China News Service, March 16. According to the US "Space" News Network, on the 15th local time, the US Space Exploration Technology Company (SpaceX) used a "19-hand" "Falcon 9" launch vehicle (Falcon 9) to 23 "Starlink" satellites were sent into space, and the first stage of the rocket was successfully recovered again.
According to reports, this is the current record for the reuse of the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket.
Image source: Screenshot of a report by the U.S. “Space” News Network
According to reports, at 8:21 pm Eastern Time on the 15th (8:21 Beijing time on the 16th), the "Falcon 9" rocket was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.
About 2 minutes and 30 seconds later, the first and second stages of the rocket successfully separated.
About 8 minutes and 30 seconds later, the first stage of the rocket landed on the recovery ship in the Atlantic Ocean as planned.
About an hour after launch, SpaceX confirmed that 23 "Starlink" satellites were successfully placed in orbit.
According to reports, since the first "Starlink" satellite was launched 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 first stage of the "Falcon 9" rocket that performed the mission was also in service for the 19th time.
According to reports, most traditional rockets are single-use and have high launch costs. The recycling and reuse of rockets can greatly reduce the cost of space exploration.
According to SpaceX, the "Falcon 9" rocket is the world's first orbital-level reusable rocket.