SpaceX Pulls off 3 Orbital Launches in 34 Hours, Smashing Its Record

SpaceX is ending off the 12 months sturdy, flying its Falcon 9 rocket three occasions in lower than 34 hours to ship numerous payloads to low Earth orbit.

So far this 12 months, the corporate has efficiently accomplished 59 orbital launches. SpaceX nonetheless has two extra launches scheduled earlier than the top of the 12 months, which might fulfill CEO Elon Musk’s objective of 60 launches for 2022. In June, SpaceX carried out three Falcon 9 launches in 36 hours and 18 minutes, however these most up-to-date launches occurred in a span of 33 hours and 46 minutes, setting a brand new document for the corporate, as Teslarati points out.

For the first of its latest three launches, a Falcon 9 carried the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission to orbit. The rocket took off from Space Launch Complex-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on December 16 at 6:46 a.m. ET. SWOT deployed as deliberate, starting its three-year mission as the primary satellite tv for pc to conduct a world survey of Earth’s floor water to measure the way it modifications over time.

Slightly over 11 hours later, one other Falcon 9 rocket took flight, departing Florida at 5:48 p.m ET. Friday’s second launch carried two communications satellites, the Boeing-built O3b mPower 1 and a pair of, to orbit for Luxembourg satellite tv for pc operator SES.

The third launch was somewhat nearer to house for SpaceX, with the reusable rocket delivering extra of the non-public firm’s Starlink satellites to orbit. On December 17, a Falcon 9 launched at 4:32 p.m. ET with 54 satellites tucked into its payload fairing. So far, SpaceX has launched over 3,600 of its web satellites to orbit, of which 3,284 are at present operational, in response to stats collected by astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. The use of its workhorse Falcon 9 has put the corporate approach forward of its competitors, similar to OneWeb, in the case of constructing a megaconstellation of web satellites in low Earth orbit.

SpaceX has two extra launches scheduled this 12 months. Multiple stories recommend that the corporate is planning on launching Falcon 9 on December 28 to ship extra Starlink satellites to orbit, according to Teslarati. There might even be a bonus launch on December 29, with the trusty launch automobile carrying the Israeli EROS-C3 Earth imaging satellite tv for pc.

SpaceX CEO Musk had beforehand stated that he’s aiming for a record-breaking 60 launches of the Falcon 9 rocket this 12 months, so we’ll have to attend and see if the corporate manages to tug it off. SpaceX might very nicely reach its objective for 2022, however a giant problem awaits subsequent 12 months, with the CEO setting his sights on 100 launches in 2023.

More: Key SpaceX Launches Back on Track After Unexplained Delays