In the two months since SpaceX first debuted its Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket upgrade with a successful May 2018 launch and landing, the company has forged ahead with final Block 4 or older launch and two additional launches and recoveries of brand new Block 5 boosters, growing the fleet of flight-proven and thus flight-worthy […]
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Teslarati photographer Pauline Acalin has captured SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 Block 5 booster recovery in the best detail yet seen of the rocket upgrade, well-worn after its first successful launch of Iridium NEXT-7, July 25. Iridium-7 marked a number of important debuts for SpaceX: Falcon 9 Block 5 (Booster 1048, in this case) completed its […]
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According to observations of SpaceX booster movements at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on July 24, it appears that the company will reuse a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster for the first time ever on August 4, just over a week from today. Independent of the booster flying, SpaceX will also break their internal record […]
The post SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 Block 5 reuse will also be its quickest drone ship turnaround appeared first on TESLARATI.com.
Just as SpaceX successfully debuted Falcon 9 Block 5 at their California launch pad and returned drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) to rocket recovery duty after a nine-month leave, the company’s next West Coast mission is already aligning for an early-September launch. The mission, SAOCOM-1A, will feature yet another inaugural event – the […]
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Just a handful of days after SpaceX’s second-ever successful launch and landing of their upgraded Falcon 9 Block 5, the company has completed the same feat on the opposite side of the United States, debuting the Block 5 rocket with a launch and booster recovery from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB). The booster in […]
The post SpaceX nails second Falcon 9 landing in 48 hours, fairing catch foiled by weather appeared first on TESLARATI.com.
SpaceX recovery vessel Mr Steven officially departed Port of Los Angeles on the evening of July 23 and is speeding towards its first Falcon 9 fairing recovery attempt since a major series of refits and upgrades. With massive new arms and usable net area increased fourfold, chances are better than they’ve ever been for the […]
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SpaceX drone ship Just Read The Instructions was spotted by Teslarati photographer Pauline Acalin departing Port of Los Angeles on the evening of July 22, while fairing catcher Mr Steven completed final checkouts and full installation of his massive new net, hopefully just days away from the first successful fairing catch. Their call to action, […]
The post SpaceX’s Pacific rocket recovery fleet heads to sea for Western Block 5 debut appeared first on TESLARATI.com.
SpaceX has successfully completed its 13th launch of 2018, kicking off a marathon of three new Falcon 9 Block 5 booster debuts with the launch of the Telstar 19V communications satellite, potentially breaking the record for the largest commercial satellite ever launched at 7000 kg (15,500 lb). Despite the heft of its payload and partially […]
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After several months of preparation behind the scenes, SpaceX’s second and third serial Falcon 9 Block 5 rockets are ready for the first launches of the upgraded vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA (VAFB) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL (CCAFS). On the calendar for 1:50 am EDT/5:50 UTC July 22 and 4:39 […]
The post SpaceX readies Falcon 9 Block 5s for bi-coastal launches and landings appeared first on TESLARATI.com.
After several months of preparation behind the scenes, SpaceX’s second and third serial Falcon 9 Block 5 rockets are ready for the first launches of the upgraded vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA (VAFB) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL (CCAFS). On the calendar for 1:50 am EDT/5:50 UTC July 22 and 4:39 […]
The post SpaceX readies Falcon 9 Block 5s for bi-coastal launches and landings appeared first on TESLARATI.com.
