after launching from Florida’s east coast.
Similar to the Starlink mission, SpaceX said the booster rocket successfully landed on the unmanned ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” off the coast of Florida.
Once the satellite is operational, Europe-based telecommunications company SES said the technology would boost broadband coverage in remote areas around the world.
Steve Kollar said, “Today, with our second generation O3B mPower, we are introducing breakthrough technology that delivers a unique combination of multi-gigabit-per-second performance anywhere, guaranteed reliability, and service resiliency Which is a first in the industry,” said Steve Kollar. In a statement, the chairman of SES. “Whether we’re enabling governments to safely carry out critical missions, cruise operators providing passengers with high-speed broadband access at all times, mobile operators deploying 4G/5G networks in unconnected areas or deactivating Restoring telecommunication networks, the O3b mPOWER is the satellite system of choice for applications where performance is the most important thing”.
Friday, December 16, morning launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket also helped launch a satellite that monitors water and helps agencies understand climate change.
The joint mission from NASA and the French space agency took off Friday at 6:46 a.m. under the skies of Southern California.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sits on a launch pad with NASA’s Surface Waters and Oceans (SWOT) satellite and the French space agency CNES on December 15, 2022 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc, California.
The Falcon 9 was carrying a satellite that monitors water and helps agencies understand climate change.
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The launch took place on Friday at 6:46 am.
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission will help scientists determine how oceans, rivers and lakes have changed over time.
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NASA said the Ocean and Surface Water mission, commonly known as SWOT, will measure water levels in oceans, rivers and lakes and help scientists determine how bodies of water have changed over time. Huh.
Agencies have used Vandenberg for satellite launches since 1978, and the location is ideal for missions requiring polar orbits.
