SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites and broke the record with a Falcon 9 rocket

This Sunday (9), and SpaceX It launched another 60 Starlink satellites into orbit, reaching a total of 180 units launched in less than two weeks.The launch also set a new record in the history of the Falcon 9 rocket, whose tenth propeller had boarded its flight – this was the first time a class rocket propeller had managed Orbiting can perform 10 missions, so SpaceX has reached a historic milestone in comparison to its reusable missiles.

The launch took place at 3:42 a.m. Brasilia Time, Cape Canaveral. After leaving the platform, the missile performed a maneuver to maintain the necessary direction and direction in order to reach an orbit of 53 degrees. A few minutes after launch, the vehicle’s first stage revitalized its central engine and two outboard engines to land on the Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic.

The first stage of Falcon 9 has landed on a drone, Just Read the Instructions, to complete the 10th launch and landing of this Boost! pic.twitter.com/8KeEAfHgWF

– SpaceX (SpaceX) May 9, 2021

Now, the recovered phase will undergo some maintenance and inspection before returning to the fleet. This was the 83rd landing of the propeller of the Falcon 9 rocket and the tenth of this booster in particular, which sets a new record in its history and the possibility of flight again – Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, has already stated that “it is possible for a Falcon 9 rocket propeller to fly more than 100 times”, as long as it undergoes maintenance and component replacement. These 100 times involve 10 cycles of 10 uses each – that is, this time the booster will now undergo a full recovery, where it is “regenerated” to start a new cycle of 10 reuses.

As it returned to Earth, the second stage of the missile advanced to take a group of 60 satellites into initial static orbit, reaching it only 8 minutes after launch. Thus, the satellites were launched from the second stage and began maneuvers to reach an operational orbit of 550 km length – the company plans to fill the first set of satellites in a 550 km circular orbit with more than 1500 operational units, which will operate in 72 orbits. Planes.

60 Starlink satellites have been confirmed deployed pic.twitter.com/RarbrcfUml

– SpaceX (SpaceX) May 9, 2021

The total fuel used for this launch has reached nine missions in its history since its debut, which was launched with the launch of the still unmanned Crew Dragon capsule. Since then, the missile has launched satellites from other suppliers, and of course, from Starlink. With this mission, the first satellite group already has a total of about 1,456 units in operation, with approximately 882 of them already in their final orbits.

With that said, SpaceX is close to the latest Starlink releases before all units in this initial group are in the final location. In addition, Elon Musk has also demonstrated, in practical terms, the efficiency of reuse of thrusters with a strict launch schedule for satellites, which use the reinforcements that have already been launched in previous missions.

Since SpaceX is the supplier and customer of the Starlink satellites, which will provide high-speed internet to the world when the constellation is complete, it is imperative to achieve the greatest possible savings on launches. This is why the company is making so much effort to reuse its engines – SpaceX is still making new engines, but this year, a booster hasn’t been released that hasn’t yet been used.

Source: TechCrunchAnd the NASASpaceFlight