According to Space News, on March 15th, local time, SpaceX, the American aerospace manufacturer, successfully deployed 23 Starlink satellites into space using a "19-hand" Falcon 9 rocket. This launch marked another successful retrieval of the rocket's first stage.
This achievement sets a new record for the highest number of reuses of the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket to date.
Image Source: Screenshot from the American "Space" News Network report
According to reports, at 8:21 p.m. Eastern Time on the 15th (8:21 a.m. Beijing Time on the 16th), the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. Approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds later, the rocket's first and second stages successfully separated. About 8 minutes and 30 seconds later, the first stage of the rocket landed as planned on the recovery ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Approximately an hour after launch, SpaceX confirmed that 23 Starlink satellites were successfully placed into orbit.
The report states that since the launch of the first Starlink satellite in 2019, this launch will increase the total number of Starlink satellites deployed in space to more than 6,000.
In the two Starlink launch missions in December 2023 and February 2024, the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage, which executed the missions, also completed its 19th service.
The report mentions that most traditional rockets are single-use, with high launch costs, while reusability of rockets can significantly reduce the cost of space exploration. According to SpaceX, the Falcon 9 rocket is the world's first orbital-class reusable rocket.
